Kent Music Summer School

Junior: Music Explorers
Mixed: Jazz, Wind Band
Advanced: Symphony Orchestra
Expand your horizons:Summer Singing, Song Writing, Musical Theatre

Junior: Music Explorers
Mixed: Summer Strings, Wind Band
Advanced: Symphony Orchestra
Expand your horizons:Summer Singing, Song Writing, Musical Theatre

Junior: Music Explorers
Mixed: Jazz, Wind Band
Advanced: Symphony Orchestra
Expand your horizons: Summer Singing, Song Writing, Musical Theatre

Junior: Music Explorers
Mixed: Jazz, Wind Band
Advanced: Symphony Orchestra
Expand your horizons: Summer Singing, Song Writing, Musical Theatre

Junior: Music Explorers
Mixed: Piano, Jazz, Song Writing
Expand your horizons: Summer Singing,  Musical Theatre

Junior: Music Explorers
Mixed: Song Writing
Expand your horizons: Summer Singing,  Musical Theatre

Junior: Summer Singing
Mixed: Musical Theatre
Expand your horizons:Song Writing

Each booking will be processed on receipt of an online application form. To apply, please follow the ‘Apply Here’ links on your chosen course’s webpage.
Bookings will be acknowledged within 7 working days of receipt. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be sent an invoice for the deposit payment. A non-refundable deposit of £35 is required within 5 working days of receiving your invoice to secure your place.
Please do not make a payment until you have received your confirmation email and invoice.
If you do not pay the deposit within 5 working days, your place will be released, and you will have to reapply for the course. Early booking is strongly recommended to secure your place.
If a course (or section of a course) is full, your booking will be placed on a waiting list and you will be advised if a place becomes available. If Kent Music is unable to offer a place, all your related fees will be refunded. Please find full application terms and conditions here.

Auditions are not required. Placement in groups will be made after careful consideration of the standard and experience of the student as indicated on the booking form, together with the need to ensure instrumental and vocal balance.

Experience and grades for courses indicate the level of ability required. It is not necessary to have taken grade exams, but students must be studying at the level given. Your teacher may be able to help you understand your playing level.

We aim to make courses accessible for all to attend. Please contact us at kmss@kent-music.com to discuss your child’s requirements before completing an application.

Due to the availability of Benenden School, some of our courses begin before some schools have started their summer holidays. We always aim to minimise the number of days which might be affected, and wherever possible courses run over weekends.

But don’t worry – Summer School courses are considered educational activities, and many schools are happy to support students in attending. In fact, more than 75% of the students who attend our term-time courses are from schools that are still in session!

If your child’s preferred course falls within term time, headteachers can authorise a student’s absence using Code B – a category for supervised educational activities taking place off site. This is a recognised route used by many schools to support specialist music and sports opportunities that take place off site.

Schools should be familiar with this process and are generally very supportive, especially where the activity supports a student’s musical development. We recommend contacting your school to follow their procedure at the same time as you make your Summer School application

To help, we’ve prepared a downloadable letter template which you can personalise and share with your school. Click here to download the letter. Even if your school doesn’t require a formal letter, you may find the wording helpful when discussing the request. If your school asks for confirmation of your child’s place on the course, we’re happy to provide supporting evidence – just get in touch with us.

We’re also happy to speak directly with your school and provide supporting information about the course’s educational value and safeguarding arrangements. Please don’t hesitate to contact our team at kmss@kent-music.com.

You can find more information about Code B and authorised absence at this link.

We understand sometimes there are existing commitments to school or for music exams where they may need to arrive late or be off-site for a time during the course. Please ask for an off-site/late arrival request form from kmss@kent-music.com

All course costs are listed on their relevant pages.

For this reason, it is essential you read and understand the cancellation and refund terms to know your entitlement.

After 31st May 2025, we are unable to give a full refund. In exceptional circumstances e.g. student illness or accident, where a doctor and/or hospital certificate is provided to support the withdrawal, we will only retain the £35 deposit.

We have a Financial Assistance scheme for those who need additional support to attend Kent Music activities, including lessons, groups, courses and Summer School.

If you require financial assistance for Kent Music Summer School courses, please visit our Financial Assistance page.

You will need to download a form specifically for County Groups and Summer School activities and return it to our team – full instructions for this are on the Financial Assistance webpage.
Please note that an application for Financial Assistance should be submitted at the same time as your KMSS course application.

If you would like further information about County Programmes financial assistance, please contact Leanne Hardy, County Programmes Lead, at lhardy@kent-music.com.

If you are unable to secure financial assistance for KMSS, a full refund of any associated fees already paid will be given.

Here is a list of some items covered by the fee: Tuition, music, music stands, accommodation, bedding, towels, food and drink (breakfast/lunch/dinner/3 refreshment sessions per full day), pastoral team, nurse, student welfare officer, use of leisure facilities, sports team, free access to end of course performances.

All courses are partially subsidised by a grant from Kent County Council, helping us make KMSS accessible to as many young musicians as possible.

The Music Team of conductors, tutors, accompanists, vocal and instrumental coaches are experts in their field. A qualified child safeguarding officer, nurse and a team of experienced pastoral staff are present throughout.

Our Pastoral Team are experienced in supporting young people during their stay ensuring their safety, comfort and well-being throughout.
Pastoral team members stay in the same accommodation houses as the students so there is always someone on hand to help if needed. We engage a Student Welfare Officer who remains on-site during all courses and is available should any student wish to talk with someone other than from the music or pastoral team.
All Kent Music Summer School and Benenden School staff members have Full Disclosure DBS certificates and are current with Child Safeguarding training. In addition to an on-site nurse, many of the team have first aid training.

Benenden School is in a 240-acre beautiful parkland site in the heart of the Kent countryside and the school facilities are exceptional. Accommodation is mainly individual rooms with shared bathroom facilities. Catering is of the standard you would expect from this prestigious school.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided each full day as well as refreshments at the morning, afternoon and evening break times. Leisure facilities include tennis courts and a varied range of indoor and outdoor supervised games and sports activities such as rounders, cricket and frisbee. There is also a small shop on site.

You only need to bring your personal items for the length of your course. Bedding, food and towels will be provided.
You will also need to bring your own instrument (if required for the course). If you already own instrument accessories, e.g. mute, please bring them with you. If you play a bowed string instrument, please bring spare strings. We do have access to a small allocation of instruments if you don’t have your own.

Please contact kmss@kent-music.com when you make your application if you need us to provide an instrument. Instrument hire will incur a small additional cost which will be a maximum of £15.00 (depending on length of hire and instrument type). Instrument hire will be free of charge to students in receipt of financial assistance.

A wide selection of food is available at each of the daily meals –breakfast, lunch and supper. There is a variety of milks available – almond, soya, hazelnut as well as skimmed and semi skimmed. There is also a separate toaster provided for gluten-free bread and there are gluten-free and vegetarian options available at all mealtimes.

Food served at the counter is nut-free. If you require a different diet, e.g. vegan, this can be provided as long as we are given sufficient notice. The registration form you will be asked to complete will give you the opportunity of letting us know your requirements. All food is labelled with allergen symbols e.g. sesame, crustaceans, molluscs and eggs.

It is our belief that young musicians gain maximum benefit from being residential where they can join both the musical and social aspects of the course. If you prefer them not to stay overnight, this can be arranged however, please bear in mind you would need to drop-off at 8.45am and collect at 8.15pm each day except for the first morning and post-concert collection.

NB. there is no reduction in fee for being non-residential.

Please email kmss@kent-music.com if you would like your child to attend on a non-residential basis.

Registration on the first day is between 8:30 and 10:00am. We will let you know of your specific registration time in advance.