Kent College, Pembury
School in Kent, England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kent College is a private girls' day and boarding school for pupils aged 3-18, in Pembury, near Tunbridge Wells. The school's nursery is for girls and boys from rising 3 years, boys can join the reception class and Year 1, and from September 2023 Year 2 as the prep school becomes co-educational. The senior school and sixth form (11-18) are becoming co-educational in September 2026.[citation needed]
| Kent College Senior School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
Old Church Road Tunbridge Wells , Kent , TN2 4AX England | |
| Coordinates | 51°09′49″N 0°19′31″E |
| Information | |
| Type | Private day and boarding |
| Motto | Respice Finem - Look to the End |
Religious affiliation | Methodist |
| Established | 1886 |
| Founder | Wesleyan Methodist Schools' Association |
Local authority | KENT |
| 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 |
History
In 1886, the school was established in Bouverie Road, Folkestone, with twelve girls. 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
| Kent College Prep School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| |
| Coordinates | 51°09′49″N 0°19′31″E |
| Information | |
| Type | Private preparatory day and boarding |
| Motto | Repice Finem - Look to the End |
Religious affiliation | Methodist |
| Established | 1886 |
Local authority | Kent |
| 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 on the same site as the main school, housed in its own buildings and shares many of the facilities of the senior school. Full, weekly and flexi boarding are available to children aged 10 and above.[7]
School heads
- 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
- 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