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PROSPECTUS

2026/27

Pupils work in close collaboration with their teachers. They rise to the challenges and high expectations the school sets. Independent Schools Inspectorate Report April 2025

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

Head's welcome 4 Our aims 6 Our guiding principles 14 About the school 16 Curriculum overview 18 Admission procedures 20

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

WELCOME TO THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL Students at The King Alfred School are full of hope for tomorrow. 4

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

When you walk through our gates, one of the first things you will see is children and young people who are genuinely happy to be at school. You might then ask yourself: “How does a school achieve this?” Well, our vision of what schools should be like stems from a belief that education needs to focus on what is best for the whole child, on nurturing a love of learning and on helping young people to find the best of themselves. Many different elements are required to support this approach. We establish an inclusive environment in which students express and develop their, imagination, creativity, and their curiosity. We individualise learning so that education is both exciting and challenging, and so that every child understands how to approach life with ambition. Above all, though, we ensure that our children feel seen, known and understood for all that they are and all that they can be. Feeling they belong to our community and that they matter is foundational in ensuring they have the confidence to be themselves.

We look forward to taking you around our village green setting and showing you school life in person. You might encounter outdoor learning taking place in our farm or historic tree house, or hear directly from students about how participating in interdisciplinary projects enriches their learning and their sense of their place in the world – you might also receive a friendly ‘hello’ bark from our school dog. You will see we are less hierarchical and more democratic than other schools. First names are used between students and staff and there is no uniform. Every child is unique, and we get to know every individual so we can best support their learning, personal development and pastoral care. Since our founding in 1898, we have continuously evolved our forward-thinking, progressive approach to education to develop a curriculum full of learning experiences that are active, creative and challenging. Examination success is important, and our strong academic outcomes are a consequence of our approach to broad, holistic development;

our children are intellectually ambitious because they are genuinely interested in the world around them. Students at The King Alfred School are full of hope for tomorrow; they are actively engaged in developing a better future and we work tirelessly to ensure they are equipped with the skills, knowledge and compassion to be able to both imagine and to shape this future. Come and see for yourself at one of our open events, you’ll find details on our website. We look forward to meeting you.

Stephen Campbell Head

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

OUR AIMS

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

Those who return to The King Alfred School after 10, 20, or 30 years of absence recognise an atmosphere and a spirit that does not change. This spirit is perfectly summed up in our motto: ex corde vita...out of the heart springs life. It is not what you put into the child, but what you draw out that constitutes education. BH Montgomery KAS HEAD, 1945-1962

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

The King Alfred School was founded in 1898 by a group of parents who sought to create an excellent education focusing on the whole child, and who wanted the school to make a positive impact on the world. Today, King Alfred remains true to these two aims, and is a school that stands out from the prevailing educational landscape. Based on a deep understanding of child development and educational research, we have developed our own concept of excellent education, which enables all our students to thrive at school and beyond. How we deliver an excellent education: • Enjoyment of school is a fundamental for us. Children and teenagers do not need to feel unnecessary pressure, stress or fear. Rather, school should be a place which emphasises creative and active learning and the value of play. It should be a place where teachers go beyond the syllabus to engender a passion for their subjects. And it should be a place where every individual enjoys their learning, and takes that enjoyment with them into their adult lives. • Academic success is something we expect all our students to strive for, so they can be proud of their achievements, and so they open the door to the next stage of their education. In this context, we celebrate diversity and acknowledge academic success for one child may look different to another. We allow children to develop at their own pace, and focus on the progress each child makes from their individual starting point. Our excellent GCSE and A level results are testament to the success of this approach.

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

• Well-being has always been central to who we are. We support students to become relaxed, confident, tolerant and articulate young people who are able to take responsibility for themselves. We give them the tools to build their self-esteem, now and in the future. Key to this is our staff, who provide a compassionate and supportive environment and develop strong relationships with students based on mutual respect and trust. • A school is only successful if it prepares its students well for their future. Today's world requires our young people to have a passion for learning which continues beyond school. It requires that they have the right skills to innovate, create, and take risks. And, it requires them to work effectively in teams, appreciate diversity, and manage a whole range of complex personal and professional relationships. The pace of change and shifting global currents, mean that alongside knowledge and skills, every individual needs a strong sense of who they are and the confidence and self-belief to find their place in the world. This is what we mean by preparation for the future.

Impact on the world: • We believe our students should feel empowered to make a difference in the world. We want them to go out into their communities and address environmental, social and political challenges. We support students from an early age to articulate their views and learn how to have an impact. This may be in their class, year group or the school as a whole, it may be on a social action project in this country or abroad or it may be by campaigning on a local, regional or national level. Fundamental to the KAS experience is finding your own path, having the courage to follow it, and being equipped with the knowledge and skills to have an impact. • As a school, we also seek to make a difference in the world. We believe passionately in our vision of education, and we want to inspire and influence other education professionals. In this country, we see rising levels of anxiety and depression disorders in young people alongside rising levels of exclusions, exam manipulation and teachers leaving the profession. The current model of schooling, as shaped by successive Secretaries of State and Ofsted, has played a significant role in making this happen.

We champion an alternative model and frequently welcome visitors from across the globe. We seek to work collaboratively to develop our practices, and champion our vision, which achieves high academic standards alongside an innovative mindset and a genuine sense of well-being. Alfredian education has always been guided by the values laid down by our founders. If you’d like to read more about our approach, you can do so on our website: kingalfred.org.uk

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

Always treat a child like an equal. John Russell KAS HEAD, 1901-1930

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES 14

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

Our founders asked themselves what would most benefit children, and developed our core principles:

• Mutual respect • Individuality and self-reliance • Social responsibility • Freedom, play and the enjoyment of education • A broad definition of success THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

ABOUT THE SCHOOL

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

The King Alfred School is situated on two beautiful sites next to Hampstead Heath. Both sites have plenty of green space and many mature trees from the original woodland. Our Reception and Year 1 classrooms, Design Technology and Phoenix Theatre are on the Ivy Wood site, whilst our other facilities and all classrooms for Year 2 through to the Sixth Form are located at our main Manor Wood site. School facilities include; two school halls; Design Technology workshops accessible to students from Reception through to Sixth Form; well-equipped science labs; a professional theatre; music and drama suite, music practice rooms, video editing suite and music technology room; dark room; blacksmithing forge; light-filled art studios; gym; fitness studio; two astroturf pitches; Lower and Upper School libraries and ICT labs; a Sixth Form centre; dedicated innovative space for Years 6-8 and classrooms for all subjects in Upper School. The School has over 700 students, from age 4 to 18. Many children will join at Reception and continue into Sixth Form. KAS is divided into Lower School (Reception to Year 6) and Upper School (Year 7 to Sixth Form), and includes an educational programme that unites Years 6-8. Age groups are encouraged to mix and support each other, with buddies in different year groups in Lower School and Upper School students helping out in Lower School. A high teacher to student ratio enables our committed and professional staff to provide a rich variety of activities. Teachers strive to provide a broader and more generous education, while still leading to successful preparation for GCSE and A levels. All students are involved in a wide range of enrichment activities and there is a variety of afterschool clubs available for all ages.

SCHOOL GOVERNANCE The King Alfred School Society (the Society) is the company and registered charity that owns and operates The King Alfred School. Council, the school’s governing body, elected from the Society membership, oversees the running of the Society and the school. Council has the ultimate legal responsibility for the Society and the school, and operates in three capacities simultaneously. Its members are company directors, charity trustees and also school governors, with all of the

responsibilities that these three roles entail. Council operates through a series of committees, each of which covers a specific area of responsibility. Anyone who is a member of the Society can stand for Council. Elections are held every year in February at the Society’s AGM. Council members come from a wide variety of backgrounds and have many different skills.

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

CURRICULUM OVERVIEW The 4 – 18 Journey Early Years: Reception – Year 2 Children begin their school journey by learning at their own pace without undue pressure. These years provide a strong foundation in the core skills of numeracy and literacy. Alongside this, there is a topic-based curriculum which interweaves subjects including Art, Drama, History, Geography and Science. In other parts of the week, the children are taught by specialist teachers in PE, French, Music and Design Technology to develop these skills.

Years 3 – 5 Building on strong foundations, the children now embrace an enquiry-based approach with a focus on skills, attributes and metacognition. They are empowered in their learning, and assessment is used to promote ownership of their work via studentled conferences, portfolios and learning journals. There continues to be a strong emphasis on developing literacy and numeracy, as well as specialist subject knowledge.

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

Years 6 – 8 Our provision prioritises these critical years in early adolescence which are often overlooked in British schools. We have created an innovative learning experience with powerful opportunities for personal growth. We combine 'Explorations' (exciting Interdisciplinary Enquiries) with rich single subject learning and a vibrant co-curricular programme. All this is underpinned by the Crew structure which supports pastoral and academic development.

Years 9 – 11 Year 9 is the transition between 6-8 and GCSEs. Courses showcase and utilise the skills and knowledge the students have acquired in previous years. Students will take a mixture of compulsory and optional GCSE subjects from the following list: Art & Design, Classical Civilisation, English Language & Literature, Geography, History, Latin, Maths, French, Spanish, Three Dimensional Design, Music, Photography, Physical Education and Science. In addition, there are four non-GCSE options: UAL Level 2 Drama and our own internally devised Global Challenges, Creative Technology and KAS Literature courses. Each week there is a Form Hour, Games and a Choice afternoon, in which students can choose from a range of topics and activities.

Sixth Form Students choose from the 27 subjects we offer: Art & Design, Biology, Chemistry, Classical Civilisation, Computer Science, Economics, English Literature, Film Studies, French, Geography, History, Politics, Latin, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Music, Philosophy, Physical Education, Physics, Photography, Psychology, Sociology, Spanish, Theatre Studies, Three Dimensional Design and the UAL Level 3 Diploma in Music Performance & Production. We also offer a UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma in Performing & Production Arts, and the EPQ (Extended Project Qualification). The curriculum includes Games, a non-examinable enrichment course, and a weekly Form Hour, with careers/further education support throughout.

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

ADMISSIONS PROCEDURES KAS aims to achieve a successful fit between the school and its students. The admissions procedure should allow the school to gain a realistic picture of the prospective student, and for the student and parents to gain one of the school. To read our full Admissions Policy please visit our website.

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

Points of entry

The Admissions procedure

Children can apply for entry at most ages, with the exception of Year 11 & Year 13. The main point of entry is at age 4 (Reception Class), with additional places available at age 11 (Year 7) and age 16 (Year 12).

The first stage is to complete an application form for the relevant point of entry and pay the non-refundable registration fee of £120. When the application is received, the child’s name will be put on the waiting list but this does not guarantee a place.

Occasional places can become available in every year group except for Years 11 & 13.

All applications can be made online from our website: kingalfred.org.uk

Reception entry (4+)

Year 7 entry (11+)

Sixth Form (16+)

For Reception entry, applications will be considered in order based on the age of the child when the application was made, so early applications are advised.

Each year we have places available for external Year 7 applicants. The closing date for Year 7 entry is by the end of September of the preceding year, when the child is entering Year 6 (the exact closing date will be on our website closer to the time). All applicants are invited to an assessment day which looks at skills and attributes in line with our school criteria. Previous schools are also contacted for references.

Each year, we take a number of external students into the Sixth Form (Year 12) from a range of schools.

In the Autumn Term of the year prior to entry, the first 40 applicants will be invited in for a visit and general assessment, whilst their parents meet with the Head of Lower School. Places are offered after these visits.

A number of applicants will then progress to stage two of the process, and will be required to submit examples of work. This is then followed by a half day in school comprising of group interviews and activities including a creative writing task. All successful applicants will then be invited for an interview with their parents.

The minimum requirement for entry to Year 12 is five GCSEs at grade 6; the school requires higher grades in some subjects to be taken at A level or those related to them. Subject specific entry requirements can be found on our website. Students are encouraged to attend one of two Sixth Form Open Events in the Autumn Term prior to entry. Candidates are asked to apply by completing an application form online. We contact previous schools for references and predicted grades. Applicants will be invited in for academic, pastoral and subject specific interviews.

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

Occasional places When an application form is received, the child’s name is added to the waiting list. Waiting lists are carried over into subsequent years. If an occasional vacancy arises, the next child on the waiting list will be contacted and invited into the school for a visit. The visits will vary in length from half a day to two days, depending on the age of the child. During the visit, the child will be with the class where there is a space and they will also complete assessments. In Upper School, students will have a pastoral interview. Parents will be invited in to meet with the Head of Lower or Upper School, as appropriate. Please address any enquiries to Admissions by telephone 020 8457 5285/5170 or by email: admissions@kingalfred.org.uk

BURSARIES King Alfred School offers financial support, in the form of means tested bursaries for a limited number of children entering into the School at Year 7 and Year 12. Please contact the Director of Finance & Operations on financialassistance@kingalfred. org.uk for further information.

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

Within the nurturing, closeknit school community, pupils feel empowered to express themselves freely. As a result, they grow into confident, selfaware young people. Independent Schools Inspectorate Report April 2025

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL

The King Alfred School, North End Road, London NW11 7HY www.kingalfred.org.uk Tel: 020 8457 5200 Email: kas@kingalfred.org.uk Design by Sparkloop