tatler.com Tatler Schools Guide 2020 29SOUTH EASTPUBLICground for the England Rugby
squad, Brighton offers every sport
imaginable, from cricket to Zumba.
The new £55 million Sports and
Science Centre will take Brighton’s
facilities to the next level with 18
university-standard labs, hi-tech
breakout spaces for research, a
25-metre pool, rooftop running
track, strength and conditioning
suite and botanic garden.CATERHAM
SCHOOL
Harestone Valley Road,
Caterham, Surrey CR3 6YA
Website caterhamschool.co.uk
Head Ceri Jones, MA, since 2015;
previously Second Master at
Tonbridge School Pupils 939. Day:
409 boys, 371 girls; boarding: 97
boys, 62 girls Ages 11–18 Te r m
Fees Day: £6,245; boarding:
£12,265 Oxbridge 10%
Registration By October of year
before entry; £100 fee day, £200 fee
boarding Admission Assessment day,
school’s own exam, interview and
previous school’s report
Alumni Angus Deayton,
Geraint Jones, David Sales
PREP Head Ben Purkiss Pupils
282 day: 154 boys, 128 girls Ages
3–11 Term Fees £5,200
There is a palpably happy atmos-
phere at this modern, innovative
co-ed, enhanced by the multitudeCHARTERHOUSE
Godalming, Surrey GU7 2DX
Website charterhouse.org.uk
Head Dr Alex Peterken, EdD, since
2018; previously Head of Cheltenham
College Pupils 800. Day: 21 boys,
4 girls; boarding: 639 boys, 136
girls Faith C of E Ages 13–18
Term Fees Day: £11,210; boarding:
£13,565 Oxbridge 7% Registration
By Ocotober three years before entry;
£250 fee Admission ISEB pre-test,
previous school’s report, interview
and activity afternoon Alumni
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Jonathan
Dimbleby, Lord Rees-Mogg
Nestled high above Godalming,
within an hour of central London,
Charterhouse is immersed in the
royal delights of a sprawling 250-
acre campus. Founded in the
early 17th century, Charterhouse’s
pedigree as a leading public school
is well established. The school’s
historic buildings are magnificent- walking past the vast Chapel and
Great Hall or through the leafy
grounds, you immediately feel
part of its impressive heritage.
Charterhouse now finds itself at
an exciting junction in its
journey. Head Dr Alex Peterken
is ‘passionately pro co-education’
and his enthusiasm is ‘infectious’.
The school has accepted girls in
the sixth form since the 1970s, but
it is now preparing for their first
intake of girls lower down the
school in September 2021 – by
2023, there will be girls in all year
groups. Naturally, there is a long
lead into co-education and they
are growing the school accordingly:
a new science centre, dining hall
and boarding houses will appear
over the next few years. Having
long prided itself as a great school
with great results, it’s now all
systems go to project its new co-ed
ethos. The bright, engaging and
mature students further affirm
that this historic school is on a
winning 21st-century trajectory,
without excessive pressure. As one
parent puts it: ‘The school
manages to combine excellence
and inclusivity; standards can be
high but there is not an unhealthy
focus on winning.’
CHRIST’S
HOSPITAL
Horsham, West Sussex RH13 OLJ
Website christs-hospital.org.uk
Head Simon Reid, BA, since 2017;
previously Head of Gordonstoun
Pupils 900. Day: 30 boys, 30 girls;
boarding: 420 boys, 420 girls
Faith C of E Ages 11–18 Te r m
Fees Day: £7,770; boarding:
£11,950 Oxbridge 9%
Registration One year before entry;
£65 fee Admission Online test,
school’s own exams and interview
Alumni Samuel Taylor Coleridge,
Roger Allam,Charles Lamb
Many schools are keen to illustrate
their bursarial and philanthropic
mindset, but, as one impressed
parent explains, ‘Christ’s is true to
its charitable ethos, having helped
students in an unpublicised way
for a very long time.’ Christ’s can
be perceived as sitting somewhere
in between the state and inde-
pendent school systems and is
consequently brimming with di-
versity: nearly every pupil boards –
but only 17 per cent of pupils pay
full boarding fees, and close to 75
per cent wouldn’t be there without
financial support. The school
welcomes students from all walks
of life, offering a wonderful prepa-
ration for the workplace and their
future position in the world. Entry
is ‘more complex than anywhere
else, and necessarily so’: there are
seven applicants per place and the
extensive process begins with an
online test followed by a two-day
residential assessment, including a
variety of exams and an interview.
When asked about the distinctive
and somewhat old-fashioned uni-
form, reassuringly paired with
Superdry rucksacks, the students
hardly blink: it’s ‘so normal’, and
they are ‘proud of it’. Head Simon
Reid arrived at Christ’s in 2017 and
is very popular with students, who
describe him as ‘really involved
and down to earth’ – he invites
pupils to join him at Head’s Table,
and he has introduced more com-
pulsory drama, music and outdoor
education. Christ’s is refreshingly
different, and is clearly flourishing
under Reid’s leadership. ]of friendships across different year
groups: ‘It’s like a family – you see
the older kids and know you’re on
the same journey.’ Parents attest
to the fact that it’s brilliant at
making sure every child has the
opportunity to take part in sport,
art and drama, irrespective of
ability. Busy working parents,
listen up: there’s an extensive
school bus network covering a
wide area including Croydon, it’s
a mere 40 minutes from London
Victoria, and the day boarding
option allows pupils to remain at
school until 9pm. The academic
support is excellent, with lunch-
time clinics in every subject and
students describe their teachers as
‘approachable and passionate’. As
a singer himself, Head Ceri Jones
has upped the focus on music: he
reintroduced singing in assem-
blies and the orchestra spans the
prep and senior school. Jones has
a broad strategic vision which
includes reaching out to the
community at large and encour-
aging applications from children
who are likely to develop well at
Caterham. There’s no arrogance
here, just normal, happy kids who
leave as down to earth, well-
rounded young men and women
who have a broad outlook on life
and are well-equipped to tackle
whatever may lie ahead.CHARTERHOUSE10-19-Schools-Guide-PublicSouthEast.indd 29 14/08/2019 22:15