History

Sunnydown was relocated from the Hogs Back, Guildford, to its present location in 1983. We celebrated our 60th Jubilee in 2009 which makes us the second oldest special school in Surrey.

The accommodation is set on a campus of four schools comprising de Stafford College, Audley Primary and St. Francis Roman Catholic Primary School and Sunnydown.

The original building, named Portley House, was built in 1856 as the home of Charles Dingwall, a wealthy wine merchant based in London. There is evidence to suggest that Portley House was one of the first large houses to be built in Caterham after the coming of the railway to the town. Since its time as a Victorian family home, there have been many adaptations and additions to the building. The original house comprises the Administration Offices, Dining Room, Common Room, Kitchen, Visitors’ Room, Medical Room and the classrooms for our Year 11 students.

A separate modern building houses our Academic classrooms, and was the site for our residential accommodation, however this was closed down in 2021. In 1993 three General Purpose class-rooms and a Library/Resource room were added to the teaching accommodation. Two class-rooms were replaced in November 1997.

In the summer of 2001 the new Science Room was opened by Dr. Paul Gray, Director of Education, Surrey County Council. This facility was built with money raised by the school and a donation from the Local Authority.

Adjacent to the teaching block is a multi-purpose Hall/Gym which is equipped with changing rooms and showers. An extension to the Design Technology room was added in 2003.

Due to a generous grant from the Department for Education, a practical cooking room was built in 2010. All of our Key Stage 3 pupils participate in cooking on a weekly basis.

The Local Authority agreed that a significant capital project should be undertaken within the school during the school year 2014-2015. 6 general purpose classrooms were removed on a phased basis to allow for the construction of an eight classroom and teaching block, now known as Forest View.  Work commenced in October 2014 and a grand opening took place in the Autumn Term of 2015.