Kent College is a private girls' day and boarding school for pupils aged 3-18. Forest Explorers Nursery is for girls and boys from rising 3 years, boys can join Reception Class and Year 1, and from September 2023 Year 2 as the Prep School becomes a co-ed school. The Senior School and Sixth Form are girls only from 11-18.
| Kent College Senior School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
Old Church Road Tunbridge Wells , Kent , TN2 4AX England | |
| Coordinates | 51°09′49″N 0°19′31″E / 51.1635°N 0.3254°E |
| Information | |
| Type | Private day and boarding |
| Motto | Respice Finem - Look to the End |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Methodist |
| Established | 1886 |
| Founder | Wesleyan Methodist Schools' Association |
| Local authority | KENT |
| Department for Education URN | 118946 Tables |
| Head | Katrina Handford |
| Staff | c. 100 Full time, 25 Part time[1] |
| Gender | Girls |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Enrolment | c. 400 (Senior) |
| Website | www |
Location
editSet in a 75-acre rural parkland estate in Pembury just outside Tunbridge Wells, the school consists of a Victorian manor house and with facilities including The Countess of Wessex Theatre, science centre, two indoor sports halls, music centre, astro, library and art centre, forest school, dance studio and two boarding houses. The grounds are adjacent to Pembury Old Church, and the nearest railway stations are in Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells.
History
editIn 1886, the school was established in Bouverie Road, Folkestone with twelve female pupils. John Stainer was one of the founders. The original site of the school is now occupied by apartments, which are named after heads of the school. In 1939, the school moved to its current location in Tunbridge Wells because of the danger to girls being too near the coast during World War II.[2] During the war, the school was hit by a V-1 flying bomb, a German aircraft was shot down inside the school's grounds,[3] and a pilot of a Hawker Hurricane died when his aircraft crashed inside the school's grounds.[4] In 1945, the Prep School was established in Tunbridge Wells, and in 1989 it moved to the same location as the Senior School.[5][6]
Prep School
edit| Kent College Prep School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| | |
| Coordinates | 51°09′49″N 0°19′31″E / 51.1635°N 0.3254°E |
| Information | |
| Type | Private preparatory day and boarding |
| Motto | Repice Finem - Look to the End |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Methodist |
| Established | 1886 |
| Local authority | Kent |
| Department for Education URN | 119022 Tables |
| Head | Salli Hall |
| Gender | Girls and boys/Girls |
| Age | 3 to 11 |
| Enrolment | c. 150 |
| Website | http://www.kent-college.co.uk |
The Prep School is located on the same site as the main school and is housed in its own buildings and shares many of the facilities at the Senior School. Full, weekly and flexi boarding are available to Prep School pupils aged 10 and above.[7]
School heads
edit- Edith Margaret James[8]
- 1983–1989 John C.A. Barrett[9]
- 1990–2002 Barbara Crompton[10]
- 2002–2007 Anne E. Upton
- 2008–2015 Sally-Anne Huang[1]
- 2016–2021 Julie Lodrick
- 2022–present Katrina Handford
Notable former pupils
edit- Sarah Sands, former Editor of The Sunday Telegraph newspaper, current editor of the Today Programme
- Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh
- Suki Brownsdon, swimmer
- Catie Munnings, British Rally Driver
References
edit- ^ a b "Kent College Pembury". School details. Guide to Independent Schools. 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
- ^ "Old Girls renew the memories of their school days" (pdf). Folkestone Herald. 28 September 2006. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
- ^ "Friends reunited for lunch and laughter" (pdf). Kentish Express. 28 September 2006. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
- ^ "Kent College's WW2 Tribute" (pdf). Pulse. Kent College, Pembury. Winter 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
- ^ "Kent College Pembury". Presentation. Education Base. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
- ^ "Inspection of Kent College, Pembury By the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) on April 26th – 30th, 2004 Main Report" (pdf). Independent Schools Council. 2004. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
- ^ Boarding – Introduction
- ^ James, Martin (2010). "Miss E Margaret James [MMS 1947–61, CSI Medak Diocese, Wesley Girls High School, Secunderabad] Died 7.12. 2009 aged 89". Obituaries 2010. Friends of the Church in India. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
- ^ "Kingswood" (pdf). Resolutions. The Satanic Church in Britain. 16 February 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
- ^ "Kent College Head Retires" (pdf). Pembury Village News – Issue 111. Pembury Parish Council. Autumn 2002. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
Further reading
edit- The Kent College Saga by Margaret James, published by the Governors of Kent College, 1986, ASIN B00169BIPU
External links
edit- School Website
- Profile at MyDaughter
- Kent College, Pembury, Kent at ISBI
- Kent College Preparatory School, Pembury, Kent at ISBI
- ISI Inspection Reports – Prep School & Senior School