Tonbridge is a leading boys' boarding and day school and is renowned for providing a world-class education. A successful House system is at the heart of School life. Pupils are encouraged to be intellectually curious, to expand their experience through a range of co-curricular opportunities and to become fully connected with the wider community. In the Sunday Times ‘Parent Power’ national league table (2022), Tonbridge was ranked as the 8th best independent school and top boys’ boarding school.
Head's name:
Mr James Priory (Headmaster)
ISC associations: HMC, AGBIS, ISBA
Religious affiliation: Church of England
Day/boarding type: Day, Weekly/Flexible Boarding and Full Boarding
Gender profile: Boys only
Size: 801
Boarding fees per term:
£16,648
(excl VAT)
Day fees per term:
£12,490
(excl VAT)
Scholarships & bursaries:
Available
ISC reference number:
95859
DfE reference number:
886 / 6020
Boys - age range & pupil numbers:
Day: 13 to 18 (346)
Boarding: 13 to 18 (455)
Sixth Form: (332)
A bespoke and personalised approach to learning needs is taken at the School. Boys’ needs are met via a combination of quality first teaching strategies alongside specialist teacher support and intervention with the Learning Strategies Department.
Other support and intervention programmes complement this such as the Learning Mentor Programme, the PLTS Programme and the Study Skills & Metacognition Programme.
Some 50 scholarships overall are offered each year to boys in either Year 6 (the Junior Foundation Scholarship) or in Year 8.
Up to 8 Junior Foundation Scholarships are available to candidates in Year 6 who are attending a state primary school or to those attending a prep school, but who would require financial support in order to attend Tonbridge. Families are means tested as part of the application process.
Candidates should register by early October during Year 6, although most register in the summer term of Year 5. All boys will be asked to complete the ISEB Common Pre-Test either at Tonbridge or at their own school in early November. A school report will be requested. Boys with the strongest results will be invited to attend an informal interview and assessment afternoon in late November, with a shortlist of applicants returning to take tests in Maths and English in February. Such scholarships, which are confirmed in March of Year 6, provide means tested financial support of up to 100% to allow boys not currently in the independent sector, to attend a prep school for Years 7 and 8, as well as at Tonbridge from Year 9.
In Year 8, a further 21 Academic Scholarships are awarded (following examination in early May) as well as 10 or more Music Scholarships (for which auditions are held in early February), up to 8 Art, Drama or Technology/Engineering Scholarships (assessed in early February) and up to 4 Cowdrey Scholarships, for sporting ability and sportsmanship (also assessed in early February).
The award of any scholarship opens up eligibility for a means-tested bursary of between 10% and 100% of school fees, as agreed by the Bursar following a confidential review of financial circumstances. Applications for financial support must be made prior to the boys sitting for any of the above scholarships.
Entry forms and full particulars of all Scholarships and Foundation Awards are available on the school website.
Please contact the designated Foundation Awards Manager, Mrs Ros Griffiths (ros.griffiths@tonbridge-school.org) should you have any questions.
Disclaimer: Data is provided by the school, ISC is not responsible for inaccuracies
