Life At EKCSS
Where Belonging Meets Brilliance.
Year 6? Welcome to Year 7
Learn more about Year 6 transition and upcoming Year 7 Open Events.
Life in Key Stage 3
Years 7-9
Learn more about Life in Key Stage 3, including Year 9 Options
Life in Key Stage 4
Years 10 & 11
Learn more about Life in Key Stage 4, including our Creative and Engineering specialisms.
Frequently Asked Questions – Learn more about EKC Sheppey Secondary
Like Year 7, Year 8 will also have their own separate part of the school in the first year, as will our Year 9s, which will create a small, nurturing environment so that the whole transition to secondary is graduated throughout Key Stage 3, rather than all taking place at the beginning of Year 7. Each year our students will gain more independence throughout their time with us, so they are ready for their next step.
At EKC Sheppey Secondary, we are committed to ensuring that all students have everything they need to be successful. In Year 7, our subject specialists will become experts in the most important subject of all: your child. This will be transformational for their experience at Secondary as we all know how daunting it was to go from having a Year 6 teacher who knew you almost as well as your parents to 10+ different teachers, some only seeing you for 50 minutes a week. Our team of expert staff have created a broad, balanced and exciting curriculum that offers three pathways: academic, blended and a bespoke SEND pathway. As we will get to know your child very well, we will help you make the right decisions for them, based on what they want to achieve in their future and their present needs.
In only opening to Year 7 and 8 and 9 in our first year, it will enable us to create a small-school environment and ensure that our high expectations with regards to behaviour and progress are exemplified by all, at all times.
It will mean our Key Stage Three students will have a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of shaping our school in an environment where they will become the perfect role models for future Year 7s.
We have completed a lot of research into the needs of the local community with regards to careers and job opportunities and really considered this when designing our curriculum. We want to make sure your children are really prepared for their next step. We have also had many discussions with families and students what they are passionate about and included as much of this as out building allows. Please see the full suite of subjects available below:
All secondary schools have top sets, and in High Schools, these are sometimes referred to as ‘grammar’ streams. We will also have a very academic pathway for those pupils who are academically very able.
No-one knows our students better than their parents and we believe that to get the best out of their education, the families of our students need to play an active part in their child’s education. Therefore, we will be providing many opportunities for our families to be involved in our school. Families will have the opportunity to apply to be a school governor, they will be surveyed annually, we will be welcoming you in to see the school and celebrate your child’s learning with us and we will be organising a Friends of the School fundraising team. We will also start a parents and families forum to gain feedback from you.
our child can choose to attend either new school on Sheppey, or another school of your choice and that school must have provision in place, by law, as stated in section F of their EHCP. Parents and carers of students with an EHCP will be contacted by KCC and the options of changing the named school will be discussed with you before you make your choice.
All schools, by law are expected to ensure that the needs of all students attending their school are met. Inclusion means exactly this – that all children, regardless of disability, race, religion or gender must be supported to flourish in whichever school they attend. All schools must promote equality in every aspect of their work and all children and make appropriate adaptations to the curriculum to support your child’s needs.
We believe in a rich and engaging curriculum that limits screen time to when it has the most impact on learning and in the appropriate subjects. Once the school is open, we will be working with families to learn what individualised support our students might need to get online at home, when needed, and then working with families on how we can best support.
Your child will have the option to attend any post 16 provision that they are successful in applying for. This could be EKC Sheppey College locally, or one of the other East Kent Colleges, including the outstanding Canterbury College A Level Centre, or any other local school 6th Form or an Apprenticeship. It is our job to support you and your child in selecting the right next step for them.
Oasis’ hair and beauty suite is not on the Sheerness site and so we are unable to offer this provision. We are really proud of the amazing facilities we do have and will be able to offer exciting options like dance, drama, creative, food technology and many more!
Through our Inclusion Policy, expectations around behaviour will be clear and robust. Tier systems regarding every aspect of behaviour and discrimination, Racism and Bullying will enable all to be clear on the expectations of our school and enable all to feel confident and supported in our school’s ability to sanction students equitably. Like all schools, we will have a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and any disruptions to learning will result in further sanctions. However, we will also be ensuring that our curriculum is individualised and exciting – we will not be a school where every lesson is the same, ensuring that students will be challenged and engaged in their learning. We know that this really helps improve learning and behaviour.
