Kent College, Canterbury
Kent College, Canterbury
Canterbury, England
Kent College, located on the attractive outskirts of the university city of Canterbury, combines a classic façade with modern facilities, including the impressive Great Hall – a state-of-the-art auditorium regularly used for events such as the Canterbury Festival. The school excels in music and sport programmes and promotes values like kindness and generosity based on Christian Methodist principles. Interestingly, according to Headmaster David Lamper, the school’s own farm also contributes to the harmonious atmosphere. Pupils appreciate the welcoming environment: “No one is a stranger here.”
The Details
The Academics
Kent College offers GCSEs, A-Levels and the IB as school-leaving qualifications.
Kent College is something of a phenomenon. The school is not particularly selective but still achieves remarkably good results: in 2024, 41% of GCSE grades were 9–7, 38% of A-Level results were A grades, and the IB average was an impressive 36 points. The secret? Small classes and passionate, dedicated teachers who take the time to explain everything – even ten times if necessary! We know very few other schools that manage to help pupils with mixed grades achieve such strong exam results.
Six language teachers also teach English to international pupils alongside the regular curriculum.
Languages Taught
German, English as a Foreign Language, French and Spanish.
The Boarding
Around 200 pupils from 40 nations board at the school. Some of these are flexi-boarders who stay three to five nights a week. Thanks to the harmonious community at Kent College, day pupils and boarders form strong friendships. The six boarding houses are renovated and close to the school. Pupils share rooms with one or two others, with single rooms often available in Year 13, the final year.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
Kent College is distinguished by its warm, supportive ethos and close-knit community – values such as kindness, team spirit and empathy, shaped by its Methodist tradition, permeate daily school life.
The sports programme is first-class: Kent College excels especially in hockey, tennis, athletics and riding. Bringing international expertise to the team is Alastair Brogdon, a two-time Olympian and the school’s hockey director. Equestrian sports also hold high importance here, with Kent College’s NSEA showjumping and eventing teams enjoying great success.
Musically, the school sets high standards too: the Music Department is housed in a purpose-built facility with rehearsal rooms, large practice halls and a recording studio.
A special highlight is the Farm Club, where pupils train calves, lambs, goats and rabbits to showcase at the Kent Show. The school’s own farm also supplies eggs and meat to local charities – a true example of community engagement in action.
Weaknesses
We would love to see more full boarders at Kent College. While there is no swimming pool on site, boarding pupils make good use of the Junior School’s pool at weekends.
Location
Kent College is located just outside the beautiful university city of Canterbury in the southeastern county of Kent.
A friendly, unpretentious school that definitely deserves more attention. Community is at the heart of Kent College – warm, down-to-earth and authentic.
A particularly charming event is the annual Carol Singing at the farm. Pupils from both the Junior and Senior Schools, along with parents and teachers, come together to sing Christmas carols and hear the Christmas story – all inside a real barn, surrounded by goats, lambs, horses and piglets.
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