The Aporia · Headteacher at £20,000-a-year top London private school pleads guilty to dangerous driving after injuring cyclist

Headteacher at £20,000-a-year top London private school pleads guilty to dangerous driving after injuring cyclist

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Pogrund, A. (2026, September 17). Headteacher at £20,000-a-year top London private school pleads guilty to dangerous driving after injuring cyclist. Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16136593/Headteacher-20-000-year-London-private-school-pleads-guilty-dangerous-driving-injuring-cyclist.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490

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Catherine Hitchcock, 49, the headmistress of Donhead Preparatory School in Wimbledon, a prestigious private school that costs £20,000 per year, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court. On February 10, she caused cyclist Robert Atkinson to fall and fracture his wrists when she pulled into his path at a mini roundabout. Hitchcock was fined £911 and received five penalty points for the incident. The article highlights her educational background and career trajectory in elite London private schools, including serving as a governor of Putney High School.

Written by AI on 2026-09-17, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

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Story summary

Catherine Hitchcock, the 49-year-old headmistress of Donhead Preparatory School — a private school in London that costs £20,000 per year — pleaded guilty to dangerous driving on February 10 at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court. She caused cyclist Robert Atkinson to fracture his wrists when she pulled into the path of his bike near a mini roundabout on Belvedere Grove in Wimbledon Village, south-west London. Although she did not hit him directly with her Peugeot, Hitchcock's actions led to Atkinson falling off his bicycle.

Hitchcock, who is also a governor at Putney High School, was represented by her lawyer during the court proceedings as she herself was absent from the hearing. The lawyer stated that Hitchcock admitted that the cyclist had the right of way and apologized for causing him to fall off his bike. She received a fine of £911 and five penalty points.

Written for “Headteacher Guilty Dangerous Driving” on 2026-11-02, grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.

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Who wrote this

Adam Pogrund

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All 15 articles by Adam Pogrund →

Claims (12 extracted, 0 hedged)

- See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source A headteacher at a top London private school has admitted dangerous driving after she left a cyclist with a broken wrist. Catherine Hitchcock, 49, headmistress of £20,000 a year Donhead Preparatory School, which costs £20,000-a-year, caused cyclist Robert Atkinson to fracture his wrists when she pulled into his path at a mini roundabout on Belvedere Grove in Wimbledon, south-west London on February 10. Ms Hitchcock, who is also a governor of Putney High School, did not hit the cyclist with her Peugeot but caused him to fall forward onto his handlebars and off his bike, sustaining his injury. asserted

him → see → injury

The accident took place in the affluent Wimbledon Village, in between her school, which was previously attended by actor Tom Holland, and her £1.8million house. asserted

which → take → Holland

She was not in attendance at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday afternoon and her lawyer pleaded guilty on her behalf. asserted

lawyer → plead → behalf

He said she admitted the cyclist had the right of way and she apologised for causing the crash which led to Mr Atkinson falling off his bike. asserted

Atkinson → say → bike

He added there was a ‘significant distance’ between her car and the cyclist and the injuries were only ‘minor’. asserted

injuries → add → car

Ms Hitchcock previously had a fully clean licence and was fined £911 and handed five penalty points. asserted

Hitchcock → have → points

Catherine Hitchcock, 49, headmistress of £20,000 a year Donhead Preparatory School, which costs £20,000-a-year, caused cyclist Robert Atkinson to fracture his wrists Ms Hitchcock, who is also a governor of Putney High School, did not hit the cyclist with her Peugeot but caused him to fall forward The headmistress studied geography at the University of Oxford, where she also completed her PGCE. asserted

she → cost → PGCE

She later undertook further teaching qualifications at University College London. asserted

She → undertake → London

She began her career at Finchley Catholic High School in 1999 as a geography teacher. asserted

She → begin → teacher

The 49-year-old joined Donhead Preparatory School, attended by England rugby player Danny Cipriani, in 2015 and was Assistant Headteacher until 2021. asserted

old → join → 2021

Ms Hitchcock became headteacher in January 2024. asserted

Hitchcock → become → January

She has acted as governor for a range of elite London private schools and works with the Independent Schools Inspectorate, a Department for Education body to inspect private schools. asserted

She → act → schools

Headteacher at £20,000-a-year top London private school pleads guilty to dangerous driving after injuring cyclist

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