Choosing the Right School
As we prepare to leave London, finding the right school has been my top priority. A visit to Somerhill in Tonbridge made me think my search might be over.
Choosing the right school is one of the most personal and important decisions a parent can make, and often the best insight comes from those who have recently been through the process themselves. In this feature, we hear from a Somerhill parent who recently visited the school in Tonbridge while preparing for a family move from London. Their reflections capture the atmosphere, ethos, and everyday life of this much-loved independent prep school that blends tradition with innovation and community with academic ambition.
We’re moving to Kent for more space, greenery and a slower pace of life. While friends ask where we’ll live, my first question has always been about our child’s school. Choosing the right one is deeply personal. You want a place where your child will be happy and confident, challenged but supported – a place that feels like home while broadening their horizons.
I visited Somerhill, an independent prep school in Tonbridge. I’d heard a lot from friends whose children were already there, so I went along as both a journalist and a parent, hoping the school’s reputation matched reality.
What I found was a school that balances ambition with warmth – a place that encourages children to explore, express themselves and, most importantly, enjoy learning. Children can start at Somerhill from the age of two, moving from Nursery to Kindergarten and then Reception, affectionately known as “Big School”. Girls can stay until Year 6 and boys until Year 8. What struck me most was the school’s distinctive structure: co-educational from Nursery to Year 2, then single-sex teaching from Year 3 onwards, while still coming together for lunch, playtimes, clubs and trips.
It’s a model I hadn’t encountered before, and it made immediate sense. Many top-performing schools favour single-sex teaching. Somerhill’s approach feels like the best of both worlds; academically, it recognises that boys and girls often mature at different rates, while socially it preserves the richness of mixed friendships and shared experiences.
My tour began in the early years. There was an atmosphere of calm purpose, laughter and movement, but it was focused, the kind of energy that comes from children who feel secure and engaged. Staff were guiding and responding with gentle precision. Activities were playful yet thoughtfully designed to spark learning.
Saplings, the school’s outdoor learning programme was set up to enhance the early years education and it is amazing. Whatever the weather, children are out exploring, building and discovering. The facilities include a heated yurt for story time, hot lunches from the kitchen and even plumbed toilets and running water. Watching children build dens and hunt for mini-beasts, I could see how much confidence and joy this freedom brings. If a lesson can be taught better outside, it will be.
Reception, the final year of the early years, is particularly impressive. Children’s reading, writing and maths skills are strong, and with specialist teachers in music, PE, swimming, games, French and woodlands, it’s easy to see how much breadth is offered even to the youngest learners. This level of teaching expertise and exciting curriculum delivery continues seamlessly into Years 1 and 2, giving pupils an outstanding foundation.
Somerhill is set in a 400-year-old Jacobean mansion surrounded by 150 acres of parkland. It feels a bit like Hogwarts and a bit like a storybook, but it has a clear sense of purpose. The facilities are exceptional: a beautiful library, engineering lab, music suite, sports hall, a 25-metre pool, astro pitches, rugby and football fields, cricket nets and courts for tennis and netball. Two-thirds of pupils play an instrument, and the art and drama rooms burst with colour and energy.
From Year 3, pupils begin engineering lessons, and by Year 5 many STEM subjects are taught by specialist teachers. The school follows the Prep School Baccalaureate, which combines academic challenge with life skills, preparing children not just for exams but for life beyond them.
While many pupils move on after Year 6, Somerhill offers an extended journey for boys who stay through Years 7 and 8, two years that can be genuinely transformative. These final prep years provide a bridge between childhood and senior school, allowing boys to grow in confidence and maturity in a familiar setting. With their own common room, leadership roles and specialist teaching, they get a taste of senior school life while remaining in a supportive environment.
When I spoke with some of the older pupils, I was struck by their confidence and poise. They spoke clearly, made eye contact and had that rare blend of maturity and humour that’s hard to teach. It’s easy to see why Somerhill pupils move on successfully to schools like Tonbridge, Sevenoaks and Hurst. For many, those two extra years seem to be the making of them; time to grow up gently, but with purpose.
Academic standards are high, with more grammar school places offered to Somerhill pupils than any other prep in the area, yet well-being is equally valued. Pastoral care runs through daily life: worry boxes, open-door policies and a culture of kindness ensure every child feels supported. The pupils I met were happy, confident and comfortable in their own skin – the kind of security that allows real learning to thrive.
Somerhill also listens to parents. In response to feedback, the school now offers a pre-school holiday school and holiday clubs from Reception to Year 8, helping working families and keeping children connected with friends. Wraparound care is equally thoughtful, with a breakfast club from 7.30am, a free early-bird drop-off from 7.45am and after-school clubs and prep until 5.45pm. New minibus routes even include local train stations, making the morning routine easier for commuting families. You can drop off the car, put your child on the bus and still catch your train – a small but thoughtful detail that makes a big difference.
I am told the Parents’ Association is thriving, which is great for newcomers like us who want to make friends. From Burns Night and family days to Easter hunts, Christmas fairs, pantomimes, wreath-making and wine tastings, the calendar is full. There’s no pressure to attend everything; you can join in as time allows, but it’s clearly a vibrant, welcoming community.
Finding the right school can feel like a full-time job, but as I left Somerhill that day, I felt that rare calm that comes when something just feels right; the sense that I’d found something truly special.
Now we just need to find a house.