Arts

The creative and performing arts offer at Kent College develops confidence, creativity and discipline with students encouraged to find their passions. Art, Dance, Drama, Music and Textiles are curriculum subjects to Year 9 with many students continuing to study for GCSE, A Level and BTEC. Scholarships are on offer at Year 7, 9 and Sixth Form across all disciplines to outstanding candidates.

From starring in top level productions, being part of a dance troupe or in the orchestra to designing costumes or running technical theatre, there are opportunities to get involved for students of all ages.

Our subject teachers inspire and help our students excel by being actual practitioners – trained dancers, opera singers, recording artists, professional musicians, costume designers, artists, photographers and graphic designers.


There is an ethos of industriousness, collaboration and celebrating individual talents within the creative arts. The Countess of Wessex 200-seat theatre sees some serious action with two slick productions a year some of them double cast from senior and junior for maximum participation and ‘all-hands-on-deck’.

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This Is Us

  • Amadeus 2023
  • Mozart Mania 2023
  • Music at Kent College

Drama

Drama is at the heart of Kent College school life. The annual whole school production includes students from Year 5 to the Upper Sixth, and are West End standard. Recent musical theatre productions include The Mystery of Edwin Drood, SIX The Musical, Sweeney Todd, The Secret Garden and Phantom of the Opera. Plays have included Amadeus, Medea and Parable of the Banished.

Students in Years 7 to 9 have the opportunity to take part in the Lower School summer production, Drama CGSE students will perform their assessed pieces and Drama Scholars will present at our annual Drama show.

Performances take place in the Countess of Wessex Theatre (named after Kent College Old Girl) which is a modern 250 seat venue with a large stage, orchestra pit and professional technical control box. Students have the opportunity to perform, be part of the stage and technical crew, make up, set design and costumes, as well as front of house.

Dance

Dance is taught in our dedicated dance studio and in the Countess of Wessex Theatre. It is part of the curriculum from Year 7 where students study a range of dance styles. There are extra-curricular clubs for Ballet, Contemporary Dance, Street Dance, and a Junior Dance Company. Dance is taught at GCSE and as a BTEC for Sixth Form.

The annual Dance Showcase is a celebration of dance talent from across the school and is a wonderful opportunity for students to develop their technical skills, performance skills and confidence in front of an audience. The Dance Department also works closely with Drama and has a dance troupe within the whole school and lower school productions.

Dance at Kent College hopes to inspire a lifelong passion whilst developing transferable skills such as team working, communication and problem solving.

Music

Our dedicated Music centre is where musical talent thrives under the direction of talented teachers. We have a recording studio, specialist teaching and practice rooms, and a state-of-the-art computer suite with sound equipment, software and keyboards. Musicians perform in the Countess of Wessex Theatre, the Organ Room and Pembury Old Church for their shows that include an Open Mic Night, concerts and musical theatre productions.

Numerous and varied orchestras, choirs, bands, composition and instrumental groups ensure students can develop their musical talent and perform together. Instrumental and singing teachers provide weekly tuition across almost any instrument for many Kent College students.

Creative Arts

From our purpose built spacious art studios, students produce high quality work using a range of equipment and materials. We offer painting, printmaking and ceramics and have a fully equipped kiln room.

Photography is taught at A Level and is a popular choice for creative students. The department has professional equipment and software, with a darkroom and studio lighting area for shoots.

In Textiles, students have expert tuition in both surface design and construction. The rooms have industry standard machines and sublimation printing facilities. The department runs the popular annual Young Fashion Designer award.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available in Art, Dance, Drama and Music for talented candidates who join the school at Year 7, Year 9 and Sixth Form. They are awarded to students who demonstrate a particularly high standard of achievement. Students may receive multiple scholarships and may apply for up to two practical scholarships.

Scholars are enrolled onto a specialist Scholars' programme that includes a dedicated staff supervisor with whom they have one-to-one sessions to provide feedback, set targets, review progress as well as help with balancing the demands on their time.

To apply for a Scholarship please click here.