Benenden School - Curricular Activities

Curricular Activities

There is a traditional school hall where Morning Prayers are taken. The entire school must assemble for this every morning, except Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, at 8:30. There is also a small chapel. Occasionally, the Sunday Services are taken in the village church, about 15–20 minutes' walk away.

Lessons at the school start at 9:00 am and carry on until 5:30 pm; there are six periods in the day, each lesson is one hour long. Sports practices take place during the lunch break as well as after lessons end. In addition there are two hours worth of lessons on Saturday mornings. Younger students will take a mixture of all subjects offered, as well as sports, music and PSHE classes.

Pupils studying for their GCSEs must generally take 9-11 subjects, including Mathematics, Science and English and one modern language. Classes average around 13 students at GCSE, and 6-8 students during A-levels. Drama and the Arts are popular; the School's annual play has on occasion been performed in London theatres such as the Palladium (Me and My Girl; 2002). The 2007 play was "Grease" held in the new theatre, completed in Feb 2007.

The school years are known, in order, as follows: Fourths (IV), Upper Fourths (UIV), Lower Fifths (LVths), Fifths (V), Upper Fifth (UV), Six Ones (VI1) and Six Twos (VI2). School prefects are classified as Upper Sixths. Instead of wearing the normal navy blue Sixth form uniform, they wear white and red striped blouses and grey jumpers. There are six junior houses,consisting of Marshall, Medway, Guldeford, Echyngham, Norris and Hemsted. The seniors, in their last two years, go to senior houses called Founders.