Description
Somerhill is Independent Secondary school in Non-selective for kids aged 2 to 13 (Gender - 2 to 13 )
While our Pre-Prep boys and girls learn and thrive together, our Prep children gain immeasurably from being in their separate sections for learning. They develop a strong allegiance to their respective section, but they are also one school community, and they make sure that outside the academic classroom they have plenty of interaction, including during break and lunch times and in our co-curricular programme, before, during and after school. As such, they’re a place where the best of both co-education and single-sex schooling meets in harmony. The extensive facilities afford us the benefit of excellent music, science, art, engineering, sport, swimming and outdoor play, unrivalled in most prep schools. While they have a very strong record of academic success, placing children in both grammar and independent schools at 11/13+, they are first and foremost a happy environment where children relish the huge number of opportunities they are presented with. Somerhill grows amazing people with a love of life and a passion for learning.
Facilities
Academic curriculum
Timetabled lessons from Year 3 and up include art, digital literacy, engineering, English, French, games, geography, history, Latin, mathematics, music, PE/swimming, personal social and health education (PSHE), philosophy, religion and ethics, and scienceOur pupils make good use of information and communication technology to gain practical skills for the future and support their learning in all areas of the curriculum. All Key Stage 2 and 3 pupils have a digital literacy lesson once a week, and children in Year 5 and up build webpages to showcase their online portfolio. Staying safe in the digital world is a key aspect of our teaching to all year groups.
Stem
They have put STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) at the heart of our curriculum at Somerhill because these are skills we feel strongly about as we prepare children for an ever-changing world. Our engineering programme evolved from our Innovative Design Technology (IDT) curriculum, which grew pupils’ knowledge of applying software to products, and covered topics such as robotics and electronics. We are always thinking ahead and looking to make use of new technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality. Some classes have already created their own AR displays.
Pre-Prep
The Pre-Prep section is for boys and girls aged 2 to 7 and children can enter from Pre-School or join directly into Reception (from age 4). Additional places are sometimes also available in Years 1 and 2. The Pre-Prep has a strong emphasis on pupils’ wellbeing, as they believe that learning comes naturally when children are happy and engaged. The wonderful indoor and outdoor environments nurture their curiosity and imagination, and our creative curriculum helps each child achieve their individual potential and move forward as a confident, resilient learner.
Features
Things to note
Co-Curricular
They believe that in order to see our children grow into amazing people, they need to take a holistic approach to their development. As such, the co-curricular programme is broad and varied.The creative and performing arts are integral to life at Somerhill. Many pupils learn musical instruments and take singing lessons. They have a specialist music centre and a large number of peripatetic music teachers, so pupils have an opportunity to learn many instruments and take part in concerts, soirees and productions. The music teachers deliver over 14,000 individual music lessons a year overseen by the Director of Music. The majority of students go on to take Associated Board exams and Somerhill is the biggest exam centre in Kent in terms of the number of children sitting music exams. We also provide choristers for Tonbridge School Chapel Choir, with voice trials held every year.
Clubs & Activities
We have a wide range of after-school clubs suitable for various age groups. Most clubs are led by our teachers, with no extra cost. Some are run by external companies, with a modest termly charge. Recent clubs have included: construction, cookery, ballet, chess, paper crafts, circus skills, yoga, water polo, judo, sewing, beekeeping, golf, tennis, taekwondo, board games, tap, camp building, cello group, orchestra, brass group, junior flutes, swim squad, science quiz, general knowledge quiz and indoor cricket.
Extra Curricular
Please check the school website link for details.
2.80 miles
