The King's School Prospectus

Our Heads

Emma Károlyi Head, Junior King’s School

Jude Lowson Head, The King’s School

Jo & Bill Prior Principals, The International College

The King’s Journey

We educate children from aged 3 to 18, both day and boarding.

Our Prep School, Junior King’s, is located in an idyllic site in Sturry with 80-acres of beautiful grounds. With a culture based on kindness, Junior King’s offers a fabulous preparation for life in the senior school.

King’s Senior School is set in the historic surroundings of Canterbury Cathedral. The school prides itself in combining the very best of a traditional British education with a modern and global outlook.

Our pioneering International College is perfectly suited to overseas pupils who may need to improve their English language skills or familiarise themselves with the British curriculum. They can attain their GCSEs in just one year, typically achieving excellent results.

Co-educational excellence

King’s is a thriving co-educational school for over 1,300 pupils across our three sites.

Originally a traditional boys’ boarding school, King’s first admitted girls in the early 1970s, becoming fully co-educational in 1990. This means our co-educational ethos is fully embedded and our girls and boys are very comfortable working and learning together.

At the senior school, there are thirteen boarding Houses and three mixed day Houses. Pupils enjoy Inter-House sport as well as music, drama and social events. All these opportunities equip pupils with the skills they need for higher education and the workplace.

Both Junior King’s and our International College have boarding floors for boys and girls, with Junior King’s also accepting day pupils.

History and modernity

King’s is the oldest school in the UK and its origins can be traced back to the year 597AD when St. Augustine was sent from Rome to evangelise England. With the Dissolution of the Monasteries, during the reign of King Henry VIII, the school was re-founded by Royal Charter in 1541 and subsequently gained the name ‘The King’s School’.

King’s may be steeped in history, yet we also have a modern ethos and global outlook. Pupils are connected with the real world and the international community. They learn in beautiful medieval buildings as well as modern facilities such as the new Science Centre, the Malthouse Theatre, the Junior King’s Music School and our state-of-the-art International College.

The King’s Education

King’s has a strong academic reputation and we are proud of the quality of our teaching. Our pupils go on to achieve places at prestigious universities, both in the UK and overseas.

Over thirty subjects are on offer in the senior school, including seven Modern Languages. Sixth Form subjects include Psychology, Philosophy, History of Art, Government & Politics and Computer Science. Our curriculum also embraces the digital world, innovation and technology.

The King’s education is balanced and broad. We always encourage our children to feel ‘stretched but not stressed’. They have the choice of an array of sports, clubs and activities to complement their academic learning.

Spirituality

‘Spirituality’ is a concept greater than any one religion.

The Christian tradition is very much at the heart of King’s, especially as our origins date back to the birth of Christianity in England.

Having said that, the school has evolved with the times and we welcome and value everyone, no matter what faith they belong to, including those with no particular faith.

With pupils from all over the world, we are proud to teach about other cultures and religions, encouraging tolerance, respect and understanding.

Musical Excellence

Music is very much at the heart of King’s. As one of the leading schools for music, we attract some of the most talented musicians in the world, often providing them with a pathway to the top conservatoires.

The real mark of our strength and breadth in music is our orchestral output. We have a Symphony and a Chamber orchestra, both of which play to the highest standards. Our nine choirs regularly perform in Canterbury Cathedral and the choral output is famously first-class.

We also have jazz bands, rock bands and contemporary singing classes. Music is frequently heard from the halls and windows of the school Houses.

Kindness and support

King’s is an environment in which positive thinking, kindness and resilience are encouraged. The school is a safe, happy and stimulating environment in which pupils can thrive academically and socially.

We offer exceptional pastoral care and our pupils are always well supported. If needed, we have a team of counsellors and learning specialists available to pupils. We also have Health Centres staffed by nursing and medical staff.

Our chaplaincy team exercise a pastoral role in being available to pupils of all religions and none, as a friend and counsellor. They are there to pick up on any problems, encourage, guide and support pupils and offer the time and privacy to work things through.

Friendship & belonging

At King’s, the children make strong friendships and develop deep bonds which often last a lifetime.

True to our monastic origins, King’s has a very strong sense of community in which every individual is welcomed, valued and involved.

All our pupils belong to a House, both boarders and day pupils. This engenders a strong sense of belonging and means our children have a lot of fun together. There are many activities such as social events, plays, music concerts and sports competitions that take place throughout the year, allowing pupils to build connections and forge friendships.

Sporting life

We have a dynamic and competitive sporting culture, with over twenty different sports on offer.

With our exceptional coaches, roaming playing fields and glorious facilities, our pupils have gone on to achieve international honours in sports such as hockey, rugby, fencing, rowing, athletics and Paralympic skiing.

Sports tours are a regular feature of the school holidays. Both girls’ and boys’ teams enjoy the opportunity to compete abroad, whether it be a junior school hockey and football tour to France and Holland, rugby in South Africa, cricket in Abu Dhabi, lacrosse in the USA or netball in Barbados.

We encourage pupils to adopt a balanced approach towards winning and losing, both as an individual and as part of a team. Most importantly, pupils are encouraged to enjoy sport, whatever their capability.

Arts & culture

King’s is well known for creativity and the arts. We have some exceptional artists within our pupil body, many of whom go on to art schools. Outside of the normal curriculum, there are visits to the London galleries and other art venues. Our overseas trips also provide a valuable source of inspiration and cultural learning.

Pupils’ work is on display throughout the year, with major exhibitions being held at the end-ofyear celebrations and during King’s Week. The Art department also runs an artist-in-residence scheme, designed to give an insight into the methods of working practitioners.

The Malthouse Theatre

King’s has its own award-winning theatre, converted from a beautiful Victorian building and equipped to West End standards. This comprises a 334-seat state-of-the-art theatre, with an orchestra pit and specialist dance studios. The theatre was opened by Joanna Lumley in 2019 and is frequently used by professional theatre groups.

There have been impressive past productions, including Little Shop of Horrors, Jesus Christ Superstar, Great Expectations, Dr Faustus, The Comedy of Errors, West Side Story and Macbeth. We also excel in dance, with both classical and contemporary performances.

A Global Outlook

We have a diverse and vibrant pupil body enabling our children to develop a broad and global mindset. This helps our pupils prepare for the world of work, in which they need an understanding of different cultures and approaches.

Pupils of all nationalities are integrated into both the junior and senior schools. For those that have selected the bespoke programme of the International College, they still integrate with King’s pupils in sport, drama and co-curricular activities. Many of the International College pupils transition into the senior school.

Clubs and Activities

There is something for everyone at King’s, with a vast array of clubs and activities. Departmental trips are a highlight of the academic programme. Planned excursions include a Spanish cultural trip to Seville, an Economics trip to New York, a ski trip to Les Deux Alpes, a Geography and Geology trip to Iceland and an adventure trek through the Himalayas.

Meanwhile, our clubs and activities programmes allow pupils to cultivate and refine talents, pursue current interests or try something completely new. Pupils can involve themselves in activities as diverse as beekeeping, cryptic crosswords, debating and Young Enterprise club. The Combined Cadet Force and Duke of Edinburgh Award are also available.

King’s Week

Everything stops for King’s Week, a celebration of music, drama and creativity. The majority of the events are pupil-led, allowing them to develop their creative and organisational skills.

King’s Week has been held in the final week of the Summer Term every year since its inception in 1952 and consistently attracts thousands of parents, friends, alumni and visitors.

With over one hundred events, such as Jazz on a Summer Sunset, the Gala Symphony concert, theatre performances and rock concerts, Art & Photography exhibitions, KiDaCo dance performances, sports matches and much more, King’s Week provides a glorious conclusion to the academic year.

Admissions

Junior King’s: Nursery - Children can join in the term of their third birthday.

Prep School - We welcome pupils in all year groups from Reception through to Year 8.

11+ Entry - We welcome pupils whose schools finish at Year 7.

registrar@junior-kings.co.uk

The King’s School:

13+ Entry - Most pupils will enter the senior school at 13+ (Year 9). Early registration is advised and entry is by competitive exam and interview in January.

14+ Entry - Entry is by competitive exam and interview in January.

Sixth Form Entry - Entry is by competitive exam and interview in November. admissions@kings-school.co.uk

The International College: The College offers three programmes: Year 9 - a preparation course for entry into a British school in Year 10.

Years 10 & 11 - a two-year course encompassing GCSEs, preparing pupils for Sixth Form entry.

Year 11 - an intensive one-year GCSE course, preparing pupils for Sixth Form entry. jads@kings-school.co.uk

How to get to Canterbury

High Speed Direct Train - London St. Pancras to Canterbury in just 55 minutes.

Air - London Heathrow, Gatwick and City Airports are all within 90 minutes of Canterbury.

Eurostar - Paris to Canterbury from 2 hours 40 minutes.

Car - from London follow the A2/M2, or the M25 to the A2 exit.