Round Square member school, giving pupils access to international exchanges and service projects worldwide.
Co-educational British boarding school in the heart of Kent
Why this school
Round Square member school, giving pupils access to international exchanges and service projects worldwide.
Campus sits within the grounds of a 12th-century Benedictine priory in Dover, Kent.
One campus runs from Nursery (age 2) through sixth form, with around 400 pupils enrolled.
Dover College is a co-educational independent day and boarding school in Dover, Kent, accepting pupils from age 2 through to the sixth form. The school was established in 1871 on the grounds of a 12th-century Benedictine priory, one of the more architecturally distinctive settings in British private education. Around 400 pupils are on roll across nursery, prep, and senior stages, all sharing a single campus. Dover College holds Round Square membership, a network connecting member schools through international exchanges and service projects. ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate) inspectors visited in February 2024. Admissions are open to day and full boarding pupils alike, and proximity to the Channel Tunnel makes the school straightforwardly accessible for European and international families.
Dover College follows the national curriculum framework through to GCSE, with A-levels in the sixth form. The school’s ‘Personal Best’ ethos translates in practice into small class sizes and teaching that adjusts pace and approach to the individual rather than the cohort. That structure suits pupils who benefit from closer teacher contact than is typical at larger independent schools. The prep stages (Reception through Prep 6) feed directly into the senior school, so families who join early follow an unbroken academic pathway from age 4 to 18.
Sixth form pupils at Dover College sit A-levels. The transition from GCSE happens within the same campus and pastoral structure, so pupils are not required to apply elsewhere or adapt to a new environment at 16. For boarding families who value continuity across the secondary years, that consistency is a practical advantage.
Dover College offers full and weekly boarding for senior pupils. Full boarding fees for Years 9–13 run to £52,836 per year (2025/26); weekly boarding for the same year groups is £47,208 per year. Full boarding for Years 7–8 is £46,950 per year. Day places are available across all senior years. The priory campus means boarding houses sit within a contained, historic site rather than being dispersed across town. With around 400 pupils across all stages, houseparents and tutors work with smaller groups than at many larger boarding schools. EAL (English as an Additional Language) support is available at £1,881 per year, relevant for the school’s international cohort.
Round Square membership brings structured involvement in international service, adventure, and leadership projects with member schools worldwide. The school also runs co-curricular activity across sport, performing arts, and creative subjects. The priory grounds provide outdoor space on-site. Because the school is relatively compact, pupils tend to participate across multiple activities rather than competing for places in large year-group pools.
The school occupies the grounds of a 12th-century Benedictine priory in Dover town, Kent. Historic buildings share the campus with modern teaching and boarding facilities, all on one self-contained site covering nursery, prep, and senior departments. Dover’s position on the Kent coast, close to the Channel Tunnel terminal and the ferry port, gives the school an unusually direct connection to continental Europe. That matters practically for boarding families travelling from France, Belgium, or further afield.
Gatwick Airport is approximately one hour from Dover by road or rail. The Channel Tunnel terminal at Folkestone is under 15 minutes away, and the Dover ferry port connects directly to Calais. London St Pancras is reachable in under two hours via Dover Priory station, with Eurostar connections onward to Paris and Brussels.
Annual tuition
£52,836 per year · full boarding · Senior · Years 9-13
Other tier breakdowns shown below.
| Stage | Year groups | Type | Audience | Fee / year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Prep | Reception | Day | — | £13,200 |
| Pre-Prep | Prep 1 & 2 | Day | — | £14,124 |
| Pre-Prep | Prep 3 & 4 | Day | — | £15,669 |
| Pre-Prep | Prep 5 & 6 | Day | — | £17,601 |
| Senior | Years 7-8 | Day | — | £20,925 |
| Senior | Years 9-13 | Day | — | £25,182 |
| Senior | Years 7-8 | Weekly boarding | — | £36,663 |
| Senior | Years 9-13 | Weekly boarding | — | £47,208 |
| Senior | Years 7-8 | Full boarding | — | £46,950 |
| Senior | Years 9-13 | Full boarding | — | £52,836 |
Additional fees
Deposit
£550
Registration
£120
EAL / year
£1,881
Gatwick Airport (~1 hr by road or rail); Channel Tunnel terminal ~15 min; Dover ferry port on the doorstep.
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Full boarding for Years 9–13 costs £52,836 per year (2025/26), or £17,612 per term. Weekly boarding for the same year groups is £47,208 per year (£15,736 per term). Full boarding for Years 7–8 is £46,950 per year. All fees include VAT.
Yes. The school accepts pupils from age 2 in its Nursery, progressing through Pre-Prep (Reception to Prep 6) and into the senior school. All stages share one campus in Dover, Kent, giving families an unbroken educational pathway from early years to sixth form.
Dover College follows the GCSE pathway in the senior school and offers A-levels in the sixth form for pupils aged 16–18. Both are taught on the same campus, with no requirement to move schools at 16.
Dover College is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). The most recent inspection took place in February 2024.
The registration fee is £120, with a deposit of £550 also required. EAL (English as an Additional Language) support is available at an additional £1,881 per year for pupils who need it.
Dover is served by the Channel Tunnel terminal at Folkestone (under 15 minutes away) and the Dover ferry port, with direct sailings to Calais. Gatwick Airport is approximately one hour away. London St Pancras, with Eurostar connections, is reachable in under two hours from Dover Priory station.
Dover College holds Round Square membership, connecting the school to a global network of member schools. Pupils can take part in international exchanges, service projects, and leadership programmes through that network.
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