Borden Grammar School Parent Portal - Term 3 Newsletter 2025-26

Dear Parent or Guardian

It is really hard to write my usual buoyant introduction to the newsletter in the context of the sad loss experienced by our community this term. Whilst the remainder of this newsletter will recognise so many positives that have happened this term, I have included a section further on in the newsletter remembering Adam and including a poem he published when in year 9 at the school.

Despite the sadness we have felt across our community, there has been a great deal to celebrate this term, particularly within areas where our community has been supporting each other. Most notably, the VAWG project (raising awareness of violence against women and girls) has been nationally recognised. The Kent High Sheriff visited the school to talk to our VAWG champion students across year groups, supported by Ms Brooker, who have designed and delivered this project. He heard about how they have been working with police to find safe spaces in Sittingbourne and was so impressed that he nominated them for a national award. We have now reached the national final in London and our students will be going up to present along with 5 other finalists. This is an amazing outcome, and we are so proud of these young people representing Borden at its best.

One of my favourite parts of the term was attending the relaunch of the house system in assemblies to all year groups this term. We have 5 new ‘Heads of House’ for Barrow, Hardy, Pemberton, Remembrance and Swale with ‘house points’ being revitalised. We have already had our first house competition and there will be much more to follow. All of this will add an extra ‘layer’ to our community, mean that house points feel more of a reward, and make events like sports day even more meaningful.

The careers morning ‘drop in’ saw a good number of parents drop in and have presentations, support and training from Mrs Cameron and Mr Brinn. Parents said it was truly beneficial and were surprised at just how much information was available. Our careers ‘roadmap’ later in this newsletter shows just how much is now on offer, and continues to be developed further under the enthusiastic guidance of Mrs Cameron. We also had a year 9 options evening this term with an impressive 87% turnout. Again, parents said they found the information and guidance useful, ranging from the options process to where to find information on apprenticeships and universities.

On the matter of parents, thank you so much for completing the various surveys – both the big one we did in July and the smaller ones you do at our parent events. We discuss the outcomes of these at leadership, with staff and with trustees. In terms of feedback, our average response to all questions was 1.7 (with 5 being poor and 1 being excellent). The things you recognised as real school strengths were,

Students are encouraged to try hard
Students are encouraged to aspire for academic success and have high expectations
Students are very proud to attend Borden
Students feel safe at school and know where to go for help
Students are encouraged to develop their Borden Values
Homework is regularly set for my child
Students are encouraged to develop life and career goals

Below is a summary of the areas that you told us were a little less consistent in your feedback, with some thoughts on what we are doing about it next to them,

Arbor - we accept that the parent integration for Arbor needs some work. Unfortunately, whilst Edulink was probably a better parent interface, it simply didn’t do what we needed it to do in school. Whenever you move to a new system like this, there are going to be teething problems and we are hopeful that these are gradually starting to show improvements. We have discussed the potential of reintroducing Edulink, but simply can’t afford both systems at present. We will continue to evaluate this (and Google) and see what more can be done.
Students need more opportunities to lead in the classroom - we have been working on this from the start of the year, with staff sharing good practice on effective methods of student interaction in class. Whilst 6th form students have traditionally taken part in lots of leadership across the school, we have developed this further down now, with Year 9 and 10 students taking part in activities such as visiting primary schools, the VAWG project or through sports leadership.
Better information on student progress and feedback is not always effective - we have been doing more quality assurance of marking this year to improve consistency and have reintroduced ‘purple pens’ to get students to truly engage with the feedback they are given. Staff have also had lots of training on how to assess more effectively and increase students' engagement with it. Hopefully, this is starting to show impact!
The rewards system to motivate students could be better - our reintroduction of the house system at Christmas will surely help here, but already there are regular Friday rewards/certificates, celebration assemblies, bowling trips and one-off meetings with the headteacher. This won’t work for all, but there are certainly many more students receiving rewards and house points than was true in the past and more recent student feedback has certainly recognised this.
The range of trips could be bigger - we have certainly introduced more trips and tried to make sure this is more balanced across year groups. In fact, when you are reading this newsletter, many students are in New York or skiing abroad! We are also running an ‘activities week’ in the summer in an attempt to go even further. The other issue is that the more trips we run, the more cover is needed in school and the more it costs parents. We all see the benefits to trips, but it is sometimes a difficult road to navigate.
School does not always value my opinions - we really do try and hopefully, this is an example of this in action. Whilst I realise we may not always agree, we do try to listen, consider your opinions carefully, and follow up where appropriate. This is particularly in relation to concerns about your child, support needed, or ideas on improvement.

As always, thank you for your support and I hope that the above shows that we really don’t take it for granted. I am enormously proud of our young people and all the amazing things they do on a weekly basis. I wish them the very best over half-term and look forward to seeing them again when the days are a little longer and brighter next half-term.

Ashley Tomlin

Laying the foundations for Future Success

As we move through this busy term, the Careers Department has been focusing on the essential ‘behind-the-scenes’ work that ensures our students are best prepared for the world beyond our school gates.

Year 10 Work Experience: 84(ish) days to go!

Much of our energy this term has been dedicated to the significant logistical undertaking of Year 10 Work Experience. A vital part of this process is the students' own communication with potential employers and, as many opportunities are time-sensitive, we kindly ask parents and carers to support us by encouraging their sons to keep a close eye on their school emails. Learning to respond promptly and professionally is a key employability skill, and we don’t want anyone to miss out on a fantastic opportunity simply because an email went unread.

Parent & Carer Careers Drop-in

We were delighted to host our second Parent and Carer Careers Drop-in this term. It was wonderful to see so many of you there, engaging in open conversations about how to support your child to navigate the diverse pathways available to them after Borden.

These informal sessions are designed to help demystify the ever-changing careers landscape and talk you through some of the tools you could use to support your child. The feedback was again positive, with all saying they would recommend these sessions to other parents and carers.

Our final Parent & Carer Drop-in of the academic year will take place in Term 6. Please keep an eye on your inbox for specific dates and details.

Digital Tools: Unifrog & Careers Padlets

A quick reminder that Unifrog remains our primary tool for students to log their activities and research their ‘next steps’. Whether it is searching for summer schools or exploring degree apprenticeships, the platform is updated constantly.

Similarly, our Careers padlets continue to be an important resource for all year groups. We encourage parents to browse these to stay updated on current webinars, labour-market information, local opportunities, and sector-specific news. Careers in form time next term will begin with a video tutorial for students on how to get the most from the padlets.

A message of thanks

The success of our careers programme relies on the partnership between school, home, and our wider network of employers. Thank you for your continued support as we help our students navigate their future paths with confidence and ambition. With this in mind, if you would like to support our careers offer, then please do get in touch kcameron@bordengrammar.kent.sch.uk

Kelly Cameron

Head of Careers and Personal Development

Year 8:

Another busy half-term for Year 8 comes to an end. In form time, we have been learning about how to take effective notes in class, as well as our regular focus on men's health and wellbeing. We have been fortunate enough to have a number of assemblies delivered by Sixth Form students, as well as Mr. Sherwood-Farnfield providing insight into the Holocaust. 8B have led our interform competition all term – can they triumph this week? Thank you to all the parents/carers who signed up for the Year 8 trip to Boulogne in July and who have paid the first deposit – I'm looking forward to getting to know the boys outside the classroom as we finish the school year. With the weather still very cold and wet, can all boys please make sure they have a named, waterproof coat?

Mrs Edwards, Head of Year 8

Year 9:

As we move closer to students selecting their GCSE options, I have added a number of useful links and documents to the Year 9 classroom page. Please have a look through these to help you when making choices. Have a restful and well-earned half-term break.

Mr Holley, Head of Year 9

Year 11:

The foot was firmly pressed on the accelerator at the beginning of January as year 11 began to prepare thoroughly for their summer GCSE exams. Pupils benefited from the creation of personalised revision packs which contained flashcards, highlighters and access to revision checklists for their core subjects. Their weekly routine includes time allocated in morning registration to create a revision plan for the week as well as having time before school to wrestle with some of their exam content and try to transfer it to their long term memory. Pupils have also benefited from the large number of subject interventions taking place both at lunchtime and after school, and it has been great to see these begin to be attended more frequently. Some students have also had access to a member of the Leadership Group as their personal mentor, meeting on a weekly basis to discuss current progress and strategies that can be used to benefit them going forward. Pupils have their final set of mock exams at the beginning of term 4 where it is hoped that many will be able to feel more confident and have their increased focus and efforts recognised with positive outcomes.

Mr Weller, Head of Year 11

Year 12:

As we hasten towards the end of another busy term, I am, as ever, hugely impressed by what the year 12s have achieved. Over the course of this term, a number of year 12 students (who were effectively trained by Mrs Brooker in term 2), are now actively supporting students in the lower years as peer mentors. This is an ongoing testament to the community spirit that pervades Borden Grammar school and serves to reaffirm the importance of community, kindness and collaboration throughout the school. Our peer mentors are pictured below.

In addition to this, Ms Wrighton, has been instrumental in co-ordinating the Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA) programme which involves pairing year 12 students with students from the lower years to provide help, support and a listening ear when needed. As part of this, the MHFA team has been providing support for a small group of students in 1:1 meetings throughout their registration periods. This is an invaluable part of school culture, actively cementing the bond between upper and lower school and encapsulating the core school values of kindness and respect. During the week of 9th February the MHFA Champions have been delivering assemblies in line with Children’s Mental Health Week to speak about the challenges of mental health and how they can find support and help if needed. Our mental health first aiders are pictured below.

Work experience

Work experience for year 12 students will take place over the week of the 6th-10th July this year. This is an invaluable opportunity for students to experience the world of work in preparation for future careers. Just a reminder that students need to have secured placements by the start of June 2025. Should students need help and support securing placements, or if you have any queries, please contact the sixth form team.

Lastly, on the 24th February, Mr Brinn (the Head of Sixth Form) and myself will be taking 14 students to Cambridge University to explore the campus and the courses on offer. This is an exciting opportunity and we look forward to experiencing a true taste of university life!

I wish you all a restful half term and look forward to welcoming our year 12s back at the start of term 4.

Ms Wrighton, Head of Year 12

Year 13:

Sixth form has been a flurry of activity, with year 13 students having completed their mock exams and preparations being underway for the selection of the new student leadership team for 2026-27.

The year 13 students’ dedication and preparation for their mock exams was admirable and students are now in the process of receiving feedback from their subject teachers to inform their revision in the run-up to their final exams.

As students approach the end of their time at Borden and the next stage of their respective life journeys, I am, as ever, hugely proud to be the head of year of such a dedicated, driven and committed year group.

I wish you all a restful half term and I look forward to welcoming the year 13s back in term 4.

Ms Das, Head of Year 13

As we approach the February break, it is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the impressive journey of discovery our students have undertaken across all year groups. From exploring ancient prophecies to grappling with complex ethical and spiritual concepts, our classrooms have been filled with insightful discussion and diligent study.

Our Year 7 students have made an excellent start to their study of Christianity. After investigating the significant prophecies of the Old Testament, they have moved into exploring the ministry of Jesus. We have focused specifically on the definition of "ministry"—derived from the idea of service to others—and how this principle shaped Jesus’ teachings and actions.

In Year 8, the focus has turned to the rich traditions of Hinduism. Students have navigated challenging "Core Concepts" such as Moksha (liberation), Karma (action and consequence), and Samsara (the cycle of life). Beyond the theory, we have been delighted by the creativity shown in their homework, where students have been designing their own shrines, demonstrating a deep respect for Hindu devotional practice.

Year 9 have begun their exploration of Islam, focusing on the origins of the faith, the revelation of the Quran, and the significance of the Five Pillars. We would also like to take this moment to extend a huge congratulations to those Year 9 students who worked so hard toward their Religious Studies options exam—your dedication to the subject is truly commendable.

Year 10 are now well-embedded in their course, currently examining the intricate practices and rituals within both Islam and Christianity. This comparative study is vital for understanding how faith is lived out in the modern world.

As our Year 11 students head into the break, we encourage them to find a balance between rest and preparation. Upon our return from the February holiday, they will be heading straight into their mock examinations. We have every confidence in their ability to showcase their hard work and analytical skills.

Finally, this year, the calendar offers us a moment of shared significance that happens only once every 30 -33 years. On Tuesday, 17th February, two major traditions coincide:

Shrove Tuesday: A traditional day of preparation and reflection for Christians as they enter the season of Lent.
The Start of Ramadan: The beginning of the Islamic holy month of fasting, prayer, and community.

For those in our community who mark these events, we hope it is a special time for you. We wish all of our students and their families a peaceful, safe, and restorative February break.

Mr R Sherwood-Farnfield

Laying the foundations for Future Success

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