We have had two visits from Marie from the Department of Work and Pensions this term. Marie first came in to speak to Year 13 about apprenticeships, the different levels available and what providers are looking for, and she returned later in the module to speak to Year 12 about careers in the civil service. 

Every year we take Year 12 to an event that showcases different university and apprenticeship options. This year we headed to the Emirates Stadium in London and students were amazed by the amount of opportunities that are available to them once they leave Post 16. The Emirates is truly an outstanding venue and we pride ourselves on being able to offer our students so many events that allow them to explore their future options.

This visit was preceded by Futures Evening, where we invited Year 12 and parents/carers in to find out exactly what we offer students in terms of support with UCAS applications and seeking work or apprenticeships.  Although it may seem far away, we begin the process of writing personal statements in Module 6 and UCAS opens in Module 1, so we are always keen to make sure we have given our students the best head-start possible!

A big thank you to Miss Grant for organising such an excellent event. Year 12 really had a brilliant time with the Royal Engineers, working on their team and leadership skills. They were tasked with building bridges out of minimal resources (which were weight tested) and then moved outside for a session in problem solving and trusting your team in a practical environment.  

The Army team also gave a really thought provoking presentation on the skills needed to work as a team, and how some of the strategies taught in the military can be transferred to a school or work setting. We hope Year 12 will take these skills forward into Year 13 as they begin to think about applying for our Student Leadership Team and make choices about their Post-18 destinations.

Canterbury Christchurch University gave an online talk to year 13, offering a detailed explanation of how the intricate world of student finance works. Dana explained how and when to apply for your maintenance and tuition fees loans, as well as talking about special circumstances that might deem a person eligible for specific funding.

 If students need support with any aspect of their UCAS application, they should speak to Miss Grant. 

Friday 28th March

Our longstanding work with the Kent Emotional Wellbeing Team allows us to offer both 1:1, small group and large group sessions on all aspects of wellbeing. As we approach the examination period, we felt it important to prepare year 13 with some advice on how to manage the stress and anxiety that often appears at this time of the academic year. The team spoke about keeping mentally and physically healthy, as well as offering practical advice on time management and revision techniques. 

If you would like further support, please speak to Miss Maxwell.

This is our second year of running the Young Driver Programme. Students start the programme during tutor time, learning the basics of safe driving and what is means to be a good passenger. The Young Driver Team then come and host an assembly to consolidate all this knowledge and reinforce the message set out by the Kent Road Safety group.  Our young people learn both the practicalities of applying for a license and car ownership, as well as the safety aspects of being a responsible driver. 

The Kent Road Safety Website offers lots of advice and issue a regular online magazine; kentroadsafety.info/what-we-do/young-driver-courses/ 

We are incredibly lucky to work in partnership with the University of Kent and every year we encourage our year 12 students to apply to their Succeed Programme.

This year, 3 of our students have been selected to join the programme, which consists of 4 online workshops, 3 day visits to the campus and a residential visit in the summer. 

Students who are accepted onto and fully complete the programme are then eligible for a range of benefits from the university, and once they make an application are then able to apply for the Kent Ambition to Succeed Scholarship. 

More information on the programme can be found here; www.kent.ac.uk/schools-and-colleges/the-succeed-programme