Bennett Memorial Diocesan School

Bennett Memorial Diocesan School is an all ability co-educational academy in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England, which caters for students from age 11 to 18.

History
The school was founded on 17 October 1951 by Lady Elena Bennett of Matfield and Christopher M. Chavasse Bishop of Rochester. Lady Bennett donated the funding for the school in memory of her late husband, Sir Thomas Bennett.

Lady Bennett designed the school’s coat of arms. The badger was chosen by Lady Bennett because her maiden name was Brooke-Jones (which reminded her of brock, a name for a badger) as well as often seeing badgers around the school site. She chose the school’s motto, Semper Tenax, because she believed the school would maintain Christian values.

The school opened to 400 students and 18 teachers on 8 January 1953. In 1976 Bennett became a comprehensive school, accepting students of all abilities from a large part of the Diocese of Rochester rather than just Tunbridge Wells. It was shortly after this time that the Bennett sixth form was opened for A-Level students. In 1993 Bennett accepted boys into Year 7.

Pupils from the school were chosen to form part of a "guard of honour" for athletes at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games, displaying artistic creations their school made to celebrate the event.

In 2012, the school announced plans for a new sixth form centre. Construction of the Sixth Form Study Centre started in March 2013, and it opened to staff and students in January 2014. It was opened in February 2014 by the Education Secretary Michael Gove.

The 3G Pitch was built in 2017 so that rugby and football could be played in any weather conditions.

Inspections by Ofsted
The school's first inspection by Ofsted after becoming an academy was in 2012, with a judgement of Outstanding. The school's second inspection was in 2023, again with a judgement of Outstanding.