Student case studies

Joining a new secondary school can make children anxious about what to expect. Here are a few case studies from our current Year 7 cohort which we hope will allay any fears that your child(ren) has. Please do encourage them to listen to these audio recordings:

Case Study 1 - this is a student who joined alone from Primary School and didn't know anyone. Click here to listen.

“I came from a small primary school and everyone else went to different secondary schools – I didn’t know anyone here. I came to the Transition Day in July and I tell you that everyone was so friendly from the minute I walked into school! The first teacher I met was my new Form Tutor and we went to my form room with all the others in my class and we spent lots of time getting to know one another in a really nice and calm way. The day was full of fun stuff, some lessons and lots of delicious food – I went home happy and with lots of Snaps of my new friends. We met up over the summer so the first day of school wasn’t scary at all!

Case Study 2 - this student was worried about the size of our School and that she would get lost. Click here to listen.

"I came from a school with lots of other students so I didn’t feel nervous about not knowing anyone but I did feel nervous about getting lost around a big school. But it was ok – everyone is really friendly and if I couldn’t find a class, someone would take me there. The school really isn’t as big as I thought – I shouldn’t have worried!"

Case Study 3 - this is a student who was worried that everyone else would be more intelligent and sporty than him. Click here to listen.

"What I love about Leigh Academy Tonbridge is that it doesn’t matter if you are sporty or not, if you are clever or not, if you are arty or not. None of it matters. All you have to be is the best you can be. There’s no pressure, just lots of encouragement and help"

Case study 4 - a student who was anxious about older students. Click here to listen.

"I remember being scared of the older boys on my first day. That they would be more cool and taller than me and might even pick on me. It turns out that there was nothing to worry about. Everyone is friendly and I even made friends with some of them in my class"

This is also an excerpt from a presentation given by a current Year 13 student from a community-based after dinner speech:

"Leigh Academy Tonbridge has helped me achieve academic excellence and has allowed me to further my education and my non-curricular abilities. I moved during my first year of sixth form as I was not appreciating the environment and the sixth form I was previously in, as I felt as if I was treated like a child with no freedom. Moving was a shock after being in the same school for all my secondary life, but I was welcomed with open arms and given lots of support in order to help me acclimate. My teachers and form tutors have been nothing but brilliant and give you a level of support which supersedes just a professional relationship, instead forming a friend-like relationship which means they are easier to communicate with. For most of my life, I had known I was different behaviourally to other children, but this was not addressed clearly at my previous school. When I moved to Leigh Academy, they immediately noticed these issues, showing me how attentive they were and their commitment to care, and helped me pursue medical help, setting me down the pathway to receive an autism diagnosis. This gave me peace of mind, knowing I can receive additional support. Knowing that it would take years for me to receive a formal diagnosis, the school put measures in place to ensure I was as comfortable as possible, and able to work like other students. This sense of equality is what sets Leigh Academy apart from my previous school. I felt welcome, and I feel as if I am able to achieve better grades than I would’ve due to this. Overall, Leigh Academy is a school I would recommend to anyone for sixth form, or to start from year 7".