Lorenden has supported me to achieve things I never thought I’d achieve.
Year 6 pupil
I am thrilled to have been entrusted with the privilege of leading Lorenden Prep School. From the moment you arrive at our school you can sense the happy and friendly atmosphere, both in and out of the classroom, that allows pupils to blossom. As I greet our families at the gate each morning, the sight of our pupils smiling and even running or skipping into school brings joy to the heart. Our team here believe that children need to be happy in order to learn well and have the best possible school experience. As the late Rita Pierson once said: "Kids don't learn from people that they don't like."
It has been fascinating to talk to our parents about why they chose Lorenden for their children. A number of reasons emerged, whether it is our happy family atmosphere where children gain confidence to be themselves, our fabulous Early Years environment, our small class sizes, Forest School, successful Kent Test preparation or strong sports teams. We welcome all pupils to our fantastic school.
Lorenden pupils develop into self-disciplined, thoughtful children with a cheerful ‘can do’ attitude to life and a strong sense of fair play. We prepare them socially, physically and intellectually for secondary education and leave them with happy memories of their time with us. One parent told me recently that they wanted their child to have as close to an idyllic childhood as possible, and attending Lorenden was integral to that.
At Lorenden everyone is happy and wants to learn.
Year 3 pupil
We expect good manners, kindness and perseverance from everyone and our philosophy of “We Care. We Share. We Strive. We Succeed.” underpins everything that we do. Strong pastoral care is key to our success; we consistently reinforce positive behaviour with the reward of house points and 'gems' which are celebrated in assemblies each week.
Lorenden will always make you feel welcome whether it is your first day or your last.
Year 6 pupil
We are delighted that most of our pupils join Lorenden because of a recommendation from a current or previous parent. Younger siblings are invariably always enrolled once an older brother or sister has joined. We also attract parents who move into the area, often from London, who desire an ideal school that has high academic standards alongside a caring, family environment.
Being a community and a family is very important to us. New pupils across the school and their parents are made to feel very welcome – even pupils visiting for taster days do not want to leave!
We have extremely strong sports teams in the Prep School, offer a wide range of individual music lessons and small musical ensembles and are proud that pupils of all ages feel confident to perform solos in whole school assemblies. Our choir performs at key events throughout the year and a large scale production each summer showcases a wealth of dramatic talent.
I would be delighted to show you around our wonderful school soon.
We love the family atmosphere at Lorenden. The staff genuinely care about the children and our kids have blossomed with the attention and encouragement they receive. As parents we always feel welcome to pop in and that our thoughts and suggestions are listened to. We're looking forward to our third child joining the lovely caring community at Lorenden next year.
Year 1 and Year 3 parent
Richard McIntosh, Head of Lorenden Prep School