Epsom College is the top co-ed school in Surrey, and in the top 1% of all UK schools, based on the latest A-level results.
Set on a beautiful 85-acre estate, only 15 miles from central London, the still red bricks of St Luke’s Chapel, and the other original Victorian buildings, stand as a monument to the breadth of an Epsom education for 1,000 girls and boys aged 11-18.
Epsom College headmistress Emma Pattison reportedly made a ‘distressed’ phone call to a relative shortly before she, and her seven year old daughter Lettie, were killed by her husband. Police believe that Mrs Pattison’s sister received a call on the night she was shot dead, spurring her and her partner to quickly go to the scene where the bodies were found.
The bodies of Emma Pattison, 45, her husband George, 39, and their seven-year-old daughter Lettie were all discovered at their home within the private school’s grounds in Surrey.
It is now believed Mr Pattison killed the them before committing suicide shortly after, the BBC reported.
Surrey Police have not yet disclosed the cause of deaths, but are expected to give an update on the disturbing case later today.
The force had already confirmed this was an isolated incident and no third-party involvement was suspected.
Their statement came amid reports that gunshots were heard before the three bodies were found.
Police confirmed Mr Pattison had a shotgun licence, and they have been in touch with him about it last week.
According to the report, Mrs Pattison made a distressed call to a family member some time late on Saturday evening.
But by the time the relative arrived at their home, the three were already dead.
Mrs Pattison became Epsom College’s first female head last September after six years leading staff at Croydon High School in south London.
In a podcast released weeks earlier, she revealed how her small family had gone through ‘big changes’ since she started her new role.
She said: ‘I’ve got a new job, my husband has got a new job, that wasn’t meant to happen but it did and my daughter has started a new school so there’s been a lot of change for us as a family.’
Her husband was a chartered accountant who was director of a consultancy called Tanglewood 2016, according to Companies House.
The IOPC said it is assessing the information available to decide if any further action is necessary.
The shocking and tragic news has now reached many about the death of our Head, Emma Pattison. The College community will be coming together today to process the news, grieve and pay our respects to a wonderful Head
At this time there is nothing more that we can say regarding the circumstances around Mrs Pattison and her family’s death beyond the statement issued by Surrey Police yesterday evening (Sunday 5 February).
We will be in close contact with Surrey Police over the coming weeks and months. We hope everyone will respect the privacy of Emma’s family at this time and allow the College’s pupils, staff and wider community the time and space necessary to come to terms with this loss.
Epsom won two awards, scooping the ‘Student Wellbeing’ award as well as the ‘Independent School of the Year’ prize.
Ms Pattison described the win as ‘an incredible honour’ and added: ‘We put focus on time, space and heart and spirit to give all the young people in our care everything they need to become the best version of themselves – in the classroom, on the sports field and in any field of interest that lights that spark within them.
‘There is so much amazing work to be celebrated in the industry at the moment, so this is a real privilege to be named the best of the best. I am incredibly proud to be Head and we will display this award with real pride.’
Detective Chief Inspector Kimball Edey, senior investigating officer on the case, said: “This is an incredibly traumatic incident and we are working around the clock to investigate and understand the exact circumstances which led to this point.
“We understand the public concern and upset, and we will clarify what we can, when we can, while respecting the right to a level of privacy for the families of those who have lost their lives.”
Mr Pattison had held a gun licence for a number of years and it was up for renewal early last year, according to the Times.
The newspaper said he had not been reported to Surrey Police before, but in 2016 had contacted them to allege that his wife had hit him, before withdrawing the claim.
Mrs Pattison became Epsom’s first female head in September 2022 after six years as headteacher of Croydon High School in south London.
Boarding students at the college pay more than £42,000 a year and its alumni include Conservative MP Sir Michael Fallon, broadcaster Jeremy Vine and comedian Tim Vine.
