OUR NEW PRE-PREP AND JUNIOR SCHOOL OPENING SEPTEMBER 2027
King Edward’s School is delighted to announce a major development that will bring our Pre-Prep and Junior Schools together on our North Road campus by September 2027. This transformational project will create a single, purpose-built school for children aged 3 to 11.
This significant investment represents the next phase in the School’s long history of educational excellence and reflects the ongoing demand for a King Edward’s education. KES enters this exciting new phase from a position of strength, following a year in which it was named South West Independent Secondary School of the Year by The Sunday Times and was a Prep School finalist in the Independent School of the Year Awards in recognition of its provision and culture of care for its primary age pupils.
By bringing our 3-11yrs provision together on the North Road site, we will combine our Early Years expertise with the very best aspects of ourJunior offering to create a sector-leading, future-focused primary education, one that celebrates academic ambition, nurtures curiosity and supports every child to flourish.
I am enormously excited to lead this new chapter for our primary aged community. Our aim is to give children of all ages a sense of belonging and continuity on the North Road site in a purpose-built school for children aged 3-11, which will be characterised by exceptional facilities and inspirational, highly skilled specialist teaching. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape something truly special for our pupils, and I look forward to working closely with families and colleagues as we bring this vision to life.”
SEAN PRICE, HEAD OF THE PRE-PREP AND JUNIOR SCHOOL
This is about building for the future rather than simply maintaining what we already have. King Edward’s has evolved many times across its history, and this is another step in that journey. It’s a really exciting opportunity to create something that will benefit pupils and families for generations to come.”
Martin boden, headmaster
A Major £3 Million Strategic Investment in Outstanding Primary Education
To realise this vision, the Junior School North Road site will undergo a £3 million programme of redevelopment to create an exceptional learning space tailored to pupils from Nursery through to Year 6. New and enhanced facilities will include:
- A dedicated Early Years area, with bright, spacious classrooms and indoor/outdoor free-flow environments.
- Specialised Pre-Prep classroom spaces, with bespoke play spaces and equipment.
- An innovative and reimagined STEM hub (the Junior School already has its own Science laboratory), with an emphasis on Technology, Art and Design.
- A significantly enhanced music facility, including a new teaching and performance centre with associated practice rooms.
- A transformed outdoor education area, boasting a new outdoor classroom, revitalised dipping ponds, fire pits and den areas to create an outstanding learning environment.
- An extended kitchen to support a bespoke menu expressly designed for younger pupils.
- Improved practical amenities, including new changing rooms, toilets and staff workspaces.
- A new reception area to provide a welcoming and secure entry to the School for families and visitors alike.
These developments reflect the School’s long standing belief that children thrive in an environment that is stimulating, nurturing and ambitious, an ethos echoed throughout the whole of King Edward’s School.
“Outdoor education is another key part of the vision. Our plans include a new outdoor classroom and improved natural learning spaces so we can really bring that area to life and strengthen enrichment and outdoor education for all children.”
SEAN PRICE, HEAD OF THE PRE-PREP AND JUNIOR SCHOOL
For pupils, it will open up a much wider range of opportunities from an earlier age. Younger children will have far greater access to facilities already available on the North Road site, including the theatre, sports hall, astroturf and specialist teaching spaces.”
SEAN PRICE, HEAD OF THE PRE-PREP AND JUNIOR SCHOOL
A Seamless Journey from Age 3 to 11yrs
Bringing the primary education together on one site will offer our pupils a seamless and aligned curriculum, with enhanced specialist teaching and strengthened collaboration between staff.
The move will also have a significant benefit for parents, staff and the wider local community. Operating across two sites currently generates cross-city travel for many families and colleagues. Bringing all our younger pupils together at North Road will remove this journey, reducing traffic across Bath.
This change also marks a historic moment for the School as a whole. It will be the first time since the 1960s that the entire KES community has been based on a single site, creating an enhanced sense of unity and purpose and reflecting one of its core values: Learn Together, Grow Together.
The combined Pre-Prep and Junior School is led by our former Junior Head, Sean Price. Sean’s extensive experience in through-primary leadership will ensure a confident and visionary approach to this exciting transition.
One of the biggest advantages will be the aspirational culture that comes from having younger and senior pupils together. Junior children already gain huge value from seeing older pupils perform, compete and lead, and bringing the Pre-Prep onto the campus will allow that sense of possibility to start even earlier. They can see what the future could look like, and that aspiration becomes part of everyday life.”
Martin boden, headmaster
Looking Ahead
The current Weston Lane Pre-Prep site has been formally listed for sale, through Knight Frank, along with a planning and listed building consent application to support the proposed disposal of the site. A planning application for the North Road campus has been submitted.
With this significant step, King Edward’s School continues to honour its commitment to providing exceptional education, exceptional care and exceptional opportunity for every pupil aged 3-18 years.
KES families typically join the School with a long-term view, expecting their children to move through from the early years to sixth form. Bringing the Pre-Prep onto the same campus to join the Junior School provision will make that journey feel much more connected from the very beginning.”
Martin boden headmaster
