Sevenoaks School, Sevenoaks
With a well-established reputation for
academic rigour this school also boasts idyllic grounds while being town-based, exceptional facilities and a thoughtful, progressive outlook.
WHAT? WHERE?
Sevenoaks is a co-educational day and boarding school for students aged 11 to 18. There’s currently 1180 students on roll, with a roughly equal ratio of girls to boys.
It’s just been crowned THE top co-educational independent school in the UK in The Sunday Times Parent Power 2023 guide. That’s a pretty good accolade (right up there with the Muddy Best Schools Awards, naturally).
It’s also a member of the HMC (Heads’ Conference) – which represents the Heads of the world’s leading independent schools – or what, in old school terms was generally considered to be a definition of a public school.
They were the first of this elite list of schools to adopt the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme and then to go on to drop A-levels entirely way back in the late 90s – a bold, progressive move at the time that they are rightly proud of.
They are also proud of their reputation as an inclusive, enriching and global place of learning. And certainly, when I visited I found a school where kindness and courtesy are sought alongside curiosity and critical thinking.
Unashamedly selective, this school is for bright young things (stat) who embrace a modern, international outlook (one third of the pupils are boarders). Got an academic, self-motivated child that likes to take part? Then Sevenoaks School could well be the land of opportunity you’ve been searching for…
FACILITIES
A school with a rich history – it was first established in the fifteen century – making Sevenoaks one of the oldest secular school foundations in England.
The stonking 100-acre campus sits on the outskirts of Sevenoaks – spread over a site on both sides of the road (see above) but don’t worry there’s a handy tunnel to pass safely underneath.
Here you’re just moments from the Kent countryside, yet also within walking distance into the town’s shops and train station – and from there, just half an hour from Central London or Gatwick International Airport.
Facilities are truly swoon-worthy. There’s the multi-million pound sports venue, The Sennocke Centre, comprising an eight-court sports hall, a fully equipped fitness suite, studio, pool (pictured above), squash courts and indoor and outdoor tennis courts, in addition to track and field amenities. The Sennocke Centre offers classes and activities to the local community including swimming.
In that same vein, when it comes to The Arts (like Music and Drama) the facilities are at the same level. The school’s performing arts centre, The Space, is located on the Sevenoaks School campus but also open to the surrounding community. It also hosts events for the town, including a programme of theatre, music and lectures.
The building provides pretty impressive performance, rehearsal and teaching spaces, including a concert hall (pictured above), theatre (pictured below), recital room, recording studio and drama studio.
In terms of facilities, one of the newest additions, is the stunning Science and Technology and Sixth Form Centre, which was built a few years ago. A bright, airy space with a university campus feel where modern classrooms, break-out zones and hang-out spaces all mix well under one roof – see picture below.
The Space, The Science Centre and Aisher House all won national RIBA architecture awards – which backs up everything we’ve been saying about these facilities.
SPORT
Sevenoaks makes no secret of its intention of being the leading international school when it comes to sporting success and it wants to be the number one destination for students seeking to combine the best of both an academic and a physical education.
But like most forward-thinking schools, it recognises the need to tread the line between success on the fixtures calendar and inclusivity for all pupils – allowing everyone access to physical activity, team spirit and the character building element of sports development.
To this end, the school has 22 representative sports on offer to students throughout the three seasons. Yes, football, rugby, hockey, netball, cricket and athletics feature. But so does archery, badminton, basketball, climbing (there’s a climbing wall on site), golf, table tennis, fencing and squash.
Want a challenge but team sports not your thing? Sevenoaks regularly compete at national competition level in sailing and shooting too. And let’s not forget The Sennocke Centre with it’s pool – swimming is a weekly activity for all until Year 9.
Not a sport as such, but worthy of a mention, for its physical and character building benefits – as well as outdoor adventure camps – is the school’s CCF programme. This consists of about 200 pupil cadets, taking part in he Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy sections from Year 10 onwards.
THE ARTS
The Space is an exceptional performing arts centre located on the Sevenoaks School campus but open to the surrounding community. It also host events for the local community, including ROH screenings.
The concert hall, the Pamoja Hall, is a large auditorium, seating 410 with top notch acoustics. The stage accommodates an 80-piece orchestra and also offers motorised retractable raked choir stalls for a hundred-strong choir.
Then there’s the Sackville Theatre – a flexible space, with a wide range of different staging and seating configurations available.
As you walk around the campus there’s posters everywhere displaying upcoming events. In any one week, you’ve got ROH cinema screenings – showing everything from The Marriage of Figaro to Cinderella – running in the Pamoja Hall. Or Sevenoaks School Jazz Club taking place in the Sackville Theatre.
And we’ve not even got to the drama studio (for rehearsals) or the 15 spacious individual music practice rooms, where the Music Department provides over 700 individual instrumental lessons a week.
There’s Choirs, Orchestras, Chamber Music and Concert performances galore. Chamber music is a particular strength and Sevenoaks has won Pro Corda’s schools’ trophy several times in recent years. The U16 and U19 musicians were 2022 Pro Corda Chamber Champions.
The department provides over 700 individual instrumental lessons a week with around 40 per cent of the student body playing at least one instrument.
ACADEMICS
Sevenoaks is the UK’s top co-ed, large cohort, IB school and among the top five globally. Its long-standing and unswerving commitment to this two-year Sixth Form programme – an alternative to A Levels – is a huge stand out feature for the school. [More about the IB below].
Firmly for those that can cope with a certain standard when it comes to academics – homework is expected to be done every night, Latin is compulsory until Year 9, everyone does a Modern Language at GCSE – that kind of thing. On the subject of languages, as well as the standard French, Spanish and German, on offer here is also Mandarin, Russian, Dutch and Italian.
Class sizes never go over 20 in the Lower and Middle School. IB class sizes range from 9 to 15. About 95 per cent of pupils who join in Year 7 & Year 9 choose to remain for Sixth Form. In 2022, 96 per cent of all GCSE and iGCSE examinations were graded 9/8/7 or A*/A.
There’s as many as 129 Academic scholars currently on roll (in case you’re interested there’s a further 17 for Drama, 22 for Music and 33 for Sport).
So not surprisingly then, students are highly motivated. There’s a calm and collaborative feel about the classrooms and corridors as you walk around the school. This culture of cooperation builds a friendly atmosphere.
PASTORAL CARE
We all know that in order to get the most out of children academically they need to be supported by some strong pastoral and co-curricular foundations. The pastoral support at the school is structured around Tutors who have daily contact with pupils within their care.
Sevenoaks students are very accepting of difference – the range of cultures, interests and skills is so vast that there is almost no ‘normal’. Having said that of course issues come up at every school and – if needed there is a School Counsellor as well as Learning Support team who work alongside Tutors and teachers.
Shy types can thrive and there are a few schemes in place with the goal of creating rounded individuals, who relish responsibility. Every week, pupils are encouraged to take part in a social voluntary service programme which the school has run since the 1960s, which involves doing either CCF or Service.
Every student in the Lower Sixth is a prefect, they work as part of a team of about 20 students that do various roles around the school. These groups are managed by senior prefects (elected by the year group alongside staff).
BOARDING & WRAP AROUND CARE
There are a wide range of clubs before and after school (there’s a total of 77 different clubs and societies, since you asked). Fitness activities or music and drama practice takes places in all those wonderful facilities.
Alternatively students can study in the library or quiet study areas around school. The café is open from 7am to 6pm. Day students have the option to book breakfast and dinner.
Perhaps not surprisingly, given its proximity to London – it’s just 25 minutes by train – boarding is big news at Sevenoaks. Gatwick too is close by and there are lots of international pupils, particularly drawn by the pull of the IB programme and proximity to London.
There’s a total of around 400 boarders and 800 day pupils. The induction programme is extensive – with lots of support and staff on hand to ensure everyone settles and integrates well.
The boarding houses are impeccible. There’s a focus on study and homework, but also social elements – Gareth Willis, housemaster of Aisher House, one of the newer boarding buildings – is clearing up after a Valentine’s Dinner when I tour. This house is for Middle and Upper School boys (age 13 to 18 years) where modern comfort blends with more independence. Life skills are encouraged in older pupils, Sixth Formers are guided to do their own washing.
The school is currently building a new Girls Boarding House which will open in September 2023 and take the total up to 450 boarders when full in 2024.
THE HEAD
Headmaster Jesse Elzinga took over the headship during Covid – no easy task. Prior to that he was headmaster of Reading Blue Coat School in Berkshire. He started his career at Whitgift School as a teacher of Theology and Philosophy. He went on to become Director of Studies at Harrow, and he also worked at St Edward’s School in Oxford as Director of Studies and as IB Coordinator (where he helped introduce the IB Diploma – so his devotion to the cause is clear).
Clearly a cerebral person, with a calm, approachable manner – and quiet sense of humour – it’s hard to think of a better fit for the job. A good head should, of course, be a strong representation of the school they govern. And Jesse Elzinga embodies all the main characteristics that the schools stands for – international, courteous, thoughtful. And highly, highly accomplished.
He studied at Harvard University and at Oxford University, where his Masters focused on ethical philosophy. Oh and he’s a talented sportsman as well – a three-time national champion rower at Harvard and Oxford who then switched to competitive cycling, twice racing against Sir Bradley Wiggins at the British Time Trial Championships.
Jesse can often be spotted in the early morning running in Knole Park and we’ve heard mention of the words Ironman triathlete and marathon runner – yup, you get the picture. He’s wife to Elaina and has three daughters – his youngest was born during the pandemic – which is all enough to make us fairly certain that Jesse Elzinga has somehow got hold of the Harry Potter Time-Turner because he fits a lot into his day.
QUIRKS & USP
Its long-standing and unswerving commitment to the International Baccalaureate Diploma is a huge stand out feature for the school. The IB is a two-year programme for Sixth Form students. All students study six subjects: three at Higher Level and three at Standard Level.
In addition, students write an Extended Essay and follow a critical thinking course entitled Theory of Knowledge. Participation in creative activities, sport and service is also required. The main thrust is about a rounded and rigorous education and as such it is accepted – if not welcomed – by universities in the UK, the US and across the world.
Sevenoaks has taught the IB since 1978 where pupils originally could choose between it and A Levels. It steadily became the qualification of choice and replaced A-levels completely in 1999 and it is one of the most successful IB schools in the world. Hugely rewarding for the right child, but it’s not for the faint-hearted.
Oh (total change of subject) one fun fact – Sevenoaks School has featured in literature and there’s some pretty impressive Almuni, including author, Charlie Higson.
ISI REPORT
MOBILE PHONE POLICY
Mobile phones are never visible in class, but can be called upon as a resource should teachers deem this useful. Students are allowed access to their devices at other times whilst on campus, but are encouraged to use their phones in a safe and healthy manner at all times.
TRANSPORT
The school runs a minibus shuttle service to and from Sevenoaks railway station at the beginning and end of the day.
FEES
£8, 907 for Day pupils and £14,307 for Boarders. The fees for those pupils who enter the school in the Sixth Form are as follows: £10,116 for Day pupils and £15,522 for Boarders.
WORD ON THE GROUND
We contacted several current parents who seemed to confirm the strong ethos of sport for ALL (one referenced her daughters’s enjoyment of matches on the D & E netball teams – no one who wants to represent the school is left out).
Some mentioned the need to remind pupils that are ‘getting by’ that they really are doing well (as there can be a tendency to benchmark yourself against the super-bright pupils) but all the kids seem to want to engage with their learning, and there is good support for anyone who feels they are struggling.
To sum up, this is a diverse, multi-cultural and internationally representative environment that is ideal for hard-working and capable children to grow into confident, well-rounded young adults (the words of a parent, not a prospectus, so pretty impressive).
THE MUDDY VERDICT
Good for: What we have here is state-of-the-art facilities, academic excellence and a school where getting involved is part of the culture. So if you have a highly motivated child then, step this way – welcome to the land of opportunity.
Not for: Those whose talents lie outside of academics as this is a selective school. Sevenoaks is a space for copers and collaborators, so if your child doesn’t take well to being stretched, or tends to go against the grain, then this might not be the free-range experience they require.
Go see for yourself: At their Open Morning on Sat 17 June 2023. Visitors will hear talks from the Headmaster and the Director of Admissions, as well as a presentation from current pupils. Student-led tours of the campus will include the opportunity to talk to senior members of staff. You will also be able to visit a boarding house, if relevant. Please book a place in advance.
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