Welcome
Dear Parents and Students,
We are delighted to welcome you to our diverse and vibrant school community.
Our pupils are drawn from many countries and backgrounds, and ours is a school which has a global perspective and an international mindset. Pupils here enjoy being part of a school community which is enhanced and enriched by each individual, and this cultural diversity is celebrated and cherished.
To help you navigate your way to study at The King’s School we have put together this brochure filled with essential information and resources to aid your transition to school in the UK.
We look forward to welcoming you to the school and supporting you on your exciting educational journey with us.
Ms Jude F. Lowson Head
Address of School
The Precincts, Canterbury Kent CT1 2ES
Tel: 01227 595501
School Website www.kings-school.co.uk
Key Contacts
Head: Ms Jude Lowson head@kings-school.co.uk
Senior Deputy Head: Mr Alex Patton atp@kings-school.co.uk
Deputy Head (Academic): Mr Matt Key mek@kings-school.co.uk
Deputy Head (Pastoral): Miss Tanya Lee pastoral@kings-school.co.uk
Head of Safeguarding: Mr Luke J Illsley lji@kings-school.co.uk
Deputy Head (Co-Curricular): Mr Greg Hunter gah@kings-school.co.uk
Assistant Head (Boarding): Mr Matt Thornby mj2@kings-school.co.uk
Head of Shells: Mr Matt Henderson mhh@kings-school.co.uk
Head of Removes: Miss Justine Marechal jmm@kings-school.co.uk
Admissions Manager: Miss Verity Sessions vs2@kings-school.co.uk
Head of International Student Recruitment: Mr Jon Peach jmp1@kings-school.co.uk
Fees & Bursaries Manager: Ms Soraya McKee s.mckee@kings-school.co.uk
Overseas Pupil Coordinator: Mrs Faye Hancock fh@kings-school.co.uk
Visas
Visas
International pupils may require a Child Student Visa (previously known as a Tier 4) to study in the UK. The King’s School can provide sponsorship for these visas. The King’s School are partnered with Sable Education to handle all immigration matters relating to the Student Sponsor Licence and to assist our international students with their visa applications for the UK. For more detailed information please see our Admissions Policy and Procedure.
If you have any queries regarding visas, please contact our Overseas Pupil Coordinator Mrs Faye Hancock fh@kings-school.co.uk
Child Student Visas
All boarding pupils who do not have British nationality must hold a Child Student Visa unless they are dependent on their parents’ visa, have a British National Overseas/Ukraine Scheme visa or have Settled Status. The King’s School holds a Sponsorship License from the Home Office’s UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) division. To ensure that the school is fully compliant with the policies and regulations set out by the UKVI, your cooperation and support is required.
The visa is course based so one application will be needed for each course (GCSE or A Level). If you are making an application from overseas, you can make the application up to six months before your date of travel to the UK. If you are applying from within the UK, you may make an application up to three months before your course is due to start.
If you are applying from the UK, you must already hold a valid visa and you must apply before your current visa expires. You cannot switch to a Child Student or Student visa if you are in the UK as a Visitor or Short-term Student.
If you are applying in the UK:
• The earliest you can apply is 3 months before your course starts
• Your new course must begin with 28 days of your current visa expiring
• You must have submitted a Valid Online Application to commence your new course
• You cannot travel whilst your application is pending
You will usually get a decision on your visa within 3-8 weeks. You can check visa processing times for your country on the gov.uk website. You are advised not to book flights until your visa has been granted.
Please see Guidance on our parent portal for more information.
IHS Surcharge
You can start using the NHS free of charge from the date your visa starts. You must have already paid the IHS if you need to.
You’ll still need to pay for certain types of services, such as prescriptions, dental treatment, eye tests and assisted conception.
When you access healthcare in the UK, you may need to:
• provide your biometric residence permit, if you have one
• prove your status online using a share code, if you have a digital immigration status.
For more information and guidance please see: Pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application: Overview - GOV. UK (www.gov.uk)
What is an eVisa
An eVisa is an online record of your immigration status and the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK. You need to create a UKVI account to be able to access your eVisa.
Updating your physical document to an eVisa does not affect your immigration status or the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK.
You can use an eVisa to travel to the UK together with your current passport, which must be linked to your UKVI account. You should also get a share code to prove your immigration status before you travel. Your carrier may ask for it. A share code is valid for 90 days.
The benefits of eVisas include:
• they are secure and cannot be lost, stolen or tampered with, unlike a physical document
• you will not need to wait for, or collect, a physical document after your application is decided – you might still need to provide biometric information in person and you will be informed by Sable Education if required.
How do I access my eVisa
You need to create a UKVI account to access your eVisa and share information about your immigration status and conditions, such as your right to work or rent in the UK, using the view and prove service.
You need to follow these 3 steps to access your eVisa:
• create a UKVI account
• confirm your identity
• link your account to your eVisa
You do not have to pay to create a UKVI account and access your eVisa.
Viewing and proving your immigration status online, and updating your details:
You can view and prove your immigration status online, via the ‘view and prove your immigration status’ service – https://www.gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status. This online service provides a secure record and proof of your immigration status which is held digitally by the Home Office, and which is always available to you. This service is made available to you instead of a Biometric Residence Permit.
You can use this service to:
• View your immigration status and check what rights you have in the UK.
• Prove your status to others such as education providers, employers, or landlords by generating a ‘share code’ which gives them time limited access to the relevant data.
• Update your personal details such as passport number, email address.
• Currently your digital status account is linked to your previous BRP card and so you will need to provide this BRP number when logging in to the service. You must update all your details online. Failure to do so could result in being held up at the border.
All new pupils are advised to give their documents to their Housemaster/mistress when joining their House. Passports are difficult to replace, so it is important that they are kept safe. If a pupil loses their passport, they should inform their Housemaster/mistress and the Overseas Pupil Coordinator as soon as possible.
British Citizens
If you have become a British citizen since you were last issued with a BRP or eVisa, you will have the right to abode in the UK. To prove your right to be in the UK, you can use a British citizen passport or a certificate of entitlement of right of abode. If you have a British Passport, you do not need to do anything. If you have a Certificate of entitlement, you may need to take action and further details will be provided by the Home Office in due course.
Legacy paper document holders
You should make a “No time Limit” application, If: You have indefinite leave to enter or indefinite leave to remain, and You prove your rights using a passport containing an ink stamp or vignette sticker or use another type of legacy paper document. It is free to make a No Time Limit application. Find out more at Online immigration status (eVisa) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Travelling to the UK
In the future, you will be able to use your eVisa to travel to the UK. You will need your current passport, which must be registered to your UKVI account. Once you have been asked to set up your UKVI account, airlines and other carriers will be able to check digitally that you have permission to come to the UK. It will be important to ensure your UKVI account is always kept up to date with your current passport details and personal information, to avoid any disruptions at the border.
Important note
During 2025 you must continue to carry your in-date BRP card when travelling internationally. UKVI will be updating their information on how to prove your immigration status throughout the rest of the year. Please remember your immigration status will not be affected but when told to do so you will need to take action.
EU Pre-Settled Status – changes
The Home Office has announced that EU Pre-Settled status holders will have their permission extended from 2 to 5 years. This will be automatic and will be reflected in your digital status. If you are registered under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), you will already have a UKVI account and an eVisa. There is nothing further you need to do ahead of the eVisa transition date of 31 December 2024.
Guardians
Guardians play a significant role in your child’s educational journey in the UK: they act as the first port of call-in case of emergencies, liaise with the school over pastoral matters, help with travel arrangements and create a home-from-home during exeats and school holidays. Please see our Guardianship Policy for more information about choosing a guardian. You can also contact AEGIS for help and guidance finding a guardian.
Guardianship nomination forms and guardian acceptance forms are available to download from our parent portal.
Arrival into the UK
Due to the National Minimum Standards for Boarding and the requirements by the UKVI (Home office), those with visas must comply with all aspects of immigration rules and sponsor guidance.
Pupils must only travel to the UK when their visa has been issued. Pupils who have a Child Student Visa cannot travel to the UK on a Visitor Visa whilst waiting for their Child Student Visa to be issued. Once a pupil’s visa has been granted and transportation to the UK has been organised, arrival information must be communicated to the school as soon as possible via a form along with information regarding who will accompany the pupil to the UK and where they will be staying if they are not going directly to School. The pupil, if travelling unaccompanied, must carry with them on arriving in the UK a letter from their parents or legal guardian that confirms who will be collecting the pupil and transporting them to the School/ Boarding House on the first day of term. Those pupils who are U16 may also be required to show the name and number of the taxi company or person who will be picking them up. It is common for the boarder force staff to call the taxi company from the airport.
We do advise that all parents complete the Consent to Travel Form to the UK on behalf of their child to stop any unnecessary questions at the border and to make their arrival into the UK a smooth one.
Right to Study Checks
The right-to-study check for sponsored students only is done in the first week at the start of term. Our Overseas Pupil Coordinator will do an in-person check at the Pupil Social Centre or boarding houses. Students will need to provide the relevant documents from the list below. Copies will be taken of all documents in person. We are required to check that the information you provide meets UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requirements and ensure that you have the right to study in the UK. We store copies of your documents as part of our sponsor duties.
Please remind your son/daughter to have these documents ready for their Right to Study Checks which will take place at the start of the September term.
Boarding Passs (paper format or Electronic Pass)
Luggage Tag
Copy of your share code if you have an eVisa
Travel throughout the year
Throughout the year you will be receiving school travel forms where you are required to log details of your arrival into the UK, half terms, fixed exeats, and holidays. It is vitally important that you complete all forms regarding any travel to and from the UK and staying in the UK as UKVI expect the school to hold this information.
Any pupils arriving after 10pm at night will need to stay overnight with their guardian or a homestay host before arriving at the school the following day. We do keep our Social Centre open from 9.30am to 5pm on the day term starts (pupils are usually required to arrive by 6.0pm) for any who wish to come straight to school when they land but the expectation is that guardians should look after pupils if they arrive early in the morning or at night.
Fixed Exeat
There are 3 fixed weekend exeats during the year (see the Term dates on the website) and all pupils are required to leave the school over these weekends. The dates and times confirmed on the travel forms. It is essential that the whereabouts of all boarders over these weekends is known to the Housemaster or Housemistress and that all boarders have an adult who is responsible for them. Overseas boarders are required to stay with friends or with their guardian if they cannot return home.
Attendance
Department for Education Attendance policy requires that every pupil attends school for the published term dates. Therefore, if there is significant reason to require your child to either leave school earlier than the end of term, or to arrive later than the start of term, application must be made well in advance to the school’s Senior Attendance Champion on attendance@kings-school.co.uk
Please copy the relevant Housemaster/mistress into this email, and please ensure that you provide as much detail as possible as to the reasons for not being able to attend school for all of the dates provided. It must be noted that it is highly likely that the majority of these requests will result in a recording of unauthorised absence which can have a significant impact for child student visa holders.
Please see the attendance policy for further information, this can be found on our Policies area on the main school website.
Flexi-boarding
The launch of flexi-boarding
We will be launching a ‘Flexi Boarding’ provision from the Autumn Term next academic year. Further details will be circulated in due course, but it is intended that this new day house facility will enable families to book short term boarding accommodation for day pupils (for example periods of up to 3 days per week, adhoc nights to facilitate attendance at certain events, or bookings at blocks of time when parents are away from home, or reservations to stay 1-2 nights per week on the same night each week throughout 1-2 terms).
Exeat provision for boarders
It is our plan that the additional accommodation provided by this new provision will also help our full boarders during exeat weekends from September 2025. Whilst most overseas boarders stay with friends, families or guardians during exeat weekends, it is the intention to offer an opportunity to book to remain in the Flexi House over exeat weekends, and we hope that this will be a valuable service for some of those for whom organising alternative accommodation at exeats is sometimes more challenging.
Weekend Leave
Parents can request weekend leave for their children but must get permission of the Housemaster or Housemistress. Pupils on weekend leave are not allowed to depart until after their sport commitment on Saturday (games sessions will end at about 2.30pm whilst matches will end a later depending on venue) and should return by 9.30pm on Sunday evening. Once a pupil has returned to school from exeat they are under school rules and should be in the appropriate place (i.e., Evensong, prep etc.). Boarders may take Sunday leave (i.e., to go out on Sunday to visit family or friends) whenever they are free but on such occasions are expected to attend the Sunday service, be this in the morning or evening, and any other commitments they might have.
Weekend leave details must be obtained by the Housemaster or Housemistress from parents before a boarder is given permission to leave and all parents are asked to request weekend leave using the house form by the previous Thursday evening at the very latest so there is time to make any checks that are needed. Weekend leaves are intended for pupils to go home and rest and should not be used for parties etc. If a pupil wishes to go anywhere other than home, then the Housemaster or Housemistress will need to have contact from the pupil’s parents and from whoever will be responsible for the pupil over the weekend period.
The Start of Term
At the start of each Autumn term new pupils will be told when they are expected to arrive at their boarding houses. Parents are invited to a reception with the staff and the Head and have a chance to meet other parents. Pupils will be well looked after during this time and have an induction programme to follow. Housemasters and Housemistresses will send separate details about arrival at their house and anything specific that your son or daughter might need.
All new pupils are well looked after in their houses, with mentors / buddies / guardian angels according to house tradition. Although King’s can seem a large and complicated school to get to know, new pupils quickly find their feet and know their way around. In the first few weeks, everyone makes a significant effort to help them and there are additional signposts put up to make things a little easier. For all new pupils, the first few days are long and tiring, with new experiences and plenty of meetings and activities as well as lessons. It is quite usual for some pupils to find this a bit overwhelming or to feel homesick, whilst others will be so busy enjoying it all that they will forget to contact home.
New Shells: Boarding houses will arrange various activities for new Shells on the first two weekends and day pupils are ideally expected to join these too. These are good bonding experiences and enable some of the older pupils to work with the new Shells.
New Removes: All new Removes will have a chance to get to know better those in their house on the first weekend of term and will also have various activities organised by the Head of Removes to help them settle and get to know each other as well as some of the other pupils.
New 6th Form: New sixth formers will have a chance to meet all their year group informally at a BBQ on the first Saturday evening of term.
School Shop
The school shop is located a 2-minute walk from the main entrance to The King’s School. You can purchase uniform, sports equipment and accessories from our range of King’s Collection merchandise.
St Alphege Church
St Alphege Lane Canterbury Kent
CT1 2EB
Tel: +44 (0)1227595551
Email: shop1@kings-bursary.co.uk
You can download a copy of all the information regarding school uniform from our parent portal and the uniform checklist.
Opening Hours
Monday 9.30am-3.00pm
Tuesday 9.30am-5.00pm
Wednesday Closed
Thursday 9.30am-5.00pm
Friday 9.30am-3.00pm
Saturday 9.00am-1.00pm (term time only)
Sunday Closed
Holiday Closures
Saturday 29 March – Monday 21 April 2025 (Easter Break)
Tuesday 20 May 2025 (Stocktake)
Saturday 24 May – Sunday 1 June 2025 (Half Term Break)
Saturday 19 July – Sunday 3 August 2025 (Summer Break)
Monday 11 August & Tuesday 12 August 2025 (Stocktake)
Saturday 23 August – Monday 25 August 2025 (Bank Holiday Weekend)
School Houses
School Houses and their abbreviations (for name tape purposes)
Bailey BY
Broughton BR
Carlyon CY
Galpin’s GL
The Grange GR
Harvey HH
Jervis JR
Kingsdown KD
Linacre LN
Luxmoore LX
Marlowe MR
Meister Omers MO
Mitchinson’s MT
New House NH
School House SH
Tradescant TR
Walpole WL
Bank Accounts in the UK
There is a wide choice of banks in the UK. Most international students are only eligible to open a basic or current account depending on the bank (and terminology will vary between banks). This provides a visa debit card and is usually combined with an online banking service. You will need photo ID and proof of address which our Overseas Pupil Coordinator can provide upon request for age 16 years and upwards. If you are under 18, you may need to follow a different process, and for certain banks, you may need to visit the branch in-person. You may also find that the type of account you can open will be different to students who are aged 18 or older.
Parents and family travelling to the UK for visits
Electronic Travel Authorisation to the UK ETA
The UK ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) scheme is a new requirement for non-visa nationals to obtain a digital permission to travel to the UK before arriving. It’s part of the UK government’s plan to strengthen and digitize the border and immigration system. The scheme applies to those who do not need a visa for short stays, including tourism, business, or short-term study.
Who can get an ETA?
Whether you can get an ETA depends on your nationality as shown on your passport.
Check if you can apply for an ETA.
How much it costs
It costs £16 to apply.
Everyone travelling needs to get an ETA, including babies and children. You can apply for other people.
You cannot get a refund after you apply.
How long it takes
You will usually get a decision within 3 working days. Most people get a much quicker decision. Occasionally, it may take longer than 3 working days.
Apply for an ETA
The easiest way to apply is using the UK ETA app. Download on the App Store Download on Google Play
Remember
The ETA is not a visa but does grant you permission to enter the country.
Useful Websites
Apply for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) - GOV.uk
How to apply for an ETA (video) - youtube.com
Staying in Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic city nestled in the heart of Kent. The city boasts a charming blend of ancient architecture, cultural landmarks, and vibrant atmosphere. Canterbury can offer a diverse array of hotels to suit all budgets. No matter where you stay you will be perfectly positioned to walk to the school, visit the iconic Canterbury Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and soak up the medieval charm of the city.
Suggested places to stay in Canterbury
Canterbury Cathedral Lodge
House of Agnes Hotel Canterbury
The White House Canterbury
Hampton by Hilton Canterbury
Cathedral Gate Hotel Canterbury
The Corner House Canterbury
Eastbridge Hospital
Restaurants
You will always be guaranteed a delicious meal when visiting Canterbury! The city is packed with award winning restaurants, cafes serving delicious food whatever your tastes.
Suggested restaurants:
The Ivy
Happy Samurai
Côte Brasserie
Posillipo Canterbury
The Parrot
The Cooks Tale
The Corner House
Café des Amis
A La Turka
The Good Shed
The Dog Wheelers Oyster Bar
Places of interest
Canterbury offers a rich tapestry of historical sites, cultural attractions, and natural beauty. Additionally, there are museums, galleries, and theatres to discover, along with nearby attractions such as punting along the river Stour, White Cliffs of Dover and many more.
Some useful websites of things to do in Canterbury and the surrounding area:
• 13 Best Things
• THE 10 BEST Things to Do in Canterbury - 2024 (with Photos) (tripadvisor.co.uk)
• Things To Do, What’s On, Accommodation - Visit Kent
• Find events - Visit Canterbury
• What’s on in Canterbury, Places to Stay and Eat, Attractions in Canterbury (whatsonincanterbury.com)
• What’s On at The Beaney, Canterbury (canterburymuseums.co.uk)
• The Marlowe (marlowetheatre.com)
• The Malthouse Theatre Canterbury
• Home | Canterbury Cathedral (canterbury-cathedral.org)
Travelling to Canterbury
One of the best ways to reach Canterbury is by train and the city has two train stations. The city is just under 1 hour from central London by direct high speed Southeastern train services, with two stations serving the rest of Kent and the southeast.
There are well connected bus and coach services and if you prefer to drive, Canterbury is served by the M2 motorway direct from London.
International visitors can reach us from the Port of Dover (20mins), Gatwick Airport (70mins) and Heathrow (90mins) by car or by public transport.
You can download the Canterbury town map and The King’s School map from the parent portal.
Car Parking
There are many places to park your car. Canterbury offers city centre parking, or a Park Ride service allowing you to park slightly outside the city and get a bus into town. Check the Canterbury City Council website for details on all council- run car parks.
St Radigund’s Car Park - nearest car parking to the Precincts via Mint Yard Gate entrance. Queningate Car Park – nearest car parking to St Augustine’s and entrance to the Precincts via Queningate entrance
Car parks in Canterbury all now operate with automatic number plate recognition technology, which means you only pay for the time you use. There are machines at the barriers where you can pay if you are an infrequent visitor.
