Announcement

Thursday 3rd September 2026: There will be a staggered start to the first day of school. Please look at the information below carefully: 

• Year 7: Please arrive at school at 8:20am via the Heathcote Gate (main entrance) and proceed directly to the Main Assembly Hall, where staff will be there to welcome you. This is the same location used for Transition Day.

• Years 8, 9, 10 and 11: arrive at school at 11am, entering through the car park gate. Line up in Learning lines for a 11.20am start. 

• Year 12 The Bridge Pathway: Arrive at school at 9.50am entering through the car park gate. Go to the Youth Centre for a 10.10am start. 

• Year 12 (6th Form): arrive at school at 8.20am entering through the car park gate. Line up in Learning lines for an 8.25am start. 

• Year 13: arrive at school at 11am, entering through the car park gate. Line up in Learning lines for a 11.20am start. 

 

We are changing the student access and exit to school from Thursday 3rd September 2026. 

We are making this change to accommodate various groups of students at the school. We will be reviewing these new arrangements at half term. 

NEW: All students, including 6th Form students, will enter and exit by the Heathcote Avenue Gate. Senior Leaders will be on duty to manage the larger numbers entering through this gate and ensure safety and security as we do already. We have reviewed and amended our vehicle access through this gate so that student safety is prioritised.  

Please note that the Heathcote Avenue Gate is NOT the main reception gate but slightly further along the pavement from the main reception front gate to the school.  

Exemption: A number of students will have access through the gate on Caterham Avenue – this gate is informally known as “The Arch Gate”. Students travelling to and from school on Local Authority SEND Buses, students who are part of The Arch Community, and children in The Maple Provision will enter and exit the school by this gate, supervised by staff from the Access and Inclusion Team and Senior Leaders. Students will be fully supervised to ensure they go to The Arch, The Maple, the Deaf Provision, the Zen Den or the Access & Inclusion Department as is the current arrangement. Parents and families who have any questions about arrangements for children from our provisions should contact the A&I/SEND Department on InclusionCHS@ecaterham.net   

Arrival and access arrangements for Breakfast Club remain unchanged. Students enter via the Heathcote Gate from 7.45am and enter Breakfast Club through the Youth Centre exterior door. At 8.15am the Breakfast Club closes. We encourage all students to attend Breakfast Club, with informal staffed football activities and a free toasted bagel - a good way to start the day! 

Procedures for students arriving from 8.15am remain unchanged with regard to entry through the Heathcote Avenue Gate and then into the main playground directly through the internal playground gate. Students who previously arrived via The Arch Gate (Caterham Avenue) will need to walk a short distance around the corner to enter through the Heathcote Avenue Gate. 

Late to school procedures. We expect all students to be in the school playground at 8.20am, moving to classrooms at 8.25am so that learning starts promptly at 8.30am. We would ask families to ensure students are leaving home in good time to meet this expectation. 

However, if a student arrives late to school – eg after 8.25am - they will enter through the Heathcote Avenue where staff and Senior Leaders will address their lateness. Late sanctions will be applied.  

Students arriving after 8.50am will need to report to the Main Reception (Heathcote Avenue Reception Gate). There is no change to these arrangements.  

At the end of the school day, all students will exit via the Heathcote Avenue Gate (where they entered the school) except for exempted students (see above). 

There is no change to students leaving detentions at 3.30pm who exit through the Heathcote Avenue Gate. Students in longer detentions (eg 3.45pm finish or SLT Detentions 5pm finish) will continue to exit through the main reception in Heathcote Avenue. 

Senior Leaders will review these arrangements on a regular basis to ensure the safety of children and to provide an orderly arrival and exit from school. Please note that entry and exit to the school is always staffed, with Senior Leaders managing and directing students for their safety. 

The main change that parents and carers need to be aware of is that students who usually enter school by The Arch Gate (Caterham Avenue) will need to allow for a few extra minutes to walk round to the Heathcote Avenue Gate.  

Picking up from school. As there will be more students entering and exiting from the Heathcote Avenue Gate, parents and carers who drive are advised to “park and walk” a short distance from the school. Please be aware that new cameras have been installed on Heathcote Avenue and Caterham Avenue to monitor vehicle movement and parking, with fines being issued for infringements. However, we would encourage the “park and walk” approach as this supports the safety of all children and young people at Caterham High and prevents any frustration for drivers.  

If your child has any questions about these arrangements, they should speak to a member of the Senior Team. 

With regards

Ms B Chapple 

Headteacher