The King’s School, Bruton Foundation comprises three schools - King’s Bruton, Hazlegrove and Sunny Hill Nursery - and offers the opportunity for a continuity of outstanding education for girls and boys age 2 to 18.  

The schools are united by a common set of values and principles and bound by a shared history that stretches back to the foundation of King’s in 1519. A junior school was started at King’s in 1902 and was established as an IAPS Preparatory School in 1947 when it moved to Hazlegrove House, which the Foundation purchased in 1953. Sunny Hill Nursery joined the Foundation in 2022.

King’s Bruton, with a pupil body of around 360, has a reputation of being among the very best small schools in the South West. It is co-educational and the majority of pupils are full boarders. It offers excellence in teaching and pastoral care with pupils achieving excellence in academic subjects, sports and arts, within an ethos that emphasises a sense of community, mutual value and respect. It offers an intrinsically fulfilling educational experience, as well as providing the great majority of its pupils access to their university or tertiary institution of choice.

Hazlegrove, slightly larger than King’s, is also co-educational and has a significant boarding community. It has a high reputation for academic achievement and is also very strong in sports, music and the performing arts. The School aims to make learning an exciting experience and encourages children to be aware of their environment. All pupils are engaged in different and innovative projects.

Sunny Hill Nursery is located on a wonderful site on the former Bruton School for Girls campus and provides nursery education for boys and girls whose families mainly live in and around Bruton.

As part of a single Foundation, King’s and Hazlegrove share a single Governing Body and the same Bursar. Sunny Hill Nursery is governed separately by a small board of Trustees who report to the Foundation Governing Board. The Governors’ principal committees - education, finance, estates and risk - span both schools and there is a single annual process of budget setting and decisions on fee and pay levels. Longer-term development planning is undertaken with a view to ensuring the sustainability and growth of all three schools.

The schools share common characteristics and a common set of principles and values but they also celebrate their differences. Unusually for schools under a single ownership, it is not assumed that all Hazlegrove Year 8 leavers will go on to King’s. The Preparatory School was established to provide continuity of education, enabling pupils to benefit, over the course of their education, from the significant strengths which are found in both schools. About half of Hazlegrove leavers move on to King’s whilst others move on to a variety of senior schools, including the leading national boarding schools. At the same time, King’s strong and focused offering, ensures that it attracts pupils from prep schools across the South West and beyond.

The King's Family

The 2 year old joining the Nursery at Hazlegrove or Sunny Hill, the 7 year old starting Prep School at Hazlegrove, the 13 year old arriving at King’s and Sixth Former thinking about university are all part of the family of The King’s School, Bruton Foundation. We hope that the values at the heart of that family develop and remain with every child who joins us, whether they stay for the whole of their school life or chose at some stage to transfer outside the Foundation.

Within and across the individual schools, we encourage a sense of community in which our pupils and staff share clear values and a common Christian ethos. There is mutual respect between staff and pupils and between pupils and their peers. The moral and spiritual development of pupils is important and each individual is valued for what they bring to the community.

Within a safe environment with the highest standards of pastoral care, the Schools offer all pupils the chance to realise their full potential academically, and in sport and the arts, while enjoying a very wide range of extra-curricular activities. We develop courteous and confident young people, well equipped academically and morally, to deal with the challenges of adult life.

It is a very rewarding and proud time to be able to watch some of one’s children and grandchildren, (and even great nieces!) reaping the benefits of being educated at King's Bruton. Obviously, times have changed and school life is very different now, but the whole ethos of the place remains as positive as ever, and to see these young offspring enjoy and benefit from their time at King's is very fulfilling - it certainly remains a special place. - Peter (Lyon House 60/65)