The King’s School is the top performing independent school in Cheshire East for GCSE and A level results and is listed in The Sunday Times ParentPower 2024 League table as being in the Top 5 Independent Schools in the North-West for academic results.
Founded in 1502, King’s relocated in 2020 to a new, purpose-built and eco-friendly school campus. The school sits on a stunning 80-acre rural campus just outside Macclesfield/Alderley Edge.
King’s offers an exciting co-educational learning environment for boys and girls aged 3–18. It strives for excellence across all areas of teaching and learning, as well as in sporting, musical and creative endeavours. Exceptional pastoral care is a defining feature of the school. The last ISI Inspection in 2022 awarded King’s the highest grading of ‘Excellent’ in all aspects.
Number in school. Infants age 3–7: 168 boys and girls. Juniors age 7–11: 256 boys and girls. Senior pupils age 11–16: 722 boys and girls. Sixth Form: 190 boys and girls. Total: 1,336.
Organisation and curriculum. The King’s School is a co-educational day school and is organised into three Divisions: the Infant & Junior Division; the Senior Division; and the Sixth Form. Each Division is run by a Principal, who is responsible for day-to-day organisation and wellbeing of pupils, and the Principals are supported by Vice-Principals, Heads of Year and a pastoral team. Girls and boys from 3–18 enjoy a broad curriculum and the same extensive range of opportunities.
The King’s School has one Board of Governors and one Head of Foundation, plus a Senior Management Team, who manage the school.
King’s aims include ‘to challenge our pupils to aspire, work hard and achieve’ and ‘to develop lively and enquiring minds’. The curriculum is broad and rich throughout all year groups offering pupils of all ages choice and a range of experiences.
The School’s most recent ISI Inspection Report (2022) graded King’s as ‘Excellent’ – the highest ranking – in all aspects. As well as teaching and pupils’ achievements being excellent, so too is pastoral care, which is a high priority within the school. The divisional structure is key to enabling each unit to be small and operate as a community. Coupled with the aim of ‘fostering a friendly, polite and caring community’, King’s is definitely a happy place to be a pupil.
Infant & Junior pupils enjoy the highly engaging ‘Learning Challenge Curriculum’, which is an enquiry-based approach to learning and delivers cross-curricular learning in humanities, languages, science and creative subjects.
Senior pupils enjoy a broad and balanced curriculum, which covers English, Maths, three humanities, four languages, four creative subjects, Computer Science, Critical Thinking, PHSE, PE, Games, three Sciences and outdoor learning. Senior pupils are able to study 10 or 11 GCSEs.
Sixth Form students are assigned to a personal tutor responsible for a group of 10–15 pupils throughout their Sixth Form course. Any justifiable combination of available A level subjects may be pursued, complemented by an IGCSE Global Perspectives (in Year 12), and a wide range of options from the Extended Studies Programme in Year 13, including the EPQ, Japanese, the Arts Award, Sports Leadership and others. Students choose from these options, which are designed to extend their breadth of cultural interest and intellectual inquiry, while Recreational Activities are designed to encourage the positive use of leisure time and offer experience in a range of sports and activities. Pupils are supported by an excellent Careers service and are well prepared for University Entrance Examinations, competitive entry to university and higher-level apprenticeships.
In 2023, the school won the Wellbeing Award in the Education Awards 2023, for its work around pupil wellbeing and outdoor learning.
New campus. The King’s school moved to its new £60 million campus in the summer of 2020. The new 80-acre campus offers state-of-the-art facilities to enhance the educational experience of all pupils. The new campus contains a dedicated Sports Centre, with a 25-metre swimming pool, indoor cricket facilities, large indoor hall with six courts, a martial arts studio, gym and café.
Arts and craft. Well-equipped, spacious Art rooms and Design & Technology (DT) workshops include an Innovation Suite, and are used for teaching as well as being available for use by the members of the Art Club, STEM Club, Textile Club and Craft societies outside the timetable.
Music. Over 400 pupils receive tuition in the full range of orchestral instruments, the Piano, Organ, Classical Guitar and Singing. A scheme in Year 4 allows all pupils to receive tuition (free) in an instrument of choice. There are three orchestras, a Concert-band, two Jazz bands, three Choirs and many ensembles, all of which provide regular performing experience. The Foundation Choir was the first BBC Songs of Praise Choir of the Year in 2003. Choir tours to Europe take place alternate years. Pupils regularly enter the music profession in addition to those pursuing academic training. Music Scholarships are available.
Drama. Theatre Studies is an important creative option at GCSE and covers all aspects of the theatre. Great importance is attached to the regular production of school plays and musicals, which involve large numbers of pupils and enjoy a distinguished reputation. Facilities include a large Performance Hall, as well as a main hall (950 seats). Pupils regularly take examinations and study for LAMDA qualifications in performance and public speaking.
Sport. The school has extensive sporting facilities and a large Games Department with around 20 staff. The school offers Sports Scholarships and has an Elite Athlete Programme (KEAP). All pupils take part in Games and PE activities appropriate to the season. Junior School sports include football, cricket, netball, hockey, tennis, rounders, rugby, swimming, athletics and a wide range of individual games. In the Senior School, boys’ sports include rugby, hockey, cross-country, squash, badminton, cricket, tennis, athletics and basketball; the girls’ sports include hockey, cricket, netball, tennis, football, cross-country, volleyball, rounders, dance, gym and athletics. In addition, there is a varied programme of sports in the Sixth Form, including activities such as caving, fell running, sailing, yoga and rock climbing which are actively pursued by boys and girls.
Outdoor pursuits. This is a thriving part of the school. There is a regular programme of activity weekends including canoeing, gorge scrambling, surfing, coasteering, etc. In addition, numerous expeditions are arranged in the many favourable areas near the school and also abroad. Sailing and Orienteering are popular and chess and squash to sailing, STEM Club, Equestrian Society, Electronics Club, Coding Club and Taekwondo.
Fees per term (2024-2025). Senior School and Sixth Form: £5,105, Infants & Junior School: £4,140. Sibling discount scheme available.
Scholarships and bursaries. Bursaries are available for entry at 11 and 16 years of age. In addition, a number of Academic Scholarships are awarded based on performance in the Entrance Examination. Senior School Music Scholarships are available for pupils joining Year 7 (in instrument or singing). Music and Organ scholarships are also available in the Sixth Form. Places on the King’s Elite Athlete Pathway (KEAP) are available to pupils joining Year 7.
Admissions. King’s is a selective school. Admission to the Infants, Juniors and Seniors is normally for September each year through competitive examination of age-appropriate entrance assessments. Pupils are admitted to the Sixth Form subject to academic attainment at GCSE, interview and meeting course entry requirements. Entry requirements are an average of grade 6 or higher across eight GCSE subjects, with a minimum of a grade 5 in both Mathematics and English Language (university matriculation requirements). Most A level subjects require a grade 7–9 in a subject to be studied at A level, and this is compulsory for Mathematics and Science subjects. Further details of Admission arrangements are available on the website and upon request. Immediate admission, e.g. for new arrivals in the area, is possible if places are available.
Former Pupils’ Association. Chairman: Amber Owens, email: formerpupils@kingsmac.co.uk. An annual magazine and twice yearly newsletter are provided to former pupils alongside a full programme of events. Charitable status. The King’s School, Macclesfield is a Registered Charity, number 1137204. It exists for the education of pupils between the ages of 3 and 18.
Governors & Staff:
Chairman of the Governors: Mr A Higginson, BSc Hons, FCMA
Vice-Chair of Governors: Ms J White, BSc Hons, CBE
Senior Management Team:
Head of Foundation: Mr Jason Slack, BSc Hons, MA Ed
Deputy Head (Academic): Mr R Griffiths, MA Cantab
Deputy Head (Operations): Mr P J Cooper, BSc
Director of External Relations: Mrs C Johnson, BSc, DipM
Director of Finance: Mr J M Spencer Pickup, BSc Hons, ACA
Senior Teacher: Mr R Davies, MA
Principal of Seniors: Mrs H L Broadley
Principal of Infants & Juniors: Mrs R Cookson, BA
Principal of Sixth Form: Miss D Jestin
Vice-Principal of Seniors (Lower School): Mrs E Smith
Vice-Principal of Seniors (Middle School): Mr S Mattingly
Vice-Principal of Infants & Juniors: Mrs E L Warburton, BEd
Vice-Principal of Infants & Juniors: Mr P Boardman
Heads of Departments:
Art & Design: Mrs D Inman, BA
Classics: Mr A Mallin, BA
Computing: Mr P Mackenzie, BSc
Design & Technology: J Nichols, BEd
Drama: Mrs C Deva, BA
Economics & Business Studies: Mr J S MacGregor, MA
English: Mr R Kellett, BA, PGCE
Geography: Mr A S Puddephatt, BA
Geology: Dr J A Fitzgerald, BSc, MSc, PhD
History: Miss L Hughes, BA
Learning Support: Mrs J Fletcher
Modern Languages: Mr I E Dalgleish, BA
German: Mrs Slack
French: Mdm Schue
Spanish: Ms S Bailey
Director of Music: Mr I Crawford, BMus
Physical Education (Director of Sport): Mr C S Thompson, BA, PGCE
Physics: Dr S J Hartnett, BSc, DPhil, PGCE
Politics: Mrs L Christie, BA
Psychology: Mrs C Bell, BSc, PGCE, MA Ed
Religion & Philosophy: Mr R N Jackson, BA
Science: Mr J Street, BSc, PGCE
Biology: Mrs K Byrne
Chemistry: Miss L C Watkins, BSc