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Coordinates: 51°7′33″N 0°12′58″E / 51.12583°N 0.21611°E / 51.12583; 0.21611
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==Future Development Plans==
==Future Development Plans==
Current plans include the construction of a new 12-classroom teaching block, scheduled to begin in Summer 2010.
Current plans include the construction of a new 12-classroom teaching block, scheduled to begin in Summer 2010.

==References==
{{reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==

Revision as of 13:40, 16 November 2009


Holmewood House School
Address
Map

, ,
TN3 0EB

Information
TypePreparatory School
MottoConstantia Praesta
Religious affiliation(s)Inter-Denominational
Established1945
HeadmasterAndrew Corbett (1998)
GenderMixed
Age3 to 13
Enrollmentc.440
HousesOak, Cedar, Beech, Cob, Yew, Ash
Colour(s)Dark Blue and Light Blue
Websitehttp://www.holmewood.kent.sch.uk

Holmewood House School is a British Independent Preparatory School located in Langton Green, Kent. The Good Schools Guide describes Holmewood House as a "Top prep school" [1]

Summary

Founded in 1945, Holmewood House School is a leading, co-educational preparatory school for children aged 3-13.

The largest single entry to Holmewood House is into the Nursery at 3+, but children are welcomed into the school at any stage, subject to places being available.

History

In 1827 Decimus Burton designed and built a house in classical style and called it Mitchells after a Tudor farmhouse that had once stood on the site. In 1837 the building was destroyed by fire, but it was rebuilt and given the name Holmewood House.

The House at first belonged to Sir Charles Locock, physician to Queen Victoria. In 1850 it was sold to the Barrow family who used it as their country residence until the 1930s. In 1939, The Hill School for Girls moved to the site for a short time from Westerham.

In 1945, Holmewood House Preparatory School for Boys was founded by John and Mary Collings and Andy Trotter, beginning with just eight pupils.

By 1950 there were 100 boys in the school, with a waiting list that stretched until 1956. By 1970, the school's 25th year, numbers were over 350. This necessitated an extensive building programme of new classrooms, an assembly hall and music rooms. The Pre-Prep department was started in 1978 when the first five-year olds joined the school.

1989 saw the start of co-education, and after only two years the 100th girl arrived at Holmewood. The Pre-Prep moved down to the neighbouring Knowle Court School site.

Holmewood became a fully co-educational day and boarding preparatory school during the nineties, and now accommodates approximately 440 children aged from 3 - 13.

Today

Set in 31 acres of beautiful countryside on the Kent/Sussex borders, the school's outstanding facilities include a 360-seat theatre, a purpose-built music school and a three-room ICT centre. Sports facilities include a large sports hall, a newly re-surfaced all-weather pitch and a covered swimming pool.

Pre-Prep Department

The Nursery and Pre-Prep are housed in their own, purpose-built buildings.

Both the Nursery and the Pre-Prep have safe, enclosed playgrounds as well as offering access to the extensive green playing fields, swimming pool and sports hall. A broad and varied curriculum delivers Literacy and Numeracy as well as Science, Art, Design Technology, Music and Physical Education. Many children start individual musical instrument lessons from Year 1. There is a Pre-Prep orchestra and choir. There are several annual concerts and drama productions.

All classrooms are equipped with interactive white boards and there is a large dedicated computer room.

Prep School

In the Junior Department (Years 3 & 4) the children follow a broad curriculum of traditional and modern subjects. Core curriculum lessons are taught by form teachers in their own form rooms, but specialist subjects (French, Music, Art, Science and Sports) are taught in a dedicated facility for that particular subject.

From Year 5, children move around the school more and go to specialist teachers in all subjects.

In Years 7 and 8 pupils are prepared for Common Entrance and Scholarship exam entry to senior Independent schools.

The school has a library where pupils have access to over 7,250 loan volumes and over 500 reference volumes. All children have regular Library periods. The adjacent reference library has 20 networked computers, and there are two further dedicated computer rooms where children in Years 3 – 5 are taught the basics of word processing, spreadsheets, databases and the internet. From Year 5, ICT is a cross-curricular skill with specialist software available in all subjects.

Creative Arts

From the time they enter the school, pupils are encouraged to participate in music and drama. All children have class music, including composition, in a computerised keyboard room and approximately 75% of the children learn individual instruments. Groups include several choirs, orchestras, wind and jazz ensembles, a swing band and diverse chamber groups.

Whilst drama is primarily an afternoon and after-school activity, some year groups have regular lessons. Pupils are encouraged to perform in public and they do so in the Jubilee Theatre. Plays and performances take place during most terms. The school is a centre for LAMDA and many pupils take their exams.

Art and Design Technology are catered for by a team of resident specialist teachers as well as by visiting artists. Children are presented with opportunities to work with a wide range of two and three-dimensional media, from gouache and watercolours to silk screen and digital photography. Pupils’ work is widely displayed in the school and visits are organised to galleries and exhibitions.

Design Technology lessons take place in a spacious, well-equipped workshop, design room and textile and computer area where pupils become familiar with various techniques and work with a range of resistant materials, including card, plastic, wood and textiles.

Sport and Activities

Holmewood House has spacious and well maintained playing fields as well as a 25m heated indoor swimming pool, a large all-weather pitch and athletics track, six hard tennis courts, a large and well-equipped sports hall, three squash courts and a 20m rifle range.

For boys the main team games are rugby, soccer, hockey and cricket. Girls participate in rounders, netball and hockey. Girls and boys also have the opportunity to participate in swimming, athletics, squash, tennis, shooting, judo and golf. The school selects teams to compete for both local and national events, including IAPS tournaments.

As pupils get older and progress through the school, opportunities to take up additional activities increase. There are afternoon activities twice a week and additional junior activities after school. Apart from a wide variety of sports such as shooting, pop lacrosse, squash, table tennis, judo, indoor hockey, swimming, archery and gymnastics, other activities available include art, drama, music, design technology, ballet, modern dance, ICT, maths, needlework, chess and cookery.

Future Development Plans

Current plans include the construction of a new 12-classroom teaching block, scheduled to begin in Summer 2010.

References

51°7′33″N 0°12′58″E / 51.12583°N 0.21611°E / 51.12583; 0.21611