Benenden School is an expert in educating young women. Through our renowned model of A Complete Education, each pupil will realise her academic potential, grow as an individual and be well prepared for life beyond school. A Complete Education combines a focus on academic achievement with personal development and the engendering of a firm understanding of the world in which we live.
Above all, we want our pupils to relish all that life in a boarding school has to offer, to enjoy their learning, develop intellectual curiosity and be ambitious, whilst learning to achieve balance in their lives.
The Founders' idea of a Complete Education for girls, with the rigours of an academic programme and so many more enriching activities on top, remains in place to this day. Theirs is a boarding school for the 21st century.
Samantha Price, Headmistress
In all that we do at Benenden, we foster the need to value oneself and others. In so doing, we expect each pupil to be a responsible and considerate citizen and we support her to grow into a confident, positive young woman who will play an active part in society.
By emphasising the importance of spiritual and personal growth, we help our pupils to develop self-knowledge, to become outward looking, courageous and compassionate, so that they will be inspired to make a difference both to our school community and throughout their lives for the benefit of others.
We achieve this by providing:
- An inspiring, challenging and relevant curriculum delivering strong academic outcomes and a sense of personal wellbeing.
- Excellent and motivating teaching designed to encourage pupils to become independent, enquiring and critical thinkers.
- An extensive co-curricular programme that complements the academic curriculum and is infused with a wide variety of enjoyable cultural, spiritual, social, sporting and creative activities.
- A framework of support which contributes to personal, moral and emotional development which helps guide our pupils towards achieving balance within their busy lives.
- The experience of learning to understand other people, working and living together within our boarding community, appreciating diversity and understanding compromise.
- A culture of encouragement, opportunity and challenge designed to develop resourcefulness, reflectiveness, resilience and confidence.
- A wide variety of opportunities for leadership and collaboration.
- Guidance designed to help every pupil achieve her own personal goals, equipped with the requisite skills for university and professional life.
- A close partnership with parents so that school and home can work together to help every pupil make the most of her time at Benenden.
The four guiding values underpinning our work are the constant reinforcement of confidence, compassion, courage and courtesy.
