Sevenoaks Preparatory School

Sevenoaks Prep School is a preparatory school in Sevenoaks in south-east England. It is situated in the London commuter belt. A mixed school of some 380 children, there is a significant proportion of pupils from international backgrounds. The School is situated on the Sackville estate, on grounds bordering the park of Knole House. It is the venue for the Thomas Trophy, an annual cross-country running event which attracts many hundreds of competitors from schools across South-east England. HistoryThere is some uncertainty about the very beginnings of the school, but tradition has it that in 1919 Mrs Garrod, wife of the headmaster of Sevenoaks Grammar School, brought together a class of six boys who were too young to attend the main school. She educated them herself in the Grammar School Cottage Block until they were ready to move up. In 1921 the Rev C G Holland became head master of an already expanding prep school. He bought No. 4 Vine Court Road, to be known as Old School House, and moved there with thirty five boys. The back garden on two levels became the playground, known from then on as the upper and lower Quad. Education consisted of Latin, divinity, arithmetic, history, geography, English, French but no science. There was art, and drama with an annual school play on the lawn, singing and music, and some sport on The Vine Cricket Club Ground and Hollybush Lane Recreation Ground. Gym was mainly marching and turning conducted by an ex-Army Sergeant Major. School caps, which were then maroon and black, were worn as a badge of honour and defended in many sore contests.

Sevenoaks Prep School is a preparatory school in Sevenoaks in south-east England. It is situated in the London commuter belt. A mixed school of some 380 children, there is a significant proportion of pupils from international backgrounds. The School is situated on the Sackville estate, on grounds bordering the park of Knole House. It is the venue for the Thomas Trophy, an annual cross-country running event which attracts many hundreds of competitors from schools across South-east England. HistoryThere is some uncertainty about the very beginnings of the school, but tradition has it that in 1919 Mrs Garrod, wife of the headmaster of Sevenoaks Grammar School, brought together a class of six boys who were too young to attend the main school. She educated them herself in the Grammar School Cottage Block until they were ready to move up. In 1921 the Rev C G Holland became head master of an already expanding prep school. He bought No. 4 Vine Court Road, to be known as Old School House, and moved there with thirty five boys. The back garden on two levels became the playground, known from then on as the upper and lower Quad. Education consisted of Latin, divinity, arithmetic, history, geography, English, French but no science. There was art, and drama with an annual school play on the lawn, singing and music, and some sport on The Vine Cricket Club Ground and Hollybush Lane Recreation Ground. Gym was mainly marching and turning conducted by an ex-Army Sergeant Major. School caps, which were then maroon and black, were worn as a badge of honour and defended in many sore contests.