Sevenoaks Schools
How admissions work · Primary · Secondary · Grammar · Independent
Schools are one of the biggest reasons families move to Sevenoaks. Here is a guide to the main schools in and around the town. Always check admissions and catchment details with each school and Kent County Council before you buy or rent.
How Kent admissions work
- State schools: apply through Kent County Council. Primary applications close in mid-January; secondary applications close on 31 October.
- Grammar schools: places depend on passing the Kent Test, taken at the start of Year 6. Register in the summer of Year 5.
- Faith schools: some give priority to families who regularly attend church. Check each school's criteria.
- Independent schools: apply directly. Most hold their own assessments, and fees include VAT from January 2025.
- Living close by often matters for oversubscribed state schools. Distance is usually measured from home to the school gate.
State primary schools
Lady Boswell's CofE Primary School
State · Church of England (voluntary aided) · Ages 4 to 11 · Co-educational
One of the town's oldest schools, close to the High Street. A Church of England school that is popular and usually oversubscribed. Church attendance can affect priority for places.
Sevenoaks Primary School
State · Community school · Ages 4 to 11 · Co-educational
A large community primary in the north of town, off Bradbourne Park Road. Non-faith, with admissions based mainly on distance.
St John's CofE Primary School
State · Church of England (voluntary controlled) · Ages 4 to 11 · Co-educational
A friendly Church of England primary in the St John's area of Sevenoaks. As a voluntary controlled school, admissions follow Kent's standard criteria.
St Thomas' Catholic Primary School
State · Catholic academy · Ages 4 to 11 · Co-educational
A Catholic primary close to the town centre, with priority for Catholic families. Highly regarded and popular.
Amherst School
State · Academy · Ages 4 to 11 · Co-educational
A primary academy in Riverhead, on the western side of Sevenoaks, serving Riverhead and the surrounding roads.
Nearby village primaries
State · Ages 4 to 11
Otford, Kemsing, Dunton Green, Seal, Weald, Ide Hill, Chevening St Botolph's and Sundridge and Brasted all have well-regarded village primaries, several of them Church of England schools.
State secondary schools
Knole Academy
State · Academy · Ages 11 to 18 · Co-educational
A large, non-faith secondary in the north of town, formed in 2010. It offers a broad curriculum and a sixth form, with places allocated through Kent's standard criteria.
Trinity School
State · Free school with a Christian ethos · Ages 11 to 18 · Co-educational
Opened in 2013 and now on a purpose-built site in Sevenoaks. Welcomes families of all faiths and none, with a sixth form.
Grammar schools
Weald of Kent Grammar School, Sevenoaks annexe
State · Selective · Girls · From age 11
Opened in 2017 on Seal Hollow Road as England's first new grammar school site in decades. Part of Weald of Kent Grammar School in Tonbridge. Entry is through the Kent Test.
Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys, Sevenoaks annexe
State · Selective · Boys · From age 11
A boys' grammar annexe on the same Seal Hollow Road site, part of Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys. Entry is through the Kent Test.
Many Sevenoaks families also look at grammar schools in Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Dartford, all reachable by train or bus.
Independent schools
Sevenoaks School
Independent · Ages 11 to 18 · Co-educational · Day and boarding
Founded in 1432 and one of the oldest schools in England. Known internationally for teaching the International Baccalaureate Diploma in the sixth form, and for strong academic results.
Walthamstow Hall
Independent · Girls · Day school
A girls' school founded in 1838, on Holly Bush Lane near the town centre. Known for a strong academic record and a caring, Christian ethos.
The New Beacon
Independent · Prep school · Ages 2 to 14 · Boys
A traditional boys' prep school set in large grounds just south of Sevenoaks, preparing pupils for senior schools at 11 and 13.
Sevenoaks Prep School
Independent · Prep school · Ages 2 to 14 · Co-educational
A co-educational prep school on the edge of Godden Green, east of town, set in woodland with a strong outdoor focus.
Solefield School
Independent · Prep school · Ages 3 to 13 · Co-educational
A small prep school in the south of the town, close to Sevenoaks School, known for its close-knit, family feel.
The Granville School
Independent · Prep school · Girls aged 3 to 11 · Boys in nursery
A girls' prep school in a large Victorian house off Bradbourne Park Road, near Sevenoaks station.
Radnor House Sevenoaks
Independent · Ages 2 to 18 · Co-educational
An all-through school set in parkland at Combe Bank, Sundridge, a few miles west of Sevenoaks.
St Michael's Prep School
Independent · Prep school · Ages 2 to 13 · Co-educational
A prep school set in 90 acres of grounds in Otford, just north of Sevenoaks.
Russell House School
Independent · Ages 2 to 11 · Co-educational
A small independent primary school in Otford village.
Looking for a home near a school?
Tell us which schools matter to you, and we will match you with homes in the right area, including ones that are not yet on the portals. Get in touch or call 01732 600623.
Updated October 2026. School details change, and we do not guarantee any school place. Always confirm admissions, catchment and current inspection reports with the school, Kent County Council and Ofsted before making a decision.
