Valence School
Foundation special school in Westerham (Kent).
Location
iSchool location from Get Information about Schools. Nearby schools are coloured by phase. Open Map+ for a full-screen map with neighbourhood deprivation (England only).About
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to Valence and to share the incredible work that happens here every day. We are proud to support children and young people with physical disabilities and complex medical needs in a truly unique environment one of the only schools of its kind in the maintained sector across southern England.
Valence caters for students aged 4 to 19, offering both day and residential places. Our extensive site is home to high-quality teaching areas, social care provision, and integrated healthcare facilities.
A team of 200 dedicated staff including specialist teachers, therapists, care workers, and nurses works tirelessly to ensure every student receives personalised, high-quality support. At the core of our work is a clear aim: to help every child and young person develop meaningful independence. We create a learning environment that is warm, supportive, and ambitious.
Students make strong educational progress, build confidence, and work towards a range of qualifications and accreditations as they grow older. Through targeted support, we help them achieve functional communication, mobility, and daily living skills that will empower them for life.
In the school’s own words, from the school website.
Awards
3 awardsiFound on the school website by WhatSchool. Not verified by Governance Register; the school website is the authority.- Investors in PeopleStaff development
- Leading Parent Partnership AwardWorking with families
- Wellbeing Award for SchoolsRecognised award
Key facts
- URN
- 119032
- Type
- Foundation special school
- Phase
- Not applicable
- Ages
- 4 to 19
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- Has a sixth form
- Nursery
- No Nursery Classes
- Local authority
- Kent
- Constituency
- Sevenoaks
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
Governing body (11 current, 4 former)
Special schools governing body.
Leadership
| Name | Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mr Mark Andrew Roberts | Chair of Governors | Appointed by GB/board | since 2026 · until 2030 |
| Mr Brian Davies Former | Chair of Governors | Appointed by GB/board | since 2018 · term ended 2025 |
Full governing body
| Name | Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mr Grahame Ward | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2026 · until 2030 |
| Mr Mark Andrew Roberts | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2026 · until 2030 |
| Mr Duncan Barrett | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Mrs Emma Duffy | Governor | Parent appointed by GB/board due to no election candidates | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Mrs Chloe Berry | Governor | Parent appointed by GB/board due to no election candidates | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Headteacher Matthew Strange | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Mrs Carys Long | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Mrs Oonagh Theresa Wood | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Mrs Laura Christel Snelling | Governor | Elected by parents | since 2023 · until 2027 ends 2027 |
| Mr Paul Myers | Governor | Appointed by LA | since 2022 · until 2026 ends 2026 |
| Miss India Shibil Former | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2025 · term ended 2025 |
| Mrs Jennifer Ann Church Former | Governor | Elected by school staff | since 2024 · term ended 2026 |
| Mrs Wendy Fallon Former | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2022 · term ended 2026 |
Source: Department for Education, Get Information about Schools (governance records, as at 25 October 2026). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Names are shown as published; there are no addresses or contact details. Current and former are worked out from term end dates when the page loads. Object or ask for removal · Report an issue with this record