King Edward's School (Bath) A GSG School

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All-through school (for example 3-18 years). - An all-through school covers junior and senior education. It may start at 3 or 4, or later, and continue through to 16 or 18. Some all-through schools set exams at 11 or 13 that pupils must pass to move on.

What The Good Schools Guide says

Headmaster

Since 2008, Martin Boden MA PGCE (early 50s). A product of the kind of seriously academic school he now heads, Mr Boden’s career has been entirely in education, starting as a teacher of modern languages at his alma mater, Bolton School, after Cambridge. Spells at Cheadle Hulme School and Bradford Grammar preceded his arrival at KES as director of studies in 2005, before taking over as head three years later.

His tenure has ensured KES remains at the top of the academic pops in Bath and beyond after an unsettled period, but this is far from all he has achieved: academics are a given, he explained, so his aim has been to raise the standard of the co-curricular offering to equal the academic. Some of this has been obvious, such as the building of the splendid Wessex building which includes stand-out (literally – the view over Bath from its terrace is sensational) performance space and the recently opened Rose studio for smaller scale drama; other aspects less so, such as appointing music and drama interns as coaches alongside teachers, rather than well-intentioned gap students. We noticed much more emphasis on mental health and inclusivity and frank, immensely thoughtful conversations.

Mr Boden embodies the seriousness of purpose KES is known for. Suited and booted, he appeared wearied by more than a year of steering the school through Covid and the lack of coherence from government and exam boards, though he acknowledged some welcome consequences of the pandemic, such as online parents’ evenings, open days and pupil recruitment. Parents rate him: his unremitting focus on doing every aspect of KES as well as possible, his visibility both inside and outside school, his leadership, the fact that he confronts difficult issues, still teaches and crucially, that he knows all the students. ‘Shrewd and caring’ in the view of one mother. And in the students’ opinion? ‘Incredibly supportive, inspiring,’ we heard, with particular praise for his assemblies which often include reflections on current affairs and a thought for the day. A bit like the Today Programme, then.

Married to Jane, who is head of geography, and father to two children who are both in the senior school.

Entrance

Main entry point is at year 7, for which all hopefuls are required to sit papers in English, maths and verbal reasoning, plus interview and reference. About half come from the junior school, others from a range of local primaries and preps, though some move into the area for the school.

Any scholarships are awarded at this point – no separate exam. Special talent awards are applied for online - supporting evidence, interviews, assessments and endorsements required, of course.

Entry to other year groups according to availability (same process). At sixth form about 125 new students arrive, entry depending on current school report and short interviews with head (or deputy head), head of sixth form (or senior sixth form tutor) and heads of (relevant) departments. Applicants need at least a GCSE grade 4 in maths and English language (a 6 in practice), 54 points taken from the best nine GCSE grades, as well as the school’s preference for at least a grade 7 for any subject to be studied at A level.

Exit

Around 10 per cent leave after GCSEs. Birmingham, Manchester, UCL, Bristol, Exeter and Edinburgh are popular destinations for sixth form leavers. Good numbers to Oxbridge every year (five in 2023). Occasional overseas universities too eg Texas in 2023 on a golf scholarship. Unusually, no medics this year.

Latest results

In 2023, 83 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 65 per cent A*/A at A level (87 per cent A*-B). In 2019 (the last pre-pandemic results), 70 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 62 per cent A*/A at A level (83 per cent A*-B).

Teaching and learning

Stunning results and consistent success at Oxbridge come from outstanding and rigorous teaching, not from narrowly selective admissions criteria. GCSEs, some I/GCSEs and A levels only are provided – no BTECs or IB here. Students are put through their paces in all subjects at all stages, yet while everyone works hard, they do not seem to buckle under the pressure (and anyone showing signs of academic overload will almost certainly be rescued by their tutor) – ‘We create expectations of hard work at the outset’ the head told us.

The curriculum is broad for the first three years, with an emphasis on languages ancient and modern – everyone does two out of French, German and Spanish plus Latin and the ablest linguists can take ancient Greek from year 9. Interestingly, students are set only in maths up until year 10. At GCSE, at least one modern language and separate sciences are standard. Efforts are made to accommodate all subject choices and combinations both for GCSE and A level, where about 30 subjects are on offer.

Many parents choose the school for its academic rigour and the climate of aspiration. ‘My daughter got better A levels at KES than she would have done anywhere else,’ one mother told us. That comes in part from the grounding students get in exam technique (revision centres on past papers and attendant mark schemes) and in part from the academic confidence, self-belief and effective work habits the school instils. ‘But it verges on the dry,’ one parent remarked ‘And the kids work **** hard! A good knees-up wouldn’t do anyone any harm.’ Another wondered if more imaginative extension work beyond the curriculum could be laid on for the super-bright and intellectually curious. According to students, top subjects are maths, English and classics; classical civilisation available at A level only.

Academic societies underpin most subjects, including clubs for history and Mandarin, medsoc (not just for aspiring medics but anyone interested in careers in health-related subjects such as forensics) and think tank for sixth formers applying to highly competitive degree courses – this by invitation only.

Learning support and SEN

Students needing learning support are generally identified by subject teachers, though all are screened on entry; those arriving from the junior school will of course be known. About 10 per cent have a diagnosed SpLD/SEND need, which include ASC, ADHD and social communication alongside dyslexia and dysgraphia, and each student will have an individual pupil profile which goes to all subject teachers. Any individual tuition is ‘dovetailed in to the demands of a pupil’s academic timetable and co-curricular activities’ and charged separately. There are also drop-in sessions and support laid on for anyone needing extra help with study skills, for example.

The arts and extracurricular

KES has long since lost its reputation for being just about academics and sport. Its arts offer is right up there with the best of them. It faces some tough local competition on that front, but appears to bring home just as much silverware from the Mid Somerset Festival as anywhere else. Collaborations with Bath Philharmonia, Bath Abbey, the Holburne museum and the Royal United Hospital mean considerable exposure for young musicians, plus the frisson of playing or singing alongside established performers in prestigious venues. The school provides many of the choristers for the abbey choirs. The dynamic duo of the director of music and resident composer mean there is something for every aspiring musician from several choirs, auditioned and not, (and a parents’ singing group – hurrah) to ensembles ranging from full orchestras (three and depending on proficiency) to smaller groups for individual instruments, including steel pans. KES Soul provides funk and groove – we heard the head takes to the drum kit on occasion...

Drama is equally showcased. Though the Wroughton theatre is perhaps looking tired these days (new seats though!), some spectacular shows are staged there including Pop! The Musical, which was written entirely within school partly by students and Discontented Winter: House Remix, the inaugural year 9 production. Perhaps not surprising that the school won the first ever independent school of the year award for performing arts in 2018. More recently, Romeo and Juliet was staged using five different pairs of star cross’d lovers; Billy Elliott planned and rehearsed, but interrupted by the pandemic. Timetabled until the end of year 8, drama continues to be a popular choice at GCSE and A level, plus good take-up of Lamda qualifications, so much so that an extra teacher was recruited. Several notable performers such as Bill Bailey, Jon Monie and Tom Payne, plus documentary maker Xavier Alford are OE’s, as former students are called.

Visual and practical arts centre on the teaching of technique and exploring different media, student response and the study of a range of artists, photographers and so on. The new head of art and photography’s mantra is ‘just keep making’ and the well-equipped department opens up opportunities for print-making and 3D structures amongst other media (‘Make a mark, get a mark,’ as the website says!). Art adorns the school, inside and out – we especially liked the freaky fish hung outside and the motto of the King’s Royal Hussars painted on an exterior wall as a reminder of its association with the school’s active CCF. Museum and gallery trips both here and abroad and visiting artists complete the offering. Likewise, DT is timetabled until the end of year 8. Students learn practical skills - these included sewing masks during the worst of Covid - alongside using CAD/CAM to design (in a designated tidy space) and make a range of items. One Arkwright scholarship awarded in 2021.

Sport

A sine qua non of KES. Feared adversaries on the local, regional and national circuit in all the main sports of rugby, hockey, netball and cricket, the school does what it can within its own grounds (a new Astro has just been created to add to the other two) and what it can’t happens at its Bathampton playing fields, a brisk trot or short minibus ride away. ‘We strongly believe that ‘Excellence and Sport for all’ can co-exist,' states the website – and to that end, A, B and C teams are fielded so everyone who wants a game can have one. Attendance at Saturday fixtures is expected, however.

Close collaboration with the University of Bath just up the hill – Team Bath gained international recognition as a training ground at the 2021 Olympics and some use is made of their top facilities. A comprehensive offer of pre-season training, strength and conditioning (all sports) and master classes with elite players (netball and hockey), the hosting of a hockey festival and a physio visiting weekly are all proof of KES’ commitment to sport. Cricket is mostly played in the summer, though there are winter nets in the sports hall. Gender stereotypes are being gently dismantled with mixed training. Again, school forms relationships with local clubs eg Bath Cricket Club and Somerset County Cricket for coaching, raising aspirations and for what it cannot provide within its grounds.

Too many successful sporting former students to list here, but several have gone on to national sporting pathways before representing their county or even country, such as netballer Summer Artman, hockey player Emily MacLean and rugby players Henry Thomas and Max Ojomoh.

No pool – any swimming takes place at the 50m pool at Team Bath. Those less keen on team games get some choice from year 10, such as jiu-jitsu and athletics, plus the all-ages lunchtime running club, but at least one mother felt there was too much pressure on boys to play rugby.

CCF particularly active, popular and successful, with two young recruits chosen as Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset cadets. DofE (nearly all in year 9 do it) and that scourge of west country schools, Ten Tors also undertaken with the grit and determination typical of KES.

Ethos and heritage

Nearly 500 years old and now in its fourth home in Bath, the founding of KES was one upside of the dissolution of Bath Priory by Henry VIII: parents and the mayor petitioned the young Edward VI to endow a school for the continuing education of their sons, after the last one went up in smoke. Academically selective from the start and having journeyed through various iterations and sites to its current home on the southern slopes of Bath, KES maintains its grammar school feel and ethos to this day. That said, although academic life is central, it is certainly not at the expense of everything else, with KES kids both working and playing hard. ‘This is a very busy school,’ we kept hearing.

Most parts of school life take place on site, in and around buildings which are more functional than beautiful, with the exception of gracious Georgian Nethersole, complete with drive scarily narrow for visiting cars, and architecturally adventurous Wessex. Existing buildings have been imaginatively refurbished – we loved the Rose studio for drama, and funky new sixth form space with its beautifully designed zones for individual silent study or small group collaboration, plus all important hang-out space and café. A new creative media suite, in partnership with Lenovo and Microsoft, has recently opened, and a new STEM facilities is up next. Parents of younger students would welcome more space for them – lunchtime lasts for an hour and a half to accommodate the many clubs and societies (eg the Dark Earth Book Club, which mixes saving the earth with inspiration from the latest SF and fantasy titles). Much available space seems to be surfaced with Astroturf or tarmac and occupied by sporty types, but the school has kept a number of designated areas identified during Covid for kids who would prefer just to chat with their friends, which have gone down well. Some clubs exist just for fun – Christmas cross stitch, anyone? - but generally the expectation is that students do masses and do it well. ‘We’re looking for joiners and givers’ the head told us. ‘Students do their best in everything that they try – that's more peer ethos than peer pressure’ he added. A head of co-curricular has been appointed to oversee smooth timetabling, to avoid clashes where possible and most importantly, to check students are not over-committed. As well as sport, some music, drama, CCF, DofE and Ten Tors necessarily take place at weekends.

Pastoral care, inclusivity and discipline

A school that has truly upped its game to support young people through what is an unquestionably demanding environment. By the school’s own admission, mental health issues have increased massively. The head of pastoral and her team are widely praised, but students also rate their tutors’ ability to support them through the helter skelter of school life - ‘They can tell when you’re struggling’ - and like both the continuity of the same one from year 8-11 as well as the chance to trade them in if the relationship is not working out. One mother wondered if the tutors realise how much some of their tutees do outside school and help them balance their commitments accordingly. Discipline does not loom large at KES - below sixth form, misdemeanours (eg poor work or turning up with the wrong kit) might result in break time detention (aka sin bin), but any such incidents are tracked through centrally held referrals to identify underlying patterns. Is arriving for maths without a calculator just forgetfulness or a silent plea for help with organisational skills? Academic merits are liberally dished out in year 7, but ‘rather fade away after that!’ sixth formers told us - ‘Rewards at the top end of the school tend to be intrinsic rather than extrinsic, though great references and reports go down well’.

KES has long prided itself (note intentional wordplay) on its inclusivity – it is absolutely OK to be whoever you are, just so long as you abide by the dress code. Its historic links with Bath Abbey do not result in a Christian ethos (there is, however, Christian Union and a busy part time chaplain), though many of the qualities expounded by that faith are actively practised, such as welcome and acceptance. It has been fine to be LGBT+ at KES for a long time and it’s definitely out there and proud. Any off colour (non-rainbow) language would be jumped on and the delightful sixth formers we saw spoke candidly about how they tackled the fall-out from Everyone’s Invited, by devising a PHSE session to tackle misogynist language and attitudes head on.

Pupils and parents

Pupils come from quite a wide radius around Bath and not all driven in by fond parents - some arrive by train (school lays on shuttle bus from the station a few minutes away) and many by bus, public or one of the three coaches laid on from Frome, Corsham and Midsomer Norton. What unites parents who send their children to KES is an insistence on high academic standards and aspiration, an extensive extra-curricular offer and definitely not social cachet - the parents we spoke to spent more time talking about academic demands and how the school balances them than anything else. Virtually all students will find like minds here and there is room for nerds. A wider socio-economic mix differentiates it from the other Bath independents. The head is keen that KES students appreciate their many advantages - ‘Having all these opportunities does not make you better than other people,’ he often says - and that they use them to the greater good now and in later life - alongside all the sporting, artistic and hearty options, runs a strong thread of community service such as Thursday afternoons for sixth formers helping out at local primary schools, care homes and the autism unit up the hill, plus masses of charitable fund-raising.

Money matters

Extraordinarily good value in comparison with local competition, but of course no boarding overheads. Generous bursary provision (over £1m) which supports nearly 20 per cent of students in some form, up to 100 per cent in exceptional cases - only applicable at year 7 and 12, note. Not too much expensive monogrammed uniform – fair amount of sports kit, that said – and some available second hand.

The last word

Harder, faster, higher than the other Bath schools and not a place where anything is done by halves. For the nearest thing to a no nonsense unapologetic grammar school, look no further, but the closely woven safety net of support means all students can go on and achieve all they are capable of in any sphere. KES turns out young people who are not merely hard-working and well-educated, but compassionate and thoughtful to boot.

Special Education Needs

King Edward’s School is an academically selective school which admits pupils on the basis of ability shown in an entrance test, school reports and interviews. Both at the application stage and also later in the admissions process parents are given the opportunity, and indeed urged, to notify the school of any special educational needs or disability affecting their child of which the School should be aware. The school is keenly aware that addressing individual learning needs is key to pupil success and the Learning Support Department is an integral part of the school. Screening tests are used to help identify any specific needs which are then monitored through Learning Support and the pastoral system. Specialist teaching provision can be provided to support a variety of individual needs. A triad of support featuring: parents, staff and professionals, together with, Individual Pupil Profiles, differentiation in class and regular staff training, ensures needs are met.

Who came from where