FAQ

How much curriculum time is given over to music, drama and dance? 

In Year 7, all students will access Drama, Music and Dance through the performing arts curriculum. Students have 3 hours of curriculum time for performing arts across each two-week timetable cycle. Like the rest of our Key Stage Three curriculum, our performing arts curriculum is underpinned by the IB Middle Years Programme. 

By the time the students reach Year 10, Drama, Music and Dance will be available to study as individual GCSEs or equivalent qualifications as one of their two option subjects. 

What extracurricular / enrichment activities do you run for Drama and Music?

We have a wide range of opportunities within the performing arts and we hope to expand this even further as we grow our curriculum. Current opportunities include Choir, Rock Band and from September 2024, we will be expanding this offer even further. Furthermore, we are always open to new suggestions so if there is something you want us to offer, please ask! 

All students currently have the opportunity to sign up to instrument lessons with Kent Music Services. Students can access drums, keyboard, guitar, ukulele and singing lessons.

What about plans for the visual arts in the academy? 

Students’ work should be showcased throughout the academy to inspire the rest of the community. We plan to grow the arts in the academy to offer textiles, ceramics and photography as part of the key stage three curriculum. We will look to expand the GCSE offering even further by the time the students reach Year 10. 

How will the library be updated to be prepared for your mixed cohort? 

The library has been redecorated as part of the recent refurbishment works. This has included upgrades to the furniture and substantial investment in the library stock to ensure it provides a stimulating environment for our students to further develop their passion for reading and to provide a calm, purposeful environment for independent study. Our PTA raises funds every year which enables us to continue to invest in books for our students. 

Do we have to pay for the Chromebooks? 

No, every student is issued with a Chromebook completely free of charge and they are insured against theft and accidental damage. All we ask is that they are charged every night, that the students bring them to school every day, and that they take care of them by always storing them in a padded case when they are not in use.  If Chromebooks are accidentally damaged, we will fund the cost of repair but students will need to handwrite lesson notes until it is returned. For intentional damage, the student will receive negative behaviour points and the parent may be charged the repair excess. 

What changes have you made to the site to make it ready for girls? 

To date, over £2 million has been invested ensuring that we have an environment that does justice to both our current and future students. In the summer of 2023, all toilets across the site were refurbished to create a clean, safe environment for both girls and boys. Further to this, the landscaping around the site has been improved to ensure there are more locations for outdoor seating and that some of the playgrounds have been repurposed for a wider range of uses. 

What other preparations did you make to ensure you were prepared for girls? 

The curriculum is already planned and is in operation for the current Year 7. This has been planned with a co-educational cohort in mind and careful consideration has been given to the appropriate selection of texts and other content. 

We have proactively recruited teachers with experience of working in mixed schools (this includes Mr Crow, Principal, Mrs Gray, Vice Principal and Ms Kane, Assistant Principal). 

Social times will be split so that Year 7 will only be on their break with Year 8 students, this means supervision ratios will be very high and that the feeling of a busy academy will be significantly reduced. Furthermore, one way systems are in operation in all of our buildings to minimise congestion in corridors to ensure that the students can move around the site with ease. 

Finally, through our assembly and personal development curriculum, we will actively be educating the existing students to ensure that our future female students are treated with respect and dignity at all times.