PRIDE IN OUR SUCCESS
9 October 2026
Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Final Exercise
Last Friday, the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh students met in Hartfield ready to undertake their assessed expedition. They had spent many lunchtimes planning their routes, food and projects and were ready to get going! After a bumpy start for some, all groups made it to Adamswell Campsite in good time (despite a bumpy end for other groups!) and showed the assessors their best campcraft skills. On Saturday, all groups had left camp by 8:30am, keen to finish in Crowborough by 2:30pm.
They were successful and all groups finished in good time, passing their assessed expedition element of the Duke of Edinburgh’s award. All students should be incredibly proud of their achievement, as well as the positive feedback received from the assessors regarding their teamwork and general conduct.
Attenborough
6399
Hadid
6639
Malala
6949
Obama
8568
Middle School
Max Hackman
For being a superb ambassador of the Academy and embodying our ethos and values, especially when touring with prospective families during Open Evening
Upper School
India Down
For her excellent attitude to learning in lessons to ensure that the work completed demonstrated her best efforts
Sixth Form
Emily Kennaird
For displaying the Academy values and inclusivity on the Scotney Castle trip
The below individuals have demonstrated the Academy’s values this week
Success
Leo Tankard
For his perceptive analysis of poetry in English
Kindness
Theo Mennie
For celebrating his friend’s artwork with genuine interest and pride
Aspiration
Sophia Johnson
For a beautiful, reflective approach to the start of her GCSE Portfolio
For Your diary
Current competitions
TCG Club – Important Notice
A quick reminder for all students who attend/considering attending TCG Club.
Unfortunately, over the last few weeks, there have been several incidents involving Pokémon cards being brought out during lessons and at lunchtimes when students are not attending TCG Club.
To help prevent further issues, from next week, Pokémon cards should only be brought into the Academy on Thursdays, when TCG Club takes place. If Pokémon cards are seen on any other day while you are in the Academy, they will be confiscated and kept until the end of term.
A reminder about trading
Once a Pokémon card trade has been agreed and completed, the trade cannot be reversed or “traded back” at any time unless agreed with both parties. If you do not agree with this, please re consider trading your cards at TCG club.
If you are unsure about a trade, do not complete it. Instead, speak to Mr Woodroofe or Mr O’Sullivan during TCG Club, and they will be happy to help you decide whether the trade is fair.
Please help us keep TCG Club running
TCG Club is something we want students to be able to enjoy, but it is important that the expectations around Pokémon cards are followed.
If there are further incidents involving Pokémon cards outside of TCG Club, we may have to reconsider whether TCG Club can continue.
Thank you for helping us keep TCG Club enjoyable, fair and manageable for everyone!
Student Testimonials
Please see below some testimonials from our students about their favourite clubs!
Gracie – “I like the Sparx homework clubs because its calm and I don’t get distracted from doing my work”
Soraya – “I like cheerleading, netball, football and dance club because I make more friends and I can have fun”
Arlo – “I really like building stuff with Lego at the Lego Legends club”
Alfie – “I go to football club because I think its fun and it helps me get better at football!”
Year 12 Visit to Scotney Castle
Some of our Year 12 students visited the National Trust property at Scotney Castle this week as part of their Community Engagement lessons.
Following a tour of the gardens, they were invited to share ideas with the National Trust representatives that could enhance the grounds and encourage a more diverse age range to visit. Taking into account wellbeing, climate change and volunteering, the students undertook a group workshop and offered numerous ideas including on-site art and photography workshops, education hubs and farmers markets to compliment the foods already growing in the Castles walled garden.
Girls’ Sports Grant
The Skinners’ Education Foundation has kindly awarded us a grant of £2,250 towards the cost of girls’ sport provision at the Academy. This funding will help us create more opportunities for girls to get involved in sport, develop their skills and confidence, and most importantly, have fun and enjoy being active.
We’re really grateful for this support, which will help us make our sporting opportunities more inclusive and accessible. We look forward to putting the funding to good use and encouraging even more girls to discover the benefits of being involved in sport.
Black History Month
On Wednesday, we invited students and staff to attend the Great Big Live assembly for Black History Month. It was a fantastic opportunity to hear from inspiring Black role models and guest contributors, while exploring the rich history and culture of Black communities. The assembly also encouraged students to think about the connection between history and the present, recognising that Black history continues to be created through the actions and achievements of people today.
Make sure you get your ticket for the Year 7 & 8 Halloween Bash! Games, food and the haunted house are all included in the ticket price. Payment can be made on the MCAS app under ‘Products’.
SKA Ski Trips
The Academy has run 11 hugely successful ski trips since February 2015. We have skied in France, Austria, Spain, Italy, and the USA. Children of all ages and ability learnt to ski and developed a passion for the sport. Several attendees have even gone on to complete ski seasons abroad as part of a gap year, following university.
A ski trip isn’t just about learning to ski – it is an opportunity for children to build confidence, make new friends and create memories that will last a lifetime. For many children, a ski trip can be their first experience of snow and the impressive mountains. It is an exciting adventure that takes them outside their usual routine and encourages them to try something new.
A ski trip is also a fantastic social experience. Spending time together away from home gives children the chance to strengthen existing friendships and make new ones, meeting other children from different Year Groups. From travelling together and sharing stories after a day on the slopes, to enjoying meals and evening activities, the experience creates memories that children will talk about for years to come.
We understand that, as a parent, sending your child away on a school or group trip can feel daunting. The trip is carefully organised, with supervision and support throughout. Children will be guided by experienced adults and instructors. Skiing is taught progressively, allowing children to develop their skills at a pace that suits them.
The 2027 Ski Trip to Austria is available to all students. You can sign up for a space on MCAS.
Monkhouse Announcement
We are pleased to share that we have been working closely with our uniform supplier, Monkhouse, to explore ways of reducing the cost of school uniform for families.
Following a recent review meeting, we challenged Monkhouse on several areas where we felt savings could be made for Parents and Carers. As a result of those discussions, Monkhouse has agreed several price reductions, including significant reductions on Academy jumpers, slipovers and the Academy backpack. These changes are expected to come into effect shortly. Please see some examples of the new prices here.
| V Neck Jumper – New prices | Current prices |
| 28” – 32” £24.00 | 28” – £29.00 30” – £30.00 |
| 34” – 38” £28.00 | 32” and 34” – £33.50 36” and 38” – £36.50 |
| 40” and above £30.00 | 40”, 42” and 44” – £38.50 |
| Slipover – New prices | Current Prices |
| 28” – 32” £22.00 | 28” – £24.00 30” and 32” – £26.00 |
| 34” – 38” £26.00 | 34” , 36” and 38” – £29.00 |
| 40” and above £28.00 | 40”, 42”,44” , 46” and 48” – £33.50 |
Classcharts App Notifications
We kindly ask parents to ensure that notifications are switched on for the ClassCharts app on their phones. This will help ensure that parents do not miss any logs or messages and can stay up to date with important information throughout the Academy day.
Year 13 Parent Review Meetings
We are delighted to inform you that our Year 13 Parent Review Meeting will take place on Wednesday 4 November from 3.30pm to 7pm.
All appointments are made via MCAS (My Child at School) app, using the Parents’ Evening ‘tile’. The booking system will open on Wednesday 14 October, and close at 12 noon on the day of the event. We will send a letter with more information next week.
Library Autumn Reading Challenge
Take on the Autumn Reading Challenge and earn House Points; open to all Students, Parents and Staff – who in your household can raise the most House Points? Students – challenge your family to take part too to earn House Points for you!
Collect the booklets from the Library, or simply download your own by clicking on the image. Read a book that fits the topic (one book may fit several topics), write a review, save it, and return to the Librarian (Mrs Drury) at info@skinnerskent.org.uk by 31 December 2026. Make sure to include the student name.
We now have a competition! Two students have earned their Houses over 470 Points from the Summer Challenge with the help from their families. Can you beat that?!! Give the Autumn Reading Challenge go!
Attendance at The Skinners’ Kent Academy
| Year Group | Attendance % this week |
| 7 | 94.6% |
| 8 | 94.7% |
| 9 | 92.7% |
| 10 | 91.6% |
| 11 | 93.0% |
| 12 | 95.2% |
| 13 | 89.5% |
| TOTAL | 93.2% |
