Two Kent schools merge and promise 'world class' education for children aged three to 18

Students with headmaster Jesse Elzinga
-Credit:Sevenoaks School


Two schools in Kent have merged and are promising "world class" education for pupils aged three to 18. The private Sevenoaks School and the prep, Solefield School, will be called Sevenoaks Family of Schools.

One of the aims is to make the schools "more resilient". The schools are neighbours and said their close links and long-standing relationship made the merger a "natural partnership". But the schools will keep their respective uniforms and leadership teams.

And this will not affect Sevenoaks School's connections with other schools including hosting sports events, the Schools Triathlon, and science week, and the use of its facilities for swimming and other activities. Sevenoaks School offers the International Baccalaureate programme, making it an IB World School.

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Sevenoaks School is an independent day and boarding school. Annual fees for day pupils are £36,876, and for boarding are £59,232. There are 1,217 pupils, of those 470 are sixth-formers.

Solefield School has 200 pupils, aged three to 13, and is an independent day school. There is a range of fees for different attendance, but for years one and two it is £5,280 per term, and for years seven and eight it is £6,570.

'Joining forces'

Sevenoaks School headmaster Jesse Elzinga said: "In an era where educational choice is more important than ever, this merger is designed to offer a broader, more cohesive, and more resilient approach to independent schooling. By joining forces, we are uniting two leading independent schools with a shared vision of providing the highest standard of education, with the flexibility to meet the needs of all our students."

Sevenoaks School is said to have been first established in 1432
Sevenoaks School has merged with Solefield School -Credit:Sevenoaks School

Headmistress of Solefield School, Helen McClure, added: "Collaboration between our schools means a blending of the best practices from each institution. This includes sharing expertise in areas such as teaching, pastoral care, and facilities, to create a richer, more diverse learning environment for everyone involved.

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"Together, we will continue to uphold the values that have defined our schools - academic rigour, character development, and a commitment to nurturing the individual needs of every child."

The schools jointly said: "The combined resources and expertise will enhance educational opportunities and ensure continuity of progress for pupils so that children are even better prepared for the move from prep school through to senior school, whether at Sevenoaks School or elsewhere, and for life beyond."

They said the merger would give parents "reassurance of a consistent, high-quality education for their children at every stage of their academic journey". They also said from early years through to senior school, the merger would ensure every child’s needs were met, giving parents "choice in independent education, peace of mind and long-term stability".

Sevenoaks School - in its own words

"Sevenoaks (founded in 1432) is a co-educational day and boarding school for students aged 11 to 18. Just half an hour from Central London and Gatwick International Airport, our superb 100-acre campus is set in the Kent countryside.

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"Sevenoaks is one of the world’s leading IB schools, having taught the International Baccalaureate since 1978. Sevenoaks students have access to world class-facilities for co-curricular pursuits, including sport, music, drama and art, at least 70 clubs and societies, a wide range of study trips and exchanges, and a well-established community service programme.

"Sevenoaks is one of the leading UK independent schools and among the world’s top ten IB schools. It was the Sunday Times Independent Co-educational School of the Year 2023 and was awarded the UK Independent School Inspectorate’s rare accolade of ‘Exceptional’ for its pupils’ achievements. ‘Tough for any university not to be an anti-climax after Sevenoaks.’ Good Schools Guide."

Solefield School in Sevenoaks
Solefield School in Sevenoaks -Credit:Google Street View

Solefield School - in its own words

"Solefield School is an academic day preparatory school in the heart of Sevenoaks for around 200 children aged 3 to 13 years. Founded in 1948, Solefield became co-ed in 2024, following the successful opening of ‘Little Acorns’ co-ed pre-school.

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"Both boys and girls benefit from Solefield’s very small classes, a personalised curriculum and a 100% pass rate at 13+, exceptional 11+ results and scholarships to senior schools.

"Pupils enjoy a curriculum full of chess, sport, thinking skills, swimming, outdoor learning, debating, performing arts and STEM. All this whilst benefiting from the very best pastoral care including bespoke wellbeing lessons. Music, Art and Drama feature heavily and Solefield holds national titles in a number of sports.

"Most recent inspection report stated that 'pupils develop skills for lifelong learning'."