This year’s Kent Test takes place on the 13th and 14th September 2011.

Parents will be informed of the Kent Test results on the 17th October by email or on the 18th by post.

Why not visit Dover College during the Open Morning on Saturday 8th October? Although a private school, Dover College offers a good alternative to a Grammar. A bright candidate may obtain a scholarship and a border line candidate may well benefit from attending a school where it is believed that it’s because confidence matters that there is more than just the academic side of things being taught within the week!

To find out more, contact the admissions department to obtain a prospectus and arrange a visit for the Open Morning on Saturday 8th October.

See you hopefully very soon!

Title: Dover College Open Morning
Location: Dover College
Link out: Click here
Description: Dover College is a small, dynamic private school for boys and girls aged 3 to 18 years old close enough to London to enable boarders to attend but also let our pupils go to the Theatre in London. Our pupils are given the opportunity to fulfil their potential within a happy and caring community which includes pupils from Continental Europe and the rest of the world. Dover College’s next Open Morning will take place Saturday 7th May 2011 from 10am until 12.30pm. Both the Infant & Junior School and Senior School will be open to visitors. Our pupils will be giving tours of the school, superb grounds and facilities. Teachers will also be on hand to answer any questions you and your children may have.

Start Time: 10:00
Date: 2011-05-07
End Time: 12:30

Educating your children privately is a huge commitment and best not entered lightly when committing yourself to paying school fees for a number of years. That said there must be something in it as plenty of parents are willing to take the plunge for what they perceive and many others would describe as an investment in their children’s future.
There are many individuals who have experienced the benefits of a private education and quite naturally want their own offspring to benefit from the same. Unfortunately there are just as many parents who have stumbled down this avenue because of the lack of a decent state provision within their area.
The state, because of financial constraints seem to have embraced a Marxist viewpoint when it comes to educating the countries youth – big is best and one size fits all! Even Stalin would have been hard pressed not to agree with this theory and yet we all know that each and every child is different. Some children can cope in a large school, but for many children the large impersonal nature of secondary schools will always allow anonymity to flourish and they will never achieve their very best. In a private school where class numbers are low it is very difficult for a child to hide, even the government acknowledges that a low student to teacher ratio is ultimately best.
Parents had their hopes raised with the promise that they were free to select which school was suitable for their child; however reality paints a different picture! Unlike private education parents in the state sector can only give a preference for a certain school, there is no choice with lots of families failing to achieve even their third option! Unfortunately the internet and league tables have to a certain extent exacerbated the situation by allowing parents to make what they believe is an informed choice. As a result the schools which were labelled good soon became oversubscribed. Who can blame the parents for wanting to send their children to the best performing schools and relying upon devious methods to meet entrance criteria.
Parents obviously needed to “up their game” and it is now not unusual to choose to pay a premium for a home within the catchment area of a good state school but this in itself is a lottery which will not necessarily guarantee a place at the desired school. None of this is relevant for a private school as long as you don’t mind the drive or you can always use the school’s minibus service, distance is irrelevant. The costs involved are transparent and do not usually involve paying a premium to live within the vicinity!
It doesn’t take too long for the parents to realise that the benefits easily outweigh the costs involved. The private system is a world apart from what is on offer in the state sector with small classes the teaching staff has plenty of time to help the child settle, the education is that of the whole person and not just the academic side. Developing confidence is what matters for now and for life.
In a nutshell you are paying for an education where the arts and sports go hand in hand with academics to provide a complete education and are not seen as mere frills which are the first to go when budgets need to be slashed!

Elspeth attended Dover College as a Music Scholar and was Head Chorister in her last year. During this time, she attended the Junior Royal Academy of Music on Saturdays, studying cello, bassoon and recorder. In 2007 Elspeth won the Junior Wind Prize and later that year she went on to win 2 regional Young Musician of the Year competitions, and the Canterbury Marlowe and Harrow Concerto Prizes. Her Baroque Trio performed at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the Music for Youth Competition.
In 2008, Elspeth won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music and is currently studying Recorder, Baroque Oboe and Gamba there. In 2010, as a soloist, Elspeth gained 2nd place at the International Eisteddfodd. She has played as a soloist at St Martin in the Fields, St John Smith’s Square and abroad in Rome and Sydney.
Elspeth will do Dover College the honour of playing a piece after Julian Lloyd Webber opens the Tallis Music School on Saturday 29th January 2011.

Gerry Holden

It was announced, Saturday 4th December 2010, that Gerry Holden, currently Headmaster of Rendcomb College in Gloucestershire, will become the new Headmaster of Dover College from September 2011.

Gerry’s 11 year headship at Rendcomb followed a variety of teaching posts including being Head of History at Forest School in London before heading a larger History Department at Millfield School in Somerset followed by Deputy Head and Director of Studies at Frensham Heights School in Surrey.

For the last two years Gerry Holden has been Chairman of the SHMIS Professional Development Committee and has also served on the HMC/GSA Professional Development Committee; two of the leading professional associations for independent school headteachers. Gerry has been a senior examiner in History for The Oxford and Cambridge Board and graduated in Mediaeval and Modern History from St Andrews. Having studied Education at Oxford University, Gerry started his teaching career at Wolverhampton Grammar School in 1980.

 In addition Gerry is an experienced ISI inspector and he has produced a series of publications on the theme of sharing excellent practice in SHMIS schools entitled Innovations volume 1 and 2, and Observations volume 3 and 4.

 At Rendcomb College the ethos is very similar to that at Dover College, with an accent on looking after the individual and developing their strengths. Mr Holden said: “The ethos of Rendcomb is to provide every student with the opportunity to flourish as an individual”.

 Making the announcement, Joe Sullivan, Chairman of Governors at Dover College, said, “The Board of Governors are delighted to appoint Gerry Holden to lead Dover College. Stephen Jones’s legacy will be conspicuous in the physical developments in music and drama for example, and in the impressive academic improvements and growing self-confidence of the pupils. Stephen has moulded a highly professional Common Room and Senior Management Team which will give a supportive foundation for Gerry who will be well placed to continue to develop the academic life of Dover College and lead the School on to even greater success and real continuity for the work that Stephen will have left.”  Gerry has considerable experience in heading a day and boarding school for pupils aged 3 to 18 so he should hit the ground running very quickly once in post.

Gerry said, “I am very much looking forward to leading Dover College into the next exciting stage of its development.  It is a wonderful school with an excellent reputation for impressive pastoral care. I will be working very closely with staff and parents to maximise the full potential of all pupils.  On my visits to the College I have been enormously impressed by the students’ enthusiasm for learning and the warm and friendly welcome extended to both Liese and myself. Dover College has a very bright future”

Stephen Jones, the current Headmaster at Dover College, said, “Being Headmaster at Dover College has been a real privilege. I have led an impressive, highly professional and hugely committed Common Room, and we have been fortunate to have been able to work together fully to develop the all-round capabilities of many super children at this school. I know that Gerry will be taking over a school in great heart and with a tremendous future; I know too that he will lead it with distinction.”

Stephen Jones, 51, has been appointed Warden at St Edward’s, Oxford. He will take up his post in September 2011.

Stephen Jones, Headmaster of Dover College since 2004, was headhunted for the position at St Edward’s School in Oxford. St Edward’s is a co-educational day and boarding school for 650 pupils aged 13 to 18 with a strong academic results and outstanding extra-curricular opportunities.

Making the announcement, Joe Sullivan, Chairman of Governors at Dover College, said, “Although these are bittersweet news, Stephen Jones’ appointment reflects the enormous contribution he has made to Dover College. His legacy will be conspicuous in the physical developments in music and drama for example, and in the impressive academic improvements and growing self-confidence of the pupils. Stephen has moulded a highly professional Common Room and Senior Management Team which will give a supportive foundation for the new Head and real continuity for the work that he will have left.”

A change of Head in this timescale is both quite normal and healthy. In line with good governance, the Board of Governors have been quietly planning for such eventuality. The Chairman of Governors has been involved with Dover College for twenty five years as both a parent and a Governor and therefore understands what is unique to the school.

Kent Council Council has published the key dates for the transfer to Secondary School for September 2011.
So if your child is currently in Year 5 and you wish for him/her to sit the Kent Grammar school test then read this!

You must register your child between Tuesday 1st June and Friday 2nd July 2010 although the test does not take place until September 2010.

Your child’s Primary School should inform you about the procedure and dates involved with Secondary School tranfers. You can either register online at www.kent.gov.uk/ola or choose to receive a paper registration form by contacting kent.admissions@kent.gov.uk

Key dates

1st June to 2nd July Kent Test Registration period

14th and 15th September Children who register in June take the Grammar school test

18th October 11+ assessment decisions sent to parents

1st March 2011 Offer letters posted first class to parents

22nd March Date by which you should accept or refuse the place offered

22nd March Date by which you should lodge an appeal or ask to go on a schools waiting list

April to July 2011 Admission appeals held by Secondary Schools

September 2011 Children start in Year 7 at Secondary School

Keep in mind that some of the Grammar Schools are highly oversubscribed and have their own additional entry tests. Each school should be contacted for further details of their Admission Procedure.

Some of Dover College pupils from the Infant and Junior School will be taking the Kent Test and although many are successful in being offered a place at a local Grammar, many opt to stay on to the Senior School. Having one site for children aged 3 to 18 ensures a seamless transition from Year 6 to Year 7. Should you be interested in finding out more about entry into Year 7 at Dover College, take a look at these web pages: http://www.dovercollege.org.uk/priory/index.php

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