February 28th 2025  

Dear Parents and students

 

We welcomed the students back to school on Monday and since then they have earned 2507 Excellent Effort Points.

At the end of last half-term, County Councillor Rory Love, OBE visited Brockhill and toured classrooms to see our students at work. He also met with student subject ambassadors from each Subject Area, who explained and discussed their learning. The students were so impressive: articulate, enthusiastic and reflective.  On Wednesday this week, 7 students in Years 11 and 12 attended the Civic Centre Youth Forum and discussed with the Major of Folkestone how Folkestone can be further improved for young people. Also on Wednesday, members of the National Theatre Company visited Brockhill and worked with Drama students on performances they are currently rehearsing. Yesterday saw our Years 7 & 8 students going through to the Finals of a Gladiators Dodgeball tournament at Three Hills, and today our Year 11 musicians are competing in a Battle of the Bands Event at Canterbury Christ Church University.

We have begun this half-term by encouraging all students to submit their personal best class and homework assignments, and we will of course aim to acknowledge these efforts via Excellent Effort Points and commendations, wherever we can. We will also be emphasising the importance of 98%+ attendance together with punctuality to school in the morning and to lessons along with self-organisation: always bringing the correct equipment to school.  Please see our student Equipment List HERE. These skills are crucial to the learning of students and their success in secondary education.  

Some reminders around uniform: coats must be black or navy blue and only black or navy blue scarves may be worn in mid-winter; hoodies are not permitted and non-uniform items may be confiscated and returned to parents by appointment. Please check the uniform list and items, which are not permitted.  Uniform List 

We would also like to remind parents and students that mobile phones should be turned off and in the bottoms of bags during Tutor time and lessons. Where students do not comply with these requirements a mobile phone may be confiscated and then only returned to parents. Students must not use mobile phones before break or lunch when use will be permitted. This means that mobile phones must remain in students’ bags when moving between lessons. Students must not wear or carry headphones or ear pods in school at any time. The arrangements above represent no change to our previous practices or policies.

For the moment, we will continue to implement these current arrangements rigorously.

 Last year, Gov.uk issued Guidance in respect of mobile phones in school: the Guidance is stricter than our current arrangements in school. Mobile Phones in schools The guidance is however not statutory, and we have not implemented any changes to our approach as yet. Going forward, we intend to consult with the Student Council about mobile schools at school, but please be assured any change would take account of the school’s location and the reassurance a child having a mobile phone provides to parents. I prefer we teach and guide young people to use technology appropriately and at appropriate times than ban it. If you have views on these matters you would like to share, please do so by mail to the school office account.  

As we embark upon this half-term and these crucial weeks in advance of Public Examinations beginning, we will continue to run after school revision sessions across the range of subjects for Years 11 & 13 students on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after school. Please encourage your daughter or son to attend. The support they receive at these revision sessions.

Finally, Squid are withdrawing their support of the lunch payment system, and we will shortly be moving across to iPayimpact. iPayimpact letter of introduction

Have a lovely weekend.

Yours sincerely,

Charles Joseph

Principal