School profile Verified 18 August 2026

Kent Private schools

Kent College Pembury

Old Church Road, Pembury, TN2 4AX

Kent College Pembury is a private secondary-stage school in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, with a published age range of 2-20.

Private school Co-ed Ages 2-20 Sixth form Boarding school
Application ?
Apply direct to school
Age range
2-20
ISI ?
Standards met
Boarding ?
Boarding school
Compare Official website Map

At a glance

Key facts

Sector
Private school
Gender
Mixed
Application ?
Apply direct to school
Age range
2-20
Boarding ?
Boarding school
Route check
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
ISI ?
Standards met

Overview

Kent College Pembury has grown since 1933 from nursery and prep through the Senior School and sixth form. Its Methodist day-and-boarding route is separate from Kent College Canterbury, with a mixed intake and its own boarding arrangements. The all-through structure lets pupils remain in one community while their academic choices become more specialised.

Years 7 to 9 include Global Citizenship alongside the subject timetable, followed by Year 9 options that lead towards GCSE. GCSE and IGCSE choices sit beside AIMS for academic challenge and Supported Learning for pupils who need it. Sixth-form options include 20 A levels, three BTECs, a Diploma in Food Nutrition and an AAQ in Medical Science, creating an unusually varied post-16 menu.

Boarding can be full-term, weekly or flexi, with house tutors and pastoral staff around the residential experience. Senior entry begins with a visit and registration; candidates take assessments, are observed in lessons and interviewed. Year 7 and Year 9 have dedicated entrance days, and applications include recent academic information and a reference before an offer is accepted.

Key points

Assessment route
Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
Places and demand
Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
Catchment
Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
Results
0% grade 5+ in English and maths and 46 Attainment 8
Sixth form
Sixth form available with 11.1% AAB or better.

GCSE benchmark

Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Kent and England.

School Local authority England
GCSE benchmark comparison Latest GCSE benchmark measures for Kent College Pembury, Kent, and England. 0 50 100 Att. 8 5+ E&M EBacc APS EBacc %
Attainment 8
46
Grade 5+ English and maths
0%
EBacc APS
3.65
EBacc entry
0%

Attainment 8 trend

Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Kent and England.

School Local authority England
Attainment 8 trend line Attainment 8 over time for Kent College Pembury, Kent, and England. 60 40 20 0 21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25

School details

Sector
Private school
School type
Other independent school
Funding
Independent fee-paying
Application
Apply direct to school
Gender
Mixed
Age range
2-20
Headteacher
Miss Katrina Handford
Pupil roll
352 pupils
Sixth form
Yes
Boarding
Boarding school

Location and contact

Address

Address
Old Church Road, Pembury, Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Postcode
TN2 4AX
Area
Kent

School leadership

Headteacher
Miss Katrina Handford

School contact

School phone
01892822006

Admissions contact

Admissions team
Admissions
Admissions phone
01892822006

Admissions

Application route
Apply direct to school
Age range
2-20
Gender
Mixed
Boarding
Boarding school
Day fees
£11,207 per term for Senior School day pupils in Years 7-13 in 2026/27, including VAT where applicable
Boarding fees
£15,416-£18,183 per term for weekly or full boarding in Senior School in 2026/27, including VAT where applicable
Scholarships and bursaries
Bursaries available
Entrance details
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
Admissions note
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.

GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.

Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.

Oversubscription and eligibility

Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.

Exam and test format

Entrance route and assessment

Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.

Assessment route
Apply direct to school

Application

How to apply

  1. 1

    Apply direct to the school

    Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.

    Check school admissions

Results

Attainment snapshot

Attainment 8 ?
46 Attainment 8
GCSE results
0% grade 4+ in English and maths
Grade 5+ English and maths ?
0% grade 5+ in English and maths
EBacc average point score ?
3.65 EBacc APS
A-level results
11.1% AAB or better
A-level average points
37.84 A-level points per entry

Inspection

Standards met

Latest inspection: 28 April 2026

Leadership, management and governance
Standards met
Quality of education, training and recreation
Standards met
Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
Standards met
Social and economic education and contribution to society
Standards met
Safeguarding
Standards met

Quick summary

  • Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2026 records an inspection beginning 28 April 2026. The report says the relevant standards were met.

Similar schools and comparisons

Nearby schools families also consider

Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.

Nearby schools with similar results

Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How does Kent College Pembury handle admissions?

Kent College Pembury handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.

How do I apply to Kent College Pembury?

1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.

When are the key dates for Kent College Pembury?

Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.

What does the latest inspection picture look like for Kent College Pembury?

Kent College Pembury is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 28 April 2026.