About the School

The School

The Cedars School is an independent secondary school and sixth form with a Catholic ethos for boys aged 11-18 located in Croydon, London. It was established in 2013 by the PACT Educational Trust.


At the heart of The Cedars School is the idea of personal growth: helping each boy to acquire the moral, intellectual and social virtues that are so important for a happy and fulfilled life, within a framework of Catholic principles. Our aim is to work in partnership with parents to help each boy grow into the best young man that he can become. 


A Cedars School education aims to lead each boy to become a great young man through helping him develop his full powers of mind and character. Our approach, and our size, allow us to provide opportunities for leadership and service that play to an individual’s strengths while taking him out of his ‘comfort zone’. All of this is supported by our unique tutorial system which creates space for a personalised programme for all-round development. 


Since the foundation of The Cedars School in 2013, we were based in a beautiful Georgian building close to Lloyd Park in Croydon. This school site served us well and we fully utilised every bit of space available. We have now outgrown the capacity of the buildings far more quickly than expected. In September 2021, The Cedars School relocated to Upper Norwood, SE19. This very exciting development and has enabled us to provide enhanced facilities and more space for the current and future students of The Cedars School.


Shield & Motto

Our motto, In Gaudio Serviamus –translates as – may we serve joyfully. We are here at the service of others: the Church, our school, our families, friends and our wider society. We wish to serve everyone cheerfully.


Our school shield is a cedar tree within a circle of twelve stars. Cedar trees are symbolic of knowledge and spirituality. Virgil and other classical writers believed that the cedar represented incorruptibility.


The stars symbolise The Blessed Virgin Mary in the Book of Revelation (12:1). “And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.”


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