The New School at West Heath (or simply The New School) is an independent school in Sevenoaks, in southeast England. It caters for children for whom mainstream schooling has become insufficient, for varying reasons. While many are not mentally or physically disabled, many have been through harsh circumstances and suffer from related things such as emotional trauma, which fits with the school's motto, "Rebuilding damaged lives."
The school, founded in its current form as a charitable trust on 14 September 1998 as The Beth Marie Centre, is based in 31 acres (13 ha) of parkland on lease from Mohamed Al-Fayed, who has contributed almost £3 million GBP towards the school. The building formerly housed the school where Diana, Princess of Wales received her childhood education along with her two older sisters, Sarah and Jane. It was then called West Heath Girls School and was a very exclusive girls school with around 100 boarding pupils.
"The school is becoming a real living memorial to the life of Diana, Princess of Wales and her companion Dodi Al Fayed." --Valerie May, Principal
Read more about The New School At West Heath: History and Grounds, Management, General Information, Post 16, Fund A Child's Education (FaCE)
Famous quotes containing the words school, west and/or heath:
“A sure proportion of rogue and dunce finds its way into every school and requires a cruel share of time, and the gentle teacher, who wished to be a Providence to youth, is grown a martinet, sore with suspicions; knows as much vice as the judge of a police court, and his love of learning is lost in the routine of grammars and books of elements.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“The trouble about soldiers in Mr. Siegfried Sassoon’s poetry ... is that they are the kind of people who in a railroad train have to travel with their backs to the engine. Peace can have but few corners softly padded enough for such sensitives.”
—Rebecca West (1892–1983)
“We are the trade union for pensioners and children, the trade union for the disabled and the sick ... the trade union for the nation as a whole.”
—Edward Heath (b. 1916)