Editing Leatherhead (section)

===Independent schools===
[[Downsend School]] was founded in [[Hampstead]] in 1898<ref name=Downsend_history>{{cite web |url= https://www.downsend.co.uk/about-us/our-history/ |title= History of Downsend |author= <!--Not stated--> |date= 3 January 2017 |publisher= Downsend School |access-date= 20 February 2021 |archive-date= 17 January 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210117194140/https://www.downsend.co.uk/about-us/our-history/ |url-status= live }}</ref> and moved to its current site in stages between 1918 and 1940.<ref name=Stuttard_1995_pp187-189>{{harvnb|Stuttard|1995|pp=187–189}}</ref> The school underwent a period of expansion in the late 1970s and 1980s, which included the purchase of pre-preparatory departments in Leatherhead, Ashtead and Epsom.<ref name=Downsend_history/> In 2002, the school was sold by the Linford family (who had owned it since its opening) to Asquith Court Schools Ltd and it was bought by [[Cognita]] in 2006.<ref name=Downsend_history/> In 2017, the school announced that it would build a new study centre to accommodate students studying for [[GCSE]]s.<ref>{{cite news |last= George |first= Sarah |date= 14 November 2017 |title= Leatherhead school wants to build a new £3 million block so it can start teaching to GCSE level |url= https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/leatherhead-school-wants-build-new-13887140 |work= Get Surrey |access-date= 20 February 2021 |archive-date= 1 October 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201001090416/https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/leatherhead-school-wants-build-new-13887140 |url-status= live }}</ref>

[[File:The_dining_hall,_St_Johns_School_(geograph_6276552).jpg|thumb|right|Dining Hall and the Quad War Memorial, [[St John's School, Leatherhead|St John's School]]]]
St John's School was founded in [[St John's Wood]] in 1851 by [[Ashby Haslewood]] and moved to Leatherhead in 1872.<ref name=SJS_history>{{cite web |url= https://www.stjohnsleatherhead.co.uk/history |title= Our history |author= <!--Not stated--> |publisher= St John's School |access-date= 21 February 2021 |archive-date= 28 November 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201128231325/https://www.stjohnsleatherhead.co.uk/history |url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1= Stuttard |first1= JC |year= 1997 |url= https://leatherheadhistoryarchive.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/VOL_6_NO_1_1997.pdf |title= St John's School celebrates 125 years in Leatherhead |journal= Proceedings of the Leatherhead & District Local History Society |volume= 6 |issue= 1 |page= 2 |access-date= 1 February 2021 }}</ref> Initially intended for the sons of poor clergymen, the school began to accept fee-paying pupils at the start of the 20th century. In 1989, girls were accepted into the [[sixth form]] and the school became fully coeducational from 2012.<ref name=SJS_history/> Several parts of the school are [[Grade II listed]], including the library, formerly the chapel, which was built in 1876.<ref>{{NHLE|num=1028621|desc=Library at St John's School|grade=II|fewer-links=yes|access-date=20 February 2021}}</ref>