Our School History

Kenley School’s origins can be traced to Kenley Church of England Voluntary Primary, Junior, Mixed and Infants School, which opened in 1885 as an all-age National school, It was sited on the Godstone Road opposite the waterworks and started with a roll of 97 children.

In 1926 the senior children transferred to Roke central school and the school was renamed Kenley Church of England school.

By the 1920s, the building was showing its age. There were few facilities, a small playground and what were described as “very open air” toilets. The annual sports day took place on a lime bed of the waterworks.

One of the annual highlights is reported to have been the Empire Day celebrations.

In 1936 a new school, Kenley County Primary Junior, Mixed and Infants, was opened in New Barn Lane to serve the housing that had sprung up in the vicinity of Valley Road, on the opposite side of the railway line. It had excellent facilities, with a new building and excellent playing fields, which still remain.

At the outbreak of the Second World War the lack of an air raid shelter – bear in mind the school’s proximity to RAF Kenley – meant the pupils of Kenley Church of England School were moved to become part of this new school.

At this time the roll was approximately 110 children, divided into two infant and two junior classes and there were four teachers.

Today the school has approximately 222 pupils aged 4 to 11 years. The children are grouped on the basis of age into seven classes. We have a well-equipped library, a computer suite and separate dining hall.

Our lovely site includes a playing field of considerable size, bordered by trees and grassy slopes, plus two hard-surface playground areas.