Duke of Kent School was founded in 1976 when the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund moved its preparatory school, Vanbrugh Castle in Blackheath to the spectacular rural setting of Woolpit in the Surrey hills above Ewhurst. One of the consequences of this move was the opportunity to educate girls as well as boys. The school is now a thriving co-educational boarding school of about 180 children. Of these 115 are boys, 65 are girls and in all there are 75 full boarders.
The school has first-class all round facilities including modern classrooms, fully equipped Science and Computer laboratories and excellent provision for Art, Technology and Music. The arrangements for games are equally good; there is a heated indoor swimming pool, a large sports hall opened in 1995, and extensive playing fields which have been carefully arranged among the woods which cover much of the fifty acre site. There is also a multi-purpose hall which is used for drama, dance and hobbies. All the children enjoy the advantages provided by a broad curriculum and a mainly residential staff.
The school was established to cater, within a homely and caring atmosphere, for the needs of children whose fathers had died or had been disabled whilst serving in the Royal Air Force. Although this need is still relevant, some ten per cent of the present pupils fall into this category, the entry has now been broadened to include children from very varied backgrounds. Nevertheless, the school remained faithful to the aims of the founders and this is evident from the caring and happy atmosphere which is immediately obvious to all who visit.
The school now has a day Pre-prep department catering for children in the age range 4-7 years. Bursaries are available for day boarders or full boarders who have specific ability in a particular area or all-round gifts which could be used to the benefit of the school.
