A proud past and purposeful present
A recent article in Bath Life Magazine (page 113) highlighted the history of Bath's schools, including King Edward's School. Research for the article included delving into our archive for imagery. Whilst doing so, we wrote a short article on the School's history and ethos, shared below.
Founded in 1552, King Edward’s School, Bath (KES) is the city’s oldest school and one of its most enduring institutions. Its story begins with the dissolution of Bath Priory in 1539, which left the city without its original grammar school, previously run by monks. Concerned by the lack of education available for their sons, the Mayor and citizens of Bath petitioned the young King Edward VI to provide funds for a new grammar school. Their efforts were rewarded with a Royal Charter in July 1552, which declared “that for the future there should be and will be one grammar school in the said City of Bath… for the teaching, education and instruction of boys and young men in grammar, to continue for ever.”
Originally styled as ‘the Free Grammar School of King Edward VI’, the school was locally known as ‘The Free School’, meaning free from restrictions, and later Bath Grammar School. It adopted its current name, King Edward’s School, Bath, in the late 19th century.
The school’s first home was in Frog Lane (now New Bond Street), where it educated fee-paying boys aged 7-15, selected on academic merit. Already literate in English, pupils focused on Latin and Greek, with many continuing their studies at Oxford. By 1583, the school had moved into the nave of the disused church of St Mary’s by the North Gate, remaining there for nearly 200 years. In 1754, recognising the need for more suitable premises, the Corporation of Bath and the school’s trustees approved Thomas Jelly’s plans for a new building on Broad Street. Though no longer owned by the school, the building still stands today.
KES’s connection to Bath’s sporting heritage is notable. In the 1880s, the school rented playing fields on the site now known as The Rec, predating Bath Rugby’s use of the grounds, which began in 1894. Today, that legacy continues with Old Edwardian Max Ojomoh playing for Bath Rugby.
Academic excellence has always been a hallmark of KES. The 18th century saw the rise of distinguished alumni such as Admiral Sir Sidney Smith, who defended Acre against Napoleon, and Thomas De Quincey, friend of Wordsworth and Coleridge. Team sports also flourished, with rugby introduced in the 1890s and cricket and football officially recognised soon after. The school’s Founder’s Day Service, established post-World War II, continues to be held at Bath Abbey.
By 1918, the school had grown to 225 boys. The Direct Grant status gained in 1920 enabled the admission of able boys from less affluent homes, a tradition continued through the Assisted Places Scheme in 1981 and the school’s own means-tested Bursary Fund, established in the 1990s and still active today.
In 1959, the school moved to its current site on North Road, allowing for significant expansion. The Junior School remained at Broad Street until 1988, when the site was sold and the proceeds used to build the present-day Junior School. A commemorative pageant along Great Pulteney Street marked the move. Further milestones include the purchase of The Park School in 1996 to establish a Pre-Prep, and the admission of girls to Sixth Form in 1986, with full co-education following in 1997.
Today, KES is a thriving, inclusive school with over 1,100 pupils across two Bath sites. Its close ties to the city continue through outreach, volunteering, and partnerships with Bath Abbey, Bath Philharmonia, and local state schools, among others. Routinely ranked as the top-performing independent co-ed school in the South West*, KES is described by The Good Schools Guide as, “Proud to remain academically pacy but equally proud that it’s also an enriching and nurturing school in which pupils thrive.”
Pastoral care is central to school life, with programmes like Learning for Life and Peer Mentoring supporting over 200 pupils. The school’s performing arts programme has won awards, and its sporting tradition remains strong - last year, the 1st XV rugby team won the Vase competition at the Rosslyn Park School Sevens, the largest schools sevens competition in the world.
KES’s commitment to accessibility continues through its Bursary Programme, the largest of its kind in the area, which supports around 130 pupils annually with £1.3 million in funding. Later this year, the school will launch the 1552 Foundation, a charitable initiative aimed at removing barriers and creating opportunities for all. As KES approaches its 475th anniversary in 2027, the Foundation will help grow the School’s bursary provision, deepen outreach, and enhance the educational environment.
A new three-storey building - The Thomson Building - is also set to open later this term, housing 14 classrooms and pastoral spaces - another step forward for a school that continues to honour its past while embracing the future.
*Parent Power Survey commissioned by The Sunday Times
The photo gallery below reveals images from our past and present, from old style science laboratories to a pageant to mark leaving the Broad Street site.
