The Skinners’ Kent Academy Pride in our Success

Principal – Matt Tompkins

Bishops Down Primary School

The transition process from Primary School to Secondary

School

Provision in Tunbridge Wells

• At least a Good Ofsted for all schools

• Variety of options

• Great opportunities at all schools

“A culture of high standards and high aspirations, a culture of active participation, an emotionally

rich learning environment and an inclusive environment where every child is known and

every learner supported.”

“We aim to find and develop everything that is exceptional in each child and let it flourish within a

framework of high expectations. We intend to motivate and inspire our students to achieve their very best, to fly high and to set course on the brightest of futures.”

• AXA PPP

• Trinity Theatre

• Rosemary Shrager Cooking School

• The Assembly Hall

• Tunbridge Wells Borough Council

The Skinners’ Kent Academy local community links

Rosemary Shrager judging Year 7, Dragons

Den Enterprise Challenge

Considerations when choosing a school

• The Suitability for your child’s individual needs

• The type of school: Independent; State; Comprehensive; Faith; Grammar

• Ofsted reports, DfE Performance Tables, Data Dashboards

• Visit schools during working hours, look for the experience

the students are having

• Your child’s own preference

Tips on the application process

• Research all options

• Check admissions criteria of all options

• Use all four of your school options

• Attend tours during the day, open days and open evenings (many schools now offer a virtual tour from which you can see the facilities)

• Have a Plan of action before you go – what is important, what do you want to see in a school

• Always ask for advice and ask questions, don’t assume

Tips on the appeals process

• Accept the place you have been given

• Prepare – why must your child go to that school – what is unique about that school

• Get the right advice/guidance – schools must publish this on their websites but meet / tour the school to interrogate their unique points

• Have all necessary supporting documents with you at the appeal

Tips for helping your child in their first weeks of school

• Be supportive and be positive

• Take an interest in their school life – ask how their day has gone, don’t accept a grunt as an answer

• Organisation – ask what they have got the next day (PE kit, homework to hand in)

The Challenges of transitioning to Secondary school

• The worry of making new friends

• Your Child’s new journey to and from school

• Cognitive and social development

• Work load and time management

• Fear of the unknown

• New found independence

Events to aid settling in at a new school

• Year 5 Learning days

• Tours / Open Evenings

• Welcome events

• Additional visits if required

• Summer School

• Target Setting / Settling In meetings

• New Parent social event

• Parents evenings