Newsletters

Dear Parent or Guardian

Educational Change: Almost exactly 50 years ago, on 18 October 1976, Prime Minister Jim Callaghan delivered a speech at Ruskin College, Oxford, which would become one of the most significant interventions in post-war education policy. He set up a ‘great debate’ on education, arguing for a greater involvement of parents, employers, government and the wider public in what happens in schools. Ultimately, this saw the creation of a national curriculum and Ofsted with many describing education as a ‘political football’. In February the government announced an education white paper with a long list of reforms and shortly after writing the July newsletter, we had a new Prime Minister, a new education secretary and an announcement of a new policy entitled “rewiring education”. We will see what all of this change means for us here at Borden over time, but in the short term, any change must be funded. The recent headlines of teacher pay rises being funded is highly misleading and there is no doubt that Borden has had, and will continue to experience, significant real terms cuts to funding. This will mean some very difficult decisions ahead for us and so any way in which you can help us fundraise becomes even more vital. On this note, I would like to say a huge thank you to Vistry for donating a significant number of laptops to the school over the summer holiday - this will make a tangible difference to the student experience and help us cope as a school in difficult times.

Fundraising: To add to the above, thank you to everyone who attended the professional drama production last weekend, where we raised nearly a thousand pounds for the school MUGA fund. It was a spectacular retelling of the story of Antarctic exploration through the eyes of Tom Crean, one of the incredible explorers on all 3 famous voyages in the early 1900s. Even more fantastic than that though, was the fact that someone in the audience was related to Tom Crean and, even more amazing was that he went to Borden Grammar School! Next term we will be launching our full fundraising campaign and whilst we await the final logistics to be put in place, see below our draft fundraising poster which will be shared more widely when it is finished, and we have a donation page. We kindly ask that when this happens you share with your friends, family and contacts to support the school in raising as much as we can!

Borden Houses: Our five house assemblies take place this week too, with a great deal of friendly competition and an array of celebrations in different areas. This week has been Charity Week with everything from beating the teacher in goal, chess and dodgeball tournaments, bingo and raffles, culminating in students watching a staff hockey match (made more amusing by the fact that not all of the staff would count themselves as hockey players). All of this is intended to raise the profile of charities and fundraising as well as giving students a little variety and excitement across the school term. Seeing the School Council leading on this and students actively participating across the week, makes us all very proud of the spirit and values of our young people at Borden.

Allergies: As with all schools, the result of ‘Benedict's Law’ means we have a new Allergy Policy and parents need to be aware of it (found here). Borden Grammar School is an allergen aware school, and we are not nut-free or any other allergen-free. Please can I ask you as parents/carers to speak to your children about being careful not to share or buy food with or for each other for this reason. All students were shown information on this in the first week back in September.

Highlights: There have been so many activities since I last wrote to you including a visit from Charlie’s Promise visit in July where we were all incredibly moved by the presentations and messages delivered. Over the summer break, a number of our students joined the local MP in a parliamentary summer school and we also had success with our 6th form in the John Locke essay writing competition. This term we have seen our Borden swimmers be highly successful in the county competitions in Margate, with particular mention for 4 students in year 11 to 13, Archie, Jacob, Oliver & Augustus who raced their way to first place and Kent Champions in the 200m Medley race, the four boys as a team are also the 2nd reserves to go through to the National Relays making them 27th in the entire country! In September we saw the Borden Futures Fair take place with an array of presenters including top universities, local or national companies, charities and much more. The students really benefit from this and so thank you to all helped make this happen. We also had a police roadshow this week covering everything from relationships, hate/knife crime, exploitation to train and road safety. In the 6th form, apart from helping run many of these events, we have had ‘talk consent’ presenting to all our sixth form students this term. Having also achieved the best A level results ever seen at Borden this year, we have now had a record 13 'early entry UCAS applications submitted to Oxford, Cambridge and for Medicine applications. 

Dropping off: On the note of road safety....please can I politely ask parents to avoid using the side road by the graveyard (still the Avenue) for drop offs and pick ups. This road is very busy from Borden and two other schools students using it at these times, making it a very difficult area for duty staff, made much more complicated with cars going up and down. Many parents use the roads near Sainsburys, Central Avenue, Albany or Bell Road instead and this would certainly be safer for the majority of our students. Thank you in advance for your understanding and support.

Finally, we have much to look forward to when we return after the break. We are hoping to live stream our Remembrance Ceremony this year, with a student poem being read out and our local Royal British Legion member playing our World War I bugle. Apart from a number of exciting trips, there will also be our Year 7 Festive Fair, Christmas concert and, ‘Oh yes it is!’...our Borden student Panto returns after a long absence at Christmas. After that, it will be behind you.

Have a wonderful extended break,

Mr Tomlin

Careers Update: Term 1

Futures Fair Success!
We hit the ground running in Term 1 as our annual Futures Fair filled the Sports Hall once again, bringing together over 40 local and national companies, universities, and students from Years 9–13 alongside their families.
It was fantastic to see our students diving into meaningful conversations with a diverse range of professionals, including several inspiring alumni, who generously gave their time to share their career journeys and highlight pathways into post-school employment and higher education.
Exhibitors praised the atmosphere throughout the event, describing our attendees as ‘bright and engaging’. Student feedback was equally enthusiastic, with many noting how the event helped demystify their next steps. As one student shared:
“The fair was well planned, and gave me more confidence for my future, whereas before I was nervous and confused.”
A huge thank you to our wonderful 6th Form Prefects, Year 9 helpers, and Mrs Daw for ensuring the event ran so smoothly.

Year 10 Work Experience (May 2027)
Preparations for Year 10 Work Experience are already well underway, with 108 students already securing their placement (subject to necessary checks). A sincere thank you to all parents and carers who have supported their sons in making this happen, and to those still working on securing a placement, we know how challenging this can be, and we truly appreciate your ongoing support.
Next steps: Students will use form time in December to upload their placement details onto Unifrog (our online careers platform). Unifrog will then collate all necessary paperwork, checks, and permissions from employers, parents/carers, and the school.
Support for remaining placements: Students who have yet to secure a placement have completed a Google Form detailing their efforts and the specific help they need. Rest assured, a lot is happening behind the scenes to help secure these opportunities.

Parent and Carer Careers Drop-ins
Following last year's positive response, we are excited to offer our Parent and Carer Careers Drop-in programme again this year. The initial session will be tailored for parents and carers who haven't attended before. Keep an eye on your inbox early next term for further details and booking information.

How Can You Help Us?
Our program thrives on the support of our parent and alumni community, so if you or your employer could support our students, we would love to hear from you.
We are currently looking for volunteers to:

• Speak to a class or year group about your industry.
• Host a school visit or workplace tour.
• Offer future placements for Year 10 or Year 12 Work Experience.
• Exhibit at our next Futures Fair September 2027
• Host an informal, small-group ‘Careers Lunch’ session.

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch at kcameron@bordengrammar.kent.sch.uk if you can help inspire the next generation of Bordenians.
 

Kelly Cameron
Head of Personal Development and Careers

Year 7

Year 7 have completed their first term at Borden, and they should be so proud of themselves. 7 weeks ago they made the big change from primary school to secondary school, over these weeks they have made new friends, met their teachers and become accustomed to school life at Borden. Year 7 were fantastic ambassadors during our Open Evening as they welcomed Year 6's into our school as they were in a similar position a year ago.
The Borden Value we focused on this term was effort, and it is clear to see that Year 7 have shown this in abundance as well as resilience. 

Next term we will start our preparations for our annual Winter Charity Fair!
Please be on the look out for further information on how you can support us as we strive to raise as much money as possible for charity!

Miss S Irinoye, Head of Year 7

Year 8

A very good start for the year group, with some excellent work happening around the school. Remember to complete your Bedrock and Sparx over the holidays.
A reminder too, that football at lunch is just a kickabout during your break. Some people are taking this far too seriously, so just enjoy and avoid treating it like the World Cup final!

Enjoy our very first two week half term break!

Mr C Holley, Head of Year 8

Year 9

Congratulations to Year 9 on settling smoothly into a more demanding academic year.  It was wonderful to see so many parents and carers at the Expectations Evening and to be able to outline key dates and events for this school year. Elections have taken place for house prefects and school council members, with speeches being delivered in a professional manner by students - congratulations to all elected!  A large number of students also recited poems as part of Poetry Day, gaining points for their Houses.  In form time we have covered revision skills, understanding healthy masculinity and understanding what effort looks like as a Year 9 student.  Our term ends with a roadshow delivered by the Police, covering a diverse range of topics relevant to the year group.  Mrs. Edwards

Mrs A Edwards, Head of Year 9

Year 10

This term year 10 have made an excellent start to their life as GCSE level students. It has been fantastic to see a plethora of achievement points being awarded on a daily basis, reinforcing the consistently positive approaches demonstrated by the vast majority of the year group on a daily basis. To support students, they have spent Mondays in tutor time exploring a range of basic revision strategies that can be used in order to increase their understanding of the key content within each subject. Specifically, students have experimented with the use of flashcards, mind maps and how to use AI wisely to support their learning and ability to recall knowledge. They have used Tuesdays to discuss the concept of masculinity and misogyny - looking deeper into the common behaviours of men and how society views the role of a man. Pupils have responded very positively to the concept of tender masculinity and the need to challenge behaviours that make women feel vulnerable and victimised.

Mr J Weller, Head of Year 10

Year 11

Year 11 have had a busy start to the year. Students have been showing their dedication to achieving excellent GCSEs through their hard work in lessons and high attendance to revision support sessions. The careers fair was a very helpful opportunity for students to consider their choices for their future and gain knowledge from a range of employers. 

The first week back after half term is the beginning of the first set of year 11 mock exams, with the second set after the February half term. It is very important that students take these mock exams seriously so that they are prepared and ready for the actual GCSE process. The revision that students do for these mocks is very important and students have been supported with creating revision timetables in form to structure their revision time. Students will be encouraged to reflect on the effectiveness of their revision after the mock exams so that they can improve on this ready for the next mock exams. 

Staff will be using the data from the mock exam results to organise intervention and support for students. Please check the supported revision timetable circulated with the weekly year 11 newsletter for further details of sessions available. 

Miss A Phillips, Head of Year 11

Year 12

Year 12 have made an impressive start to term 1, showcasing their skills of commitment, solidarity and community spirit during the year 6 open evening on the 7th October 2026. In addition to this, their dedication and maturity during the Talk Consent sessions on the 6th October demonstrates their embodiment of the Borden Values and their commitment to the implementation of the pastoral curriculum at Key stage 5. I am hugely proud to be their Head of Year and look forward to term 2. 

Ms M Das, Head of Year 12

Year 13

Year 13 have made a fantastic start to the new academic year, showing great enthusiasm, maturity and commitment as they settle into their final year. Throughout this term, students have begun the exciting UCAS application process, taking important steps towards their future university and career pathways. There have been a number of assemblies in which  future options such as attending university and degree apprenticeships have been presented, as well as students being supported in writing their personal statements in their staffed enrichment lessons. Year 13 students were also fortunate to have the support of Craig Coutino, from the University of Reading, who came in for two days and held 1:1 workshops for students in this area.  Talk Consent also visited on 6 October, and they held a thought-provoking assembly on consent, encouraging students to reflect on the importance of respect, healthy relationships and making informed choices. It has been a positive start to the year, and I look forward to seeing Year 13 continue to thrive and make the most of the opportunities ahead.

Ms V Wrighton, Head of Year 13

Thank You for Our Laptop Donations

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the parents and businesses who have generously donated laptops to the school.

Mr Adebayo, a parent, donated 8 refurbished laptops, while Mr Goodwin, another parent, arranged a donation of 11 laptops through his workplace.

DS Smith also donated approximately eight laptops, and Vistry Group, which includes Bovis Homes, Linden Homes and Countryside Homes, made an incredible donation of 125 laptops (pictured below).

These donations are a tremendous boost to the school’s IT resources and will help us meet our students’ computing needs for the foreseeable future, significantly reducing the need for a one-to-one device scheme.

We are extremely grateful to everyone who has contributed and helped support our students’ learning.

Can your employer help?

If your employer has surplus laptops, desktop computers or monitors available for donation in bulk, we would love to hear from you. Refurbished equipment in good working order can make a real difference to our students.

Please contact Mr Dale at sdale@bordengrammar.kent.sch.uk to discuss potential donations.

National Poetry Day:

On Thursday 1st October, Borden celebrated National Poetry Day. Students were challenged to learn a poem of their choice by heart and recite it during form time. Around 1000 house points were awarded to those students who successfully completed the mission- well done!

Borden Bookshelf
As the evenings grow darker and the weather turns colder, there's no better time to curl up with a good book. Whether you're looking for a cosy story to enjoy under a blanket or a spine-tingling tale that will keep you turning the pages long into the night, we hope you'll discover a new favourite to enjoy this season. Happy reading... if you dare!

For KS3:
Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick
Vibe - fast-paced, suspense, humour.
Four students in Saturday detention realise a creature is hunting them from beneath the school playing field and the surrounding woods.

For KS4:
Warcross by Marie Lu
Vibe - Virtual reality, cybercrime
A teenage hacker accidentally hacks herself into the opening ceremony of a global virtual-reality tournament, catching the attention of the game’s elusive billionaire creator.

For Older Readers:
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
Vibe - quiet magic, autumn atmosphere
When a great library burns down, a librarian escapes to a quiet, remote island with a crate of illegal spell books disguised as jam recipes.

French Department Newsletter
September has been a fantastic start to the new academic year in the French Department, with lots of enthusiasm, hard work and exciting learning across all key stages!

Celebrating Success
Huge congratulations to our students on their excellent GCSE results and outstanding A Level achievements, with an incredible 100% of grades awarded at A*/A! These achievements are a testament to their hard work, commitment and determination. We are proud to continue a tradition of excellence in MFL at Borden. Félicitations à tous nos élèves !

KS3 – Discovering French Culture
Our KS3 students have made a great start to the year, exploring French culture through creative and colourful posters. This has been a wonderful opportunity to discover more about France and the French-speaking world.  C’est magnifique!

KS4 – New Technologies and Protecting the Environment
Our KS4 students are exploring the topics of new technologies and protecting the environment. Alongside developing their French vocabulary and language skills, they are reflecting on key issues, considering different perspectives and learning to express their opinions.  Bravo, tout le monde!

KS5 – Exploring Contemporary France
Our A Level students are exploring contemporary and cultural issues in the French-speaking world through independent research, from French New Wave cinema and the prison system to the candidates in the next French presidential election. They are developing their language skills while critically engaging with the issues shaping French society, culture and politics.  We wish them Liberté, égalité, fraternité… et réussite ! 

Become a French Language Ambassador!
Are you in Year 9 or Year 10 and enthusiastic about languages? We are looking for students who would like to become French Language Ambassadors and help promote language learning within our school. If you are interested, please contact the Head of Department for more information.
We look forward to another successful year of learning, progress and celebrating all things French!  Bonne rentrée à tous !

In Drama, we are busy preparing our Christmas pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk. This is going to be an excellent evening of family entertainment, full of laughs, scares and numerous bean-related puns. The cast did a fantastic job auditioning for their roles and there was a real buzz when the final cast list was announced. During Open Evening, our prospective Year 6 students were enthralled as we rehearsed some of the opening scenes from the pantomime featuring favourites such as Jack, Simple Simon, Dame Trot and the evil villains, Fleshcreep and Fawful. 
The performances take place on Monday December 14th and Tuesday December 15th at 5.30pm, with tickets and refreshments available on TicketSource in November. Please do come along and get into the festive spirit with us, it is not to be missed - oh yes it is!

In order to make the performance a truly dazzling and engaging production, we are asking if anyone would be able to kindly donate any of the following items:
fake flowers, baskets, lengths of any fabric (but in particular natural fibres like hessian), fake food, oversized domestic items, crates, buckets, a wooden stool, any leftover paint, spare wood, cow costume pieces, Halloween costumes and accessories, fairy wings/wand, wigs, capes and cloaks, aprons, gingham shirts or clothing, old denim items. 
If you are able to part with something that you think would belong in Jack and the Beanstalk, but you can't see it on this list, please feel free to contact me to discuss it. We may also be able to arrange collection. Thank you!

Term 1 PE:

This term the extra curricular focus has very much been on football, with all year groups having played their first fixtures against local schools and their opening round of the Kent Schools cup competitions. The u18 1st XI have started the season very well, wining convincingly in their opening two games only to be pegged back by a strong Dover Grammar in week 3. They responded superbly, putting in an outstanding display to beat reigning champions Maidstone Grammar 2-1 away from home and will look to kick on to finish as high as possible in the remaining games in term 2. Years 9, 10 and 11 have progressed safely through to the second round of the cup in each of their relevant competitions but year 7B and year 8 lost narrowly to their opponents in round 1 and now focus on the remaining fixtures against local Swale schools. Attendance to football clubs on a Tuesday and Wednesday has been outstanding, along with a consistently full sports hall with table tennis on a Thursday. With the clocks going back and a lack of daylight next term, basketball clubs will be available from week 3 of term 2 once year 11 mock exams have finished in the sports hall.

Borden Football 1st XI:

The Borden 1stXI football team comprising of players from years 11,12 & 13 have got off to a great start in the league this season having played 4 games, won 3 and lost 1 (a difficult away trip to Dover GS). Victories over Chatham & Clarendon GS 5-0, Dane Court GS 4-1 and Maidstone GS 2-1. It was a great performance against Maidstone, the reigning league champions and puts the team in 3rd place going into the 1/2 term break hoping to mount a serious title challenge when we return.

Welcome to our Autumn half-term update! We would like to thank all parents and carers  for your continued support, and congratulate our students for their outstanding intellectual curiosity and dedicated engagement across all year groups this term.

Year 7: Students commenced their secondary Religious Studies journey by investigating the fundamental question 'What is a religion?', examining ancient artefacts like Germany's Lion Man alongside philosophical allegories in The Truman Show and Plato's Cave. They have tackled profound concepts of free will and eschatology with remarkable critical thinking.

Year 8: Pupils have explored the foundational beliefs of Christianity, delving deeply into the nature of God, the historical and theological structure of the Bible, and the complex doctrine of the Trinity.

Year 9: Scholars have examined the distinction between the 'Jesus of history' and the 'Christ of faith', analysing evidence such as the Turin Shroud alongside the historical transformation of Saul to Paul, early Christian missions, and the pivotal impact of Emperor Constantine.

GCSE: Year 10 students have begun their Key Stage 4 studies with a comprehensive introduction to the core tenets of Islam and Christianity, while Year 11 students are working diligently as they prepare and revise for their upcoming mock examinations in November.

We wish the entire school community a restful and refreshing half-term break

The Religious Studies Department

Charity Week

What an incredible Charity Week! The school was bursting with energy, competitive spirit, and remarkable generosity. Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of our students, staff, and school community, we came together to support six fantastic causes and make a real difference.

The Big Reveal: Final Fundraising Total

Thanks to your amazing support and enthusiasm, we are delighted to announce our grand total:

🎉 £3,400 Raised! 🎉

These funds will be split equally to support six incredible causes:

• Motor Neurone Disease Association

• Cancer Research UK

• British Heart Foundation

• Anthony Nolan

• MenTalk UK

• Our School’s MUGA (Multi-Use Games Area) Campaign

Event Highlights

From fierce pitch rivalries to tense tabletop strategy, here is a look back at the events that made the week so memorable:

A Huge Thank You to Our School Council!

A massive shout-out goes to our hard-working School Council. Their leadership was key to making Charity Week such a triumph:

• Raffle Organisation: Reaching out to sponsors and securing fantastic prizes for the grand raffle.

• Event Planning & Logistics: Coordinating schedules, setting up venues, and keeping every activity running smoothly all week.

Thank you also to all staff who volunteered to take part (and take penalties!), and to every parent and student who contributed, donated, and cheered on the teams. It is so wonderful to be able to see what our school community can achieve when we pull together!

Be sure to check out the action shots from across the week!