Looking forward ten years

The Strategic Plan

In October 2006, the Headmaster published a ten year Strategic Plan for Tonbridge (see the school's main website for the full version). The document reflects the views of Governors, Foundation members, staff, parents, Old Tonbridgians and the boys. In summary, the plan is built around four themes:

Boarding and the school's structure

Tonbridge will remain a boys' boarding school, maintaining the boarder/day boy ratio of around 60:40 within a total of about 750 pupils. Provision for boarding is being enhanced by a programme of boarding house upgrades and strengthened pastoral teams. The school will retain a strong House culture; House catering is an important feature of this, but its viability must be kept under review.

Achieving high standards

Tonbridge will continue to perform at the highest levels academically, culturally and in sport through the recruitment and retention of inspiring teachers, the provision of top class facilities and the recruitment of talented boys. Scholarships will play their part in admissions, but the school will recruit from a wider range of socio-economic backgrounds, capping 'standard' awards at 10% fee-remission and directing more funding towards means-tested awards.

The school will continue to teach beyond exam specifications, exposing boys to new ideas and giving them opportunities to develop intellectual curiosity and lifelong interests.

Social responsibility

Tonbridge encourages in its boys and staff a commitment to the service of others. Being on the edge of a busy town, the school is well placed to share its facilities and expertise with local schools and groups and this is set to expand thanks to the creation of a new post to oversee and develop the school's community links. We aim for every Tonbridgian to be involved at some point in a Service in the Community scheme. Additionally, Tonbridge will share expertise at a management level, acting as a co-sponsor school in the creation of a new academy on Romney Marsh in Kent.

Nurturing creativity and innovation

Tonbridgians are encouraged to be creative. This aspect of school life is now being given even greater emphasis with the development of the Media Centre within the new Tonbridge School Centre building and through the provision of a powerful new computer network which will open up diverse opportunities for the innovative use of technology.