Kent College, Pembury

Kent College is a girls independent boarding and day school in Pembury, Kent, England, divided into a preparatory school for the age range three to eleven, and a senior school for the age range eleven to eighteen. It was established in Bouverie Road, Folkestone in 1886 by the Wesleyan Methodist Schools' Association, but is now an interdenominational Christian school. It is a member of HMC and the Girls' Schools Association,[2] and the prep department is a member of the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools.

This article is about the school in Pembury. For the school in Canterbury, see Kent College.

Kent College
Address
Old Church Road

Tunbridge Wells
,
Kent
,
TN2 4AX

England
Coordinates51°09′49″N 0°19′31″E
Information
TypeIndependent day and boarding
MottoRespice Finem>"Look to the End"
Religious affiliation(s)Methodist
Established1886
FounderWesleyan Methodist Schools' Association
Local authorityKENT
Department for Education URN118946 Tables
HeadmistressJulie Lodrick
Staffc. 60 Full time, 25 Part time[1]
GenderGirls
Age3 to 18
Enrolmentc. 200 (preparatory)
c. 400(senior)
PublicationPulse, The Blue
Websitewww.kent-college.co.uk

Location

Set in a 75-acre rural parkland estate in Pembury just outside Tunbridge Wells, the school consists of a Victorian manor house and includes facilities such as The Countess of Wessex Theatre, indoor sports hall, music centre, indoor heated swimming pool, outdoor adventure course, dance studio. Its most recent development includes an astro pitch completed in November 2016, second Sports Hall in September 2015 and Art & Library Centre which was completed in February 2013. The grounds are adjacent to Pembury Old Church, and the nearest railway stations are in Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells.

History

In 1886, the school was established in Bouverie Road, Folkestone with twelve pupils. John Stainer was one of the founders. The original site of the school is now occupied by apartments, which are named after heads of the school. In 1939, the school moved to its current location in Tunbridge Wells because of the danger to girls being too near the coast during World War II.[3] During the war, the school was hit by a V-1 flying bomb, a German aircraft was shot down inside the school's grounds,[4] and a pilot of a Hawker Hurricane died when his aircraft crashed inside the school's grounds.[5] In 1945, the preparatory school was established in Tunbridge Wells, and in 1989 it moved to the same location as the senior school.[6][7]

Prep School
Kent College Preparatory School
Location
Coordinates51°09′49″N 0°19′31″E
Information
TypeIndependent preparatory day and boarding
Established1886
Department for Education URN119022 Tables
HeadNik Pears
GenderGirls
Age3 to 11
Enrolmentc. 200
Websitehttp://www.kent-college.co.uk/prep/

The preparatory school is located on the same site as the main school and is housed in its own buildings. Other facilities such as sports facilities, The Countess of Wessex Theatre and the swimming pool are shared with the senior school.

Full, weekly and flexi boarding are all available to prep school pupils aged 10 and above.[8]

School heads
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
  • Edith Margaret James[9]
  • 1983–1989 John C.A. Barrett[10]
  • 1990–2002 Barbara Crompton[11]
  • 2002–2007 Anne E. Upton
  • 2008–2015 Sally-Anne Huang[1]
  • 2016– to date Julie Lodrick

Notable former pupils

References
  1. "Kent College Pembury". School details. Guide to Independent Schools. 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  2. "Kent College". Schools' directory. Girls' Schools Association. 2009. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  3. "Old Girls renew the memories of their school days" (pdf). Folkestone Herald. 28 September 2006. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  4. "Friends reunited for lunch and laughter" (pdf). Kentish Express. 28 September 2006. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  5. "Kent College's WW2 Tribute" (pdf). Pulse. Kent College, Pembury. Winter 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  6. "Kent College Pembury". Presentation. Education Base. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  7. "Inspection of Kent College, Pembury By the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) on April 26th – 30th, 2004 Main Report" (pdf). Independent Schools Council. 2004. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  8. Boarding – Introduction
  9. James, Martin (2010). "Miss E Margaret James [MMS 1947–61, CSI Medak Diocese, Wesley Girls High School, Secunderabad] Died 7.12. 2009 aged 89". Obituaries 2010. Friends of the Church in India. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  10. "Kingswood" (pdf). Resolutions. The Satanic Church in Britain. 16 February 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  11. "Kent College Head Retires" (pdf). Pembury Village News – Issue 111. Pembury Parish Council. Autumn 2002. Retrieved 11 May 2011.

Further reading
  • The Kent College Saga by Margaret James, published by the Governors of Kent College, 1986, ASIN B00169BIPU
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