Darul Uloom London School
Same Kent area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 17 August 2026
Tonbridge School is a private secondary-stage school in Tonbridge, Kent, with a published age range of 13-18.
Private school Boys Ages 13-18 Sixth form Boarding school
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 13-18
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
Tonbridge School
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Boys only
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 13-18
- 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
Overview
Founded by Sir Andrew Judde in 1553, Tonbridge School retains its connection with the Worshipful Company of Skinners, while an independent Board of Governors has held responsibility since 2003. That long history now supports boys' boarding and day education for ages 13 to 18 on a 150-acre site in Tonbridge.
The academic programme combines examined courses with lectures, conferences, trips, extended writing and independent research. History ranges from Ancient Rome to the Cold War, while Sixth Form study reaches the British Empire, the Crusades and modern British politics. Subject depth is matched by opportunities to test ideas beyond the core timetable.
The school has announced a planned change to its senior model. Girls are due to join as day pupils from September 2028, with boarding provision for girls planned from 2030, while the lower school is intended to remain boys-only. Until those changes take effect, the established model remains boys aged 13 to 18 with boarding, day places and Sixth Form provision.
Twelve Houses organise pastoral life: seven boarding Houses and five day Houses, each with its own building and Housemaster. Sport, music, drama, service, societies and community work sit alongside academic progress and House responsibilities. The House structure gives the school a strong residential and communal dimension while leaving room for specialist interests and individual study.
Key points
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 7.8 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 62% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Kent and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 7.80
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 0%
- EBacc APS
- 0.36
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Kent and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Boys only
- Age range
- 13-18
- Headteacher
- Mr James Priory
- Pupil roll
- 797 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Boarding
- Boarding school
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Tonbridge, Kent
- Postcode
- TN9 1JP
- Area
- Kent
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Mr James Priory
School contact
- School phone
- 01732365555
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions email
- admissions@tonbridge-school.org
- Admissions phone
- 01732365555
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 13-18
- Gender
- Boys only
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Day fees
- £16,069 per term for day pupils (2026/27, including VAT)
- Boarding fees
- £21,417 per term for boarding (2026/27, including VAT)
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Scholarships and bursaries
- 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
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
- Papers and stages
- 1 paper
- Format
- Mixed format
Papers and rounds
-
Paper 1
Interview
13+ (Year 9) entry ISEB Pre-Test and experience afternoon
Those who apply after 1 September will be advised of the timeline upon receipt of their application.​ Please contact admissions@tonbridge-school.org if you have any questions.​ Assessment Boys applying in Year 6 are required to sit the ISEB Pre-Test . The Experience Afternoon comprises a carousel of activities which provide opportunities to work individually, as well as collaboratively, in addition to a one-to-one interview with a member of our teaching staff.
Published assessment components
Interview is listed across the school's published assessment routes.
Published
-
Interview
Those who apply after 1 September will be advised of the timeline upon receipt of their application.​ Please contact admissions@tonbridge-school.org if you have any questions.​ Assessment Boys applying in Year 6 are required to sit the ISEB Pre-Test . The Experience Afternoon comprises a carousel of activities which provide opportunities to work individually, as well as collaboratively, in addition to a one-to-one interview with a member of our teaching staff.
Application
Application
Key dates
Get date reminders-
13+ / Year 9 application deadline for 2029 entry
Tuesday 1 September 2026
Route: 13+ / Year 9; entry year: 2029.
-
13+ scholarship application deadline for 2027 entry
Tuesday 1 December 2026
Route: 13+ / Year 9; entry year: 2027.
-
13+ unconditional-offer acceptance deadline for 2027 entry
Tuesday 5 January 2027
Route: 13+ / Year 9; entry year: 2027.
-
13+ academic scholarship application deadline for 2027 entry
Monday 1 March 2027
Route: 13+ / Year 9; entry year: 2027.
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 7.8 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 ?
- 0.36 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 62% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 49.94 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 15 October 2024
- 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 2024 records an inspection beginning 15 October 2024. The report says the relevant standards were met.
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Shortlist comparisons
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Related pages and guides
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Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Tonbridge School handle admissions?
Tonbridge School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Tonbridge School?
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 Tonbridge School?
13+ / Year 9 application deadline for 2029 entry: Tuesday 1 September 2026. 13+ scholarship application deadline for 2027 entry: Tuesday 1 December 2026. 13+ unconditional-offer acceptance deadline for 2027 entry: Tuesday 5 January 2027. 13+ academic scholarship application deadline for 2027 entry: Monday 1 March 2027
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Tonbridge School?
Tonbridge School is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 15 October 2024.