{{short description|Independent school in Ewhurst, Surrey, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Use British English|date=February 2023}} {{Infobox school | name = Duke of Kent School | image = Woolpit, Ewhurst - geograph.org.uk - 3473274.jpg | alt = | caption = Woolpit House, Duke of Kent School | motto = | motto_translation = | address = Peaslake Road | town = Ewhurst | county = Surrey | postal_code = GU6 7NS | country = England | coordinates = {{Coord|51.1757|-0.4463|type:edu_region:GB_dim:100|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | other_name = <!-- or | other_names = --> | former_name = <!-- or | former_names = --> | type = Independent school | religious_affiliation = | established = {{Start date|1920}} | founder = <!-- or | founders = --> | closed = | local_authority = Surrey County Council | trust = | urn = 125336 | ofsted = | head = Sue Knox<ref>{{cite web |title=Staff List |url=http://www.dukeofkentschool.org.uk/about-duke-of-kent/staff-list |website=Duke of Kent School |access-date=11 April 2019}}</ref> | staff = | gender = Coeducational | age_range = 3–16 | enrolment = 301 (2019)<ref name="GOV.UK">{{cite web |title=Duke of Kent School |url=https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Establishments/Establishment/Details/125336 |website=Get information about schools |publisher=GOV.UK |access-date=11 April 2019 |language=en}}</ref> | capacity = 325<ref name="GOV.UK" /> | campus_size = | campus_type = | houses = Buzzard, Kestrel, Peregrine, Hawk | colours = Navy blue, white | accreditation = <!-- or | accreditations = --> | publication = | newspaper = | yearbook = | affiliation = <!-- or | affiliations = --> | website = {{URL|www.dukeofkentschool.org.uk}} | footnotes = | module = {{Infobox historic site | embed = yes | designation1 = UK Grade II | designation1_offname = Duke of Kent School |designation1_date = 28 September 1987 |designation1_number = {{Listed building England|1044340}} }} }} '''Duke of Kent School''' is a coeducational, independent school for pupils aged 3{{endash}}16 in Ewhurst, Surrey, England. It was formed in 1976 through the merger of Vanbrugh Castle School, Greenwich, and Woolpit School, Ewhurst. Originally a boarding school, it has educated day pupils only since 2014. It is named for Prince Edward, Duke of Kent.
==History== Woolpit House was built in 1885 for Henry Doulton, the businessman responsible for developing the ceramics manufacturing firm, Royal Doulton. The Grade II-listed building near Ewhurst, Surrey, was designed by Ernest George and Harold Peto.<ref name=DA_1990>{{cite news |last= Oppitz |first= Leslie |date= 11 October 1990 |title= The school on the hill : Built for the 'great potter' |work= Dorking Advertiser |page= 10 }}</ref><ref>{{NHLE |num= 1044340 |desc= Duke of Kent School |grade= II }}</ref> St Thomas of Canterbury School was opened at Woolpit House in 1949 and, by October 1951, pupil numbers had grown to more than 70.<ref>{{cite news |title= Society and personal |date= 12 March 1949 |work= Surrey Advertiser |issue= 10826 |page= 4 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title= Bishop at Woolpit School |date= 20 October 1951 |work= Surrey Advertiser |issue= 11096 |page= 4 }}</ref> Vanbrugh Castle School was founded in 1920 at Vanbrugh Castle, Greenwich, for the sons of Royal Air Force staff who had been killed in service.<ref>{{cite book |last= Jacobs |first= Peter |title= Stay the distance: The life and times of Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Michael Beetham|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M7aLDXO1llsC&pg=PA204|access-date=16 March 2019|date=2011-01-01|publisher=Casemate Publishers|isbn=978-1-84-832552-4|page=204}}</ref>
The two schools merged on the Ewhurst site in 1976, adopting the name "Duke of Kent School" in honour of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent. Initially a boys-only boarding school, it became co-educational two years later.<ref name=DA_1990/><ref>{{cite book|author=Celia Lee|title=HRH The Duke of Kent: A Life of Service|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BBkvDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT398|access-date=16 March 2019|date=2015-10-19|publisher=eBook Versions|isbn=978-1-84-396351-6 |page= 398}}</ref> In 1995, there were around 100 boys (of whom 60 were boarders) and 60 girls (of whom 50 were boarders) between the ages of 4 and 13 attending the school.<ref>{{cite news |title= Duke of Kent School |date= 5 January 1995 |work= Dorking Advertiser |issue= 5442 |page= 9 }}</ref> GCSE courses were first taught in October 2008 and the first cohort of Year 11 pupils left the school in the summer of 2011. Since September 2014, the Duke of Kent School has operated solely as a day school with no boarders.<ref>{{cite web |title= Duke of Kent School : Financial statements for the year ended 21 August 2016 |date= 23 November 2016 |publisher= Charity Commission |url= https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/cy/charity-search?p_p_id=uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet&p_p_lifecycle=2&p_p_state=maximized&p_p_mode=view&p_p_resource_id=%2Faccounts-resource&p_p_cacheability=cacheLevelPage&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_objectiveId=A8397168&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_priv_r_p_mvcRenderCommandName=%2Ffull-print&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_priv_r_p_organisationNumber=3011218 |access-date= 1 January 2024 }}</ref>
The boarding provision was last inspected by Ofsted in 2011, when the judgement was "Good".<ref name="Ofsted2011">{{cite web |last= Thackrah |first= Diane |title=Duke of Kent School |url=https://files.api.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/1499509 |publisher=Ofsted |access-date=16 March 2019 |date=2011 }}</ref> The school is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate. As of 2019, the most recent inspection was in 2017 and found that educational quality was excellent.<ref name="ISI">{{cite web |title=Duke of Kent School |url=https://www.isi.net/school/duke-of-kent-school-6406 |publisher=Independent Schools Inspectorate |access-date=16 March 2019}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website|https://www.dukeofkentschool.org.uk}} * [http://vcs.atwebpages.com/Edward%20Bishop.html The Debt We Owe - history of RAF schools]
{{Schools in Surrey}}
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Category:Preparatory schools in Surrey Category:Secondary schools in Surrey Category:Private schools in Surrey Category:Military schools in the United Kingdom Category:20th-century history of the Royal Air Force Category:Educational institutions established in 1920 Category:1920 establishments in England Category:Grade II listed buildings in Surrey