Benenden is renowned for its excellent food. The quality and variety of our freshly-prepared and locally-sourced food ensures the Dining Room and Café are the social hubs of every school day.
Our fantastic team of chefs are inspired each week to serve the most delicious food. Enthused by regular feedback from the pupils and staff, our chefs create innovative and nutritious menus, with something for everyone – from home-cooked favourites to the most sophisticated dining. A wide
range of special diets are catered for, safe in the knowledge that all ingredients are sourced by the team and therefore fully traceable.
With our pupils’ healthy and energetic lifestyles, food at Benenden is the wonderful fuel on which we run.

Benenden has an Anglican tradition and the key Christian principle of loving our neighbour is at the heart of our shared life. Whilst maintaining its Christian roots, the Chaplaincy is fully inclusive and welcoming of people from all faiths and none. We actively encourage an open, honest and friendly dialogue, where all views are respected in a spirit of generous hospitality and mutual learning.

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The Medical Centre is situated in Leelands, in the heart of the School. It is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week during term time by Mrs Sarah Rushton and her outstanding team of registered Nurses. Sarah won Tatler’s ‘Unsung Hero’ award in 2024 for her compassion and dedication to the School community.

In addition, our School Doctor holds surgeries at the School three times a week. All students are registered as NHS patients and also have the option to see other GP partners. We have a visiting physiotherapist and School Counsellor.

All parents of pupils joining Benenden complete medical history and consent forms prior to their daughter’s arrival, thus enabling the nursing staff to establish if there are any significant medical conditions which will need particular care.

Good health and wellbeing are close to our hearts at Benenden. The Medical Centre staff provide us with on-site expertise and give us access to a range of other services, which together will help each pupil to learn how to look after herself so she can lead a balanced and fulfilled life both in and beyond school. Please feel free to contact the Medical Centre if you would like further details.

The first Benenden School bus service for day students launched in September 2024. This route operates to and from Tonbridge and travels via Tunbridge Wells and Goudhurst.

The stops and timings of this service are as follows:

7.00am Tonbridge station
7.20am Tunbridge Wells station
7.45am Goudhurst Primary School
8.00am Benenden School

The return service leaves Benenden School at 5.30pm Monday to Friday other than for Half Terms, Exeats and the end of terms, when the transport leaves at 12.45pm.

5.30pm Benenden
5.45pm Goudhurst
6.15pm Tunbridge Wells
6.35pm Tonbridge

Daily Bus places are charged as set out below:

Tonbridge/Tunbridge Wells:
Termly charge for daily morning AND afternoon service (Monday to Friday) £550
Termly charge for daily morning OR afternoon service (Monday to Friday) £275
If spaces are available, ad hoc bookings can be made at a price of £7.50 per journey.

Goudhurst:
Termly charge for daily morning and afternoon service (Monday to Friday) £300
Termly charge for daily morning OR afternoon service (Monday to Friday) £150
If spaces are available, ad hoc bookings can be made at a price of £4.00 per journey.

Please speak with our Travel team for more information, on 01580 240592 or travel@benenden.school.

At the beginning and end of terms and at Half Term, we run an airport coach service from and to Heathrow Airport, Terminal 3, and parents can book taxis for the journeys to other London airports.

The following coach services are provided for Fixed Exeats and Half Terms.

Coach to Clapham Common and the Albert Hall (Escorted)
The school provides an escorted coach service to the Windmill Pub, Clapham Common which then continues on to the Albert Hall, Prince Consort Road.

Coach to Wimbledon
The School provides transport to outside Our Lady Queen of Heaven R.C. Primary School, Withycombe Road, Wimbledon.

Essex/Suffolk Coach Service
The School provides this escorted coach service, which stops first at Brentwood, then Boreham Service Station just off the A12 near Chelmsford, then the Tollgate Centre, Stanway, just off the A12 south of Colchester, finally the Travelodge, A14/A140 at Beacon Hill.

Minibus to Sussex
For pupils living in Sussex, we have a minibus to Haywards Heath. The bus stops at Crowborough Railway Station Car Park, Maresfield Shell/McDonald’s Car Park on Black Down, The King’s Head A275/A272 at North Chailey, then arriving at Haywards Heath Franklyn Road Long Stay Car Park just before Carpet Right/roundabout, opposite Court House Clinic.

It is also possible to book taxis to other destinations via the Travel Team, though parents should please be aware that availability is limited to a small number of local companies and requests for bookings cannot be guaranteed. The School only uses taxi firms who have licensed and plated taxis and drivers who have been DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checked.

At Fixed Exeats and Half Terms, it is possible for students to travel by train to Charing Cross, usually via Waterloo East. To save parents booking individual taxis for their daughters, the School provides a coach to Staplehurst Station and Benenden staff travel on the train as a point of contact in case of emergencies.
On other weekends, students may also travel by train to London. The School provides a bus to Staplehurst Station each Saturday morning, and a return bus on Sunday evenings. Please contact the Travel Team for further details.