Junior Independent Research Prize 2026

On Tuesday, Caterham School hosted the finals of the 2nd Annual Independent Research Prize competition. This year, the competition expanded significantly, welcoming more than 50 entries from across the Family of Schools. The calibre of research was exceptional, making it no easy task to select just seven finalists representing Caterham, Caterham Prep and The Hawthorns School, as follows: 
 
Felix G [Second Year, Caterham] Can a butterfly in Brazil really cause a tornado in Texas? A dive into chaos 
 
Kiera L [Caterham Prep] What heritage and tradition do China and Japan have in common? 
 
Kavish C [Second Year, Caterham] The eighth wonder of the world: how compound interest secretly controls every life on earth 
 
Mathilde L [The Hawthorns] How has social media changed the way teenagers communicate? 
 
Evangelina S [Caterham Prep] How does Christianity link to our everyday lives and how does it impact us today? 
 
Sara K [First Year, Caterham] How does gravity interconnect the universe, shaping human perspective? 
 
Anders M [Second Year, Caterham] To what extent is the emergence of classic literature more connected to periods of oppression than of liberty? 
 
The finalists delivered presentations that reflected the passion, dedication and intellectual curiosity they had invested in their projects. They spoke with confidence, insight and, at times, great humour. Particularly impressive was the way in which they responded to the judges’ challenging questions, thoughtfully exploring complex aspects of their research with maturity and composure. Their ability to think on their feet and articulate their ideas with conviction was remarkable. Many parents and teachers in the room commented admiringly (and envyingly) on the pupils’ mental agility and calmness under pressure. 
 
Following careful deliberation, the judges offered warm and encouraging feedback to all finalists before announcing the results: 
 
Audience Vote: Kavish C:  [Second Year, Caterham] 
 
Independent Research Prize 2026  
Runner-up: Sara K [First Year, Caterham] 
Winner: Anders M  [Second Year, Caterham] 
 
Thank you to all the pupils across the Family of Schools who took part. It was a joy to see such a wide range of topics explored with such enthusiasm, creativity and scholarly ambition, and a privilege to work with so many curious and engaged learners. 
 
Our thanks also go to the judges for their thoughtful reports and support throughout the competition, particularly our Finals Judges: Adrian Floyd (Headmaster, Hawthorns School), Nicola Stone (Head of Academic Excellence, Copthorne) and Joshua Parker (Head of EDGE, Caterham School). 
 
We now look forward to next year’s competition — with the theme to be revealed in March 2027.