Sutton Valence Preparatory School

General information

Sutton Valence School is an independent, co-educational day and boarding school situated in the heart of the Kent countryside, where each cares for all and individuality is cherished. It is part of, and overlooks, the picturesque village of Sutton Valence whilst being five miles from Maidstone, the county town of Kent, and within convenient travelling time from central London.

Whilst not fiercely selective on entry, its value added statistics are impressive. For those subjects Sutton Valence offers at A Level, the school is in the top 15% nationally for adding value, managing to bring out the academic potential in every pupil. Equally impressive is the breadth of education on offer and the fact that academic achievement is only one measure of success. Individuality, confidence, poise and the strength of character to meet the complexities of modern living with equanimity are the hallmarks of a Sutton Valence pupil.

Our co-curricular and leadership journeys are vital components of what we call our Total Curriculum. Somewhere in every child’s education they need to learn the vital skills of self-discipline, focus, commitment and effort and not everyone learns these sitting in a classroom. Our sport, music, drama, charity work, Duke of Edinburgh scheme and the Combined Cadet Force all help with the acquisition of these skills, allowing the pupils to build self-esteem and confidence through really achieving and being recognised for their obvious talents. We also strengthen the vertical bonds of our community by having our younger pupils learn from and work with our older pupils.

Class sizes are small and the overall pupil-staff ratio of 9:1 enables Sutton Valence pupils to benefit from the close guidance and individual attention of teachers.

The Eurostar station at Ashford makes access to Europe straightforward and Heathrow and Gatwick airports are within an hour’s drive from Sutton Valence. The School’s roll is currently 500 of which 150 are boarders. Sutton Valence Preparatory School occupies its own site in the neighbouring village of Chart Sutton and currently has 300 pupils between the ages of 3 and 11.

Sutton Valence has a committed Governing Body whose mix of skills, experience and personalities bring a breadth of wisdom to its decision making. Sutton Valence School is part of the United Westminster Schools’ Foundation.