WHAT / WHERE

King’s Senior School and Sixth Form is a high-achieving and nurturing co-ed powerhouse set in the historic heart of Gloucester city centre. With 403 pupils in the Senior School and 124 in the Sixth Form, when combined with the Junior School, King’s is a medium-sized school of 720 pupils.

Despite its glamorous boarding school looks King’s is a day school with class sizes averaging 16, and although it’s hewn into the inner sanctum of Gloucester city centre it manages to sit in 15 acres of grounds.

Learning here goes back an impressive 1000 years, with Henry VIII re-founding the school as one of seven prestigious King’s Schools attached to English Cathedrals.

The result is a pretty special school campus; historic and listed architectural gems fringed by manicured green spaces and state-of-the-art modern additions. Oh, and Harry Potter lovers will be in seventh heaven – three films were shot in the cloisters here, with King’s pupils appearing as extras.

FACILITIES

Hogwarts chic a-plenty there may be, but King’s is no dusty museum – quite the opposite. Historic buildings form a backdrop to swanky, state-of-the-art facilities. In fact the school is in the middle of a redevelopment programme to transform all of its smaller spaces into large, bright, well-equipped classrooms – so you’ll find no Portakabins lurking here!

The installation of a brand new Creative Design Suite this summer means the next generation of budding software engineers and online entrepreneurs are really well catered for. There’s also a high-tech Design Technology department with all the latest CAD/CAM machinery, 3D printers and machinery you could desire.

SPORT

King’s prides itself on being an all-rounder school, and sport is genuinely for all here. It is fairly rare for a senior day school to offer two double Games lessons every week to all pupils, but it’s on the timetable here to champion fitness, health and wellbeing in pupils.

King’s punches above its weight against local state, independent and boarding schools when it comes to competing too. Highlights of last year were the First XV rugby team only losing one match all season, the U13 Girls’ Hockey team narrowly losing the SW Regional Final.

Any Team GB wannabes will be happy too, high achievers can get stuck into the Athletic Development Programme for extra career-boosting opportunities. In addition to all the standard lessons, they can get stuck into sports such as the very on-trend padel ball, spin classes or join King’s Equestrian Team.

In 2019 a state-of-the-art Astroturf playing pitch and adjacent training pitch were installed, there are new outdoor tennis and netball courts, and in 2024, four stunning new cricket nets arrived.

Don’t be wary of the urban setting either, whilst it may not have 50+ acres, pupils have plenty of space, playing at Archdeacon Meadow – a 5 minute walk from the main site where you’ll find the sports centre and cricket pavillion too.

MUSIC / DRAMA / THE ARTS

Music

If King’s was on Mastermind, its chosen subject would 100% be Music (and it would win hands down). Musicality has been at the core of The King’s School since the very first choristers opened their hymn books here 500 years ago.

Today, King’s upholds its choral tradition with huge pride, as one of the leading choir schools in the country they have 36 boy and girl choristers, travelling all around the country for concerts.

Strolling through the Cathedral on my visit – aka the place they call their assembly hall! – I was blown away by eye-wateringly beautiful sounds, reaching high up into the rafters as pupils practised. This is a truly inspiring place to be if you love music.

King’s also offers scores of other musical opportunities, from Swing Band to guitar jam sessions, workshops with professional musicians and composers, and international visits, such as a recent trip to perform with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

You don’t need the vibrato of Aled Jones to fit in either, all pupils are encouraged to perform, whether it’s building on basic skills, or refining a talent.

The Music School is well stocked too, having had a recent cosmetic update it’s a newly revamped space, with six practice rooms, a music technology suite kitted out with new computers, two large classrooms and an organ for budding Organ Scholars to hone their skills. A wide range of peripatetic lessons go on all week with specialist teachers, and students are able to get tuition for any instrument they might desire to have a go at.

Drama

Budding actors are well catered for. A 220-seater ‘black box’ theatre has recently been installed and productions frequently sell out. From Shakespeare to Roald Dahl, major productions are combined with House Drama Competitions, and GCSE Drama and A Level Theatre Studies.

Practice and performances take place in the Amphitheatre in Dulverton Gardens, and the Ivor Gurney Hall, and whilst these spaces are perfectly adequate, there’s room for more glitz here – with big plans for drama to up the offering.

On the horizon as the school’s next big project is a brand new state-of-the-art Performing Arts Centre which will host 300+ people and be shared with local community.

Teachers make sure that leading roles are shared out fairly, with two productions per year, one open to everyone and one reserved for acting ‘stars’ in Years 1 to 3. LAMDA speech and drama lessons are offered, with King’s being a registered LAMDA examination centre.

Art

The Art Dept welcomed the arrival of new gardens, a stunning photography suite, and a vast outdoor eco-creative zone recently and it feels like a really inspiring place to learn. The standard of self-portraits and themed projects I saw whilst walking round was exceptional.

Facilities include Fine Art (Painting, Printmaking and Sculpture), 3D Design and a new design studio with 18 Apple Mac computers to develop Photography and Graphics skills. Pupils also report enjoying regular visits by guest artists, as well as trips to major galleries.

SIXTH FORM

The Sixth Form Centre, refurbed in 2021, and a dedicated building spanning two floors, is one of the best I’ve seen. More akin to a hip start-up in Shoreditch, it boasts cool break out social and learning spaces, stylish teen-leaning decor and its own café, I can imagine no teen ever wanting to leave!

In terms of the curriculum, the unique King’s Future Skills Programme (FSP) is one of the cornerstones here. Alongside A Level or BTEC studies, and in addition to their EPQ, HSLA and volunteering, all Sixth Formers follow the FSP programme which teaches essential practical skills.

If you want them to leave home knowing how to manage finances, be a whizz in the kitchen or change their car tyre, amongst many other things, King’s prepares them brilliantly for real life.

ACADEMICS

King’s is academically selective, with pupils carefully chosen from a broad ability range, through Taster Days, entrance assessments and interviews. Come prepared – all pupils here are expected to work hard, that’s just reality – but just as valued is that they make a positive contribution towards the wider life of the school.

Five years ago, the school changed from a four form entry to a five form entry due to growth in demand for places, but year groups are capped at a max of 90 pupils in the Senior School. In the Sixth Form there are 26 A Level subjects on offer, BTEC Sport plus a range of additional qualifications such as the Higher Sports Leadership Award.

Results are excellent, and on an upwards trajectory. In 2024, GCSEs were 48% per cent at 7 – 9, 74% at grades 6-9. At A-level 34% of pupils achieved A* – A, and 67% A*-B.

In terms of Added Value scores – loved by parents as a yardstick – at A Level over the last 5 years the average was 0.22 with a high of 0.94, and for GCSEs over the last 5 years the score is 0.39 with a high of 0.57. A measure how far a school has helped a pupil progress, it’s calculated by comparing a student’s actual grades to what was expected based on their starting point

Out of the cohort of 52 pupils in 2024 applying to uni, 81% got their first choice with 40% going to prestigious Russell Group Universities. Pupils seem also to excel in less traditional directions, one pupil gained a highly competitive IBM internship in New York, one finished filming a lead role in a TV series in Belgium and another waltzed off to a highly competitive national dance school.

THE HEAD

Mr David Morton, BA (Hons) has been at the helm since 2017. Friendly, charismatic and analytical, since arriving he has overseen a big investment in updating facilities and re-energising the teaching and co-curricular offering.

He cares deeply that King’s isn’t viewed as an elite establishment for the super rich, and to that end he has put in place lots of community partnership projects to foster a sense of connection to the outside world and kindness in pupils.

With a teaching background in Geography, he teaches every child personally as they go through the school and runs a Cookery Club for Year 7s. Pupils regularly take the food they make to share with the community at Gloucester Smiles café which is a sweet gesture.

Morton is also a keen advocate of King’s partner school in Dornakal, India, and fund-raising typically pays for the education of 28 pupils every year, along with computers and there’s a regular school virtual exchange between the countries.

He also comes across as commercially savvy. Two years ago the school took action to bodyswerve the new 20% VAT hike he saw coming over the horizon. The result? A good one if you’re a King’s parent. The school made enough savings through budgeting internally and growing to be able to pass on only 9% to parents – a situation he guarantees until at least September 2026.

Morton’s next goals include raising donations to the Bursary Endowment Fund, to begin to decarbonise the school estate, as well as plans for the new Performing Arts Centre.

An avid reader, and eco-enthusiast, he is also a keen runner and mountain biker – you’ll find him pounding the banks of the River Severn most weekends. He lives on site with his wife who works in the Development Office, and their two boys are currently in Year 9 and Year 12, so as a family they are fully immersed in King’s culture. The family pooch, Pip the Labrador, is even involved, taking part in regular Wellbeing Days.

BURSARIES / SCHOLARSHIPS

King’s offers scholarships at 11+ (entry into Year 7), 13+ (entry into Year 9) and 16+ (entry into Year 12). Scholarships offer a 5-10% fee remission and can be combined with bursaries if there is a financial need for greater assistance. In 23/24, 93 pupils received means-tested support and the total bursary fee remission was a chunky £684,000.

PASTORAL CARE

Multi-layered, strong provision for mental health here. Helping pupils feel part of the King’s community is a key ethos, and there is a strong pastoral system in place. Each pupil has a personal tutor with whom they have daily contact and regular one-to-one meetings to review progress or talk through difficulties.

School nurses are always on-hand for advice, along with a School GP and a trained Wellbeing Mentor. Pupils can also talk to one of the Peer Mentors – specially trained Sixth Formers – and the Chaplaincy Team, available for pupils to chat to every lunchtime.

The School has developed good links with outside agencies, and referrals can be made should more in depth support be necessary.

There is a thriving House System which encourages friendships for life. Laud, Serlo and Wheeler Houses contend throughout the year in events including drama, music, sport and debating, as well as an end of term Academic Cup.

Last year King’s invested further in The Wellbeing Hub; an interactive, online resource designed by mental health and wellbeing experts. All Senior School parents have free access to this support, a Q&A Library and free webinars.

On the termly Wellbeing Days staff bring their dogs into school for walks around the Cathedral with pupils in charge. Special mention also goes to Light and Shade – an adorable pair of therapy tortoises. Resident in the school’s Pastoral Care hub, I hear these worry-calming creatures are very popular with pupils.

SEND PROVISION

King’s Senior School has an average of 15% of pupils on the SEN register, for a variety of reasons, some of whom receive additional learning support.

The Learning Support team in Senior School is made up of a full-time SENCO (literacy specialist) and an assistant SENCO (numeracy specialist) and other support staff. An educational psychologist comes into school on a regular basis and external specialists are used when needed.

The school does not have any Teaching Assistants in lessons, instead a different approach is taken. Learning Skills lessons are offered for up to four pupils at a time in place of a language in First and Second Form. In Third Form it is taken as an option with up to 4 pupils in a class. In Fourth and Fifth Form it is taken in place of one GCSE. In Sixth Form it is on an appointment basis to support with study skills. There is no cost for any of these lessons.

QUIRKS

As claims to fame go King’s trump them all, we’re calling it. The first three Harry Potter films were filmed in the cloisters with King’s pupils recruited as extras – top that! A Harry Potter Sorting Hat is used to select which of the three Houses new Year 7 pupils join and there is a Quidditch Club with broomsticks and a golden snitch – naturally.

Not only that, King’s lays claim to the oldest classroom in the world. Little Cloister Hall is still used to this day as a History classroom (above). They have they own school archivist and the perfect backdrop to History lessons with an actual museum section to proudly show off the heritage.

TRANSPORT

You won’t be scrabbling for lift shares here, King’s has an extensive school bus network providing 11 routes and approximately one-third of all pupils travel to school on the buses. Many pupils also travel in by train and the school is a 10 minute walk from Gloucester train station.

Most pupil families live within a 40-minute radius of King’s, with many based in Cheltenham and the surrounding villages.

FEES

Fees in Year 7 start at £7,685, and go up to £9,050 in Year 10, remaining constant through Sixth Form stand at £9,050. A sibling discount of 5% is offered for the second child attending King’s from the same family, rising to 10%, 15% and 20% for subsequent siblings, whilst they are all in attendance.

ISI Report

Find the link here. The most recent visit from the Independent Schools Inspectorate was in September 2022 with the school receiving a glowing, all-round ‘Excellent’ rating.

WORD ON THE GROUND

Parents love the sense of community at King’s, and say that staff make efforts to get to know each pupil well, with excellent pastoral care and enough extra support and for anyone who needs it. No one ‘slips through the cracks’ was noted by one mum.

Everyone loves the setting, for its history and convenience, and many cite King’s ‘family-friendly ethos’ and a warm, welcoming feel. School to parent communications were praised highly, as was the breadth of opportunities on offer.

WHAT ELSE?

The co-curricular offering at King’s is extremely good. Pupils are encouraged to push their horizons wide with trips from Year 7 to Year 12 including the Brecon Beacons and Mendip Hills for a team-building weekend at the beginning of term, to ambitious expeditions to Costa Rica, the Himalayas, Mongolia and Borneo, and this year 30 pupils travelled to China.

Lunchtime activities provide pupils with a chance to learn something new such as Mandarin or Arabic, to try a new skill such as knitting or cookery, book club or tap dancing. Numerous pupils take the lead and organises their own clubs, such as Dungeons and Dragons RPG club and a successful girls’ football club.

Younger pupils have the opportunity, in extra sessions, to explore such topics as architecture, law and palaeography and older pupils get to deep dive into the likes of forensic archaeology, the science of pandemics and similarly mind-stretching stuff.

Fully detailed in the term programmes, activities can often be highly interactive or take workshop form. Recent events have included a Women in Engineering Day and a Maths Olympiad Challenge.

King’s holds an annual Good Food Week, one of only a handful of independent schools in the country to run such an event in which all pupils learn about sustainability, food waste and are encouraged to be a bit braver with their food choices. Highlights include a House Bake Off, a sushi masterclass and Bushtucker trial.

On the final day staff and pupils prepared the vegetables for 150 portions of a delicious curry to be cooked and delivered to those in need by charity Gloucester Feed The Hungry. Such voluntary efforts of pupils outside school are recognised by Junior and Senior School Citizenship Award; this is a school laser focused on nurturing compassionate kids.

MOBILE PHONE POLICY

Music to the ears of any parents exasperated by teen phone usage – King’s has never allowed pupils to use their phones during the school day, but now Senior School pupils are asked to put their phones into secure boxes at the start of the day.

Phones are returned to them at the end of the school day. Any emergencies are dealt with by asking a member of staff for support.

MUDDY VERDICT

GOOD FOR: If you want to avoid a cookie-cutter educational experience. King’s is hot on high-achieving, but it’s no hot house in its style. Staff work hard to nurture kind, well-rounded humans with useful life skills. Anyone lacking in confidence will blossom with the co-curricular and leave ‘world-ready’. King’s has strong Goldilocks appeal – big enough to offer a world class education, but small (and caring) enough to know every child.

NOT FOR: Anyone who wants an idyllic, rural education, a mile-long country drive up to their child’s school, or 50+ acres of playing fields. Although architecturally enchanting, King’s surrounds are peak urban. Anyone looking for boarding options will have to go elsewhere; King’s is a day school choice.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Go see for yourself at a King’s Open Day. Taking place on Fri 7 March 2025, Friday and Sat 7 June 2025. Can’t make these dates? Arrange a date for a personal tour, email admissions@thekingsschool.co.uk.

The King’s Senior School and Sixth Form, Gloucester

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