Caterham High School

Caterham High School demonstrates overall good performance, fostering a caring and aspirational community where pupils thrive. The school emphasizes high expectations for its students, who generally respond positively to the supportive environment established by the staff. Notable strengths include strong behavior management, effective personal development programs, and a well-structured curriculum that caters to the diverse needs of pupils, including those with special educational needs. Additionally, the sixth form offers a broad selection of academic and vocational courses, equipping students for future success. This inspection marks the school's first since returning to routine evaluations post-COVID-19.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe and enjoy school.
• Staff encourage pupils to believe in themselves and pursue their ambitions.
• Strong behavior management resulting in rare bullying incidents.
• Well-structured and ambitious curriculum accommodating SEND pupils.
• Good subject knowledge and effective teaching practices.
• Strong support for personal development with relevant topics.
• Effective governance with accountable leadership.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils need systematic support to read fluently.
• Teachers need additional training to support SEND pupils in developing writing skills.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Caterham High School attended 89.4% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 33.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 7.9% of pupils at Caterham High School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 5 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Caterham High School had 14.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 21.3% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 8.7% of pupils at Caterham High School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 6.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

The school has resourced provision with 36 pupils.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Caterham High School received £10,915 and spent £10,491 for each of its 953 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £562,000 (£590 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Redbridge · Redbridge local authority: places and applications

What is Caterham High School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Caterham High School is Good, from an inspection in September 2022.

When was Caterham High School last inspected by Ofsted?

Caterham High School was last inspected in September 2022.

How many pupils does Caterham High School have?

Caterham High School has 953 pupils on roll.

What age range does Caterham High School cover?

Caterham High School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Caterham High School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 44.2, and 42% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Caterham High School?

Caterham High School is at Caterham Avenue, Clayhall, Ilford, Essex, IG5 0QW.