Welcome to
KING’S SCHOOL ROCHESTER
King’s is a remarkable school with a rich and diverse heritage, where pupils have been educated for over 1,400 years under the watchful gaze of Rochester Cathedral and Rochester Castle.
At King’s, we believe in preparing children for the 21st Century through educating the whole child. Our priority is ensuring that happy children perform to their best and the School is an exceptionally happy and friendly place where moral values, self-discipline, emotional intelligence and a Christian spirit underpin our family community.
Every step of the King’s School Rochester journey, from Nursery through to Sixth Form, is designed to help pupils flourish, grow in confidence and discover new passions. We believe that building a love of learning and developing independent thinking skills are just as important as achieving the best grades, and so our teachers help each pupil to realise their own potential.
There’s one motto we live by at King’s and that’s simply “Work Hard, Play Hard and Look After Each Other”, no matter what age you are.
why KING’S SCHOOL ROCHESTER
We are one school, where a happy learning environment is underpinned by a strong sense of care, kindness, moral values, self-discipline and emotional intelligence.
At King’s School Rochester, we believe in giving pupils the courage and confidence to be their best. Staff, pupils, parents and governors work together as one, to create and sustain the learning environment that makes our school so unique, ensuring its stewardship for generations to come.
We nurture the individual and celebrate diversity of talent – there truly is no typical King’s pupil. Each and every one is unique, and is treated as such. King’s School Rochester is a school for life, where pupils are prepared for life beyond education. We support this with our extra-curricular and careers activities whilst at the School, and then when a child leaves, we keep in touch and follow their journey, ensuring that they always remain a valued member of the King’s community.
Our motto is a simple one, “Work hard, play hard and look after each other” no matter what age you are.
King’s School Rochester finds itself situated in the heart of the historic town, nestled amongst cobbled medieval streets under the shadow of the Cathedral.
A stone’s throw from the beating heart of London, inhabitants of Rochester enjoy rolling countryside hills in one direction, and beautiful seaside in the other. The town is just over half an hour away by train into St Pancras International and easily accessible from Kent and the southeast. This gives our pupils the best of both worlds – a wealth of bustling culture on their doorstep, combined with the peace of living in a picturesque country town.
The busy high street, filled with independent businesses and a burgeoning arts scene, means our town is the perfect location to learn, develop and grow. Situated on the banks of the River Medway, Rochester is full of charm and intrigue.
Our location in Rochester is an integral part of School life.
Whilst we may be the second oldest school in the world, our vision is modern and resolutely forward-looking.
Steeped in history and surrounded by breath-taking heritage, King’s School Rochester has moved with the times for over 1400 years.
Our School lies in the shadow of Rochester Castle, nestled within the Cathedral precinct. Thousands of pupils have passed through the School over the centuries, leaving their mark and creating a tangible sense of history. With our one-of-a-kind setting, our pupils understand what has gone before them and consequently their role in shaping the future.
Our pupils are given the mindset, knowledge and self-belief they need to step out, flourish, and emblazon their own positive mark on the world.
Strategically placed, guarding an important crossing of the River Medway, this imposing fortress has a complex history of destruction and rebuilding.
Today it stands as a proud reminder of the history of Rochester, along with the cathedral and cobbled streets.
Through all the raids, battles and drama, King's School has stood under its impressive shadow, educating the children of Rochester.
King’s benefits from excellent transport links to London and beyond, perfect for international pupils.
Rochester Train Station is conveniently located less than a 10 minute walk from the School with London being just over a half an hour train journey away into St Pancras International.
Add to this the rolling countryside hills in one direction and the beautiful seaside in the other, our pupils have a wealth of bustling culture on their doorstep, combined with the peace of living in a picturesque country town.
It is our core belief that our pupils learn just as much outside the classroom as they do inside.
We consider participation in clubs and activities an integral part of the King’s experience.
From Reception through to Sixth Form, there is an extensive range of co-curricular pursuits from which to choose, taking place during lunchtime, after school and at the weekend.
We also offer a range of trips both in the UK and abroad to extend our young people’s horizons.
We instil in our pupils the practical knowledge and skills that will see them through the rest of their education and their future career.
At the end of their time at King’s, our pupils leave as fully rounded young adults, who go on to flourish and thrive in whichever path they take.
Our long established Old Roffensian Society allows past leavers to stay in contact with their contemporaries and participate in events and functions within the wider King’s network.
The Old Roffensians’ community provides pupils with a valuable network of contacts that will enrich and further their respective careers, in many cases giving them that crucial ‘foot-in-the-door’.
LATEST NEWS
The Governors of King’s School Rochester are delighted to announce the appointment of Mr Simon Fisher as the next Principal of the School. Simon will be joining King’s from Dover College, a co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged 3 to 18, where he is currently serving as Headmaster. Simon brings a wealth of [...]
Our Upper Sixth music pupils have spent many happy weeks analysing one of the core set works for their course, Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 (From the New World). Dvořák wrote the symphony after moving from his native Bohemia to New York City; and the work is a synthesis of melodies inspired by his Czech [...]
A review of the school year and celebration of key moments and achievements from our whole school community. A treasure trove of memories – enjoy reading! Read the digital version here.
We are thrilled to share some exciting news for Year 8: the upstairs of the Prep School library has been transformed into a dedicated space for the Year 8 pupils to gather during break and lunch times. We have given the room a fresh coat of paint and added new furniture, including a large [...]
In her recent chapel address, Life Lessons from LEGO People, Mrs Coetzee explored how these tiny, claw-handed figures can teach us valuable lessons about life. Just like LEGO people, we are all uniquely built with different strengths, and comparing ourselves to others only holds us back. Life, much like a LEGO set, can be messy [...]
Doctor Peter Gilbert, a retired local GP and a former senior officer in the Army Reserve, gave a fascinating talk to the Academic Scholars in the latest Zetountes Lecture. Drawing on his experiences in both arenas and his service in managing the British Army's Medical Unit in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, Dr Gilbert's presentation highlighted how [...]
Last Saturday, a dedicated team of 12 cadets from our RAF section proudly represented the School in the regional Royal Air Squadron Trophy competition. Competing against 15 other local Combined Cadet Force (CCF) sections, our cadets were put through their paces in a series of challenging activities designed to test a wide range of [...]
Badminton champ Arjun B (8W/M) competed in the U15 Gold tournament in Gloucester last weekend and has won gold in the U15 boys' singles gold category. Arjun is also the 2024 U13 National Champion in Open Singles and Doubles Badminton and won Silver in the mixed doubles. Well done Arjun, you are smashing it and [...]
We are incredibly proud of Silas M (L6), who has been awarded an Arkwright Engineering Scholarship, issued by the Smallpiece Trust. This prestigious and highly coveted scholarship is the UK’s leading award for aspiring engineers and is granted to high-achieving students with the potential to excel in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics [...]
Our pupils continue to impress in the pool, and this week, it's Lanre D’s (L5) turn to shine. Competing in the Kent County Swimming Championships over the past two weekends, Lanre has performed fantastically well. He took part in eight events, securing medals in seven and achieving a top-three finish in one, while placing within [...]
Our pupils in years 3 to 8 encountered a variety of challenges, presented by the Happy Puzzle Company. The children had to work in teams to solve a range of logic puzzles and perseverance was vital as they could not move onto the next puzzle without completing the first. There was a real buzz [...]
We are delighted to share that two of our Upper Sixth pupils have received Oxbridge offers this week - a testament to their hard work and dedication. Congratulations to Massimo M, who has received an offer from Selwyn College, Cambridge to read Languages and, in his own words, is ‘elated’ with the news. When congratulated [...]
Fifteen of King’s most talented musicians presented a delightfully varied programme at the Lent Term Scholars’ Concert. There was a warm reception from the audience greeting pupils from Year 7 through to the Upper Sixth as they all performed with real skill and commitment. Among the many highlights that evening, impressive dexterity was seen [...]
Cara J (L6) spent her week’s work experience at Puppy Dog Tails which offers puppy training classes and socialisation sessions. “I was involved in training puppies in the basic commands and in socialising dogs of all ages and sizes in the field that the organisation rented, and helping to monitor the dogs’ behaviour and advise [...]
Alex was awarded a Velvet Cap for being a member of the National Youth Concert Band (NYCB). 'I have been part of the National Youth Concert Band for several years which I enjoy thoroughly. They do two courses a year, one in Easter and one in summer, finishing with concerts in amazing venues that professional [...]
Congratulations to Velvet Cap winner Charlie B (L5) who was awarded this honour 'for representing my country by playing violin in the National Children's Orchestras of Great Britain, Main Orchestra. I played some amazing repertoire such as Mussorgsky/Ravel 'Pictures at an Exhibition' and Shostakovich Symphony 5 with inspirational conductors in first-class venues such as Bristol [...]
Congratulations to Velvet Cap winner Tixie P (U5) who has been selected for the Netball France National Junior Squad. She recently represented France at Europe Netball U19 tournament, where she started every game and played against Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Isle of Mann, the Republic of Ireland and Gibraltar. She was also awarded players’ [...]
This week, some of our Upper Fifth Computer Science pupils are taking part in a prestigious study led by the University of Cambridge in collaboration with the Raspberry Pi Foundation. This innovative research explores how Large Language Models (such as AI chatbots) can help explain coding error messages, making programming more accessible for learners worldwide. [...]
King's Academic Scholars meet every Monday lunchtime. This term, members of the Zetountes Society have been challenged to provide "Four Minute Snippets", short presentations on individuals who have challenged the thinking of their contemporaries. This week, four Lower Sixth pupils took the floor. Shiv L started by addressing the issues of intersectionality in his study [...]
Have you ever tries out speak loud dela, making words into my head but worzerk together inter w-hitch w-ith w-he… (breathe) Hang on, that didn’t make sense. Sorry I’m dyslexic. Let me try that again... Have you ever tried to speak out loud but the words just didn’t make sense? Or practiced a sentence over [...]
This week's Cathedral Services focussed on Holocaust Memorial Day, which this year commemorated the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. In the Senior service Mr Medhurst spoke on our widening perspective of the Holocaust in popular consciousness and asked the question "Where was God in Auschwitz?", while the Preparatory School Service detailed the moving [...]
We are thrilled to share that four of our dedicated Cadets had a cold but exhilarating day gliding at RAF Kenley on 25th January! This incredible opportunity not only allowed them to soar high above the stunning Surrey landscape but also offered invaluable insights into the world of aviation and teamwork. Our Cadets demonstrated [...]
Pupils were delighted by bubbles at this morning's Whole School Cathedral Service, as they considered what blessings mean; they reflected on how God’s blessings, much like bubbles, are abundant and bring delight. We were also thrilled to present three prestigious Velvet Caps during the service. The Velvet Cap is the highest honour in co-curricular [...]
Groundsman Thomas and his team have worked really hard to create a fabulous outdoor classroom at The Alps. With a carpet of leaves, log benches and a sky ceiling it’s the perfect place to learn about nature and the great outdoors. Thank you Grounds Team – we love our new classroom!
START your journey
Every step of the King’s School Rochester journey, from Nursery to Sixth Form, is designed to help pupils flourish, grow in confidence and discover new passions.
