The King's School is a British co-educational independent school

Independent school

An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...

 for both day and boarding pupils in the historic English cathedral city of Canterbury

Canterbury

Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....

 in Kent

Kent

Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...

. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference

Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference

The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference is an association of the headmasters or headmistressess of 243 leading day and boarding independent schools in the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and the Republic of Ireland...

 and the Eton Group

Eton Group

The Eton Group is an association of 12 leading English independent schools within the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference including some of the most elite academic schools in the country...

.

The school originated as a medieval cathedral school

Cathedral school

Cathedral schools began in the Early Middle Ages as centers of advanced education, some of them ultimately evolving into medieval universities. Throughout the Middle Ages and beyond, they were complemented by the monastic schools...

, and it is often claimed (e.g. by the historian Arthur Leach in a letter to The Times

The Times

The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...

in 1896, and in the Guinness Book of Records) to have been founded in AD 597 by St. Augustine

Augustine of Canterbury

Augustine of Canterbury was a Benedictine monk who became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 597...

, therefore making it the world's oldest extant school. This is based on the fact that St. Augustine founded an abbey (within the current school's grounds) where it is known that teaching took place. When the dissolution of the monasteries occurred in the reign of Henry VIII, the school was refounded as The King's School, Canterbury.

Headmaster

Mr P J M Roberts was educated at Tiffins, Kingston upon Thames

Kingston upon Thames

Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...

 and then read Modern History at Merton College, Oxford where he received a first class honors degree.
PJMR worked at Winchester College

Winchester College

Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...

 first as Head Of History then also as Master in College. In 2003 he was appointed Headmaster of Bradfield College

Bradfield College

Bradfield College is a coeducational independent school located in the small village of Bradfield in the English county of Berkshire.The college was founded in 1850 by Thomas Stevens, Rector and Lord of the Manor of Bradfield...

. In his time at Bradfield he was awarded "Tatler

Tatler

Tatler has been the name of several British journals and magazines, each of which has viewed itself as the successor of the original literary and society journal founded by Richard Steele in 1709. The current incarnation, founded in 1901, is a glossy magazine published by Condé Nast Publications...

's Headmaster of the year"
PJMR is now Headmaster at King's

Assessment

In 2004, the school was subject to a regular, independent inspection. In summary, the inspection team praised the pastoral care system, the high academic achievements of all its pupils — irrespective of their age, aptitude or ability - and the "natural and open relationships" which pupils have with each other as well as with adults. According to the Good Schools Guide the school is "Highly successful, producing excellent results." The Guide also stated that "You need to be creative, academically able and hard-working, as everything moves fast here."

Subjects offered

Arabic,
Art,
Astronomy,
Biology,
Chemistry,
Classic Civilization,
Drama,
English,
Economics,
French,
Further Mathematics,
Greek,
Geology,
German,
General Studies,
Geography,
History,
History of Art,
History of Politics,
ICT,
Latin,
Mathematics,
Music,
Physics,
Photography,
Government and Politics,
Philosophy,
Religious Studies,
Spanish,
Theatre Studies,

Houses

There are 15 houses at King's. Their full names (and the initials usually used to denote each one) are shown below. Most are named after past headmasters or people of interest in the school's history, with the exception of School House, The Grange and the newest house, Carlyon. The number of pupils in each house varies and the numbers given below are from the 2005–2006 academic year.

Day Houses (mixed)

• Mitchinson's (MT) (70 mixed pupils, day, 1982) in the Mint Yard was opened by the Queen Mother
  Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
  Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
  
  . It is named after Headmaster John Mitchinson, co-founder of the Headmasters' Conference.
• Marlowe (MR) (74 mixed pupils, day, 1936) is named after the poet and dramatist Christopher Marlowe
  Christopher Marlowe
  Christopher Marlowe was an English dramatist, poet and translator of the Elizabethan era. As the foremost Elizabethan tragedian, next to William Shakespeare, he is known for his blank verse, his overreaching protagonists, and his mysterious death.A warrant was issued for Marlowe's arrest on 18 May...
  
   (King's Scholar, 1580) and looks out over the Green Court.
• Carlyon (CY) (56 mixed pupils, day, 2005). Named after Carlyon Bay
  Carlyon Bay
  For the parish council see CarlyonCarlyon Bay is a bay and beach in St Austell on the south coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is located approximately east of the town centre.Carlyon Bay was formerly the location of the Cornwall Coliseum...
  
   in Cornwall where the school was evacuated to during the Second World War
  World War II
  World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
  
  .

Boarding Houses (boys)

• The Grange (GR) (60 boys, 1928) includes many fine architectural features taken from the Archbishop's Palaces of Laud and Parker by the family who converted the granary ruins to a family house in the 1840s. Some of the rooms in this House are named after a number of former Archbishops of Canterbury. The travel writer Patrick Leigh Fermor
  Patrick Leigh Fermor
  Sir Patrick "Paddy" Michael Leigh Fermor, DSO, OBE was a British author, scholar and soldier, who played a prominent role behind the lines in the Cretan resistance during World War II. He was widely regarded as "Britain's greatest living travel writer", with books including his classic A Time of...
  
   (who was expelled for holding hands with a girl) and Canon Derek Ingram-Hill were members of this House, as well as celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson
  Antony Worrall Thompson
  Henry Antony Cardew Worrall Thompson is a British celebrity chef, television presenter and radio broadcaster.-Biography:...
  
  . The New Grange was opened in St. Augustines Abbey, adjacent to Harvey House, on September 9, 2007 by Patrick Leigh Fermor
  Patrick Leigh Fermor
  Sir Patrick "Paddy" Michael Leigh Fermor, DSO, OBE was a British author, scholar and soldier, who played a prominent role behind the lines in the Cretan resistance during World War II. He was widely regarded as "Britain's greatest living travel writer", with books including his classic A Time of...
  
  
• Galpin's (GL) (53 boys, 1952) was built in the 1860s as the Headmaster's house and is named after Arthur Galpin. The House is generally viewed as a good all-round house, with an emphasis on Academics and Music. Located within the Mint Yard it is in a prime central position in the school.
• School House (SH) (56 boys) was the original School boarding house. The present building dates from the 1860s. The House can list many famous OKS ("Old King's Scholars"), including Michael Foale
  Michael Foale
  Colin Michael Foale, CBE, PhD is a British-American astrophysicist with dual citizenship and a NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of six space shuttle missions and extended stays on both Mir and the International Space Station...
  
  , the astronaut, who can be said to have gone further (at least vertically, and upwards) than any other.
• Linacre (LN) (57 boys, 1953) is named after Thomas Linacre
  Thomas Linacre
  Thomas Linacre was a humanist scholar and physician, after whom Linacre College, Oxford and Linacre House The King's School, Canterbury are named....
  
  , founder of the Royal College of Physicians
  Royal College of Physicians
  The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
  
  , who was educated in Canterbury. The fine Georgian building was once the home of Canon Nelson. During visits by his brother Admiral Horatio Nelson
  Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
  Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté, KB was a flag officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. He was noted for his inspirational leadership and superb grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics, which resulted in a number of...
  
  , Lady Hamilton
  Emma, Lady Hamilton
  Emma, Lady Hamilton is best remembered as the mistress of Lord Nelson and as the muse of George Romney. She was born Amy Lyon in Ness near Neston, Cheshire, England, the daughter of a blacksmith, Henry Lyon, who died when she was two months old...
  
   is reputed to have danced on a table in what is now the head of house's study. A recent Linacre OKS is David Gower
  David Gower
  David Ivon Gower OBE is a former English cricketer who became a commentator for Sky Sports. Although he eventually rose to the captaincy of the England cricket team during the 1980s, he is best known for being one of the most stylish left-handed batsmen of the modern era. Gower played 117 Test...
  
  .
• Meister Omers (MO) (53 boys, 1936) was built by Master Omer in the 13th century and has the widest fireplace in England. It was here that Edward IV held a Parliament in 1470. In 1571 Cardinal Coligny
  Odet de Coligny
  Odet de Coligny was a French cardinal of Châtillon, bishop of Beauvais, son of Gaspard I de Coligny and Louise de Montmorency, and brother of Gaspard and François, Seigneur d'Andelot.-Birth:...
  
   died in the house in suspicious circumstances. The arms of Queen Elizabeth I in the hall mark her visit in 1573.
• Tradescant (TR) (50 boys, 1976) is named for John Tradescant the younger
  John Tradescant the younger
  John Tradescant the Younger , son of John Tradescant the elder, was a botanist and gardener, born in Meopham, Kent and educated at The King's School, Canterbury...
  
  , the 17th century Royal gardener and plant collector, an alumnus of the school, whose father John
  John Tradescant the elder
  John Tradescant the elder , father of John Tradescant the younger, was an English naturalist, gardener, collector and traveller, probably born in Suffolk, England...
  
   laid out gardens nearby. The building, which is 19th century, was originally part of a missionary college.

Boarding Houses (girls)

• Harvey (HH) (54 girls, 1996) is a purpose-built house at St Augustine's and is named after William Harvey
  William Harvey
  William Harvey was an English physician who was the first person to describe completely and in detail the systemic circulation and properties of blood being pumped to the body by the heart...
  
   (educated at the King's School in 1588) who demonstrated the circulation of the blood. The building was opened in 1999 by the Director of the Royal Institution, Professor Susan Greenfield
  Susan Greenfield
  Susan Adele Greenfield, Baroness Greenfield, CBE is a British scientist, writer, broadcaster, and member of the House of Lords. Greenfield, whose specialty is the physiology of the brain, has worked to research and bring attention to Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.Greenfield is...
  
  .
• Walpole (WL) (51 girls, 1935) is named after the novelist Sir Hugh Walpole
  Hugh Walpole
  Sir Hugh Seymour Walpole, CBE was an English novelist. A prolific writer, he published thirty-six novels, five volumes of short stories, two plays and three volumes of memoirs. His skill at scene-setting, his vivid plots, his high profile as a lecturer and his driving ambition brought him a large...
  
   (King's Scholar 1896). Formerly a boys' house, it was the first house to undergo a sex change in the early 1990s when the school became fully co-educational. The 18th century building incorporates many remains of the mediæval Archbishop's Palace and includes the spot where Thomas Becket
  Thomas Becket
  Thomas Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion...
  
  's murderers armed themselves.
• Jervis (JR) (45 girls, 1992) is a purpose-built house just outside the Precincts and linked to them through the city wall. It is named after Douglas Jervis OKS and his sister Norah, benefactors to the School.
• Luxmoore (LX) (57 girls, 1945) moved from its original buildings in Canterbury to a purpose-built house in the Precincts, opened by the Queen Mother
  Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
  Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
  
   in 1981. A sundial in the front garden records the visit in fine Latin verse. Nestled between Linacre and Meister Omers it was originally a boys' house, becoming a girls' house some 10 years after the move in 1991. The house is named after Sir Arthur Luxmoore
  Arthur Luxmoore
  Sir Arthur Fairfax Charles Coryndon Luxmoore KC PC was a British barrister and judge who sat as a Lord Justice of Appeal-Life:...
  
  , Lord Justice of Appeal
  Lord Justice of Appeal
  A Lord Justice of Appeal is an ordinary judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, the court that hears appeals from the High Court of Justice, and represents the second highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales-Appointment:...
  
  , (King's Scholar, 1889), and his own sundial stands in the back garden. Jacquetta Wheeler the acclaimed supermodel was a member of this house.
• Bailey (BY) (19 Sixth Form girls) is in a mainly 18th and 19th century building which incorporates the fine 14th century Abbey gateway originally called St Ethelbert's Gate. Its present name commemorates Henry Bailey, second Warden of St Augustine's College and a good friend of the King's School.
• Broughton (BR) (51 girls, 1976) is named after an OKS, William Broughton
  William Grant Broughton
  William Grant Broughton was the first Bishop of Australia of the Church of England....
  
  , the first Bishop of Australia.

Facilities

• Birleys Playing Fields The School's sport grounds, just a short walk from the main site. A new pavilion was opened by David Gower on 17 September 2005
• Blackfriars Art
• CDT Centre CDT
• Edred Wright Music School Music
• Field Classrooms English and Mathematics
• Grange Classrooms Mathematics
• Harvey Science Block Biology, Chemistry
• J Block Geography
• Lardergate History and OKS Foundation
• Lattergate Religious Studies and Headmaster's office
• Maurice Milner Memorial Hall Fencing, Drama and Examination Hall
• Mint Yard Classrooms Mathematics, ICT
• The Old Synagogue at Canterbury
  Old Synagogue at Canterbury
  The Old Synagogue in Canterbury is considered to be the best example of an Egyptian Revival synagogue. The earliest record of a Jewish community in Canterbury dates from 1160. The community is known to have been prosperous and to have traded in corn and wool as well as banking...
  
  Music, Jewish Prayers. Built as a synagogue in 1847-48 by architect Hezekiah Marshall, the "Old Synagogue" is used as a recital hall by the music department. It is considered one of the finest buildings of the nineteenth century Egyptian Revival style.
• Palace Block Mediæval building containing the Modern Languages Department
• Physics Block Physics
• Pottery Room Pottery
• Priory Block Classics, English, Politics, Economics
• The Pupils' Social Centre Tuckshop, Stationers, Junior Common Room and billiards tables.
• The Recreation Centre Gym, Hockey Pitches, Swimming Pool, etc. It is open to the general public on a membership basis.
• The School Library The pupil's main information resource, containing approximately 25,000 volumes as well as offering access to the School Intranet.
• Shirley Hall School Assemblies and Examination Hall. Formerly known as the Great Hall, it was re-named the Shirley Hall after the former headmaster, Fred Shirley
  Fred Shirley
  Revd Frederick Joseph John Shirley, DD, PhD, LLB was the headmaster, The King's School, Canterbury, 1935–1962.Educated St Edmund Hall, Oxford and London. Married in 1926...
  
  .
• St. Mary's Hall Drama, Theatre Studies
• The Westbere Lakes Sailing and Rowing

King's Week

A festival of arts, held during the last week of the summer term. OKS and the public can get tickets from the marquee on Green Court specially constructed for the occasion. Introduced by Fred Shirley

Fred Shirley

Revd Frederick Joseph John Shirley, DD, PhD, LLB was the headmaster, The King's School, Canterbury, 1935–1962.Educated St Edmund Hall, Oxford and London. Married in 1926...

. The week culminates in Commemoration day (known as commem day) on the last day of the school year when the school leavers in 6a wear court dress and the whole school attends a service to commemorate the school benefactors. King's Week is open to the public and draws large crowds every year. Some of the most popular events include the Jazz Concert, the Serenade in the Cloisters, Virtuosi and the Mint Yard Play. One of the main highlights of the week are the 5 shows from 'The Kings Week Band' that every year perform an album from a famous artist in the setting of St Alpheges. Previously, albums such as Pink Floyds 'Dark Side of the Moon' have been done, as well as the fantastic performances of Revovler - The Beatles at this years King's Week.The final performance of King's Week is the Gala Symphony Concert, where 6a musicians perform concertos accompanied by the Symphony Orchestra.

Traditions

King's has many traditions including:

• Full Canterbury Dress: The name given to the school uniform, which consists of white shirt with wing collar, pinstripe trousers, black jacket, black socks, black tie and black shoes for the boys. Girls wear a white blouse, brooch, pinstripe skirt, black jacket, black tights and black shoes. The boys' version was introduced by Fred Shirley
  Fred Shirley
  Revd Frederick Joseph John Shirley, DD, PhD, LLB was the headmaster, The King's School, Canterbury, 1935–1962.Educated St Edmund Hall, Oxford and London. Married in 1926...
  
  , Headmaster (1935–1962). The girls' version was introduced by Anthony Phillips, Headmaster.
• Colours Jumpers: Students who have been awarded full school colours in any sport are entitled to wear a white and blue cricket jumper instead of a regulation school black jumper. Those who receive 1st team colours are entitled to wear a special tie.
• Purples: Until recently called 'monitors', these are the school prefects, who are marked out by their distinctive purple gowns. Only those in the highest year at the school may be a purple. Each house generally has one purple (the Head of House). The purples are headed by the Captain of School and a Vice-Captain. A head scholar, and two Vice-head scholars are also invited to become purples.
• The Goat on the Green Court: Something of a legend among pupils, the Captain of School is allegedly allowed to keep a goat on the large lawn in the centre of the school. This particular tradition is no longer practised. The Captain of School is also allowed to grow a beard and take his wife to lessons.
• King's Scholar
  King's Scholar
  A King's Scholar is a foundation scholar of one of certain public schools...
  
  s: An academically select group, marked by black jumpers with white trimmings that have recently replaced their distinctive black gowns, they process wearing surplice
  Surplice
  A surplice is a liturgical vestment of the Western Christian Church...
  
  s during school services in the Cathedral. To become a scholar, a pupil must take the Scholarship examinations prior to entry (Exhibitioners may also be elected) or, in the case of honorary scholars, achieve exceptional GCSE results (8 A*s is usually the minimum) or AS Level
  GCE Advanced Level
  The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education, commonly referred to as an A-level, is a qualification offered by education institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cameroon, and the Cayman Islands...
  
   results. King's Scholars are part of the Canterbury Cathedral
  Canterbury Cathedral
  Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site....
  
   Foundation and have a role in the Enthronement of the Archbishop of Canterbury
  Archbishop of Canterbury
  The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
  
  .
• Gatings: Uniform Gating: A form of punishment that requires pupils to wear Canterbury Dress all day every day, while getting a form signed by someone in a position of authority (usually a teacher or a purple) at 15 minute intervals during their free time. This can prevent them leaving the school at all for up to a week.
• Breakfast Gating: A form of punishment by which the pupil must report to breakfast and get a special slip signed at 7:30.
• Supper Leave/Pub Leave: A recent privilege extended to Sixth Formers, whereby pre-approved groups of people may go into town for supper or visit a pub for one night.
• The House Shout: Two shouting competitions. One takes place between The Grange and School House which, until the building of Mitchinson's House, were opposite each other. Held on the last day of each term. Members of the Grange would assemble outside Lattergate House (later re-named Algy's) from where School House is visible and call out the House Shout from that vantage point. School House would then come out and the Purple of Galpin's would adjudicate the victor on wittiness, clarity, volume and house spirit. This tradition has not been held in recent years, although every year after the inter house song competition, Galpin's House and School House have a similar, non adjudicated shouting match, with more emphasis on volume than anything else, often including the chant "you're not singing any more". The second House Shout takes place between Linacre and Meister Omers, and is an annual tradition that is not adjudicated.
• Monitors' Canes: A privilege given to School Monitors (Purples) and House Monitors. Purples are allowed black canes and House monitors are allowed wood coloured canes. The Head of the CCF is also allowed to carry a Pace stick
  Pace stick
  A pace stick is a long stick usually carried by warrant officer and non-commissioned officer drill instructors in the British and Commonwealth armed forces & police forces as a symbol of authority and as an aid to military drill....
  
  .
• Younger Purples: A tradition in which a certain member of each house (traditionally the shortest person is chosen) are given the purple gown on days when it is a charity non uniform day. This allows the designated person to exercise the rights of the Purples.
• Green Court Privilege: Only those in 6a (the final year) are allowed to walk across Green Court; everyone else must walk around it.

Legends and Pranks

Possibly one of the best-known pranks was skillfully executed in the early 80s. An illustrious couple of 6th formers took it upon themselves to fashion an overly large "For Sale" sign by sewing together a number of bedsheets. They then scaled Bell Harry (the central tower of Canterbury Cathedral) and attached the improvised sign to it. Thus, as dawn broke the following day, all of Canterbury was informed that the Cathedral was in fact up for sale. The identity of the visionary pupils remained secret for some 30 years.

Office of Fair Trading investigation

.

In 2005 the Office of Fair Trading

Office of Fair Trading

The Office of Fair Trading is a not-for-profit and non-ministerial government department of the United Kingdom, established by the Fair Trading Act 1973, which enforces both consumer protection and competition law, acting as the UK's economic regulator...

 (OFT) provisionally found that the school exchanged detailed information about prospective fee increases with approximately 50 other prominent UK independent schools, including Eton

Eton College

Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....

 and Sevenoaks

Sevenoaks School

Sevenoaks School is an English coeducational independent school located in the town of Sevenoaks, Kent. It is the oldest lay school in the United Kingdom, dating back to 1432. Almost 1,000 day pupils and boarders attend, ranging in age from 11 to 18 years. There are approximately equal numbers of...

. The OFT stated that "regular and systematic exchange of confidential information as to intended fee increases was anti-competitive and resulted in parents being charged higher fees than would otherwise have been the case."

Upon hearing of the OFT's objections, the school consequently refrained from this practice and has since remained in cooperation with the OFT.

Sports

King's offers a wide range of sports, emphasis being on Rugby union

Rugby union

Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

, Hockey

Hockey

Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...

, Football

Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

, and Cricket

Cricket

Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...

 for Boys, and primarily Hockey, Netball

Netball

Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...

 or Lacrosse

Lacrosse

Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...

 for Girls. Other sports have varied levels of success. King's is recognised as a centre of excellence for Fencing

Fencing

Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...

, and produces junior internationals. King's also fields a Rowing 1st VIII every year, which competes at high levels of competition, including Henley Royal Regatta

Henley Royal Regatta

Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...

, for which King's holds the record for most finals reached without winning. The Girls' first team for hockey won the 2007 National Indoor Championships, beating Bromsgrove

Bromsgrove School

Bromsgrove School, founded in 1553, is a co-educational independent school in the Worcestershire town of Bromsgrove, England. The school has a long history and many notable former pupils.-History:...

 on penalty flicks. The Boys' 1st XI for Football reached the Semi-Finals of the Schools' FA Cup in 2004.

Alumni (Old King's Scholars (OKS))

• Oz Clarke
  Oz Clarke
  Robert "Oz" Clarke is a British wine writer, television presenter and broadcaster.-Biography:Clarke’s parents were a chest physician and a nursing sister. He was brought up near Canterbury with a brother and a sister. Clarke became a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral and subsequently won a choral...
  
   (wine critic)
• Michael Cordy
  Michael Cordy
  Michael Cordy is a British novelist. He was born in Ghana and spent much of his childhood in West and East Africa, India and Cyprus. He was educated in Britain at The King's School, Canterbury, and the universities of Leicester and Durham. After ten years in marketing and advertising, with his...
  
   (novelist)
• Col. G H Fanshawe, OBE (Soldier)
• Roger C. Field
  Roger C. Field
  Roger C. Field is an inventor with over 100 patents, an award winning industrial designer and a guitarist.He is best known as the inventor of the Foldaxe folding electric guitar. He has also been written about in Playboy magazine in ten countries and in Penthouse magazine four times in Europe...
  
   (inventor, designer)
• Michael Foale
  Michael Foale
  Colin Michael Foale, CBE, PhD is a British-American astrophysicist with dual citizenship and a NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of six space shuttle missions and extended stays on both Mir and the International Space Station...
  
   (astronaut)
• David Gower
  David Gower
  David Ivon Gower OBE is a former English cricketer who became a commentator for Sky Sports. Although he eventually rose to the captaincy of the England cricket team during the 1980s, he is best known for being one of the most stylish left-handed batsmen of the modern era. Gower played 117 Test...
  
    (cricketer)
• William Harvey
  William Harvey
  William Harvey was an English physician who was the first person to describe completely and in detail the systemic circulation and properties of blood being pumped to the body by the heart...
  
   (physician)
• Patrick Leigh Fermor
  Patrick Leigh Fermor
  Sir Patrick "Paddy" Michael Leigh Fermor, DSO, OBE was a British author, scholar and soldier, who played a prominent role behind the lines in the Cretan resistance during World War II. He was widely regarded as "Britain's greatest living travel writer", with books including his classic A Time of...
  
   (writer)
• John Lloyd
  John Lloyd (writer)
  John Hardress Wilfred Lloyd CBE is a British comedy writer and television producer. He is the great nephew of John Hardress Lloyd.-Early life and career:...
  
   (writer, creator of 'spitting image', 'QI' etc.)
• Christopher Marlowe
  Christopher Marlowe
  Christopher Marlowe was an English dramatist, poet and translator of the Elizabethan era. As the foremost Elizabethan tragedian, next to William Shakespeare, he is known for his blank verse, his overreaching protagonists, and his mysterious death.A warrant was issued for Marlowe's arrest on 18 May...
  
   (author)
• Somerset Maugham (novelist)
• Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
  Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
  Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC , nicknamed "Monty" and the "Spartan General" was a British Army officer. He saw action in the First World War, when he was seriously wounded, and during the Second World War he commanded the 8th Army from...
  
   (Field Marshal)
• Michael Morpurgo
  Michael Morpurgo
  Michael Morpurgo, OBE FKC AKC is an English author, poet, playwright and librettist, best known for his work in children's literature. He was the third Children's Laureate.-Early life:...
  
   (children's author)
• Neil North
  Neil North
  Neil North was a British actor, best known for his role in the 1948 film adaptation of Terence Rattigan's play The Winslow Boy. North appeared in four other films released between 1948 and 1951, but did not make acting a full-time career...
  
   (actor)
• Jonathan Powell (political aide)
• Michael Powell
  Michael Powell (director)
  Michael Latham Powell was a renowned English film director, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger...
  
   (film director)
• Carol Reed
  Carol Reed
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   (film director)
• John Tradescant the Younger
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  John Tradescant the Younger , son of John Tradescant the elder, was a botanist and gardener, born in Meopham, Kent and educated at The King's School, Canterbury...
  
   (Botanist)
• Alan Watts
  Alan Watts
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• Antony Worrall Thompson
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• Sir Hugh Walpole (Author)
• Fred Scarlett
  Fred Scarlett
  Fred Scarlett is an Olympic gold medalist as a British rower.He took up rowing at The King's School Canterbury, and was Captain of Boats in his final year. At Oxford Brookes University, he won two Henley Royal Regatta medals, in the Temple Challenge Cup, and the Visitors Challenge Cup...
  
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• Frances Houghton
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The Junior King's School, Canterbury

The King's School also has a feeder preparatory school, founded in 1879. The school, which is mixed, currently has around 425 pupils, ages 3 to 13, and is located at Milner Court in Sturry

Sturry

Sturry is a village on the Great Stour river three miles north-east of Canterbury in Kent. The large parish of Sturry Church incorporates the former mining village of Hersden and several hamlets.-Geography:...

. Originally based in the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral, the current site was donated by Lady Milner

Violet Milner, Viscountess Milner

Lady Violet Georgina Milner, Viscountess Milner was an English Edwardian society Lady and, later, editor of the political monthly, National Review...

 following the death of Lord (Alfred) Milner

Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner

Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner KG, GCB, GCMG, PC was a British statesman and colonial administrator who played an influential leadership role in the formulation of foreign and domestic policy between the mid-1890s and early 1920s...

 in 1925. The buildings on site were opened by Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling

Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...

 in 1929. Further extensions include a Sports Hall (1999) and a CDT block (1991).

Between a third and a half of the pupils at King's previously attended JKS. The current Headmaster is Peter M. Wells.

On a site next door is the pre-preparatory school, in a converted oast-house for which Kent

Kent

Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...

 is famed. For gymnastics, school musical performances and other events, both sites use a barn which is one of the largest in the country.

See also

• List of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom
• List of the oldest schools in the world
• List of Victoria Crosses by School

External links

• The King's School website
• Profile at the Good Schools Guide