This outstanding boarding and day school is situated on the edge of the beautiful City of Canterbury. Students can join the Nursery from three months old and continue through the Junior School and the Senior School until the age of eighteen. Parents choose the school not only for its excellent academic results and wide range of co-curricular activities but also for its warm, friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Students are encouraged to achieve all that they can, in a happy and supportive environment.
Boarding at KC. We are proud of the international nature of the school with over 42 countries represented. While most day students live within an hour of the school, our thriving boarding community makes up a third of the College. Boarding Houses which are all on site and are managed by experienced House Parents and their teams. Boarders are fully integrated into the day-to-day life of the school but also have their own specially arranged activities in the evenings, from basketball to archery, trips to the Natural History Museum in London, or Go Karting at the weekends.
Campus. The Junior and Senior schools occupy two independent sites just five minutes apart by car. Both schools are surrounded by extensive playing fields which are used throughout the school day. Modern classrooms and a forward-thinking approach to technology throughout the school distinguishes Kent College as a market leader in education. Excellent sport, music and drama facilities are augmented by the highest level of teaching and coaching. The recently opened Great Hall is an impressive 600-seat auditorium that provides cutting-edge facilities for worship, concerts, and the performing arts. The music and drama departments host some 13 concerts and drama performances in the theatre during the school year.
Farm and horse riding. Our working farm provides an opportunity for students to take Green Studies as part of the curriculum but also to enjoy learning about animal welfare and care as part of our Young Farmers Club. Our students can take horse riding lessons throughout the year in our riding arena with our experienced riding instructors and can also take stable management courses.
Curriculum. The school offers GCSEs, iGCSEs (as part of a pre-Sixth Form year), 23 A Levels, the International Baccalaureate and a number of Cambridge Technical courses. For the IB the school has consistently ranked in the top 10 UK small cohort schools with an average score of 37. Most school leavers go on to Russell Group and other top universities both in the UK and abroad. Each year a number of pupils secure offers of places at Oxford and Cambridge. The curriculum is aligned to the National Curriculum but a greater range of subjects is provided. It is not the aim to specialise in any one group of subjects but to provide a balanced curriculum, which will give full opportunity for students to get a good grounding of general knowledge and then later to develop particular talents to a high standard. We pride ourselves on being able to provide a personalised learning experience, where we can organise the curriculum to suit the student.
Learning Support Centre. The Learning Support Centre is a haven of help for those among the school intake that need extra support. Students are taught all the mechanisms that they need to access the whole curriculum. Support remains a constant throughout the child’s time here.
International Study Centre. Small group lessons and specific language assistance provide a useful platform for those students who need to improve their English. These students are integrated into the mainstream classes at a pace that suits them.
Pastoral care. Kent College has a reputation for being a friendly and caring school, and our pastoral structure is designed to give all pupils the support they need from the start of their school career to the day they leave. The school operates closely with each student and the student’s parents to ensure that there is an open line of communication. Our pastoral system is led by our Deputy Head, Wellbeing and Pastoral. The Heads of Year, House Parents, teachers and tutors all take a significant interest in looking after the needs of each individual.
Religion. As a Methodist school, a strong Christian ethos purveys all that the school does. Students of all faiths and no faith are welcomed in the school.
Co-curricular activities. The school possesses 28 acres of playing fields and a floodlit all-weather hockey pitch, netball courts and tennis courts. The major games for boys are Rugby, Hockey, Tennis, Cricket and Athletics and for girls are Netball, Hockey, Tennis, Cricket and Athletics. Hockey is a particular strength, with teams regularly attaining National championship status. Representative honours are common occurrence in all sports. The boarding community enjoys full use of the facilities in the evening with regular activities in Basketball, Football and Fitness Training. Senior pupils take part in various forms of community service in the City and the school also has its own Duke of Edinburgh’s Award group. There are over 100 co-curricular activities available, including Art, Debating, Chess, Conservation, CDT and Photography, and every student is expected to participate in 2 co-curricular activities per week.
Music and drama. Music and drama play an important part in the life of the school. There are four choirs, two orchestras, a jazz band, rock groups and a variety of other specialist ensembles and singing groups. Many concerts are given each year, including the annual Carol Service in Canterbury Cathedral. Whole-school productions occur every term as well as Arts week in the Spring term.
Scholarships. Realising the potential within young people is something that is incredibly important at KC. Our scholarship programme allows us to nurture those that already have talents in particular areas. The school awards academic, music, sport, drama, art and design scholarships to pupils for entry into Years 7, 9 and 12. Full details may be obtained from our Admissions team.
Bursaries. It is central to our ethos that the school provides opportunities to make a Kent College education accessible to many who would not normally be able to afford full tuition fees. Parents will be invited to complete a financial assessment form and the scale of bursary awarded will be based on the information provided and the financial criteria which the school applies to all bursary awards. In addition, the school operates an awards system for the children of HM Forces, NATO, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office personnel, as well as providing a Methodist Ministers’ Allowance.
Fees per term (2024-2025). Day Pupils: £6,902–£7,936; Boarders: £10,676–£14,692 (full). International Study Centre: £1,535 extra per term.
Admissions. The usual ages of admission to the Senior School are 11, 13 and 16. Entrance Assessments usually take place in the Spring Term for admission the following September. Contact admissions@kentcollege.co.uk to arrange a personal visit or for more information. Charitable status. Kent College, Canterbury is part of the Methodist Independent Schools Trust, which is a Registered Charity, number 1142794. The School was founded to provide education within a supportive Christian environment.