The Lenham School

Newsletter

Term 5 - Spring Edition

Pride in Our Community

Dear Parent/Carer, As we move through the summer examination season, I wanted to take a moment to say just how incredibly proud we are of our Year 11 and Sixth Form students. Their maturity, resilience and determination have been exceptional. For me, this is my third year as your Headteacher, and the way they have stepped up really does feel very different. Exams are never easy, but our students have approached them with calmness, focus and real character. It has been wonderful to see students arriving prepared, supporting one another and representing the school with such pride. The ‘buzz’ in the mornings as they walk in will stay with me for a long time. At the same time, our younger year groups have also been hugely impressive. It has been fantastic to see students across the school working with such focus in lessons, completing assessments thoughtfully and preparing seriously for their own future examinations. There is a real sense of ambition and purpose building throughout the school, and our younger students are setting excellent habits now that will serve them brilliantly in the years ahead. I really hope they are looking at the exceptional conduct of the older students and taking it in. One of the most rewarding parts of working in a school is seeing older students model determination and resilience for the younger years. Our Year 11 and Sixth Form students have provided exactly that example over recent weeks, and it has clearly inspired those following behind them. Thank you, as always, to parents and carers for your continued support. This has been a unique term for The Lenham School community and with everyone’s support, it has really brought our value of ‘Belonging’ into focus. Everyone has taken care of each other, and helped each other move towards this important exam season as one school together. Mr Ferguson - Headteacher

welcome

It has been another incredibly busy and positive period at The Lenham School, with students and staff continuing to demonstrate the very best of our school community. Since the start of April, our social media has captured a wide range of moments that show the breadth of opportunity available to our students — from public speaking, international links and ski trips to Duke of Edinburgh, author visits, sport, music, transition events and the start of the Year 11 examination season.

Celebrating Student Voice: VIAT Public Speaking Competition

We were delighted to host this year’s VIAT Public Speaking Competition, bringing together students from across the Trust for a fantastic celebration of confidence, communication and courage. Events like this are a powerful reminder of the importance of giving young people opportunities to develop their voice, speak with clarity and confidence, and represent their school community with pride. Our students rose to the occasion brilliantly, showing not only strong public speaking skills but also the resilience and self-belief needed to perform in front of an audience. We are incredibly proud of everyone who took part and grateful to all staff who supported the event.

French School Visit: Building Confidence, Language Skills and New Friendships

We were delighted to welcome students from a French school for a fantastic day of language, culture and collaboration. It was lovely to see both schools working so well together, both at school and later in Canterbury. During their time at school, students took part in a tour before completing a “find someone who…” task in both French and English. They also played a game of “stand up if…”, with some of our students showing real confidence by coming up with their own ideas in French. The visit then continued in Canterbury, where students began with a picnic in the rain before working in groups to complete a treasure trail in both languages. Despite the weather, students approached the activities with enthusiasm and a real willingness to communicate. By the end of the day, students from both schools were interacting confidently, playing football together, exchanging contact details and already asking when they could meet again. Everyone we spoke to commented on how much they had gained from the experience — and, most importantly, how proud they were to have spoken French. This was a brilliant opportunity for students to develop their confidence, practise their language skills in a real context and build new friendships. We are incredibly proud of the way our students represented the school.

Ski Trip Report: Adventure, Resilience and Unforgettable Memories

Students and staff enjoyed a fantastic ski trip to Austria, with the experience providing a brilliant mix of challenge, laughter, learning and unforgettable memories. The beautiful Austrian resort provided a stunning setting for the trip, with sunshine, mountain views and plenty of opportunities for students to develop their skiing skills. For many students, the week was about building confidence, trying something new and learning to keep going even when things were difficult. Falling over was very much part of the learning curve, but students showed resilience, humour and determination throughout. The ski lifts were a particular highlight, offering a chance to enjoy the incredible views across the resort — and, for some, a welcome breather between runs. There was also plenty of fun along the way, including some enthusiastic singing of “Sweet Caroline” that could apparently be heard across the mountain! Our instructors were excellent, helping students improve their technique while keeping spirits high and encouraging everyone to keep moving forward. Students represented the school superbly and returned with improved skills, increased confidence and memories that will last for years. A huge thank you goes to all staff who organised and supported the trip, ensuring students had such a safe, enjoyable and memorable experience.

Year 7 Wingham Wildlife Park Trip

Our Year 7 students also enjoyed a fantastic visit to Wingham Wildlife Park. The trip provided students with the opportunity to extend their learning beyond the classroom, experience a wide range of animals and habitats, and enjoy time together as a year group. Students were a real credit to the school throughout the visit. Their engagement, curiosity and excellent conduct were commented on positively, and it was lovely to see them making the most of the experience. Trips like this are such an important part of school life, helping students build confidence, independence and positive memories with their peers. A huge thank you goes to the staff who organised and supported the visit.

Duke of Edinburgh: Building Confidence, Resilience and Independence

Our Duke of Edinburgh students have also been busy developing the skills and qualities that sit at the heart of the award: resilience, teamwork, independence and determination. Through their preparation and expedition work, students have had the opportunity to challenge themselves beyond the classroom, work together in teams, navigate routes, solve problems and take responsibility for themselves and others. These experiences are invaluable in helping young people grow in confidence and develop character. We are incredibly proud of the students who have taken part and of the positive attitude they have shown throughout. A huge thank you also goes to the staff who have supported the programme and given their time to make these opportunities possible.

Author Visit: Dan Abnett Inspires a Love of Reading and Writing

We were delighted to welcome author Dan Abnett into school as part of our ongoing work to promote reading, literacy and creativity. Dan is a highly successful writer, known for his work across novels, comics and graphic novels, and his visit gave students a fantastic opportunity to hear directly from a professional author about storytelling, imagination and the writing process. Students had the chance to listen to Dan speak about his career, ask questions and think more deeply about how stories are created. Experiences like this are a brilliant way of helping students see reading and writing as exciting, meaningful and full of possibility. The visit helped to raise aspirations and encouraged students to think about the power of ideas, creativity and perseverance. We hope it has inspired many of our students to keep reading, keep writing and exploring new stories.

Sporting Success and Team Spirit

It has also been a brilliant period for sport at The Lenham School, with students across a number of year groups representing the school with pride, commitment and determination. Our football teams have continued to show real promise, with students competing in finals and fixtures at fantastic venues including Maidstone United’s Gallagher Stadium. Our Year 8 boys were narrowly beaten by The Malling School in a very close game, with the team continuing to battle until the final whistle. Riley made several excellent saves, while Rocco and Bodhi both had chances as Lenham pushed for a goal. Our Year 8 girls also competed in the Maidstone Schools football finals, finishing third overall. After a tough opening game against Invicta, the team responded brilliantly with a dominant 3–0 win against Maidstone Grammar School for Girls. Goals came from Bo Bentley and Phoebe Brooks, with players of the match awarded to Lara Davies and Bo Bentley. Most importantly, every student gave 100% effort and represented the school with pride. We have also celebrated strong performances from other year groups, including Year 7 and Year 10 football teams reaching finals and representing the school superbly. These opportunities are about more than results; they build teamwork, resilience, leadership and a sense of belonging. In addition, we have also seen recent success for our students in inter-school athletics competitions. We are incredibly proud of all students who have represented the school this term and grateful to the staff who give their time to support fixtures, training and competitions.

Year 11 Exams: A Positive and Prepared Start

Our Year 11 students have made an excellent start to the examination season. Their conduct so far has been extremely positive, and they have approached their exams with maturity, focus and determination. It has been clear that students have been preparing carefully, and much of their confidence has come from knowing they have put the work in. We have also received very positive feedback about the Exam Buster sessions, with students describing them as focused, useful and well designed. Many have commented that these sessions have helped them feel more prepared going into their exams. Our T-Hub routines have also helped students start each exam day calmly and purposefully. Students have been able to gather before exams, receive final reminders from staff and enter the exam space in a settled and focused way. We would like to thank all staff who continue to support Year 11 through lessons, revision sessions, pastoral conversations, Exam Busters and calm encouragement around the school. The message remains clear: every lesson, every conversation and every final piece of practice still matters. To Year 11 — keep going. You have made a strong start, and we are very proud of the way you are representing yourselves and the school.

Welcoming Future Students and Families

We have also been pleased to promote our upcoming open events for Year 5 and Year 6 families. These events are an important opportunity for prospective students and parents to experience the school, meet staff and students, and get a real sense of what makes The Lenham School such a welcoming and ambitious community. Transition is a key moment for young people, and we are committed to ensuring that families feel informed, reassured and excited about the journey ahead.

Supporting our School Community

We would like to thank parents and carers for the continued support and understanding they have shown during what has been a particularly difficult time for our school community. We have been incredibly proud of the way our students have supported one another and found reassurance in the familiarity and routine of school life. To provide further support, we have arranged for Slideaways to begin working with our school community. This will start with a student drop-in session on Friday 5 June from 1.00pm for those who wish to access it. We have also shared a range of bereavement support services with families and encourage anyone who feels their child may benefit from additional support to contact the school. Child Bereavement UK Child Bereavement UK supports children, young people, parents and families when a child is grieving or when a child dies. Talk Grief Talk Grief is an online support space for grieving teenagers and young adults aged 13–25. It offers advice, coping strategies and shared experiences from other young people who are living with grief. Kooth Kooth provides free, safe and anonymous support for children and young people, including wellbeing activities, online support and an app.

vacancies

If you are interested in joining our team, teaching or non teaching, please see our vacancies page please see the vacancies section for further details.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We wish all students and families a restful and enjoyable break and look forward to welcoming everyone back next term. A reminder that Monday 1 June is a Staff INSET Day and students will return on Tuesday 2 June.

How to Find Out More

Please feel free to join our Facebook Page The Lenham School | Maidstone | Facebook to keep up to date with all the exciting things that are happening both in and out of the classroom.

Second Hand Uniform

Details of how to access our second-hand uniform is available on our school website. With the continued rise in household costs, we hope this initiative can make a small difference by helping some of our families to access free uniform https://www.thelenham.viat.org.uk/1850/uniform.

Dates for the Diary - Term 5

2 June - Start of Term 6

3 June - New Year 7 Information Evening

4 June - Y9 IPV Vaccinations

10-11 June - Year 7 Consultation Evening

16-18 June - Key Stage 3 End of Year Assessments

19-25 June - Year 10 PPE Mock Exams

26-27 June - Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Expedition

29 June - 3 July - Year 10 & 12 Work Experience

2-3 July - Year 6 Transition Days

4-8 July - Duke of Edinburgh Gold Expedition

7-8 July - KS5 Trip to Barcelona

8 July - Speech Day

9-10 July - MFL Trip to Euro Disney

10 July - Last Day of Term

We hope you all have a well-deserved break and look forward to welcoming you back on Tuesday 2 June.

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