Mount Kelly School
Public School in Tavistock, Devon, England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mount Kelly School is a co-educational private day and boarding school in the English public school tradition for pupils from 3 to 18,[1] in Tavistock, Devon. The fees are £20,550 – £20,970 pa for day students and £36,780 – £36,960 pa for boarders.[2]
| Mount Kelly School | |
|---|---|
The College | |
| Location | |
![]() | |
Parkwood Road , , PL19 0HZ | |
| Coordinates | 50.5561°N 4.1354°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public school Private school Boarding and Day School |
| Religious affiliation | Church of England |
| Established | June 2014 |
| Trust | Mount Kelly Foundation |
| Department for Education URN | 113573 Tables |
| Headmaster | Guy Ayling |
| Gender | co-educational |
| Age | 3 to 18 |
| Enrolment | 585 (September 2017) |
| Houses | School Houses: Scott (Green) Fry, previously Chichester (Blue) Hepworth (Yellow) Brunell (Red) College; School (Junior Girls), Marwood (Senior Girls), Newton (Junior Boys), Courtenay (Senior Boys) & Conway (Day House) |
| Colours | Navy, red and gold |
| Song | Eternal Father, Strong to Save ⓘ |
| Publication | Mount Kelly Newsletter |
| Alumni | Old Mount Kelleians (OMK) |
| Website | mountkelly |
History

Mount Kelly was established in June 2014 following the merger of two neighbouring schools, Kelly College and Mount House School.[3]
Kelly College was founded in 1877 after Admiral Benedictus Marwood Kelly left the great part of his real and personal estate to trustees, founding a charity which he directed should be called 'The Kelly College',[4] which should be for the education of the 'sons of Naval officers and other gentlemen'.[5]
Mount House School was founded in 1881 by Miss Parker and Miss Tubbs at Alton House, Tavistock Hill, Plymouth. In 1890 the school moved location to North Hill, Plymouth (now the site of St Matthias church hall[6]), moving in 1900 to larger premises at Mount House, Approach Road, Plymouth (the birthplace of Miss Tubbs). Plymouth was heavily bombed in World War II and the school relocated to a 50-acre site at Mount Tavy in 1940. Mount House School became co-educational in 1996 with a pre-prep established for 3- to 7-year-olds ten years later.[7]
Co-curricular activities
The school has a Combined Cadet Force, and runs the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.[8]
Facilities
In 2016 the school built a 50-metre, 8-lane Olympic Legacy swimming pool, financed in part by Sport England and the National Lottery (United Kingdom).[9]
Inspections
The school is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate.[10]
- Mount Kelly Foundation ISI Integrated Inspection – March 2015.
- Mount Kelly Foundation ISI Regulatory Compliance Report – March 2018.
Notable alumni

Mount Kelly
- Federico Burdisso, Italian Olympic swimmer
- Gaurika Singh, Nepalese Olympic swimmer
- Daniah Hagul, Libyan Olympic swimmer
Kelly College
"Old Kelleians"
- Adedayo Adebayo,[11] rugby player
- Dawn Airey, media executive[12]
- Nicholas Bomford, schoolmaster who served as headmaster of Monmouth, Uppingham and Harrow Schools[13]
- Robin Brew, British Olympic Swimmer
- Claire Cashmore MBE,[14] swimmer
- Sharron Davies MBE, swimmer
- Flora Duffy, Bermudian triathlete[15][16]
- Femi Fani-Kayode, Nigerian politician[17]
- George Hacker, Bishop of Penrith
- Andy Jameson, BBC Sports commentator & former Olympic swimmer[18]
- Ellen Keane,[19] swimmer
- John Lucas, Archdeacon of Totnes
- Rod Mason, Trad Jazz Vocalist, trumpet and cornet player[20]
- Malcolm Stewart Hannibal McArthur, first British resident in Brunei
- Sir Gordon Minhinnick KCMG CVO, cartoonist[21]
- Hannah Russell MBE,[22] swimmer
- Michael Jones MBE,[23] swimmer
- Gerald Seymour, novelist and former ITN correspondent[24]
- Lauren Steadman,[25] triathlete
- Bishop Mervyn Stockwood, Bishop of Southwark[26]
- Thomas Douglas Victor Swinscow, deputy editor British Medical Journal (1964 - 1977) and founder of British Lichen Society and The Lichenologist.[27]
- Charles Symons CB MC, Chaplain-General to the Forces
- Sir Hugh Thornton KCMG CVO, civil servant
- Air Marshall Sir Richard Gordon Wakeford KCB, LVO, OBE, AFC, RAF officer[28]
- Jakie Wellman, Zambian Olympic Swimmer
- Mike Westbrook OBE, jazz musician
Mount House School
- Ed Bye, film and TV producer and director
- Philip de Glanville,[29] former England Rugby captain
- Christopher Hitchens,[30] journalist
- Peter Hitchens,[31] author and writer
- Lord David Owen,[32] former Foreign Secretary and Leader of the SDP
- Lewis Pugh, endurance swimmer and ocean advocate
- David Somerset, chief cashier, Bank of England
- Paul Tyler, Liberal Democrat MP for Bodmin
