Hundreds of local families, young skaters and top UK riders turned out in glorious sunshine on Saturday 10th May to mark the official opening of Folkestone Academy’s skatepark – an innovative addition to the school which is already inspiring the next generation.

Hosted by internationally renowned skatepark designers Betongpark, the free community event featured a packed schedule of skate jams, live DJ sets, coaching, and giveaways. Skateboard GB’s Bella Warley and pro skaters were on hand to wow the crowds and encourage skaters of all ages and abilities, with even primary-aged children taking their first rides.

The skatepark, completed in September, reflects Turner Schools’ commitment to creating school environments that feel relevant, engaging and fun for students – both in and out of the classroom. It also demonstrates the trust’s determination to offer its students new and exciting experiences that go far beyond the standard school curriculum. 

The skatepark was funded by the charity, Friends of Folkestone Academy (FFA), which supports both Folkestone Academy and Folkestone Primary School. FFA raises money throughout the school year and gives grants for items and services to enhance children’s education that are not covered by funds from the government.

The park was officially opened by Chair of FFA and philanthropist Sir Roger De Haan, alongside headteacher Steve Shaw.

Speaking at the event, Sir Roger said:

“This is a great sport. It attracts a very wide spectrum of kids and makes coming to school just that little bit more fun. The team here at Folkestone Academy have done brilliant work, taking things forward in ways we couldn’t have imagined when the school first opened. It’s wonderful to see.”

Mr Shaw added:

“We’re so grateful to Sir Roger and the FFA for supporting not just the skatepark, but other transformative facilities like our horticulture centre. These additions are reshaping our curriculum and making school an exciting, engaging place to learn in new and creative ways.”

The launch was made possible thanks to key partners and community groups, including:

• Betongpark, who led event planning and brought in top pro riders
  
  

• Slap Ramps, who expanded the skateable area with additional obstacles
  
  

• Local skate schools Scorcha Skate School and Slammer Skates, who offered coaching and prizes
  
  

• F51 skatepark, whose team provided lessons, equipment and engaged with families
  
  

• Xen Electric, who provided a live DJ set throughout the day
  
  

• Turner Schools Radio, who broadcast interviews with guests and skaters
  
  

Also in attendance were local councillors, trustees and governors, as well as senior Turner Schools leaders including CEO Seamus Murphy, Executive Principal Matt Tate, Finance Director David Bowles (who oversaw the skatepark development), and other key staff.

Mr Murphy said:

“We are incredibly proud of this new skatepark, which will benefit not only our students but the wider community. With skateboarding now an Olympic sport, we’re excited to offer a place where our young people can build confidence, develop new skills and have fun doing it.”

Daryl Nobbs, lead designer and head of construction at Betongpark, the company which designed and built the skatepark, added: 

“As a team of lifelong skaters, we are passionate about designing and constructing unique spaces for wheeled sports, and it has been a great pleasure to have worked on this skatepark at Folkestone Academy, which is a first of its kind in the UK. 

“With rolled edges suitable for beginners, alongside a quarter pipe extension for more advanced users, as well as a varied street section, this park packs a lot into a small area. 

“We hope this space will inspire young people in Kent, giving them the chance to form friendships, stay active and provide a fun break before, between and after classes!”

The skatepark will now be used in lunchtime and after-school clubs, and Saturday morning sessions, with plans to use it for PE lessons in future. It will also be available for community use.

The project forms part of a wider programme of active learning at Folkestone Academy, with a new bike trail set to open later this year – further enhancing the school’s outdoor offer.

A teacher at Folkestone Academy has proven to be a role model for young people, as she takes on the challenge to become the second woman in the world to swim from an abandoned Second World War fort in the Thames Estuary to the Whitstable shore.

In August, Jessica Laurent will swim from the Maunsell Forts - which are also known as the Red Sands Forts - to Whitstable beach, navigating some challenging estuary tides, with just a boat team to support her.

Jessica, who teaches science and practical horticulture at Folkestone Academy, part of Turner Schools, is now in training for the open water swim which will take around six hours of non-stop swimming to complete.

Last week Jessica gave a talk to pupils at Folkestone Academy, explaining to them what her gruelling training involves, and the young people were suitably impressed.

“I want to learn to swim because of Miss doing the Channel and this swim,” said one pupil, Lucas.

Another pupil, Daniel, said: “I want to swim the Channel now because Miss has done it.” 

“I now believe I could push myself to my limits now,” said Leo in Year 8. “I feel inspired to push myself more,” added Freddie.

Megan in Year 10 said:  “It’s impressive, I couldn’t swim that long!” Freddi added: “I am incredibly inspired.” 

Jessica Laurent said: “It was a real privilege to speak to the pupils at my school about the challenge and what I’m doing to prepare for it. They were really supportive and interested in what I am doing. 

“A lot of the pupils came up to me and said they would like to start training in open water swimming and aim to swim the channel one day when they’re older, which would be a great achievement.

“I didn’t set out to be a role model, but if I can inspire people along the way and enthuse the local community, then that’s fantastic.”

Seamus Murphy, CEO of Turner Schools, said: “We are incredibly proud of Jessica as she works hard to prepare for this challenge and wish her all the best of luck for her training.

“It is wonderful to see how her strength and determination has inspired students at Folkestone Academy and we hope that they too will consider taking up a sport and challenging themselves in the future.”

As part of her challenge, Jessica will be raising money for Aspire, a charity which supports people who have suffered a spinal cord injury. She has also appeared on KMTV to talk about her training.

Jessica’s fundraising page can be found here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/jessica-laurent-4 

Students at Folkestone Academy, part of Turner Schools, have been learning about Roma history as part of a special heritage day.

Students in Years 7 to 10 at the school enjoyed a pupil-led assembly during the school day where they learnt about Roma culture, experienced traditional music and captivating dances.  

In the afternoon, around 200 members of the school community joined an event in the sports hall where traditional Roma music and dancing was produced by Folkestone Academy pupils.

One pupil, Martin, said: “Initially it was stressful, but the day was fun and enjoyable and I enjoyed sharing my culture with the school.”

Tiffany added: “At first I was nervous to dance, but then I really enjoyed it and I was happy that we could also share this with our family.”

Elise Tordecilla, Community Engagement Stakeholder for Turner Schools who organised the event, said: “I am so proud of all of our students, both past and present who participated. All of their hard work paid off as the staff, students and parents enjoyed it and learnt something new. 

“It is about bringing people together and celebrating what makes us all different.’

Steve Shaw, Principal at Folkestone Academy, said: “We are very proud of our curriculum at Folkestone Academy that gives our pupils the knowledge, skills and understanding to help them be successful and active citizens.

“We always recognise and celebrate diversity and we hope our celebration of the Roma culture has helped to enrich our young people’s education.”

Aim

• To raise awareness amongst pupils of local businesses;

• To improve pupils’ understanding of the job roles that exist within different organisations;

• To develop pupils knowledge of employability skills, why they’re important, and how they are applied in the workplace;

• For pupils to learn about education pathways, including college, apprenticeships and university.

Pupils from Years 7-13 attended the event, with each year group having 40 minutes to speak to the exhibitors that interested them. Across the three schools nearly 2,500 students attended.

Pupils were given a booklet to complete to help them engage with exhibitors, the booklet highlighted 8 key employability skills, as identified by Skills Builder (https://www.skillsbuilder.org/), and pupils were given the task of finding out how businesses used the skills in their workplace.

Each event had 22-27 exhibitors, including:

Port of Dover

Kent Police

Church & Dwight

Bannatyne Health Club

NHS

Invvu Construction

Army

Jazz Pharmaceuticals

The Environment Agency

Jenner Construction

Channel Commercials

Hollis

Digital Kent

Swiss Re

University of Kent

Canterbury Christ Church University

University of Portsmouth

University of Creative Arts

Kent Medical School

East Kent College

Apprenticeship Service Kent

Katy Tibbles, Trust Head of Careers: ‘This year’s careers fairs were a resounding success. As with all our careers activities, our aim is to improve pupils’ career-readiness so that they’re able to take their best next step at key transition points in their lives. The focus this year on workplace skills encouraged pupils to consider the importance of not just qualifications and technical knowledge, but also the significance of essential skills, no matter what career they go into. We are incredibly lucky to have had so many organisations support our pupils at these events, sharing knowledge and expertise that pupils don’t necessarily experience in a normal school day.’

Helen, Canterbury Christ Church University: ‘The students were an absolute credit to the school. Curious, enthusiastic and polite!’

Reda, University of Greenwich: ‘The event was really well organized. The skills booklet the students filled out was a great touch—it helped them get more involved and sparked their interest in the opportunities available.’

Nathan, Jenner Construction: ‘All pupils engaged well, there were some great questions asked and real interest in our sector.’

Sam, Year 10 Folkestone Academy: ‘It was a great experience to learn about different careers.’

Olivia, Year 11 Turner Free School: ‘I found it useful speaking to the universities. The whole thing helped me to think about my future.

Could you tell us a little more about how this school skatepark project came about? To what extent is the school project part of this wider strategy for the longer-term regeneration of Folkestone? 

Last year we got the opportunity to design and build a fun little park for Folkestone Academy. It’s a small bowl with rolled edges, extension and some street obstacles around the side. It’s super fun and we´re really proud of how it turned out! The school is part of a network of academies in the area who are pretty ambitious about what they are offering their students. This school was actually designed by the UK architect Norman Foster, who designed some world famous buildings, including the Gherkin in central London and the HSBC building in Hong Kong. We’ve wanted to build a skatepark in a school here ever since we started in the UK, especially as such a high percentage of our work in Norway is for schools. The UK certainly has a lot to learn from our Scandinavian brothers and sisters about what to offer in schools. Basically, we first got hit up by the school back in 2022 with some early stage questions, after they had seen our work in Norway. We spent a couple of years advising on the site, developing concepts and helping with discussion with the planners. It took a while to get the proverbial ducks in a row before we got the job. The school had some teachers who skated, and other local skaters had run skate schools over the years, so they were keen on creating a more dedicated space for skating. The client was great throughout (shout out to David!) and really backed the need to offer facilities that support non-traditional ‘sports’. From the get-go, the school wanted a beginner friendly, flowy space, with hangout areas for other students to watch and hopefully get involved too. The whole build had to be done in the summer holidays, which was pretty tight, but we got there in the end – massive shout out to Felix and the crew for getting it done! The regeneration in Folkestone has been making headlines for a long time now, especially in the minds of skaters, through F51. This project was backed by some of the same funders and from the start the ambition was that it should be a low-level complementary spot to F51, where younger users can practice and get a feel for skating before approaching the bigger bowl at F51. In that sense yes you could argue it can be considered part of the longer-term regeneration of the area. But to be honest I like to think it exists in its own microcosm.

Skatepark projects are often championed by a dedicated local user group, who as well as being responsible for securing funding and managing various work streams with the council, end up informing much of the design. What was the consultation and design process like for this project? Was there a school student user-group already established, who you worked with closely on the design?

Yes the design was influenced by the existing user group at the school who we worked with, in particularly the students who attended the skate club and the geography teacher who ran the sessions. The brief was to create a fun, free flowing space that offered room for progression, included a range of obstacles and that worked within the constraints of the site. The design process was transparent throughout and quite natural. From the beginning everyone was on the same page, which made it really fun. The terrain of the site meant we were limited somewhat to what we could do, but that didn’t stop us from playing around with lots of iterations until we got to a final design we were happy with. We had a few last-minute tweaks to make sure it was working just right, as well as offering more challenging elements, such as the extension in the bottom of the bowl. Feedback from the user group on initial concepts was to have a few more street elements around the edges, so that’s what we built. They particularly wanted to see an accessible rail, hence the thick ride on rail. As always, we were keen on a bowl! It’s cool that you can have one session in the bowl and another session doing laps around the edge and skating into the wider playground if you fancy it. We hope that through having the space, the users at the school grow and the rest of the local scene can have access to skate it too, which was always an ambition of the project.  

How did you find working with the school itself, as an institution? Many of us have aspirations to partner with schools and bring all sorts of affordable opportunities to children and young people, e.g. after-school dance clubs, boxing, skateboarding. However, it’s no secret that schools in the UK are battling with reduced funding, staffing constraints and incredible pressure to deliver academic results. This can result in difficulties selling the benefits of more integrated opportunities for play and physical activities such as skateboarding.

Honestly working with the school was amazing. They were so open minded and willing to convince the powers that be to get the job done. A dream client. Our main contact at the school is a keen downhill mountain biker who could relate to the skaters and other members of the user group. Mid way through the project he was hospitalised from a gnarly slam, which slowed progress for a bit. He’s all good now though! He was such an advocate for giving the young people at the school a place to enjoy, push themselves and forget about their exams and homework. As much pressure as schools have to deliver, so do the kids. It was nice to see the school be so supportive to give students a space to forget the pressure of school and simply have some fun, hang out and take some slams. From our conversations with the school, we got the impression that the school system is changing a lot and having to adjust with the times, like everyone else. Hats off to Folkestone Academy who want to use this project as a precedent to show other schools that there is an alternative narrative to playground provision.

Being originally a Norwegian company, Betongpark delivered skateparks in Norway before expanding and setting up your London office. Within the Norwegian portfolio, delivery of skateparks in and with schools seem to have been integral to your mission from the beginning. I’m really interested in understanding more about the drivers of these projects in school settings over there. Was it something you, as a company were always aiming to champion, and so something you were having to convince others of? Or was the culture of skateboarding in schools already somewhat established, and so primed for those such as yourselves, to come and enhance those opportunities? 

I can’t necessarily speak for my Norwegian colleagues, but I know that they pushed it pretty hard for a long time over there, taking an active approach to reaching out to schools, especially new ones being built. We’ve done dozens of skateparks in schools now and have definitely shifted the culture in Norway to the point schools reach out to us first! Shoutout Hammer, the godfather of Norwegian school skateparks! With that said, generally Norway has a much more open-minded approach to communal spaces, and often shares its facilities with the local community. Schools won’t always be fenced off like they are here, and people in the town will respect the use of space at different parts of the day. Sounds cliché but they are on to something in Scandinavia…We hope we can start to do something similar in the UK. But yes, I definitely think that exposing young people at an early stage in their development to shared spaces and skateparks can only be positive for their understanding and appreciation of skating later in life. Growing up around skating normalises it, breaks down pre-conceptions or prejudices and introduces the idea that skateparks don’t have to be dark tarmac rectangles tucked away in the corner of a park, as a lot of us grew up with. Instead skateparks can be beautiful, sculptural forms, landscaped into the surrounding terrain and positioned front and centre in the community for everyone to enjoy, even if you aren’t directly riding it.

Back to Folkestone Academy. Now that the skatepark has been delivered, does the school have a forward programme for activating the facility and integrating it into aspects of their curriculum? Or do you know whether it’s more for pastoral or “enrichment” (i.e. ‘extra-curricular’) purposes? I’m very interested to know if skateboarding might become timetabled, bringing a UK education provider closer to the approaches and philosophies seen over in Bryggeriets Gymnasium, Malmö (Sweden). 

Yes I believe there is ambition to have more sessions with the kids and to open it up for other users too. As I understand it it’s more of an extracurricular activity, not a formal aspect of curriculum. The skate club will only grow more and more I’m sure. Give it a few years and there will be a lot more rippers coming out of Folkestone! The news last year that skating is now a GCSE subject in Wales was pretty cool. If this happens in England, Folkestone academy students have a fighting chance of doing well in their GCSEs…Regarding how the school plans to activate it, it’s early days there and the school and user group are still feeling out how programming works best. We are due to have the official opening later in the Spring, so come down and find out!  

Are you able to share who came up with the idea?  Did it originate from Folkestone Academy, or the De Haan Foundation?  I’m really interested to understand the role of key players who get things like this going or join things up – e.g. a particularly forward-thinking Head Master or Principal at the school, or local ‘skate activist’ -  and how we can identify and develop the skills needed to support more ‘boundary spanners’ to build their profile and impact in the UK, similar to Léo Valls in Bordeaux or Gustav Éden and John Dahlquist in Malmö. 

We were not around the table for the initial discussions, but I know it was pushed from the school leadership and some of the local skaters who helped out on the skate schools, such as Mikeé Sabaií, who was instrumental at an early stage and introduced the school to us. The De Haan Foundation were really supportive of the project too and needed no convincing. Having teachers at the school who were into skating was a big help for the project. Ambitious projects always start with an individual that questions the status quo in order to usher in change. Here’s to all those activists out there who are pushing the boundaries for more varied and exciting skateable spaces!

For a group of post 16 students from Kent, the possibility of following careers in sport and community outreach recently became much more real, thanks to an exclusive initiative between Folkestone Academy (FA), Dover Christ Church Academy (DCCA), and Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT).

Students from FA and DCCA—both part of Turner Schools—took part in an engaging careers programme designed to showcase opportunities within Charlton Athletic Community Trust, an organisation that employs over 100 permanent staff, a pool of more than 100 casual coaches, and engages with thousands of people weekly. The initiative helped students explore career paths not only in sport but also in community development, education, and social outreach.

As part of the programme, students visited Canterbury Christ Church University, the University of Greenwich, and the University of Kent to explore relevant courses in sport, coaching, and community engagement. They took part in interactive taster sessions, spoke with lecturers, and toured the campuses—helping them understand how education can lead to careers in these fields.

The experience culminated in a Careers Day at Charlton Athletic FC on Thursday, 30th January, where students explored career opportunities within CACT and honed their employability skills. The day began with student-led presentations on leadership, highlighting key traits such as communication, motivation, and decision-making. This was followed by one-on-one mock interviews for coaching and community outreach roles, allowing students to practice answering competency-based questions and demonstrating their potential for working in sports and social programmes.

Raman, one of the participating students, shared his excitement:
"This is good, Miss—I definitely want to work in sport!"

The programme had a strong personal impact, with many students now considering roles in sports coaching, community outreach, and youth engagement.

To round off the experience, students enjoyed an exclusive stadium tour of The Valley, Charlton Athletic’s home ground. They explored areas usually off-limits to the public, including the players' lounge, changing rooms, and dugouts—offering a rare glimpse into the professional sporting world.

Manj Nijjer, Principal of DCCA, praised the initiative, saying:

"This project embodies our commitment to preparing students for successful futures. The hands-on experience gained through Charlton Athletic Community Trust has been invaluable in helping our students build confidence, develop leadership skills, and explore careers in both sport and community engagement."

Steven Shaw, Principal of Folkestone Academy, added: 

“Raising the aspirations of our students and showcasing what’s possible is a huge part of what we do. This partnership with Charlton Athletic Community Trust has opened our students’ eyes to futures that they perhaps had not considered before. As they look forward to life after school, initiatives like this are incredibly important in broadening their horizons.”

Following the event, several students expressed interest in gaining coaching qualifications, work experience, and even future roles within CACT’s extensive community programmes— showing the success of the project and its impact.

Twenty students from all year groups at Folkestone Academy, part of Turner Schools, have been chosen to take part in a series of workshops designed to improve their confidence, resilience and wellbeing.

The programme at Folkestone Academy sees students attend eight three-hour sessions over the next few months to help them develop a positive mindset and focus on self-growth.

The sessions are being led by Claire Bennett who, before her retirement in 2012, was a member of the Great Britain Women’s Foil Fencing team and part of the World Class Performance Programme. 

At the 2010 Commonwealth Fencing Games, Claire won individual Bronze and Team Gold medals.

Claire now works for the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, which offers motivating and aspirational programmes to help young people build healthy relationships in school and with the wider community.

The trust uses world-class athletes as mentors to inspire the young people and to help them understand the importance of physical and mental wellness. 

The workshops focus on personal development and promote positive behaviours and attitudes, setting the students up to achieve in education, work and life.

Folkestone Academy was delighted to secure funding to run the workshops through Virtual Schools Kent, as it works to raise the aspirations of its pupils. 

One Year 8 pupil taking part said: “I have never felt like this before, I was so proud of myself today. I put 100% into that session, and I absolutely loved it!”  

Katie Norris, Turner School Lead for PSHE Lead and Folkestone Academy’s Personal Development Lead, said: “It has been incredible to see our pupils who have participated in the programme become so much more confident.

“I am sure that this will be a memorable experience for them and I look forward to seeing them grow and develop as they embark on this journey of personal development.”

Teachers and staff have worked tirelessly to ensure students had the support they needed to sit the final exams of their school career. In particular, staff offered additional revision and intervention sessions after school, during lunch times and during school holidays to ensure that pupils had every opportunity to succeed. 

Amongst other outstanding results the Turner Trust congratulates the following students whose portfolio of achievement includes:

Kalel Davies - Double Distinction in Sport and a Merit in Business. Kalel is currently in Germany after securing a three-year deal to play basketball for a professional club BC Bremerhaven.

Maddie Fisher, who achieved an amazing A* in Criminology, B in A Level History and a Distinction in BTEC Applied Law. She will be moving on to study Law at Royal Holloway University of London.

Shiar Arab  - achieved a Distinction in Business, a Distinction In Applied Law and a Distinction In Information Communication Technology. Shiar is moving on to study Software engineering at Bournemouth University.

Jack Reynolds achieved a Distinction* Distinction in a BTEC Sport Diploma and a Distinction in Music Technology. Jack is moving on to study primary education at Canterbury Christ church University. 

Tyra Skinner achieved a Merit in Applied Law, a C in Criminology and a Distinction in Sport. She is moving on to study Applied Criminology and Forensic Investigation at Canterbury Christ church University. 

Lina Mills achieved a Distinction in Sport, Distinction in Business and a Distinction in Applied Law  moving on to study Digital marketing at Birmingham City University, 

Over 70% of the cohort applied to university with 69% accepting their first choice offers.

Director of Sixth Form, Mrs Brown  was very pleased for students, saying “The students have worked incredibly hard within a wide range of subjects, we are really proud”

Our Sixth Form offers a broad and aspirational curriculum,  preparing students well for further study and the workplace. 

There are still spaces at our Sixth Form for next year, if you would like to find out more please contact  Luci.Brown@turnerschools.com

Steven Shaw, Head of School at Folkestone Academy (one of Turner Sixth Form’s three school sites), said: 

“We are pleased to see so many students achieve the grades they deserved across their A-Levels, BTECs, and vocational courses.  Our rich curriculum prepares students well for their diverse and exciting post 18 destinations. Our students will be going on to a wide range of exciting destinations and I couldn’t be happier for them.” 

Seamus Murphy, CEO of Turner Schools, said: 

“It is fantastic to see how well this cohort has achieved and they have every right to feel very proud of their success. Today’s results are a testament to the hard work, commitment, and dedication to their studies of these young people, as well as the fantastic teaching team here at Folkestone Academy, and I am delighted by how well they have all done. We wish them the best of luck for the future and know they will continue to excel as they take their next steps after leaving school.”

The Year 8 students visited an exhibition of the work of American artist Ed Clark (1926-2019), seeing abstract expressionism at its finest and drawing inspiration from the artist’s unique work.

The Ed Clark exhibition - showing until 1st September - brings together paintings and works on paper from the 1940s to the 2000s and includes loans from the Art Institute of Chicago, Brooklyn Museum and Detroit Institute of Arts, many of which have not been seen outside of the United States. 

Clark is recognised as a groundbreaking figure within the New York School of abstraction.

Year 8 student Jasmin said: “I loved the paintings in the gallery, they were so big I can’t imagine how long it took the artist to make them all.”

The Turner Contemporary opened its doors in Margate in 2011 and is built on the site of the boarding house where JMW Turner stayed during his visits to the town. 

The gallery is inspired by the life and work of the famous artist who drew inspiration from Margate’s skies and light and believed in the power of art as an agent for change. 

Having explored the gallery, the Folkestone Academy students then headed into Margate’s Old Town to have some fish and chips and admire a great view of the sea. 

Sam summed it up well: “You can’t go to the beach without fish and chips!” 

The trip was organised as part of the Turner Schools Creative Arts Scholarship Programme.

The scheme is designed to foster talent within the creative and performing arts and to give youngsters a range of cultural experiences throughout the academic year. 

Pupils go on educational trips both locally and nationally, as well as being given in-house workshops from external industry professionals. 

Lucy Hunter, the teacher who led the Margate gallery trip, said: “The students really enjoyed the trip and it was a fantastic way to develop their passion for the creative arts.  

“At Folkestone Academy, we are committed to giving students the opportunity to access new cultural experiences.”

Turner Sixth Form student Kalel Davies, who recently completed his Level 3 BTEC in sport, has represented the school in basketball throughout his time at the academy. 

18 year old Kalel progressed his skills as part of the school’s Folkestone Basketball Academy, run by Mark Hinton and The Sports Trust, where he played, coached and represented the academy as a sport ambassador. Kalel has been dedicated to basketball from a young age, having also played for Saints Basketball Folkestone since he was a junior.

Now Kalel’s talent and commitment to basketball have been recognised with the offer of a three year contract with BC Bremerhaven, a professional club in Germany.  Basketball is one the most popular sports in Germany, and Kalel’s three years there will allow him to progress his training in an elite environment and develop his skills and abilities.

Kieran Cahill, Head of PE at Folkestone Academy, part of Turner Schools, said: “This is brilliant news, and recognition of Kalel’s fantastic natural talent and his unwavering determination to succeed in basketball. Kalel is a superb ambassador for the sport, and a great example of how important our sports academies are in nurturing young talent. We’re all very proud of him and can’t wait to see how his sporting career progresses.’

Kalel Davies said: “"I am very excited about the opportunity I have been offered. I’m very grateful for all the Folkestone Academy and my coaches Mark Hinton and Stuart Hunt have done in developing my skills over the short time I have been playing and their work in helping me get into the position where I am today."

It was a great game to watch and the boys did fantastically well and never let their heads drop.

At half time, Harvey Grammar School had the upper hand, with Folkestone Academy 13 points down. 

But with one minute to go at the end of the match, Folkestone Academy were five points up. 

Then a few mistakes by Folkestone Academy saw Harvey Grammar School level up with just 10 seconds to go and it looked like the match would go to extra time.

At that moment, Folkestone Academy’s most valuable player Cuban got the ball. 

He drove down the line and as he was going for a layup, he was fouled on the buzzer. This gave him two chances to win the game with a free throw.

But he only needed one throw and won the final for Folkestone Academy straightaway.

Both sets of players were a credit to their schools and played a fantastic game. 

The atmosphere among the crowd was fantastic, as lots of the Year 10 cohort came over to watch and support their friends.

The match even saw two Year 8 students at Folkestone Academy, who had come to watch the game, step up to help officiate.

Year 10 pupil Cuban said: “The team had put a lot of effort in over the year and had upped the training since xmas under the guidance of Folkestone saints coaches. 

“They had made the semi finals and finals in previous years but never put themselves in a situation to win it until now. 

“It was a real team effort and we all needed each other and no one would have won the game without each other and the training that was put in.”

As part of a scheme to learn about online safety, a specialised double-decked bus came to the school to give pupils the chance to discuss the challenges of online life.

The double-decker is fully kitted-out with age-appropriate games consoles and games and every pupil was given a 20-minute session onboard. 

The main message from sessions was about online safety: how to report people and comments that might make young people feel uncomfortable, and how to keep themselves safe while gaming by only playing with friends and people they know rather than strangers.

The event was organised by Kent County Council & Medway Prevent team. Officers from Prevent, representatives from Kent Police and a member of Folkestone and Hythe District Council’s Community Safety Team were on the bus talking to pupils.

Rosie, who is in Year 7, said she really enjoyed her gaming time on the bus.

“It was fun to play games, especially for some people who do not have access to games and there were loads of games to choose from. 

“We talked about how important it is to stay safe online, but have fun at the same time.”

Susie Williams, Vice Principal at Folkestone Academy said: “We were delighted to have the gaming bus come to Folkestone Academy and pupils thoroughly enjoyed their sessions.

“We know how important it is for all our young people to keep safe while they are online and we were delighted to have experts come to advise our pupils about online safety.”

From discussions on living with neurodiversity to hearing from speakers from different faiths and cultures, students in the trust’s schools across Folkestone and Dover have heard more about other people’s life experiences.

Boxer Josh Kennedy talked about how he had coped with living with ADHD, from his struggles at school to how boxing had helped him turn his life around. In an interactive assembly, he invited staff to take part in a ten second boxing exercise to the delight of watching students.

Musical treats included Maha Rai, a key figure within the Nepalese community, who prides himself in multiculturalism, engaging with students through his indigenous drumming and dancing.

Meanwhile, some innovative students from Folkestone Academy and an ex-student brought their Roma jazz band to Morehall and Folkestone Primary, showcasing  traditional music from the Roma community, with the songs all about love and family.

Students at Turner Free School heard about diversity in politics from local district councillor Abena Akuffo-Kelly, who spoke to current T6 students and Year 11s ,about her transition from a teaching career into politics. 

Multi-faith talks included one from a local imam from the Folkestone Mosque, who spoke with students about the five pillars that the islamic faith is built upon and the celebration of Ramadan, while teacher Mr Nijjer shared his Sikh beliefs.

The students also heard a powerful talk from Lea Baynes about the importance of accepting who you are for you and being proud of all you represent by sharing his inspirational experiences about his transition.

Turner Free School, Folkestone Academy , and Dover Christ Church Academy (DCCA) also  heard from Kim and Andy from the Kenwood Trust, who talked to them about the importance of making the right choices in life, and the destruction that any substance abuse can bring, with their powerful message bringing silence to assembly halls.

Students also enjoyed local trips as part of the week including one to The Beacon cafe on Guildhall street, where they engaged with the staff, and enjoyed having cakes, hot drinks.

Elise Tordecilla, Stakeholder Engagement Manager from Turner Schools said:

“‘Celebrating and discussing diversity in all its forms is a key way for young people to learn how to show respect to others and to learn from one another through others’  life experiences.

“It is important for children to learn that it is our differences that help to make the world a better and more interesting place, whether that be through race, culture, life experience, being neurodiverse, or through our sexual orientation.

“I want to thank everyone for taking part in Diversity week and for the staff and pupils at Turner Schools for ensuring everything ran smoothly and for making our speakers feel so welcome.”

The ten Year 10 students, who are all passionate about Science, were invited to the East Kent Schools Together Science Day as the highest attaining science students in their year group.

The wide variety of scientific courses studied from Medicine to advanced STEM subjects like augmented and virtual reality were showcased during the day in three exciting workshops.

Students were introduced to XR, extended reality, where pupils designed artwork which was then brought to life from the page. Extended reality, which incorporates augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality, is intended to mirror the physical world with a digital twin which users can interact with.

To give them a taste of studying for a medical degree, they also visited a ‘mock hospital’ where they were able to use medical equipment to evaluate model dummies that really breathed and experienced a cardiac arrest. 

Finally they learnt about the world of sports engineering, using balloons to describe the design of sports equipment. 

Lily and Dominic of Year 10 at Folkestone Academy said: “We enjoyed measuring the vitals of the medical dummies in the mock hospital ward. This was a unique experience to have a deeper insight into medicine and the human body.”

Cari Taylor, Lead Teacher for STEM, said:

“Year 10 students are at the stage when they are starting to think about what they might want to study at A level and beyond and so this day was aimed at this age group to give them an insight into what studying the sciences at university looks like in the 21st century.

“From the more traditional Medical subjects that we all might think of when we think about sciences to the newer STEM subjects like XR which reflect the rapid and continuing advances in technology, the day really opened their eyes to what the future might hold.

“The students were a real credit to the school and had a great time and thanks go to Canterbury Christ Church University and East Kent Schools Together for laying on such a fascinating and insightful day.”

The audience was wowed by dance numbers, musical performances, cheerleading routines and even yo-yo displays in a series of highly competitive heats, with eight acts making it through to the final showcase.

Performers had to impress a judging panel made up of Cllr Jackie Meade, Councillor for East Folkestone, Tim Smith,  Music Producer at local recording studio ‘Seaview Studio’, Steve Shaw, Principal at Folkestone Academy and Am’e Moris, Principal at Morehall Primary.

The Best in Primary award, presented by Steve Shaw, went to Indie-Lew from Morehall Primary, with a live drawing of a dinosaur to the ‘Jurassic Park’ theme tune, while Best in Secondary, presented by Tim Smith, was Ivan from Turner Sixth Form performing on the guitar ‘Ronda alla Turca’ by Mozart.

The Murphy Prize, named after Turner Schools CEO Seamus Murphy and awarded to the act who shows the most potential for the future, was awarded to Martello Primary’s Nestor, who performed ‘Scarborough Fair’ on the trumpet.

Finally, the overall winners of Turner’s Got Talent 2024,awarded by Cllr Jackie Meade, were announced: Folkestone Academy’s students, Beth, Ava, Leah, Angel, Esme and Eden who performed ‘Ex-Wives’ from the musical Six.

Michelle Foxwood, Director of Creative Arts at Turner Schools, said:

“Once again the pupils of theTurner Schools Trust have provided an outstanding evening of entertainment. Their talent and confidence is testament to the creative education at their schools and to our ethos of striving for excellence.”

Leah Whiting, from the Folkestone Academy ‘Ex-Wives’ performance, said: 

We were so happy about winning the competition that we cried! It was such an amazing experience to be able to perform in front of so many people. We’re so proud of our achievement.”

Tim Smith, Owner of Seaview Studios, said: 

"It is so exciting to see how much talent there is in the next generation and I am thrilled to see that being nurtured in these schools"

Seamus Murphy, CEO at Turner Schools, said:

“I was delighted to see the variety of talents on show this evening. Well done to all who reached the final and congratulations to all the winners”. 

Companies including: Invvu Construction Consultants, Church & Dwight, Saga, Eurotunnel, Jenner, Swiss Re, NHS Pharmaceuticals, and Digital Kent all exhibited at Turner Schools’ annual Careers Fair, which focused on STEM this year.

Hundreds of students were able to access the careers fair as it toured three schools within the Turner Schools group - Turner Free School in Folkestone in January, Folkestone Academy in February and Dover Christ Church Academy (DCCA) in March. 

Students in Dover were able to take part in the careers fair for the first time since the school became part of Turner Schools.  As part of the Trust’s fully inclusive approach, all pupils from the Aspen 2 Specialist Provision at Dover Christ Church Academy also participated in the fair.

As well as exhibitors introducing students to job roles that utilise STEM subjects, a range of further and higher education providers including Canterbury Christ Church University and East Kent College were on hand to explain the qualifications they offered in STEM.

Pupils across all year groups attended the careers fair, enabling them to learn more about the wide range of career opportunities available in these industries and ask employers more detailed questions.

Katy Tibbles, Trust Head of Careers, explained: 

“Every year we run a series of careers fairs that link to a specific sector. This means that pupils get a more in-depth look at that particular industry and a greater insight into the wide variety of roles, not just those that are well known. 

“This year, we focused on STEM and it was great to have so many local companies attend the fairs and provide engaging activities that inspired the pupils to consider careers in this field.”

Fiona Dryburgh, Invvu Construction Consultants, commented:

‘We had a fantastic experience at the Turner Schools STEM Career Fairs, engaging with students (who were brilliant!), sharing insights into our work, and shedding light on career paths within the construction industry.

“At INVVU, we are passionate about enlightening students of all ages about the diverse opportunities in Engineering and Construction Design, showcasing the dynamic careers available in this field.

“We find that many students associate engineering solely with repairing cars or machines. However, the field of engineering encompasses much more than this and is intricately intertwined with everything we encounter in our daily lives from roads to bridges, schools to drainage systems, lighting and heating.

“Given the skills shortage in the UK, we recognize the importance of our role in inspiring future talent to explore careers within our industry, and after meeting lots of switched on and engaged students, at the Turner Schools - the future looks bright!’.”

Pupils from DCCA were delighted to attend the fair for the first time:

“I found it really interesting finding out all about different jobs I could do in the future and I hope we can do this again.” - Stanley, year 8 DCCA. 

Competitors were welcomed by Dr Ed Cohen who is a Reader (Associate Professor) in Statistics in the Department of Mathematics at Imperial College London, one of the most pre-eminent Mathematics departments in the world.

Dr Cohen spoke to the pupils about being a mathematician and outlined some of the exciting projects he has worked on before officially opening the competition.

Pupils took part in six rounds aimed at bringing Maths and numbers to life and encouraging children to have fun with numbers: Speed Test, Murder Mystery, Codebreaking, Number Problems, Numbers Crossword and Number Relay Game.

Overall honours were scooped by pupils from St Augustine’s Catholic School with St Martin’s CofE Primary School in second place and Christ Church CofE Primary Academy in third.

Also taking part were pupils from Folkestone Primary, Martello Primary, Morehall Primary, Mundella Primary, Seabrook CofE Primary, St Nicholas CofE Primary Academy, Palmarsh Primary School, The Churchill School, St Eanswythe’s CofE Primary, St Mary’s  CofE Primary Academy, Selsted CofE Primary School and Stella Maris Catholic Primary School.

Winners were presented with a trophy and a maths gift set, including a scientific calculator and a geometry set, by Steve Shaw, Principal of Folkestone Academy.

All the competitors were presented with certificates and good bags.

Keith Denchfield, Director of Maths at Folkestone Academy, said: 

“The Maths Challenge was set up to encourage primary age children to have fun with numbers and learn to love and appreciate them before any prejudices or fears about the subject creep in. It was inspiring to see the enjoyment the children competing had for the subject and I hope that continues to grow into their secondary years.”

Steve Shaw, Principal at Folkestone Academy, said: 

“We were delighted to host such an educational and fun event for local primary schools, encouraging the competitors in their love of Maths.

“We were also honoured to welcome Dr Ed Cohen to the school to talk to the children about his own love of the subject and his amazing career. It is so important for children to be inspired at an early age, particularly in Maths which has perhaps suffered more than other academic subjects in terms of negative perceptions.”

 Dr Ed Cohen said: 

“From explaining the world around us, to driving forward the latest developments in technology and artificial intelligence, mathematics is a remarkable subject that will continue to touch almost every aspect of our lives. There has never been a more exciting time to be a mathematician, and events like this are vital in nurturing and energising the next generation. It was wonderful to share the day with this bright, fun, and diverse group of budding mathematicians.”

Holiday Extras is a forward thinking, local company specialising in technology, software engineering and product development. Their state-of-the-art offices cater for more than 800 employees and with a mantra of 'no fun, no point' they're an enticing employment route for young people. 

Students on the trip enjoyed a tour of the amazing campus facilities, learned about different job roles and entry routes, including apprenticeships, and also had the opportunity to learn about the exciting impact of artificial intelligence on business development.

The trip was organised as part of the Turner Schools careers programme which aims to provide pupils with the knowledge, skills and experiences they need to make informed choices about their future. 

As well as the Year 10 visits, Holiday Extras have also recently supported schools in the trust by attending their STEM Careers Fairs and talking to sixth form students about their apprenticeship opportunities.

Nicola Boston, Culture & Experience Lead, said:

“It was an absolute pleasure to host both Folkestone Academy and Turner Free School at our campus. Our mission is to inspire and educate local young people about the world of career possibilities available to them - these visits were the perfect opportunity to do this. The students had fun experimenting with the latest AI technology as well as learning about how it’s transforming our business operations.”

Chloe, a Year 10 student at Turner Free School, said: 

“Going to Holiday Extras was lots of fun. I really liked the environment and the building, it made me think that it would be a fun place to work - everyone seemed to be enjoying what they were doing. It was really inspiring to learn about artificial intelligence and how it’s being used more by businesses. It made me realise that jobs will look very different by the time I go to work.”

Katy Tibbles, Head of Careers at Turner Schools, said: 

“It’s a privilege to work with supportive and innovative companies such as Holiday Extras. As a local business, they will offer real career opportunities for our young people as they progress into the world of work. Visits such as these inspire pupils and help them navigate their way through education and on to meaningful employment in the future.”

The prestigious awards, run annually by the national body for careers education in England - The Careers and Enterprise Company, celebrate excellence in careers education.

They select just ten careers education champions, whose collective effort has promoted skills and great outcomes for young people, from thousands nationwide.  

This year’s awards recognised champions who stood out in three areas: Widening Opportunity, Building Future Skills and Raising Quality.

Turner Schools, which runs schools including Folkestone Academy, Turner Free School in Folkestone and Dover Christ Church Academy in Dover, was recognised in the Raising Quality section, for “demonstrating exemplary leadership in improving the standard of careers provision in their area”, according to the selection panel, who said:

“The Trust has demonstrated strategic leadership for careers across all its schools and built strong relationships with local employers.”

The panel also recognised that Turner Schools’ achievement in careers education was even greater because a higher number of the trust’s students – 44% compared to the national average of 24% - were eligible for free school meals. A higher figure is often equated to increased disadvantages faced by children in education and beyond.

The panel reported: “They progress to a wide range of post-16 destinations, with a mix of academic and vocational pathways, suggesting that pupils are well informed of the different options available to them.”

Turner Schools was awarded the accolade during National Careers Week in a ceremony at the House of Lords, attended by Seamus Murphy, Turner Schools’ CEO and Katy Tibbles, Trust Head of Careers, and hosted by Baroness Nicky Morgan, with the keynote speech given by Lord David Blunkett. 

Seamus Murphy, Turner Schools’ CEO said:

“I was delighted to have our careers provision celebrated at such a high profile event. Our strategic focus on the importance of careers education is a reflection of the trust vision for excellence in education for all and a vindication of the investment we have put in our amazing staff and partnerships.”

Katy Tibbles, Head of Careers at Turner Schools, said: 

“It was an absolute honour to be recognised for raising quality at The Careers and Enterprise Company’s Careers Excellence Awards. 

“As a trust we recognise the importance and impact of good careers education for all young people to ensure that they can take their best next step as they progress through education and into the world of work. 

“Having worked hard for a number of years to create a meaningful and rigorous careers programme that meets the needs of all pupils across our schools, it means a lot to us to receive this award.”

Holiday Extras is a forward thinking, local company specialising in technology, software engineering and product development. Their state-of-the-art offices cater for more than 800 employees and with a mantra of 'no fun, no point' they're an enticing employment route for young people. 

Students on the trip enjoyed a tour of the amazing campus facilities, learned about different job roles and entry routes, including apprenticeships, and also had the opportunity to learn about the exciting impact of artificial intelligence on business development.

The trip was organised as part of the Turner Schools careers programme which aims to provide pupils with the knowledge, skills and experiences they need to make informed choices about their future. 

As well as the Year 10 visits, Holiday Extras have also recently supported schools in the trust by attending their STEM Careers Fairs and talking to sixth form students about their apprenticeship opportunities.

Nicola Boston, Culture & Experience Lead, said:

“It was an absolute pleasure to host both Folkestone Academy and Turner Free School at our campus. Our mission is to inspire and educate local young people about the world of career possibilities available to them - these visits were the perfect opportunity to do this. The students had fun experimenting with the latest AI technology as well as learning about how it’s transforming our business operations.”

Chloe, a Year 10 student at Turner Free School, said: 

“Going to Holiday Extras was lots of fun. I really liked the environment and the building, it made me think that it would be a fun place to work - everyone seemed to be enjoying what they were doing. It was really inspiring to learn about artificial intelligence and how it’s being used more by businesses. It made me realise that jobs will look very different by the time I go to work.”

Katy Tibbles, Head of Careers at Turner Schools, said: 

“It’s a privilege to work with supportive and innovative companies such as Holiday Extras. As a local business, they will offer real career opportunities for our young people as they progress into the world of work. Visits such as these inspire pupils and help them navigate their way through education and on to meaningful employment in the future.”

The purpose of the visit was to provide students interested in horticulture with a firsthand experience of a nationally recognised garden, offering insights into the diverse world of plants and the various tasks involved in horticultural practices.

The day kicked off with a walk weaving through areas adorned with spring bulbs and vibrant red Cornus (Dogwood). The students took part in a photo scavenger hunt where they had to take pictures of plants with different attributes, including pink, spiky, or variegated, and note down both the Latin and common names.

They then entered the Glasshouse, where the students were transported to the tropical and desert ecosystems, marvelling at the unique flora curated by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). The RHS team then led an interactive session with a diverse range of activities, from identifying plants which contribute to wellbeing, exploring bugs and microorganisms in the soil, to participating in garden maintenance tasks and team-building exercises like constructing support structures for climbing plants.

Before the visit came to an end, the Folkestone Academy students enjoyed the Bonsai walk and Alpine Houses, before taking in the view of Wisley from the summit of the Alpine Garden.

Shyla, a Year 8 student at Folkestone Academy, said:

“I really loved going to Wisley, I especially loved going into the Glasshouse and seeing all of the tropical plants and how big they can grow.”

Demi, a Year 8 student at Folkestone Academy, said:

“My favourite part of the session with the RHS team was doing the bug hunt and seeing what bugs can be found under logs in the garden.”

Alexandra Peacock, Horticulture Lead at Folkestone Academy, said: 

“The trip to RHS Garden Wisley was a tremendous success, with our students fully immersed in the world of high-class horticulture. It was fantastic to witness their enthusiasm across the various activities organised by the RHS team and they really enjoyed the day.

‘This visit not only broadened their understanding of horticulture but also sparked a newfound passion for the subject. We are committed to providing unique opportunities like this to ensure our students receive the best possible education which extends far beyond the classroom.”

As part of this, Year 7 students had the opportunity to explore the Mobile Inflatable Planetarium, a large inflatable dome which projected stellar animations for students to enjoy in our space topic. Students had a fantastic time learning about how the universe was created, how it formed atoms, then molecules then planets and finally life itself.

Meanwhile, Year 8 pupils embarked on a long journey to the London Science Museum this term to experience the history of science, seeing things such as the oldest engine in the world, Crick and Watson’s model of DNA, the space suit of the first Briton in space, and a real piece of the moon. 

Finally, Six Year 8 pupils took part in the Faraday Challenge at the Folkestone School for Girls, a cross-curricular STEM activity day which awarded all 6 students with an Industrial Cadets Challenger Award for completing a hands-on problem solving and critical thinking activity. After completing the day the students will now receive a CREST Discovery Award from the British Science Association.

Steve Shaw, Principal at Folkestone Academy, said: 

“There has been a real buzz in the air around science this term and I am delighted that we’ve managed to offer so many different opportunities to our students to help bring their learning to life. This is so important to make sure students engage with their studies and really see how they can apply this to life after school.

“It has been fantastic for our younger years to experience not one but two Turner 25 science events. These are designed to enrich their learning and broaden their horizons outside of their traditional academic work. We can’t wait to give more opportunities to our budding scientists in the future.” 

The initiative aims to empower young people to drive opportunity, engagement, and positive change within the realm of sports, both in their educational settings and beyond. It is student-led, with young people exploring ways to empower themselves and others to promote physical activity among their peers.

The focus includes strategies to ensure that all voices within the school community are heard, fostering an environment of inclusivity and positive change.

The partnership began with an interactive workshop led by a YST tutor, engaging students with fun activities to encourage a discussion about their experiences of leadership. The wide-ranging conversation covered the significance of Youth Voice, the potential career pathways supported by being a Young Ambassador, and the motivational factors that inspire young leaders to make a difference.

The collaboration will continue, with Folkestone Academy set to meet with other pilot schools in term 6 for a larger event. The school is honoured to contribute to the development of the Young Ambassadors Leadership Programme, reinforcing its commitment to fostering leadership skills and positive change among its student body.

Beth, a Year 10 pupil at Folkestone Academy, said:

"A great morning talking and thinking about how we can improve in sport."

Louisa Eede, Director of Sport at Folkestone Academy, said: 

“This is a fantastic opportunity involving our young people from Folkestone Academy as part of this national programme for Sport Ambassadors. This groundbreaking initiative empowers our young people to take charge of opportunities, engage with their peers, and drive positive change, not just within the school but extending beyond.

“This programme aligns perfectly with our commitment to nurturing leadership skills and creating an environment where our students can thrive. We look forward to the continued collaboration and the positive impact this programme will undoubtedly have on our students' lives."

Enthusiasm permeated the air as novices and seasoned musicians alike gathered to create a symphonic spectacle. The workshop provided a platform for students to showcase their talents and join forces in creating awe-inspiring renditions of iconic pieces. From the pulsating "Mambo" from West Side Story to the enchanting "Hedwig's Theme" from Harry Potter, and the formidable "Imperial March" from Star Wars, the repertoire captivated both participants and spectators.

Throughout the day, the students not only honed their musical skills under the guidance of Kent Music professionals but also forged new friendships and bonds through the universal language of music. Throughout the workshop students went beyond the boundaries of their individual schools to create a truly creative environment where all could collaborate and share their passion for music.

Over the course of the day, it became evident that the workshop had a profound impact on the participants. The echoes of their performances lingered in the air, leaving a lasting impression on everyone present. The event showcased not only the musical abilities of the students but also instilled in them a deep sense of achievement and camaraderie.

Mr Field, Director of Music at Folkestone Academy, said:

“We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Folkestone School for Girls and Kent Music for organising this transformative event. The Orchestra Workshop Day stands as a testament to the power of music to inspire, unite, and unlock the boundless potential of young talent.

“It was truly awe-inspiring to see these incredible young people’s collective efforts transformed into a crescendo of confidence as they harmonised with fellow musicians, their spirits soaring with each note. It is a shining example of the collaborative spirit within our local schools and the commitment to fostering creativity and camaraderie among our students.”

Jasmin Year 8 pupil at FA said: “It was really good how we were able to play in sync so well together even though we had only been rehearsing for that day. I definitely would like to do something like this again!”

Michael, Year 9 pupil at TFS said: “It was brilliant to meet other musicians from the local area and to find out more about them.”

Pupils from Years 7 to 13 worked with Academy drama, music, and dance teachers to put on a sensational show. In all, 35 pupils contributed to the final production, either through performing or working backstage to support their peers. With the support of sound and lighting engineers the full stage production allowed pupils to deliver a truly professional performance.

After all their hard work and dedication, pupils performed four shows. They performed two matinee shows to 90 primary school pupils from the local area and the Creative Arts Scholarship students from the academy, followed by two evening shows to sell-out audiences of family, friends, and staff members.

Mr Woodbridge, Drama Teacher at Folkestone Academy who organised the event, said: 

“Congratulations to all of our pupils involved with the Little Shop of Horrors performance! They have worked so hard over the past six months and it was fantastic to see this all come together to form a remarkable performance which showcased the talent that we have here at Folkestone Academy. I am incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication and who knows, we could be looking at the next Westend star.”

Kaitlyn Leizert, who played the dentist and voiced Audrey II, said: 

“It was an extraordinary experience that I will never forget. I especially enjoyed working with the band as it made the production feel more professional. We could not have produced such a successful performance without the support of the stage, lighting and sound crew as well as the hard work and dedication of our teachers Mr Woodbridge and Mr Field.”

Steve Shaw, Principal at Folkestone Academy, said:

“The pupils have really enjoyed the experience of participating in the production, and have demonstrated great resilience through working all day at school and then rehearsing in the evening. All their hard work clearly paid off as the actual performance was fantastic! Thank you to Mr Woodbridge as well for his great work in organising the event and pulling this spectacular production together.

“This musical is a great example of the opportunities we want to offer all pupils across Turner Schools. Productions like this give young people the chance to see how a large-scale performance really works; whether they’re up on stage or working behind the scenes they are developing key skills and learning more about life outside of the classroom.”

Like many amazing young artists, Katie used her sketchbook to show her development of her ideas and experimentation of techniques and processes. Katie's project focused on 'sleeping' and how sleep was linked to early childhood development.

She looked at various artists including Tracey Emin and visited her sculptures in Folkestone titled 'Baby Things'. Katie's sketchbook was a fascinating journey into her ideas as an artist and presented an honest perspective about her life. 

The Gloria Gordon Awards are sponsored by Graham Gordon in memory of his wife Gloria and are judged by an independent panel.

For young artists the use of a sketchbook is crucial in developing their skills but can also present a fascinating insight and perspective on life. The Awards are intended to find and celebrate excellence in the creation of an art and design student’s sketchbook and the impact that has on their finished pieces.

For receiving the award, Katie was honoured with a trophy in the form of an art deco dancer, as well as a cash prize.

Katie Inge said: 

“I am delighted to have received the Gloria Gordon sketchbook award and am honoured to have been recognised for my hard work over the course of my A-levels.”

Miss Diwell, Art Teacher at Folkestone Academy, said:

“We are extremely proud of Katie for winning this prestigious award. She is an extremely talented and multi disciplined artist, who has worked hard over the years to hone her skill in drawing, painting, embroidery and photography to create beautiful artworks both inside and outside her sketchbook.”

The Classroom was officially opened by Tony Woods, Director of Garden Club London. Tony is a renowned figure in the gardening world and achieved great success as a Gold Medal Winner at last year's prestigious Chelsea Flower Show with his stunning Garden Sanctuary design.

The Horticulture Classroom stands as the centre point of Turner Schools’ drive to promote environmental awareness among students and the wider Folkestone community. Students will be taught about the vital role plants play in ecosystems, grasp the significance of growing local and seasonal produce in combating climate change, and gain insights into the journey of food from farm to table.

School leaders at Folkestone Academy plan to use this facility for Year 10 and 11 pupils as part of their alternative education provision, while Key Stage 3 students will have one dedicated horticultural lesson a week.

Lessons will be taught in mixed ability groups with numerous practical sessions where students will have access to a purpose-built horticulture area including an outdoor classroom, polytunnel, and a number of raised beds.

The school has employed an experienced horticulturalist as lead teacher, as well as another teacher to support. There are plans in place to create a training centre for wider Turner Schools staff.

Turner Schools are also planning to organise a series of talks and workshops led by industry specialists to promote the benefits of the facility, as well as acting as a hugely valuable community space.

The Horticulture Classroom, raised beds and polytunnel was made possible by the generous £160,000 grant from Sir Roger De Haan, Chair of Friends of Folkestone Academy. 

Steve Shaw, Principal at Turner Schools, said:

“We believe in nurturing a profound appreciation for the natural world among our students. The Horticulture Classroom shows our commitment to providing hands-on learning experiences that not only empower our students with skills but also inspire a lifelong love for nature. We want to use this classroom to promote environmental issues and increase our students’ understanding of the challenges ahead, as well as highlighting careers and progression opportunities in the horticultural and environmental science industries.”

Seamus Murphy, Chief Executive at Turner Schools, said:

"We are immensely grateful to Sir Roger De Haan for his unwavering support. His generous donation has allowed us to create a space that will not only enhance the learning experience of our students but also serve as a valuable community asset. We truly believe that this project will prove pivotal in our bid to establish Turner Schools as a local, and in time national, beacon of excellence for environmental science and horticulture teaching.”

We are proud of the hard work and commitment shown over the last two years by students.  

The many success stories of our Year 11 students are exemplified by a number of individual pupils, including:

• Archie Whittaker who achieved outstanding results, securing the following grades: English Language 7, French 8, Mathematics 7 and Science Double Award 87.   

• Libby Smith also achieved outstanding results including: English Literature 7, Mathematics 7, Science Double Award 88 and a BTEC Distinction in Hospitality and Catering, Music and Business Enterprise.  

• Another stand out student was Saibh Dunleavy, who achieved Mathematics 8, Science Double Award 87 and three BTEC Distinction grades in Childcare Studies, Information Technology and Health & Social Care. 

• Milly Sheehan achieved Geography grade 7 and BTEC Distinction in Business Enterprise and Information Technology.

• Brad Freed attained Mathematics at grade 7, Science Double Award 76 and BTEC Distinction Business Enterprise.

Steven Shaw, Principal at Folkestone Academy, said: 

“We are all delighted to see our students record such fantastic results. Today’s grades are the end result of a tremendous amount of hard work from these young people and I am so pleased that they have succeeded despite the challenges of the past few years. Thank you as well to our wonderful staff who have worked tirelessly to support these students”

Seamus Murphy, CEO of Turner Schools, said: 

"We would like to congratulate all our Year 11 pupils who are rightly celebrating their achievements today. It has been a delight to see so many young people feeling proud of their achievements, which are a culmination of years of hard work. Their GCSE results will enable them to move forward with their future aspirations and we are excited to see what adventures await these fantastic young people."

Schools Minister, Nick Gibb said:

“Pupils receiving their results in Folkestone, and across the country, should feel very proud today. I want to congratulate them all and express my gratitude to all of the teachers and leaders who have helped them on the way.

“GCSEs are a milestone in any young person’s life, and pupils collecting results today have the opportunity to progress onto one of many high-quality options including A levels, T Levels and hundreds of apprenticeship routes. I wish them all the best whatever they decide to do.”

Students across the country have been awaiting their results after sitting the exams during May and June. It’s been a normal school year after the pandemic disruption, but there have still been challenges to overcome for both staff and students. Many schools are still recovering from Covid-19, and although this is the first year that grading has returned to pre-pandemic standards, exams regulator Ofqual asked exam boards to take this into consideration when awarding grades. 

Staff at Folkestone Academy have worked tirelessly to ensure students had the support they needed to sit the final exams of their school career. In particular, staff offered additional revision and intervention sessions after school, during lunch times and during school holidays to ensure that pupils had every opportunity to succeed. 

We are particularly proud of the following pupils for achieving fantastic results: 

• Luke Murrum, who secured an A in A Level Sociology, B in Applied Criminology and a Distinction in Music Technology. Luke will be reading Creative Music Production and Technology at Canterbury Christ Church University. 

• Elijah Sainsbury, who achieved an A* in Fine Art, an A in Film Studies and a C in Graphic Design, is going on to read Fine Art at the University of Creative Arts. 

• Emma Gardiner achieved a Distinction in Child Development, a Distinction in Sport and a C in A Level History. Emma is looking forward to starting her fantastic journey in the Navy. 

• Poppy Foster, who attained a Distinction * in Child Development, a Distinction * in Health and Social Care and a Merit in Applied Science, will be moving on to study Paramedic Science at Canterbury Christ Church. 

• Katie Inge is also celebrating a Distinction in Child Development, a Distinction in Health and Social Care and an A in Fine Art. Katie will also be moving on to study Fine Art at the University of the Creative Arts. 

Steven Shaw, Head of School at Folkestone Academy, said: 

“We are thrilled to see so many students achieve the grades they deserved across their A-Levels, BTECs, and vocational courses. This is the result of a great deal of hard work and today we see the results of those efforts. Students will be going on to a wide range of exciting destinations and I couldn’t be happier for them.” 

Seamus Murphy, CEO of Turner Schools, said: 

“It is fantastic to see how well this cohort has achieved and they have every right to feel very proud of their success. Today’s results are a testament to the hard work, commitment, and dedication to their studies of these young people, as well as the fantastic teaching team here at Folkestone Academy, and I am delighted by how well they have all done. We wish them the best of luck for the future and know they will continue to excel as they take their next steps after leaving school.”

The aim of the project was to encourage boys to explore their strengths and interests; to raise awareness of career pathways that they may not have otherwise considered; and to develop their knowledge of higher education.

Over a 2 month period, the boys participated in a series of five workshops which included designing a university, creative writing, healthcare, physical theatre, and digital arts, as well as a visit from the author Sam Gayton. The project culminated in a visit to the University of Kent’s campus in Canterbury.

During the visit the students enjoyed taking part in two laboratory-based workshops, in fingerprinting and anthropology. 

In the fingerprinting workshops the pupils wore lab coats and used special powders to get their own fingerprint which they used to create a keyring, while in the anthropology workshop they analysed a replica human skeleton to understand how much they could learn about a person from their remains. 

They were also taught about heptalogy - the study of reptiles - and got to touch a real snakeskin, as well as learning about forensics through flies and maggots to learn a time of death. Finally, they explored the biodiversity of plants and how these can help uncover a crime scene. 

The boys got to take part in real discussion and questioning of the various subject areas, as well as receiving a tour of the university.

A celebratory award ceremony ended the day with boys being presented certificates for taking part in the series of workshops which formed the project. 

Aaron Hughes, a Turner Free School student, said: 

“The campus tour was great! The university was much bigger than I expected. The trip to UKC made me want to go there when I'm older.”

Dylan Dodd, a Turner Free School student, said: 

“I didn't think I would like forensic science, but I really enjoyed learning how to get fingerprints off surfaces using magnetic powder! I also found the tour really interesting, especially seeing the gym, theatre, cinema and library. I was surprised how big the library is as there are 4 floors including a cafe!”

Cillian Moss, a Folkestone Academy student, said:  

“I thought that the university trip was really interesting and it got me thinking a lot about things. I thought about what job I could do in the future if I went to university and how it would affect my life.”

Leeton Gentry, a Folkestone Academy student, said: 

“The trip to the university was really fun and interesting. I really enjoyed the fingerprinting workshop and how it was all real life stuff that we were doing.”

Kelly Jarrett, Careers Advisor at Turner Schools, said:

“It has been a privilege to witness how inspired pupils have been collaborating together, exploring new ideas and concepts that are not part of the standard curriculum. The visit to the University of Kent campus gave the boys valuable insights into university life which was brought to life through exposure to being part of laboratory style activities. 

“We are really proud of how our boys have seen the project through gaining more confidence and knowledge in the process. We would like to extend our thanks to The University of Kent for allowing our pupils to have this opportunity which will hopefully have a huge impact on their future study pathways and careers.”

The donated plants were planted in front of the recently completed Horticulture building. They included a variety of shrubs, succulents, herbs and lavender, all of which are hardy plants and work well in dry environments and need little watering.

The school received these plants after making contact with Tony Woods, Director of Garden Club London, when designing its Derek Jarman inspired Community Garden. Tony was a Gold Medal Winner at last year’s Chelsea Flower Show with his Garden Sanctuary design. The donated flowers come from the Hamptons Mediterranean Garden at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show which won a Silver Gilt medal. 

When the school received the flowers, it was the Year 8 Horticulture students, under the watchful eye of Horticulture Teacher Alexandra Peacock, who had the job of planting them all and ensuring they were best placed to continue growing. Alexandra and the Horticulture students will now be responsible for watering the plants and looking after them.

David Bowles, Director of Finance and Operations at Turner Schools, said::

“Having flowers from the world famous Chelsea Flower Show to massively enhance the landscaping around the building is the icing on the cake for the pupils, staff, and the local community. It’s really important to all the staff here that students understand the natural world around them and develop a love of the outdoors, so we would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to Tony and the team at the Chelsea Flower Show for their generosity.”

Tony Woods said:

“I am delighted to be working with Folkestone Academy and the Horticulture Classroom to re-use the plants from the Hamptons Mediterranean garden at Chelsea Flower Show. Horticultural education is essential to meet many of the opportunities for young people to excel in green careers and inspire a new generation of gardeners. When established, this drought tolerant planting scheme will demonstrate how we can plant for a changing climate as well as providing plants for students to use for propagation, pruning and plant identification in horticultural lessons.”

Alexandra Peacock, Horticulture Teacher at Folkestone Academy, said: 

“We were all delighted to receive this incredibly generous donation of plants and flowers to help brighten up the school site. The students loved taking the time to plan out where each plant would go and deciding how they would best complement each other, and I know they are excited to watch these grow over time. It’s lovely to see how enthusiastic they all were for this project and are already looking forward to more planting in the future.”

Pupils from six different schools competed in a range of sports, supported by coaches from an array of local clubs. 

Over the course of the day the children took part in hockey drills and skills, supported by coaches from Folkestone Optimists, cricket challenges with The Sports Trust, football activities with Kent Lionesses coaches, and even skateboarding, delivered by coaches from F51 skate park. The children particularly enjoyed the football ‘speed cage’, an inflatable goal that tested the speed of a football being kicked into the goal.

Pupils also participated in a range of athletics events with coaches from the Folkestone Junior Athletics Clubs, including learning how to throw a javelin, taking on the hurdles, and running. 

The range of activities meant that pupils had a chance to try sports they might not have participated in before, as well as enjoying old favourites. 

Koby, a Year 5 pupil at Martello Primary, said: 

'I enjoyed the speed cage with the football as I scored 38. I was really shocked how well I did.”

Annabella, a Year 5 pupil at Martello Primary, said:

“I liked the skateboarding session as it encouraged us to try something new.”

Orlando, a Year 5 pupil at Martello Primary, said:

“All of the activities made us push ourselves and gave us a challenge.”

Frankie, a Year 5 pupil at Martello Primary, said:

“I enjoyed being energetic and watching people have fun.”

Joe, a Year 5 pupil at Mundella Primary said:

“The activity I enjoyed the most was cricket because it was fun scoring points against my friends.”

Ayu, a Year 5 pupil at Mundella Primary said:

“I enjoyed it all even though it was very hot. Cricket was the most fun.”

Harry, a Year 5 pupil at Mundella Primary said:

“My favourite was the football, especially the speed cage. I got 38!”

Sarah Green, The Sports Trust Project Manager for Schools and Folkestone School Games Organiser, comments: “It has been a wonderful day seeing so many children associate being active with fun. However, alongside the enjoyment of playing sport, we had a very important message for the children. 

As these year 5 pupils start to turn their thoughts to moving onto secondary school we praised those who stepped out of their comfort zone and tried something new today. 

“We also challenged them to continue to find ways in the near future to step out of their comfort zone to grow and acquire skills needed to be confident secondary school students in 18 months time. I would also like to thank all the primary school staff involved, the Folkestone Academy year 12s who supported the sports coaches, the year 7 students who spent time speaking with the participants about life at secondary school and the secondary staff involved at my School Games host school, Folkestone Academy.”

Steve Shaw, Principal at Folkestone Academy, comments: 

“It is always a pleasure to host our neighbouring primary schools for the Folkestone Olympics and to see such wonderful effort and enthusiasm from these young people. It’s a wonderful opportunity for them to try new sports as well as show off their existing skills, all while being supported by the fantastic coaches from a real range of sports clubs.

“We know how important it is that young people grow up to live healthy, active lives, and days like today are crucial to helping them develop a love of exercise. We hope to see many more pupils take up these sports in the future as they continue to live energetic and vigorous lives.”

The six schools taking part in the Folkestone Olympics were:

The Churchill School, St Eanswythe’s CofE Primary, Mundella Primary, St Mary’s CofE Primary Academy, Martello Primary, and Folkestone Primary

Over the past few weeks the group have been working on creating the seasonal decoration to brighten up the window of the Bargain Warehouse. 

Linda Bolt, Lucy Hall and Kate Knight, who all work in the SEND team at Folkestone Academy, run the weekly club. They arranged with Bargain Warehouse for the children’s artwork to be displayed to reward them for their hard work. 

Linda Bolt, from the Turner Stone Community Hub, said: 

“Seeing their artwork displayed in the window of a major shop was a fantastic experience for our children! We know how much they enjoy taking part in the weekly Arts & Crafts club, but to see their work displayed in public like that really does add something special. 

“Our pupils say they enjoy attending the Arts & Crafts club because it’s therapeutic and fun, because it gives them the chance to make new friends while being creative, and because it’s a lovely environment to experiment with new craft ideas. It also lets our younger children chat with and work alongside older pupils which is great for their development.

“We welcome pupils’ families as well which helps create a really lovely atmosphere there. It’s an opportunity for families to spend some time together in a fun way, taking part in something creative with lots to do for children of all ages.” 

Highlights of this focus on creativity include:

Q&A with Sir Stephen Deuchar CBE

Folkestone Academy’s Art pupils were privileged to have a question-and-answer session with Sir Stephen Deucher CBE. Sir Stephen was awarded the CBE for his contribution to Arts and held the post of Director of Tate Britain.

The pupils found out that Sir Stephen had not chosen Art as a preferred subject at school, but rather initially focused on studying History at university. Through this he developed an interest in Art History which led to him pursuing a career in the art industry

Sir Stephen stressed the importance of pupils making the most of every opportunity, and passed on useful advice for those pupils looking to have a career in the art world.

Leon, a Year 8 pupil at Folkestone Academy, said:

“He was very open to share his passion for the things he has worked on, it was very inspiring to hear how his career has progressed. I enjoyed having the Q&A format for his visit because I got to express my interest in his career and ask questions about it that I wouldn't normally get the chance to.”

The visit was organised by Katy Tibbles, Senior Stakeholder and Community Engagement Manager, through the Speakers For School charity (https://www.speakersforschools.org).

Katy said:

“We were honoured to be visited by Sir Stephen. Our pupils were incredibly lucky to meet someone with such extensive experience and knowledge of the art world. Sir Stephen was keen to hear from the pupils and to understand their views on the creative industry. He raised awareness of the different roles within the sector and encouraged pupils to pursue their goals and interests.”

Academy FM & Scholarship Mural with Vanessa Clark

Year 8 Scholarship pupils have had the pleasure of working with local artist Vanessa Clark on producing a Mural for the end-of-year Turner Trust Exhibition. Vanessa explained more about working as an artist in the local creative scene, and how she dedicates her practice to encouraging creative minds to follow their own process.

The pupils used the theme ‘Mental Health’ to inspire a cascading mural piece that takes everyday negative thoughts and poses solutions for working past these.

The pupils enjoyed using the abstract process of tearing up their ‘negative thoughts’ and scattering them across a brightly coloured ‘positive space’, full of the everyday things that bring joy. The piece will be displayed at our Turner Trust Exhibition at the end of the school year. 

Grace, a Year 8 pupil, said:

“I learned a new process of creating, the artist was so understanding and encouraged us to be more open with our ideas”.

Leila, a Year 8 pupil, said:

“The work we were doing really encouraged us to open up about mental health. It was fun working with different materials in a new way with Vanessa, she was very enthusiastic and encouraging.”

Academy FM & Scholarship Music workshops with Tim Smith

Year 7 and Year 8 Creative Scholarship pupils enjoyed workshops with local music producer Tim Smith. Using music provided by a Folkestone Academy pupil band, Tim showed the pupils how to set up microphones and record the live band. He also shared stories from his time working in the music industry and passed on advice to the pupils from his experiences.

The workshops came about through the Academy FM Folkestone project. This project is funded by the Kent Community Foundation and over the last year has seen a number of Folkestone Academy pupils meet people working in local creative industries.

Grace, a Year 8 pupil, said:

“Tim was great to learn from, he didn't just tell us how to work the equipment, he really showed us in depth”.

Jazmine, a Year 8 pupil, said:

“It was fun to be in the environment where instruments are being sound tested and be involved in the recording of live music, I loved how the instruments sounded.”

Year 7 Scholarship Trip to the Marlowe Theatre

Year 7 Scholars at Folkestone Academy enjoyed a trip to the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury to see a performance of Matthew Bourne’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’.

 The trip, which was funded through the Creative Arts Scholarship, provided the pupils with many first-time experiences; some had never been to a Theatre before, and none had ever seen a ballet!

 The pupils found particular inspiration from the dances, with a mix of contemporary dance and Tchaikovsky’s original ballet.

Bronte, a Year 7 pupil, said:

“The dancers were amazing, it made me realise that I could be performing dance on a stage one day”.

Annabell, a Year 7 pupil, said:

“The dresses were amazing, the way they moved with the dancers.”

Rayne, a Year 7 pupil, said:

“I love how the style of the fashion changed with the time periods, but it was all still a beautiful ballet style”.

Jacob, a Year 7 pupil, said:

“That was the best performance I’ve ever seen!”

Over the course of the competition pupils took part in six separate maths-based activities. These consisted of: 

1. Speed Test

2. Murder Mystery

3. Code Breaking

4. Number problems

5. Numbers Crossword

6. Number Relay game

All pupils went away with a goody bag and certificate while Steve Shaw, Principal of Folkestone Academy, presented the winners with their trophy, as well as a maths gift set including a scientific calculator and geometry set. 

The competition took place on Red Nose Day, in which pupils were allowed to wear their own clothes and red accessories. Pupils also enjoyed Red Nose themed biscuits made by the Folkestone Academy catering team. 

Keith Denchfield, Director of Maths at Folkestone Academy, said: 

“This was another incredibly competitive Maths Challenge which showcased the wealth of mathematical talent throughout Folkestone. The challenges these pupils faced really were demanding and we were taken aback at the enthusiasm and passion for solving them that we have seen here. I am really looking forward to seeing how these young people continue to develop over the course of their education.”

Steve Shaw, Principal at Folkestone Academy, said: 

“It is always a great day to welcome so many of Folkestone’s primary pupils for such a demanding day of mathematical challenges. There is always an incredibly competitive atmosphere here as these bright young minds tackle the activities and it is clear to see how much they enjoy it. 

“Congratulations again to the winners from Seabrook CofE Primary, as well as the mathematicians from Folkestone Primary and St Martin’s CofE Primary, for making up the top three. Well done to all involved for their efforts and their commitment to learning.” 

The initial design of the project came from Chloe Diwell, Art Teacher at Folkestone Academy, who was tasked by Seamus Murphy Turner Schools CEO to use her talents to create a whole new space.

Her brief was to design a garden design which provided a calm area where staff can eat their lunch, parents at the primary school next door could wait to collect their children, and where school pupils can sit calmly in the morning and collect their thoughts ahead of the school day. The space is designed to replicate themes found throughout Kent’s South East Coast. 

The final creative design for the space was inspired by artist, filmmaker, and gardener Derek Jarman. The garden space evolved throughout the project to include a replica shed of his former home ‘Prospect Cottage’ which is located in Dungeness and following a visit from Tony Woods, local horticulturist, a rowing boat was added with the aim to plant with coastal plants.

Chloe Diwell, Art Teacher at Folkestone Academy, said:

“This has been a fantastic project to oversee and to see come together. Taking such an unloved space and turning it into a calm and soothing garden has been incredibly fulfilling, and it will be wonderful to see the garden grow as we bring more flowers into it. I am looking forward to seeing it used by our entire school community as a tranquil, relaxing, spot.” 

To coincide with the structure changes, the Trust commissioned local artist, Nicole Cowan,  to work with Folkestone Academy Creative Scholars to create a mural design and then painted it herself.

Nicole Cowan said: 

“I worked with the creative scholars at Folkestone Academy to transform the walls of the outside area. This started by thinking about what makes us feel calm and relaxed; including being in and amongst the nature around us. Being located by the seaside, we ventured outside to gather different plants and objects which were then brought to the class to draw.”

“Experimenting with different materials and techniques, and looking at artists such as Matisse, the children created their own artworks of nature which were then incorporated into the final mural design.”

The project would not be completed without ensuring authentic plants were included in the project. The trust worked with Tony Woods, a Chelsea Flower Show Gold medal winning garden designer and horticulturist who lives locally, who volunteered to help out here. He worked with Academy Horticulture pupils to choose and plant suitable plants for the area.

Tony Woods said: 

“The academy has re-imagined vocational learning with a subject that teaches us to nurture food and the environment whilst enhancing our surroundings. Horticulture boosts our mental and physical health too as well as providing some really cool career opportunities. I can’t wait to pass on some of my skills and knowledge to the students”

The pupils had a tour of the campus and a talk from the course lecturers about their options for when they eventually finish their Level 3 studies. The pupils were also able to have a demonstration of the studio and recorded a performance of 'Sweet Home Chicago'

George Tanner, a Year 12 student at Folkestone Academy, left the demonstration saying "I'll definitely consider coming here" after impressing the lecturers with his drumming skills.

Robert Field, Head of Music at Folkestone Academy, said: 

“This trip was a fantastic opportunity for our students to learn more about the variety of music courses out there at university. We have some very talented young musicians here who are keen to continue their studies after leaving school and I know they are seriously considering Canterbury Christ Church University after being so impressed by the facilities on offer here. 

“Thank you to the lecturers for being so generous with their time. It was great to see how the studio worked and our students loved recording their own performance!”

Pupils from Years 7 to 13 worked with Academy drama, music, dance, and art teachers to put on a sensational show. In all, 26 pupils contributed to the final production, either performing in it or working backstage to support their peers. With the support of sound and lighting engineers the full stage production allowed pupils to deliver a professional performance.

After all their hard work and dedication, pupils performed two shows. The first was a matinee performance to 180 primary school pupils from the local area and the second was a sell-out show to another 180 family, friends and staff members.

Mr Woodbridge, Drama Teacher at Folkestone Academy who organised the event, said: 

“Congratulations to all of our pupils involved with the High School Musical performance! They have worked so hard over the past year and it was fantastic to see this all come together in such a stunning couple of performances. I know how much our young people loved performing to younger pupils across Folkestone, as well as astounding their friends and family with the quality of their work. They should all be incredibly proud of themselves.”

Steve Shaw, Principal at Folkestone Academy, said:

“The pupils have really enjoyed the experience of participating in the production, and have demonstrated great resilience through working all day at school and then rehearsing in the evening. All their hard work clearly paid off as the actual performance was fantastic! Thank you to Mr Woodbridge as well for his great work in organising the event and pulling this all together.

“This musical is a great example of the opportunities we want to offer all pupils across Turner Schools. Productions like this give young people the chance to see how a large-scale performance really works; whether they’re up on stage or working behind the scenes they are developing key skills and learning more about life outside of the classroom.”

Pupils were tasked to design a costume for a character in the Shakespeare’s play, ‘As You Like It’. They also took part in a workshop where they analysed an extract from the play, where the character of Rosalind is pretending to be the male shepherd, Ganymede.

Discussions took place around the theme of disguising oneself and trying to blend in with the Forest of Arden. Design choices were made about the style of costume with students then being taught a number of tie dye techniques. Students were excited to think that they had created something for everyone playing Ganymede to wear in the production.

James Woodbridge, Drama teacher at Folkestone Academy who organised the trip, said: “This was a fantastic experience for our pupils to learn so much more about Shakespeare and the themes of the play As You Like It. Working with theatre professionals really helped bring the words to life and they loved having the chance to feed into the conversation around designing costumes. Thank you to everyone at the Marlowe Kit for welcoming us so kindly and for such a great experience!”

Michelle Foxwood, Director of Creative Arts at Turner Schools, said: “We know studying Shakespeare isn’t always easy for young people, but this workshop was instrumental to helping our pupils develop a love of the Bard. Having the opportunity to create something for Ganymede’s costume means that our pupils felt they really had a personal stake in the production and they were so enthusiastic about taking part. This meant they could really engage with the play and get a much better understanding of what we’re studying. We can’t wait to see the final performance towards the end of the academic year.”

The hampers included ingredients for a Christmas dinner, excluding meat products, and helped bring festive cheer to families across Folkestone. The project was funded by a £2,000 donation from Folkestone Rotary Club and £900 from Folkestone Town Council, as well as £415 donated by Turner Schools staff. This last figure was match-funded by the Trust.

Katy Tibbles, Senior Stakeholder and Community Engagement Manager at Turner Schools, said:

“We were delighted to offer families across Folkestone these festive hampers. We know how tough life is right now for too many families and so we wanted to do what we could to help out. Hopefully this brought a smile to people’s faces and allowed them to have a really special Christmas. Thank you to the Folkestone Rotary Club, to Folkestone Town Council, and of course to our fantastic staff for their support in making sure we can offer these hampers.”

Sarah Morgan, Director of Secondary Improvement at Turner Schools, said:

“Our aim was to bring festive cheer to those in need and to show everyone the Turner spirit. I am so proud of the staff members who donated to this project, as well as those who offered their time to help us pack up and deliver these hampers. I am delighted that we have been able to offer these hampers to so many families this Christmas.”

Items donated included: first aid products, baby milk, hygiene products, sanitary products, instant soup sachets and paper plates. And now, the Trust has made a link with Folkestone’s BigJigs Toys, who are organising and the sorting items before they are transported by Freight 44, another local, haulage, business in the area. 

Following on from this appeal, Folkestone Academy also held a ‘Wear Something Blue or Yellow Day’, a cake sale and Ukraine ribbon sale, which together raised just over £600 in total. The funds will be donated to the British Red Cross appeal.

Seamus Murphy, CEO, Turner Schools, said: “Like many others up and down the country, our school communities have been touched by the crisis in Ukraine and we have felt compelled to act in support. Everyone has rallied around, including pupils from Folkestone Academy, who have volunteered during lunchtimes to help the team at BigJigs sort through the donated items. We teach our pupils the value of charity, community and compassion - it has been humbling to see them enact those values, and show their care for Ukraine, over this past week. We hope this will help in some small way.”

The 12 and 13-year-olds, along with their tutor Miss Diwell, came up with the idea as part of a form tutor class charity initiative. After designing and creating the bags, the pupils sent information around the school and their homes so that parents, staff and other pupils could purchase them from the Reception Desk at Folkestone Academy.

In addition to their tie-dye colour scheme the bags also featured images chosen by the pupils to reinforce their belief in safeguarding the environment and raising awareness of pollution. The reusable bags are designed to replace single-use plastic bags and help keep Folkestone green.

Nathaniel, one of the Year 8 pupils, said:

“We are so proud of how hard we all worked to make the tote bags and also how much money we raised for the Make A Wish charity.”

Miss Diwell said:

“I am so impressed with the dedication by the pupils when making their tote bags for Make A Wish. They did everything from designing the artwork, dying the fabric, ironing each bag and setting up a stall to sell the tote bag. The pupils really admire all the amazing work Make A Wish Foundation does to help other children and hope that their donation can contribute to that.”

The Navy representatives explained that there are more than 100 roles on offer across the service with 9 branch specialties, including Aviation, Engineering, Logistics, Warfare and Medical. They also spoke of the benefits of joining the Navy, the opportunities for lifelong learning and training including the chance to gain NVQs and formal Apprenticeships.

After the careers presentation the Folkestone pupils had the chance to take part in a Ready Steady Cook style task where they were challenged to prepare a meal within a set time limit using their Catering skills. The Navy officers oversaw the challenge and spoke about the similarities to their own roles where they’ll have to prepare meals within strict timeframes, as well as their own life experiences since joining up.

The visit highlighted the challenges of working in the Navy across a variety of roles and linked the pupils’ work on their Catering course to what experienced naval personnel have to do on a regular basis.

Year 11 Ethan said 

"I really enjoyed the cooking lesson. It was interesting to hear about the different jobs in the Navy."

Year 11 Amelia said 

"The lesson has made me think about exploring a job catering within the Navy."

Steve Shaw, Head of School at Folkestone Academy, said:

“Thank you to the Royal Navy Chefs Display team for taking the time to come into school and show off their catering skills to our pupils. It was a really interesting and engaging session which highlighted how the lessons learned in their kitchen can be used in the real world and in such a variety of different roles. It’s given our pupils a better understanding of the possible careers out there for them after they leave school, which is so important as they come to the end of their time here.”