WHAT? WHERE?

The Granville comprises a pre-school for boys and girls aged 3-4 years and a prep school for girls aged 4-11 years, tucked away in a quiet residential area to the north of Sevenoaks (and within easy walking distance of Sevenoaks railway station) it’s a bit of a hidden gem.

The Granville School Sevenoaks Kent outdoor play park

Non-selective but academically a little powerhouse, The Granville is a school that is forward-looking and innovative, offering a vibrant and challenging environment, whilst also embracing its long-held traditions and bringing them into the 21^stcentury.

FACILITIES

The original building is an attractive Victorian red brick mansion house and houses the Great Hall as well as being where the older girls (Y5 & Y6 / Seniors) are based.

Over the years, the site has been altered, adapted and extended and the newer purpose-built additions feature specialist teaching areas, large airy and bright classrooms and smart sports facilities.

For a prep school that’s relatively small in numbers – there’s 170 pupils currently on the roll – and in a premium town location it boasts a decent outdoor offering and strong raft of facilities. On the compact site there’s no less than 5 acres of woodland, plus 3 courts for tennis and netball and a field – plus little touches like a climbing wall for outdoor fun.

The Granville School Sevenoaks Kent climbing wall

Girls swim from Year 3 at the Sevenoaks town pool. There is a separate hall used for assemblies, indoor PE and drama productions.

SPORTS

Granville is proud of its sporting track record (pun intended) – and sport is very strong when you consider the size of the school. And being single-sex there’s a good number of girls from which to select A, B, C and D teams – meaning everyone gets to participate as well as pushing for success.

The Granville School Sevenoaks Kent girl playing rugby

They are known for their county tennis players and strong netball and cross country. Runners have the benefit of nearby, and rather spectacular, Knole Park, complete with its wild deer heard. Granville has repeatedly qualified for IAPS finals in netball, cross country and, more recently, hockey.

The Granville School Sevenoaks Kent swimming lesson

Having said all that, simply being active is encouraged rather than any need to be ‘sporty’. All children start with ballet from Pre-School and there are yoga and relaxation techniques taught. Plus of course there’s the swimming pool. With the vast array of extra-curricular clubs before and after school there is something for everyone. Girls can take part in gymnastics, fencing, jujitsu, tag rugby and cricket among other clubs.

The Granville School Sevenoaks Kent girls karate

The younger ones can get water confident in the on-site pool in small groups with a specialist teacher. Then, from Y4 onwards the girls swim at the pool in Sevenoaks, taking advantage of the town’s brilliant facilities on their doorstep.

ARTS, TEXTILES AND DESIGN

The Granville School Sevenoaks Kent design

Girls from Year 3 to Year 6 benefit from Art & Design Technology lessons taught by specialists in the purpose-built art studio. This is a particularly impressive space, with a high ceiling and this light bright room is bustling with creative energy and the many colourful pieces produced from imaginative little minds.

There’s a kiln for ceramic work, as well as a kitchen for the teaching of Food Technology. Girls have the opportunity to gain experience in drawing, painting, textiles, sculpture work, modelling clay and woodwork.

Students can also enjoy painting outdoors with easels. Art & DT work is linked to the wider curriculum where possible. So creative types will be fully stretched here.

Everything is geared to instilling confidence, and an understanding that we all have creative ability. Girls are encouraged to experiment and to enjoy flexing their artistic muscle across many mediums. Each year, a number of the Year 6 girls are awarded Art Scholarships to senior schools.

DRAMA & MUSIC

The school has dedicated Music and Drama Studios. Drama is strong here, with full productions happening in Pre-School, Reception, and Years 1, 2, 4 and 6.

The Granville School Sevenoaks Kent school production drama

LAMDA examinations are also taught in Verse and Prose, Acting and Public Speaking. Last year 92 of the girls took these exams, the majority gained Distinctions. The Year 6 production takes place at the town’s theatre, The Stag, giving pupils the memorable experience of putting on a show in a professional theatre.

Music plays a very important and much-loved role in everyday life at The Granville, from daily singing in assemblies to large-scale performances and informal concerts. Specialist class music teaching begins in Pre-School and, as they progress through the school, the focus is on a practical and ‘hands on’ teaching approach which gives every child the chance to engage in some form of music-making, including improvisation and composition.

In fact, The Crown’s Emma Corrin was an ex-pupil and apparently her Show & Tell was always very animated – may this is where the building blocks of her performance skills began? As we know confidence in children all starts here, at this crucial age.

ACADEMICS & ADMISSIONS

This, small school has a reputation for strong academics. However while there are high levels of expectation it is a non-selective school and they take particular pride in their focus on preparation, not pushiness.

The Granville School Sevenoaks Kent girls in lesson

The secret of their success is attention to detail when it comes to each and every child, so that they achieve their potential in a happy, secure and stimulating environment.

The Granville School Sevenoaks Kent pupils in science lesson

To that end the Learning Development offering is strong and they take a whole school approach – every teacher knows what’s going on with each child and teaching assistants are trained in supporting girls with a range of additional needs within the classroom setting. In short, no girl enters an exam or interview situation that she was not fully prepared for.

The Granville School Sevenoaks Kent girls playing

PASTORAL CARE

The school is big on pastoral care. A strong team of form teachers combined with the small class sizes means pupils are known very well and develops a culture of sharing and openness.

Pastoral concerns are discussed at every weekly staff meeting. As well as this bigger structure, the pastoral ethos also filters down to the detail – there’s a school dog, called Teddie; a visiting Play Therapist; Wellbeing Wednesdays and every pupil’s birthday is celebrated in assembly.

The Granville School Sevenoaks Kent girls with martial arts gloves

LEAVERS AND NEXT STEPS

Granville prides itself on being very transparent with parents about each child’s development and achievements as they pass through the school. Staff always feedback on tests, they have a detailed programme advising parents on Open Days for the next stage schools – when they are, what the schools require, who offers the best scholarships – and so on.

They make sure everyone is fully briefed on what’s required in terms of exams and interviews, all of which can vary greatly from school to school. This way parents – but most importantly – girls are fully prepared.

The Granville School Sevenoaks Kent girls in PE kit

Usually around half to two thirds of girls sit the Kent Test, and the vast majority (95% in recent years) are offered a grammar school place. Out of the last Year 6 cohort – of 24 girls – 13 sat the 11+ (with 12 passing). Pupils achieved 100% pass rate for St Paul’s Girls School, Wycombe Abbey, Caterham School, Walthamstow Hall, Benenden, Kent College and Woldingham. Of the 40 places for girls available at Sevenoaks School, 13 of them were offered to Granville girls. An impressive 36 scholarships and awards were offered in total.

Another interesting dynamic, that sets it apart from other all-girl preps in the area, is that this is an independent prep, so not attached to a Senior School. Now, there are many benefits in preps that are attached to Senior Schools, but what this does mean is that Granville can remain completely unbiased about the next steps for pupils – rather than preparing their girls to make the ‘natural’ move to the Senior School – there is a wide selection of schools that the girls move onto.

HEADTEACHER

Mrs Louise Lawrance has been head since 2018 and is very friendly and approachable. A hands-on leader, she has her own daughter in Year 2, which obviously means that she believes wholeheartedly in the school she leads!

How would Mrs Lawrance sum up the school? ‘While we are very proud of our academics, we certainly don’t want to be known for just that,’ she says.

The girls succeed in all areas: sport: drama: music and art. ‘The staff and pupils at The Granville have a close, unique relationship – that’s the result of a real family atmosphere. We are a happy school – all girls know each other across all year groups.’

PRE-SCHOOL & RECEPTION

The Early Years setting is a smart purpose-built building, consisting of Pre-School and Reception, with boys in the Pre-School and then it’s all-girl from Reception onwards.

Pre-School is one large colourful room split into separate areas – which are Red (from 3 years-old) and Yellow (rising 4s) Zones – with a shared play area in the middle. This means that each of those different age groups can get the appropriate attention they need.

The Granville School Sevenoaks Kent girl plalying

Learning is free-flow and the rooms lead on to a good Outdoor Play Area with artificial grass. Outdoor learning is big too and there is Forest School in the school woodland (the Pre-School teacher and the Head of Middle School are both Level 3 Forest School leaders).

Everything is overseen by Elise West, Head of Early Years, who is passionate about the job and a really safe pair of hands having worked in education for more than 14 years.

The offering for little ones is extensive with a new 50-week provision since the introduction of Little Doves – a holiday camp for Pre-School and Reception, run by staff members.

WHAT ELSE?

This might be a girls-school that embraces traditions but make no mistake – it is not prissy or twee. No gender stereotypes here, and the head, Mrs Lawrance, remarks on a phenomenon that’s been proven – single-sex schools see girls doing well in subjects that were once traditionally seen as ‘boys subjects’.

Science and maths (STEM subjects) are strong and the school has recently refurbished their Science Lab. In fact, both the school’s science teachers happen to be women and both are scientists (one is a microbiologist and the other an engineer) all good inspiring stuff.

Computing is popular too. Robotics programming is big and Year 6 girls challenge themselves with the iDEA Award scheme, which is undertaken by some Senior Schools. However here, by the time they leave Granville, most of Year 6 will have completed the Bronze Level and half will even have done Silver – which is pretty impressive.

There are lots of reward schemes – a particularly nice touch is the School Values Points – for being respectful, showing team spirit, being courageous etc. These are totted up every week and the winning prize? Break-time with the school dog – how’s that for a treat!

The Granville School Sevenoaks Kent girls reading with dog

USP & QUIRKS

The school is strongly anchored in history and heritage – some traditions have survived since the school was founded in 1945 – but the school blends this history with a modern twist for example Year 6 volunteering at a local foodbank after Harvest Festival.

The school was founded on VE Day – this is why the school symbol is a dove and the school motto is ‘love and service’ and so much of the heritage you find today is from then.

Another strong tradition is the famous annual Spring Festival – started by the school founder – and is a great example of the family feel of the school with Year 6s writing songs and teaching them to children throughout the school to be performed to parents.

WRAP AROUND CARE

In term-time, childcare is available between 7.30am – 6pm depending on what’s needed (there is a charge). Parents have the flexibility of opting for the Before and After School Care services on a day-to-day basis or to make a termly commitment.

And, recognising the need from parents, they are also committed to offering holiday camps for all ages – this helps busy, working families in the holidays and allows the girls to benefit further from the expertise of staff.

The Granville School Sevenoaks Kent outdoor play

TRANSPORT

The school is very close to Sevenoaks station, so while there are many local families some also come from destinations along the trainline. Also parents can Drop Off and then catch the train into London if that’s where they work.

There’s a council carpark right opposite the school front gate – parents can get a pass to park here while they drop their children off. Or there’s the choice of drive through Drop Off – all good options for such a town-based school.

FEES

Kindergarten Red Room: £2,013; Kindergarten Yellow Room: £3,474; Reception, Year 1 & Year 2: £4,091; Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 & Year 6: £5,213.

WORD ON THE GROUND

We spoke to several parents at Granville and the words ‘happy’ and ‘nurturing’ popped up frequently. Girls clearly enjoy the benefits of a small school and all the support that brings but one that can also throw its weight around in terms of academics and sports. Plus pupils are very well prepared for bigger senior school too.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: There’s a big ‘give it a go!’ feel here and the idea that preparation, not pushiness, is the key to success. There’s a real buzz and purposeful feel around the school – they do feel like happy girls.

Not for: Can’t compete on acreage with rural schools and no rolling fields here – although plenty of space for a town-based setting. So if it’s a large school environment you’re after you may choose to look elsewhere.

See for yourself: The Granville offers individual tours of the school with the Headmistress, Mrs Louise Lawrance, all year round. If you are looking for a Pre-School place for your son or daughter aged 3-4 or a Prep School place for your daughter aged 4-11, then get in touch.

The Granville School, 2 Bradbourne Park Rd, Sevenoaks TN13 3LJ, Tel: 01732 453039, granvilleschool.org

The Granville School, Sevenoaks

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