Tonbridge School

Tonbridge School is an independent day and boarding school for boys aged 13 to 18, occupying a site of about 150 acres in the market town of Tonbridge in Kent. The school was founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judde, a member of the Worshipful Company of Skinners which continues to maintain close links through the governing body.

The school has seven boarding houses and five day houses for around 800 boys. In 2021, Tonbridge School merged with The New Beacon Preparatory School in Sevenoaks, a day and boarding prep school for boys aged 4 to 13.

Headmaster James Priory describes Tonbridge School as being a school which 'celebrates the life of the mind, but which also enjoys putting knowledge into action'. The school is proud of its community partnerships and 'of our pupils' willingness to take the lead and serve'.

Tonbridge School offers almost £2.5m a year in scholarships and bursaries to provide up to 100% of means tested fee remission. Scholarships are awarded in Year 6 and Year 8 to provide support when a boy joins Tonbridge in Year 9 but also, where a pupil is at primary school in Year 6, to enable attendance at prep school for Years 7 and 8.

Tonbridge School inspection reports

Inspections provide parents with detailed information from which to assess key aspects of a school. Find out more about why inspections matter.

Tonbridge School was last inspected in November 2021. Read the inspection reports on the school's website.

Tonbridge is a registered charity with historic links to the Worshipful Company of Skinners, one of the London livery companies. Read more on the Charity Commission website.

Is Tonbridge a good school?

Attain asked the school, what makes Tonbridge different – and why should parents consider it?

Tonbridge is one of the leading boys' boarding and day schools in the UK and is highly respected, both here and internationally, for providing a world-class education. It occupies an extensive site of 150 acres in Kent – just a 40-minute train journey from London Charing Cross.

There are some 800 boys in seven Boarding Houses and five Day Houses. One of the key strengths of Tonbridge is that it blends tradition and innovation successfully, with high achieving boys wearing their gifts lightly.

The School is renowned for its excellent teaching and for academic achievement. Each year exam results at GCSE and A-level are outstanding, with boys progressing to leading universities including Oxford, Cambridge and Russell Group institutions: the large majority securing their first-choice destination.

Pastoral care is based around an outstanding House system. Strong and positive relationships between boys, staff and parents are central to its success, and the School strives to ensure that each pupil, whether a boarder or a day boy, feels fully at home and well supported. Tonbridge was the first school in the UK to put mindfulness on the curriculum for all Year 10 pupils.

There is also a vibrant programme of Co-Curricular breadth and depth, with a wide range of societies covering everything from Beekeeping to Ultimate Frisbee. The School has a strong commitment to widening access and is striving towards doubling the number of boys who receive means-tested fee assistance to be 80 to 100 boys by 2028.

Tonbridge encourages its students to make connections – connections between academic subjects, between different sports and activities, between people, between cultures: with the aim of producing fine minds and good hearts. The School’s ethos is summed up in just two words: ‘Only Connect’.

Tonbridge School Admissions