St Edmund's School, Canterbury
Canterbury, Kent, England
St Edmund's School, Canterbury
Canterbury, Kent, England
Overview
St Edmund’s is a 275 year old co-educational day and boarding school set in 62 acres on St Thomas' Hill, overlooking Canterbury. A relatively small city, Canterbury is only an hour from London (train) and Gatwick Airport (car), and within easy reach of the Ashford Eurostar terminal. The city's cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, England's most senior bishop, and much of the medieval centre is a UNESCO world heritage site. Near at hand are a number of seaside towns with popular beaches. St Edmund's is not heavily selective and pupils benefit from a caring and supportive environment, high-calibre teaching and a holistic approach that seeks to develop creativity, leadership qualities and original thinking.
At a glance
Academic
All pupils are placed in one of 4 Day Houses under the guidance of a Day Housemaster and supporting tutors, ensuring integration between years, boys and girls, and boarding and day pupils. 25 subjects are offered at A Level, including Dance, Film Studies and Product Design. The joy of learning is central, ambition is expected, and teaching goes beyond the curriculum, developing creative, active, independent learners. The Learning Enhancement Department drives outcomes for those needing additional support, and there's a one-to-one approach for university applications. Regular 'Curiosity shop' talks welcome visiting speakers and each department has a corresponding club for enrichment. On average 55-60% of A Level students achieve A*/B.
Boarding
There are 4 senior boarding houses, 3 of which are based in the main building, with care and oversight from resident houseparents. The 4th is home to the Cathedral Choristers who the school has the honour of educating, and their boarding house is in the Cathedral precincts. Individual pastoral care is focused on personal tutors, supported by the Day Housemasters and their deputies. The School chaplain adds an extra element to the pastoral structure. Skills and service afternoons are run every fortnight, which can range from theatre stage crew to volunteering, while Saturday morning enrichment focuses on creativity and activity. Pupils are in dormitories in the earlier years, progressing to twin or single study bedrooms in Years 12 & 13.
Sports
All pupils can participate in competitive and co-curricular sport, bringing enjoyment, fitness & health but also important life skills. Core sports include football, hockey, netball, tennis, cross-country and cricket. Facilities include a 25m heated outdoor swimming pool, refurbished tennis/netball courts, a floodlit Astroturf and a new fitness centre, all accessible to pupils outside the formal curriculum. A range of other sports is available recreationally including rugby, trampolining, dance, golf, basketball, horse riding and even handball. As Kent's county town and site of the University of Kent, Canterbury is also home to a wide range of elite sports clubs, such as Canterbury Hockey Club which plays in the 2nd tier of English hockey.
Creative arts
St Edmund's was named Independent School of the Year for Performing Arts in 2023. The refurbished main hall doubles as a theatre with 380 tiered seats, while the purpose built music school has a recital hall, practice rooms, a technology suite and a studio. That's before you factor in the chapel, cathedral and nearby University concert hall for performances. Beyond the facilities the Head of Drama is a professional actor who taught at RADA for 15 years, there's a dedicated Dance teacher/choreographer and the Music team are themselves accomplished performers and directors. Art has excellent facilities and expertise in drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, textiles and ceramics, while DT has a fully equipped workshop.
Did you know?
- The annual Festival on the Hill is a week-long summer celebration of the performing arts that has attracted top performers such as jazz legend Courtney Pine, singer/songwriter Curtis Stigers, saxophonist Jess Gillam and violinist Tasmin Little.
- Alumni include actor Orlando Bloom, who played Legolas in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Will Turner in the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise.
