Through an outstanding all-round education, KES pupils acquire the tools and the confidence to flourish and be happy today and to be ready for whatever the future may hold. We explore with our pupils, helping them to find their voice, fostering a sense of adventure, curiosity, resilience and ambition, encouraging them to do their best in all things and nurturing kindness, compassion and a sense of responsibility for others and for the world around them.
1 | OUR VALUES
Be The Best Version of Yourself
We believe that everybody at King Edward’s is unique, one of a kind. We see, hear and get to know them and value them as individuals. Through a rich tapestry of opportunities, we help our pupils to become self-aware, to unearth and develop their passions, talents and creativity and to fulfil their potential.
2 | OUR VALUES
Learn Together, Grow Together
Togetherness is at our core. We all belong and we all contribute in different ways to an inclusive and supportive community. We forge our own pathways, but we are also part of the team. Looking forwards and outwards, we believe that together we are greater than the sum of our parts and can make our world a better place.
3 | OUR VALUES
Always Exploring
Every experience in and out of the classroom has the power to enrich us. We believe that there is always more to explore and joy to be found on that journey. We want all our pupils to have a passion for discovery, to value knowledge, think critically, ask questions and challenge mindsets and to develop a lifelong love of learning and enquiry.
4 | OUR VALUES
Aim High...
We have high expectations and take pride in our achievements. Through aspiration, reflection, hard work and determination come progress and success. We know that we can’t always be the best, but we can always do our best.
4 | OUR VALUES
...BUT STAY HUMBLE
Whilst our ambitions may be lofty, our feet are firmly grounded. Our community should be rich in opportunities and pathways but never in arrogance or entitlement. We aim high for ourselves, but we always remember to look out for and support others. We recognise our responsibility both at school and in the wider community of Bath and beyond and we embrace this with generosity and respect.
We are a school...
That Creates Inspiring Pathways and Celebrates The Journey
“In the Senior School and Sixth Form, we both build on the KES journey so far and also welcome many new pupils into our vibrant community.”
Opportunity, engagement and aspiration remain key watchwords at the heart of an exceptional all-round education that encourages pupils to follow their passions and gives them the confidence to find their voice and to make a difference.
We are both proud of the academic excellence and success for which KES is renowned and also keen to celebrate our pupils’ efforts and achievements in many different fields. We place great value on the traditional virtues of doing your best, making the most of the incredible opportunities on offer and aiming high, whilst also keeping your feet on the ground and supporting others.
We hope that our pupils will flourish on all fronts, fulfil their potential in and out of the classroom and leave the school happy, successful and ready to thrive in the world beyond King Edward’s.
Martin J Boden
Headmaster
Headmaster
“Our Junior School enables pupils to thrive in the moment whilst preparing them for the future.”
Day to day life provides a breadth of opportunities that challenge, excite, engage and inspire through high quality specialist teaching, outstanding facilities and individualised and supportive pastoral care. Pupils are encouraged to develop their independence and to set high standards for themselves whilst embracing innovation, creativity and curiosity. Our Junior School is about so much more than what you can record on a spreadsheet or in a prospectus; it is about an experience that sets children up as confident learners and well-rounded and compassionate young people and which leaves them with wonderful memories to last a lifetime.
Sean Price
Head of the Junior School
Head of the Junior School
“The irresistible learning adventure at KES begins in our Pre-Prep and Nursery.
Every child is treasured and cared for in our nurturing environment. We follow the children’s interests, exploring, extending and challenging each pupil. Our wonderful enabling environment, curriculum and staff encourage our children to be curious learners with a resilience and perseverance to solve problems. By the time the pupils leave us they have a genuine love for learning and an independence to flourish at the Junior School.
Jayne Gilbert
Head of the Pre-Prep & Nursery
Head of the Pre-Prep & Nursery
We are a school...
WHERE BRIGHT FUTURES ARE BUILT ON GREAT TRADITIONS
OUR HERITAGE
Founded in 1552, KES has held a special place in Bath for over four and a half centuries and has a healthy tradition of nurturing academic excellence. Today, our pupils continue to thrive in all aspects of school life, where they are encouraged to embrace everything that the School has to offer within a supportive and stimulating environment.
King Edward's School is intrinsically linked with the city of Bath, both culturally and historically.
Surrounded by swathes of West Country green belt, Bath is one of the most popular locations to live in outside of London, attracting many families to the area with its compact city centre, easy transport links and beautiful surroundings.
Read our helpful guide to relocating to Bath to find out more.
King Edward’s is located on two exceptional sites, each within easy walking distance of the city centre.
The School continues to invest significantly in facilities to offer the very best educational experience to all pupils, across our Pre-Prep, Junior and Senior Schools.
Through our means-tested bursary provision we support 1 in 5 pupils in our Senior School, enabling them to learn in an inspiring environment, irrespective of their financial circumstances.
Our partnerships and outreach programme aims to provide meaningful benefit to our local community and beyond, as well as offering KES pupils the valuable experience of service.
We are mindful of our impact on the world, with our KES Sustainability strategy at the heart of everything we do, from the food we eat and the new facilities we build, to the energy we consume and the learning embedded in our curriculum.
Just before Christmas the Good Schools Guide (GSG), renowned for their fearlessly frank and unrivalled reviews of more than 1,400 state and independent schools, visited King Edward’s to undertake a new review of the School.
As well as praising King Edward’s ‘top level teaching’ and “great creative and extra-curricular opportunities’, the visiting reviewer found that KES is “proud to remain academically pacy but equally proud that it’s also an enriching and nurturing school in which pupils thrive.”
The inaugural Year 12 Careers Mentoring Event proved to be a memorable evening of insight and inspiration for our Sixth Form students, and Holbeche was buzzing with a sense of professional possibilities and pathways.
More than 40 professionals from a wide range of industries visited the school to share their experiences, top tips and pathways with pupils in intimate pods of conversation. Each Year 12 student was given a tailored programme for the evening, consisting of five bespoke 20-minute sessions that best matched their current passions and future aspirations, making connections and being inspired.
Many congratulations to the following KES pupils who through the course of this term have played, or been newly selected for national, academy and regional performance pathways in the various major sports played at KES.
These include two selections to the U16 England Hockey Squads, 15 players within the Bath Rugby, Bristol Bears and County pathways, 12 netballers selected to represent at national level (U17 Wales) through to the Team Bath and Avon County pathways, and 10 cricketers playing at Wiltshire and Somerset County level as well as representing Somerset and Glamorgan EPP programmes.
King Edward’s School, Bath has been recognised as the top performing co-educational independent school in the South West for the third year running in the new Sunday Times Parent Power Guide, published on 6 December 2024.
Widely acknowledged as the most authoritative survey of the country’s highest-achieving secondary schools, The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide ranks schools according to their combined 2024 GCSE and A Level results.
In a world where our pupils are increasingly being drawn towards polarised perspectives on social media, our Learning for Life programme, where pupils can discuss 'the grey', and develop well-informed opinions in a safe environment, is more relevant than ever.
As many universities start back this weekend our recent leavers and gap year students are heading to some of the UK’s leading universities, with over 90% securing places at their first choice Higher Education institution. Over 50% of students are taking up places at the UK’s top 20 universities* with 70% heading to Russell Group universities.
Many congratulations to all Year 13 pupils at King Edward's who collected their A Level results today and who have once again done themselves immensely proud. 29% of all grades were at A*, our second highest ever and more than three times the national average, with 61% at A*/A and 81% at A*-B.
We are a school...
THAT INVITES YOU TO EXPLORE FURTHER
We are a school...
THAT INVITES YOU TO EXPLORE FURTHER
We are a school...
THAT INVITES YOU TO EXPLORE FURTHER
We are a school...
THAT INVITES YOU TO EXPLORE FURTHER
Start Your Adventure
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Click the button above to find out more about our Pre-Prep & Nursery, Junior School, Senior School and Sixth Form.
#TheSchoolForAdventurousMinds
An independent co-educational day school for children aged 3 to 18.