About King's School Canterbury

[cheungxmui]

Hi all, anyone know anything about King's Canterbury? To be honest, I am from overseas so I don't know anything about the reputation of this school, but at first it seems like a good school so I am considering it for my dd.

At first, it seem like a very good school. But I am a bit worry now, because as I speak with some parents they say even though this school have good academics they have a bad reputation for bullying. I have heard that many students become bullied in this school. So I am thinking, is this true? How is the pastoral care at this school?

Can someone who is familiar tell me something. Thank you.

We have friends with DC at King's and I asked them about pastoral care there. They said they were not aware of any problems and were surprised by your comment. Pastoral care had always been one of the school's selling points.
That said, I think you should be aware that bullying takes place at all schools - state, private, boarding, day, boys, girls, co-ed. Any school that tells you it does not is lying. What is important is how a school deals with it. You should be asking them questions about measures in place to reduce bullying. What is said to students when they start? How are senior students in the house briefed to deal with incidents that they may notice? Does each child have someone to turn to? Someone outside the academic staff? Someone outside the house hierarchy? Can the school give specific examples of how they have dealt with bullying?
As a parent of overseas boarders myself I am aware that they are potentially the most vulnerable demographic in a school. They do not go home often, their parents are unable to visit that often and there are also sometimes cultural reasons for them finding it difficult to adjust - these can range from language difficulties and misunderstandings to having been a spoiled only child at home and finding community living a bit of a shock.
I do not think that overseas boarding - especially not intercontinental boarding - is a good thing for a sensitive child. But for a more robust individual it can be an immensely rewarding experience.

Eleanorrigby, thanks very much for all the info

I don't have children at Kings but every year children from DSs prep school go there and have done for years and something that strikes me is that I have never heard anything negative about the school. I have never heard of bullying and have always heard only positive comments.

Thank you all very much. These comments make me more reassured now.

Hi - my DC started in shell this year / overseas children spread across the houses and amongst friendship groups - no problem at all very much embraced - we are not overseas parents but mine says all mix in well - we can't have been happier tbh with its pastoral care and communication with parents - it is a very caring school where diversity is seen as something to be celebrated be it differences in interests / different countries etc