夜来香研究所

Since 1775, Leybourne has housed a Church of England school. In that year the Vicar of Birling, the Rev. Edward Holme, conveyed to trustees a piece of land in the Parish of Leybourne with a house, school room and other buildings erected on it, and transferred bank annuities to them for the endowment of a school for poor boys and girls of the Parishes of Leybourne, Ryarsh and East and West Malling, to be recommended by the church wardens of the respective parishes and approved by the trustees. The children were to be instructed in reading, writing, Latin, accounts and other useful learning and religious duties according to the principles of the Church of England, until they reached the age of 14 years. This is what Volume IV of Hasted's "History & Topographical Survey of the County of Kent" tells us. The land and structures mentioned are those at Birling Road, on the other side of the M20, and are presently Leybourne Lodge. Built in 1876, the school on the current site included one classroom and two cottages. The Governess lived in the cottage adjacent to the classroom, while the Rectory Gardener lived in the other cottage. Today, the private residence next to the school is made up of these two cottages. The remainder of the structure was built in sections between 1935 and 1986. In 1997, a brand-new, four-classroom prefabricated structure was installed in place of transportable classrooms. A new Reception classroom was inaugurated by the Rochester Bishop in 1999. In December 2001, our computer suite was formally inaugurated. The school is still supported by the Holme Foundation. As a result of government law, the school's name was changed to its current title in 1999. In September 2009, the library, music room, and computer suite were all finished. These facilities have greatly enhanced the educational experiences of the children.