Induction: Boarders and Day Pupils
Boarders
All new boarders are invited to arrive on campus on Monday 6th September 2021, a few days before the rest of the school. This gives students the chance to familiarise themselves with the site, settle into their Boarding House and get to know fellow boarders, House Prefects and their House team.
Monday 6th September 2021
9.00am onwards. On arrival all students and their families/guardians should go to the Quad to complete registration. This will include the following;
- Meeting the Admissions Team to complete any final documentation.
- Completing a biometric finger scan.
- Meeting the Medical Team to review your Medical questionnaire.
- Trying on and ordering school uniform and sports kit if not already completed.
- Meeting with the Deputy Head and/or Learning Strategies Coordinator (if required) to discuss timetable and subject choices.
- Meeting the Head of the International Study Centre (if required).
- Guided tours of the school will be available in the afternoon.
- Signing up for Boarding activities
4.00pm Registration closes.
During the afternoon students will have time to settle into their Boarding Houses before supper. Here they will be given their laptops and the House Parents will tell them about boarding activities and the weekend trip programme.
Tuesday 7th September 2021
The day will include:
- ‘Welcome to Boarding’ from their House Parent.
- Visit to the School Farm and Gym induction.
- English and Maths assessments.
- Opportunity to set up a bank account if necessary in Canterbury.
- Opportunity to complete uniform fitting.
Wednesday 8th September 2021
The day will include:
- Meetings with Heads of Academic Houses and tutors.
- Visit to common rooms and a tour of the campus.
- Information about the school daily routine, the pastoral system and the Academic House system.
All new day students have their induction on this day so there will be an opportunity to meet day and boarding students in the same year group. All current boarders also return on this day.
Thursday 9th September 2021
Autumn term starts for all students with registration at 8.35am.
Questions?
Any queries about induction should be addressed to Admissions: admissions@kentcollege.co.uk
Questions about Boarding should be addressed to the House Parents, and any academic queries should be addressed to the relevant Year Heads.
View full contact details
Day Pupils
All new day students are invited to attend an induction morning to help them to familiarise themselves with the school campus, meet their fellow students and their Head of Year.
Pupils should come dressed in their school uniforms. Please ensure that your son or daughter is dressed smartly, as described on the Kent College website, here. House ties and badges will be available if you have not already bought them.
We would strongly recommend that you order uniform online sooner rather than later to ensure delivery in time for the start of term.
Mrs Amos will be available from 12.00pm to 4.00pm to assist with any remaining uniform requirements, so please contact her for an appointment on uniform@kentcollege.co.uk.
Wednesday 8th September 2021
To ensure that the induction process runs smoothly we ask that Parents drop their children off at the following times:
- Year 7 – 8.30am
- Years 8, 9, 10 and 11 – 9.00am
- Year 12 – 9.30pm
To speed up the process of final registration there are a number of documents and forms that you will need to read and complete before Induction Morning as follows.
- Medical Questionnaire
- ICT User Policy
- Laptop Agreement
- Biometrics Form
Please return these via email or by printing and posting them to Admissions before Induction morning. Please do not hesitate to contact the Admissions team on admissions@kentcollege.co.uk if you have any questions.
Once registration is completed students will spend the morning with their Head of Year or Tutor.
After having lunch in the Dining Hall, pupils can be collected at the following times from the Great Hall.
- Year 7 – 12.30pm
- Years 8,9,10 and 11 – 12.45pm
- Year 12 - 1.00pm
Questions?
Any queries about induction should be addressed to Admissions: admissions@kentcollege.co.uk
Any academic queries should be addressed to the relevant Year Heads.
View full contact details
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School Structure and Events
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Homework and Academic Assessment
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Looking After Your Child
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Activities and Trips
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Uniform
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Fees
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Location and Transport
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Medical Centre
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Eat Well at KC
Terms
The academic school year is divided into three terms, Autumn, Spring and Summer.
View term dates
Key events
There are some key events throughout the school year to which parents/guardians are invited. They include:- Autumn term: School Musical production; Christmas celebration ‘Joy to the World’; Carol Service in Canterbury Cathedral.
- Spring term: Frank Mason Hockey Tournament; Arts Week (various activities).
- Summer term: School Concert; Sports’ Day; Summer Opera; Speech Day.
Academic structure
Pupils entering the school at Year 7 follow the Key Stage 3 curriculum for three years. During Year 9, pupils make subject choices for the two-year GCSE course, which starts in Year 10. Pupils take the GCSE public exams at the end of Year 11.
International students who come for the Pre-IB/A level year start in Year 11 and take a reduced 1-year GCSE course during that year.
Years 12 and 13 are also often known as the SIxth form. Students at Kent College have a choice of two-year courses: A levels and Cambridge Technicals, or International Baccalaureate. Students take their public exams at the end of Year 13.
| Age | School year | Curriculum |
| 11-12 | Year 7 | Key Stage 3 |
| 12-13 | Year 8 | Key Stage 3 |
| 13-14 | Year 9 | Key Stage 3 |
| 14-15 | Year 10 | GCSE |
| 15-16 | Year 11 Public exam year |
GCSE Pre-IB/A level year |
| 16-17 | Year 12 (Sixth form) | A level International Baccalaureate Cambridge Technicals |
| 17-18 | Year 13 (Sixth form) Public exam year |
A level International Baccalaureate Cambridge Technicals |
School House system
The School has four Academic Houses, Becket, Augustine, Chaucer and Marlowe.
The House system promotes the spirit of community and competition amongst our students. Inter-house events are held throughout the year in Sport, Music, Art and Drama. Pupils are also awarded House points on a regular basis for their school work and contribution to the school community. A trophy is awarded at the end of the School year to the House that has earned the most points.
Every pupil coming to Kent College is allocated to one of these Houses – usually before they start school in September. Students wear their own House tie (boys) or badge (girls) at school, and a House polo shirt for House events.
Daily routine
School hours are Monday-Friday 8.35am to 4.20pm. All pupils should arrive in school in good time to register at 8.35am. Day pupils may go home at 4.30pm. All pupils may attend Study Hall, a school activity or practice until 5.30pm. Day pupils are required to leave the campus at 5.30pm unless they are attending a school match or similar, or have the permission of their Head of Year.
View the daily routine
Homework is set regularly and pupils are encouraged to establish good homework habits from the beginning of their time at Kent College. The amount of homework gradually increases as pupils pass through the school. The amount of time spent on homework will also vary considerably between individual pupils. As a guide:
- Years 7 and 8 should expect homework in two or three subjects each evening, each taking approximately 20 to 30 minutes to complete.
- Year 9 should expect homework in three or four subjects each evening, each taking approximately 30 minutes to complete.
- Students studying for GCSE in Year 10 and 11 should expect to be doing the equivalent of at least two hours homework per evening. Much of the homework at this level is likely to be in the form of extended pieces of work which may cover several weeks, and pupils are expected to take an increasing level of responsibility for planning the completion of such work.
- In the Sixth Form, pupils may be expected to spend about an hour per subject per day on out-of-class preparation.
PAD
Pupils in Years 7-11 are provided with a Pupil Academic Diary (PAD) to record the homework that is set for every night, and the date it is due to be handed in. This planner is checked by Tutors to ensure that it is maintained properly. Parents/guardians are encouraged to read the planner and to make any comments about the homework in the space provided. Parents of day pupils are asked to sign the PAD each week. Students in Years 12-13 also receive an Academic Diary in order to help them to plan their work and the school year.
The Pupil Academic Diary also contains this useful information:
- A monthly planner
- An explanation of the grading system
- Pupil Code of conduct and classroom guidelines
- Key school rules
- Academic timetable
- Prep timetable
- Activity timetable
- Term dates
- Key School Rules
Reports and Parents’ Meetings
Each pupil receives regular reports during the school year, with comments by the teachers of the academic subjects and where appropriate by teachers of PSHE, musical instrument lessons and other activities. These reports contains additional sections written by the Tutor, Boarding House Parent, the Year Head and the Head Master.
If a parent/guardian has concerns about their child’s progress at any point in the year, they should make contact with the Tutor, or the Year Head. Parents/guardians are also welcome to make appointments to see individual teachers, and contact should be made with the relevant Year Head who will arrange this.
Once a year, parents/guardians have an opportunity to talk with all of the pupil’s teachers at a parents’ evening for the relevant year group. Pupils are expected to accompany parents/guardians to these meetings.
Academic Surgery Evenings are held twice a year, in the Autumn and Summer terms. Parents/guardians are invited to make appointments to see staff by the Friday of the previous week. A maximum of three appointments is allowed and these should last approximately 10 minutes.
PASTORAL CARE IS AT THE HEART OF WHAT WE DO
Kent College has a reputation for being a friendly and caring school, and our pastoral structure is designed to give all pupils the support they need from the start of their school career to the day they leave. Our mission is always be pupil-centred and to focus on enabling every child to become the best they can be.
Our shared aim is that each student should feel safe in an environment that is conducive to learning and develops resilience, adaptability, resourcefulness, tolerance, diversity and fairness.
We recognise that good pastoral care should be reflected in all aspects of school life, through our ethos, the school environment and in the way that personal development occurs through the curriculum and the wealth of extracurricular activities on offer. The friendly atmosphere, together with positive, respectful and informed staff-pupil relationships demonstrate the success of our pastoral care.
How we Support our Students
Our Senior Teacher Pastoral, oversees all aspects of student wellbeing and pastoral care at KC. They are also responsible for all disciplinary matters in the school and coordinate with the Heads of Year to ensure the welfare of all students.
They also act as the Designated Safeguarding Lead for Kent College, and also manages the Medical Team ensuring excellent support and care is provided for day and boarding students.
To contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead, Please contact dsl@kentcollege.co.uk
Year Heads
The Year Heads lead their teams of Tutors, and have overall responsibility for the academic and pastoral wellbeing of the pupils in their age groups. All of the Year Heads work in close co-operation with the Tutors, House Parents, Senior Teachers and Senior School Head Master to ensure the well-being of all pupils at Kent College.
Miss Lara Wilkinson
- Lower School Head of Chaucer House
- +44 (0)1227 763231
- lwilkinson@kentcollege.co.uk
Ms Marie Christian
- Lower School Head of Marlowe House
- +44 (0)1227 763231
- mchristian@kentcollege.co.uk
The Head of Student Personal Development and Wellbeing, Mrs Tracy Watton is responsible for the development and implementation of the PSHE and Wellbeing programme at KC with a particular focus on pupil mental health. She leads the PSHE Teaching team and works closely with all the pastoral teams.
Personal, Social, Health and Economic
Tutor
PSHE at Kent College acknowledges and addresses the changes that young people experience, beginning with the transition to Secondary School, the challenges of adolescence and their increasing independence. Our PSHE programme of study teaches the knowledge and skills which will equip them for the opportunities and challenges of life. Students learn to manage diverse relationships, their online lives, and the increasing influence of peers and the media.
At Key Stage 3, students build on the knowledge and understanding, skills, attributes and values they have acquired and developed during the primary phase.
At Key Stage 4, students deepen their knowledge and understanding, extend and rehearse skills, and further explore attitudes, values and attributes acquired during Key Stage 3. At Kent College we want to reflect the fact that students are moving towards an independent role in adult life, taking on greater responsibility for themselves and others.
At Key Stage 5 we want to ensure that students have the knowledge and understanding, skills, strategies and attributes they need for independent living and the next stage in their education or career.
All pupils have a Tutor and are part of a Tutor Group made up of several pupils in the same year group (though not necessarily the same teaching group). If a parent has any concerns about their son or daughter, then the Tutor is the first person they should contact, usually by email.
The Tutor:
- sees their Tutor Group every morning for registration
- Is always available for support and advice, and to discuss any problems
- Is responsible for welfare and academic progress
- Is the first port of call for parents when contacting the school
- keeps an eye on attendance and punctuality
- monitors behaviour and involvement in activities.
The Pastoral Network
The staff listed above are part of a much wider network of pastoral support. Pupils may also seek help or advice from:
- Prefects or other trustworthy senior pupils
- Year 9 and 10 Mentors
- House Parents and House Tutors
- The Chaplain
- The Head
School Counsellors
Sometimes a pupil may want to talk to someone who is not involved in the running of the school and he or she may ask for an appointment with the Counsellors.
- Clare Mounter is available on Mondays
- Jayne Gledstone is available on Fridays.
- Pupils can make an appointment through the Sister on duty in the Medical Centre or the Year Head.
- Alternatively, they may also contact the counsellors by:
- leaving a note in their postbox in the Medical Centre
- leaving a written request in the Medical Centre or with the Chaplain
- emailing - schoolcounsellor@kentcollege.co.uk.
- In addition, there is a ‘drop-in’ service for which no appointment is required on Monday at 1-1.30 and on a Friday at 1-1.30. There is also an Independent Listener, Mrs Hilary Brian (07779347969), who is introduced to the school at the start of each year.
Competitive School Houses
Augustine House
Becket House
Chaucer House
Marlowe House
The four competitive School Houses form another important part of the pastoral life of the whole school. All pupils and staff of the Senior School belong to one of these Houses, which are called Augustine, Becket, Chaucer and Marlowe.
Each House has a staff and a pupil Head. The Heads of the Houses, together with their pupil committees, organise a wide variety of House competitions and activities, and all pupils are encouraged to participate in these. In addition pupils may earn House points for academic and extra-curricular merit, all of which contribute to the inter-House competition. Each term a cup is awarded in Final Assembly to the school House with the most House points for that term.
Pupils take great pride in representing their school House. Everyone in a Tutor Group is in the same House, and girls wear House badges, while boys wear House ties. House competitions range from drama and music, to chess, problem-solving, photography, sport, art and spelling bees.
At Kent College we offer a wide range of activities that take place outside the classroom. These extracurricular activities are an important part of an all-round education that extends well beyond the curriculum, and allows pupils to explore their own particular talents and interests.
From Year 7 all pupils are required to attend at least two activities, while older students are encouraged to participate or assist in at least one. Activities take place at lunch times, after school and at the weekends. They change termly, and depending on demand, but our aim is to provide something for everyone to enjoy and to develop through their school career.
More about activities
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE)
Kent College runs DofE for the Bronze and Gold awards – Bronze is usually completed in Year 10, and Gold is taken in Years 12 and 13. Expeditions for the Bronze award are undertaken locally, while Gold expeditions are further afield in the UK (Snowdonia, the Lake District) and abroad (Iceland, the Dolomites). Volunteering is an important part of both DofE awards, and pupils have the opportunity to work in many different settings in the local community.
Trips
Trips out of school are an important way of allowing pupils to continue their learning and broaden their experience outside the classroom in a variety of locations, from local to international. Trips are also a good opportunity for students of all ages to develop skills in areas such as teamwork and leadership.
- Ski trip to Canada
- History and Economics trip to Rome
- Geography trip to Margate
- Choir tours to Budapest and Lyon
- Big Bang STEM trip to Discovery Park, Sandwich
- Cultural Exchange trip to Pennington, USA
- Hockey tour to South Africa
- Cultural Exchange trip to Tanzania
- Physics trip to CERN, Geneva
- Duke of Edinburgh Gold award expeditions to Snowdonia and the Lake District
Trips do get booked up quickly so if you would like to know details of future trips for the next academic year please contact your Head of Year.
Full information about school uniform can be found on the Uniform page
View the uniform page
Full information about school fees, specialist & bespoke provision, scholarships, bursaries remissions and allowances can be found on the Fees page
View the fees page
How to find us
Kent College Canterbury is within 90 minutes of Gatwick, Heathrow and City of London airports, and under 60 minutes by train from London. Eurostar trains from Ashford International/Ebbsfleet International train stations provide direct links to mainland Europe via the Channel Tunnel.Travel by air:
Direct flights from all over the world arrive in London’s major airports. Gatwick, Heathrow and City airports are all within 90 minutes by car to Canterbury; London Stansted is around 100 minutes.
Travel by train: London St Pancras is 60 minutes by direct fast train to Canterbury West station. London Victoria is around 80 minutes to Canterbury West/East. Both Canterbury stations are a short taxi ride (5-10 minutes) to school.
Eurostar train from Brussels or Paris to Ashford International Station is around 2 hours.
Travel by car:
From London follow the M2/A2, or M25 to the M2 turn-off. From the Channel Tunnel follow signs to Canterbury on the A20/A260. From Dover (ferry) follow the A2. Satnav postcode: CT2 9DT
Visiting the area
Information about visiting Canterbury and the surrounding area can be found at www.canterbury.co.uk/
School bus service
Kent College operates its own in-house, bespoke transport scheme with a fleet of school minibuses and dedicated drivers, all of whom are MIDAS accredited and have first aid training. This service offers parents peace of mind, particularly for younger passengers.
About the bus service
Our Medical Centre is in the centre of school, and has its own private entrance. Inside there is a modern, well-equipped surgery and several comfortable bedrooms. An experienced, qualified nurse is always available and pupils may access help with any health issues at any time. These do not have to be medical conditions or physical problems, we also offer support with emotional needs and lifestyle choices.
Dr Julian Thompson runs a surgery in the school Medical Centre twice a week. He is part of a practice at Cossington House GP surgery in the centre of Canterbury, where we can also access appointments if required at other times, and with a female GP. Our independent school counsellor, Mrs Naomi Bothwell offers the opportunity for pupils to talk to someone in complete confidence, outside the disciplinary structure of the school. She has a private consulting room within our Medical Centre and visits every Monday afternoon.
medicalcentre@kentcollege.co.uk
+44 (0)1227 813932
As all the pupils at Kent College know, Head Chef Neil Wiggins is passionate about every aspect of food, where it comes from, how it’s cooked, and the wider implications of large-scale catering such as food waste and recycling. Every day Neil and his team of 15 chefs and 14 front-of-house staff are responsible for 1,000 meals at the Senior school and 200 meals at Kent College Junior School. All the food prepared at Kent College is cooked on the premises, and Neil uses local and trusted suppliers for his meat, fish, fruit and vegetables. Not only does this policy help to support local businesses, it also guarantees freshness and quality, and helps to reduce the school’s overall carbon footprint.
Neil caters for special diets such as gluten-free, or lactose-intolerant and works closely with the staff in the school’s medical centre to ensure that pupils with specific needs are well looked after. The kitchens also provide a wide range of snacks enjoyed by the pupils at break time, either in the main dining hall or in the school’s cafe, 1885
The food served at KC
FAQs
Common questions answered.