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04 February 2025
by Ferdinand Steinbeis
by Ferdinand Steinbeis
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English Boarding Schools in Profile: Sutton Valence School, Attractive Alternative to Kent Power-Houses?
Hello from a rainy Richmond,
Last Thursday, braving some truly appalling weather, we made our way to Sutton Valence School in Kent. The journey began at Waterloo East station, from where we took a train to Headcorn, a little village close to Sutton Valence. Will Radner, the school’s Head of Admissions and Development picked us up from Headcorn station. 10 minutes later we were at the school.
It’s always interesting for us to visit a school amid the worst possible weather conditions. Is this a school one would still want to go to? That’s the litmus test. And we can say unanimously that Sutton Valence School passed this test with flying colours.
Curious? Then read more below.
Beautiful campus: Center Block and vBE team
The Setting
Sutton Valence School sits atop the charming little town of the same name, home to just 1,000 residents and not much else beyond the school itself. There’s a hairdresser (boldly promising “serious haircuts for men and women” on its storefront, which made us laugh) and two pubs - but no cornershop or similar. Luckily, the pupils are well looked after thanks to the school shop, where anything from snacks and stationary to toiletries are on sale.
Serious haircuts: Sutton Valence's hairdresser
Perched on a hill, the school is said to offer sweeping views all the way to the South Coast. The weather was so miserable, however, that we’ll have to take their word for it. The campus is built around the beautiful Centre Block, a grand old schoolhouse with its own clock tower—a true Sutton Valence hallmark. Curiously, an adjacent building was designed by the architect Charles Holden, famous for his work on the London Underground. He even used some of the same elegant red-glazed tiles. With its beautiful setting, impressive facilities, and undeniable character, we’d say Sutton Valence School has what we at von Bülow call the “Hogwarts Factor.”
Red brick and blue gates
The school itself has everything you’d expect from a good British boarding school: classrooms equipped with the digital whiteboards, modern yet cozy boarding accommodation, an indoor pool, an athletics track, floodlit hockey Astro, acres of sports fields, a 200-seat theatre, plus two wonderful design and art buildings—one in a converted old church, a short walk down the hill.
Sutton Valence may be tucked away, but it’s well connected. It’s just a ten-minute drive from the slightly livelier town of Headcorn, where hourly trains whisk students to London in 45 minutes. For international families, Gatwick Airport is just an hour away.
Art is fabulous here!
What (we think!) Sutton Valence School is all about
We sat down with Headmaster James Thomas, an easygoing and engaging 40-something gentleman, to ask what he’s most proud of at Sutton Valence. His answer came without hesitation: the school’s blend of a beautiful campus, dedicated teachers (with impressively low turnover!), and a strong, close-knit community. “The children here are happy,” he told us. “They positively float across campus — and sometimes they need reminding to actually get to class on time!” The rural setting plays a big role also, helping to foster tight bonds and, as James puts it, “prevent poor decisions that the temptations of a more urban school can bring about.” Parents have certainly taken notice—families from as far as Sevenoaks and Tonbridge are choosing Sutton Valence over Kent’s more famous names, drawn to what many see as a school with happier, more confident, and more settled children. Walking around, we can see exactly what they mean.
Theatre as a way to build self-confidence
On our tour, Will, Head of Admissions, explains why confidence-building is a big priority here. “We want kids here to feel self-confident about something, anything—whether that’s sport, music, theatre, art, or academics—because we know that confidence spills over into other areas. And very often, it leads to much better grades!” This makes sense to the point of sounding like a cliché, but as we took in the atmosphere on campus, it checked out: Sutton’s pupils seem at ease, engaged, and comfortable in their own skin.
The school's 25m indoor swimming pool
Like any British boarding school worth its salt, Sutton Valence offers a rich spread of extracurriculars across sport, music, the arts, and more. But if we had to pick some standouts, it would be sport and the Combined Cadet Force (CCF). There’s a genuine buzz around both, with students throwing themselves in wholeheartedly. More about this later.
Decoration? A bird feeder? Not sure, but we liked it
The Academics
With 34% of GCSEs graded 9-7 and the same percentage of A Levels achieving A-grades (56% A*-B overall) in 2024, Sutton Valence delivers solid academic results. This is particularly impressive given its largely non-selective intake. More remarkable still is the school’s Value Added score, which places it in the top 5% nationally for improving students’ grades from when they start.
Beyond the standard curriculum, SVS offers an unusually broad range of subjects, including Film Studies, Media Studies, Psychology, and Photography—not just at A Level, but at GCSE too. “We are student-led here at Sutton Valence”, the friendly Head of Art Mr Thompson told us. “As the interest is picking up, we are thinking about introducing Textiles (=Fashion Design) into the curriculum”.
The school's amazing library
Different from other schools, pupils here can do Design Technology as a subject without prior experience of handling machines and materials. “You should have a good grasp of maths though as a precondition”, explains Will.
As the low staff turnover at Sutton Valence suggests, the school’s teaching staff seem just as happy as its students. At von Bülow Education we see staff turnover as one of the key health indicators of a school.
Fabulous art here also!
Technologically, Sutton Valence is forward-thinking, too: digital technology is well integrated into daily life, with laptops and digital tools playing a key role in lessons.
The only slight limitation? Languages are currently restricted to French and Spanish. No Latin at the moment!
Strong sports offer, also the hockey
The Extracurriculars
There’s plenty going on at Sutton Valence, and we are only picking out our highlights here.
First the sports. Whether you're aiming to compete at a high level or just want to play for fun, there’s something for everyone here. The core sports are rugby, hockey, and cricket or tennis for boys, while girls can choose from netball, hockey (intensive for two terms, then lighter in summer), and cricket or tennis. But that’s just the start—there’s also badminton, basketball, equestrianism, golf, shooting and football, to name but a few.
More art on display...
Unlike a lof of schools we know, Sutton Valence has its own athletics track and a very good athletics programme to go along with it. Plus, for those looking to take their game to the next level, the school’s Talented Athlete Programme offers extra training with expert coaches to build strength, agility, and all-round performance.
Next, let’s talk music! While Sutton Valence isn’t known for elite-level music, there’s still a great standard on offer. The school has both a very decent choir and orchestra, plus a string ensemble and chamber orchestra for more advanced musicians. Regular concerts in the chapel give pupils plenty of opportunities to perform. And thanks to Sutton Valence’s handy location near London, some pupils even hop on the train at weekends for one-on-one lessons with top-class teachers or to play in some of the capital’s brilliant youth orchestras.
Design Technology fabulous and popular here
Next up: Drama. Sutton Valence puts on two big productions each year in the 200-seat Baughan Theatre, alongside smaller shows from the drama club, boarding houses, and GCSE/A-Level Theatre students. When we visited, we caught two pupils rehearsing for their GCSE theatre exam. Their rendition of an excerpt of Waiting for Godot was seriously impressive.
We mentioned the CCF (Combined Cadet Force) earlier. This is a big part of life at Sutton Valence School. It’s all about adventure, teamwork, and developing key life skills like resilience, independence, and leadership. Pupils get stuck into a huge range of activities—think treks, escape rooms, and even mentoring opportunities. And yes, shooting is of course part of the experience also. With its very own shooting range, the school gives pupils the chance to learn and hone their skills in a safe and structured environment. It’s an experience that pushes pupils out of their comfort zones and helps them grow in confidence—while having plenty of fun along the way!
Seen in one of the boarding houses
Unlike at many schools we know for Sixth Formers, taking part in extracurricular activities isn’t just encouraged—it’s compulsory. Each student commits at least two hours a week to something beyond the classroom, with options including Young Enterprise, Investment Club, CCF, a Science Project, sports training, or volunteering. Young Enterprise, in particular, has had a real boost post-Covid and is now open to all in Year 12. Recent student-led projects have focused on sustainability, with creative products like customised cufflinks and pin badges made from Scrabble tiles, as well as scented vegan candles. It’s a great way for students to develop new skills, explore interests, and, of course, make sure they get a break from prepping for their A-Levels.
Boarding house corridor at Westminster House
The Boarding
Boarding life at Sutton Valence is welcoming, well-organised, and— importantly, as our colleague Leslie noticed with some surprise and delight - smells good! Because yes, dear reader, some boarding houses at some schools can smell a little of, well, old socks and wet lycra. Especially the boys’. Not so those at Sutton Valence!
One of the common rooms at Westminster House
With three boarding houses—Westminster Boys’ House, St Margaret’s Boys’ House, and Sutton Girls’ House—the school accommodates up to 150 boarders across a mix of flexi and full boarding options. The boys’ houses sit at the heart of the campus and have just completed a major refurbishment, giving them a modern, comfortable feel. We got to visit Westminster House, and it’s clear it’s been spruced up recently—beautiful communal spaces, great boarding rooms, and an all-round top-notch setup.
A single room at Westminster House
A special mention goes to the wonderful Debbie, the long-standing matron of 14 years, who had nothing but praise for German pupils, describing them as tidy, well-behaved, and too busy to get homesick!
Sundays are for adventures, with trips to Brighton, London, and beyond, giving boarders plenty to look forward to. From Year 11 onwards, everyone gets their own single room.
Yes, Sutton Valence is a happy school. But also here pupils feel the blues sometimes. Mental wellbeing is taken very seriously at Sutton Valence and there is a dedicated Wellbeing Centre. The focus is on prevention through drop-in mini-therapy sessions, mindfulness-coaching and yoga
Essential tools: toaster and sandwich grill
And let’s not forget the food. Our visit coincided with a Mexican-themed buffet featuring excellent chicken burritos, a solid vegetarian option, and a well-stocked salad bar. Scrumptious stuff!
As for smart phones, the school takes a balanced approach. Headmaster James is against outright bans, pointing out that it just leads to more “toilet breaks” instead! Pupils hand in phones at the start of the school day, out get them back once official lessons are over. . Sensible and practical.
Sutton Valence School has exeat week-ends, but pupils can stay at school if they want to.
Seen at Sutton's art department: Drying paintings
Who, we think, could be suited to Sutton Valence School
Sutton Valence School is a school that seems to be firmly on the up. It’s a happy, well-run school full of children that seem to really enjoy themselves there. And we can see why!
This is the school for pupils keen for a balance between academic pursuits and an exciting, busy extracurricular life. A little bit of everything. And while other, big-name schools in County Kent will have more quality on offer across the board, none will match Sutton Valence’s package of great academics, sports, creative pursuits and performing arts, whilst staying refreshingly grounded with it.
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Holbrooke House
34 - 38 Hill Rise
Richmond
TW10 6UA
Tel: +44 (0) 203 9534063
Email: info@buloweducation.com
Holbrooke House
34 - 38 Hill Rise
Richmond
TW10 6UA
Tel: +44 (0) 203 9534063
Email: info@buloweducation.com