insideKENT Magazine Issue 90 - September 2019 | Page 114

IN ASSOCIATION WITH
EDUCATION
LOOKING FORWARD TO MY
FIRST YEAR AT
KENT COLLEGE, CANTERBURY
HEAD OF THE SENIOR SCHOOL, MR PHIL WISE
AS THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS ROLL TO A CLOSE, THERE WILL BE
MANY 11-YEAR-OLDS EXCITED AND A LITTLE NERVOUS PERHAPS
ABOUT JOINING THEIR NEW SECONDARY SCHOOL THIS AUTUMN.
I CAN EMPATHISE WITH THIS AS I WILL BE JOINING KENT
COLLEGE AS THE NEW HEAD OF THE SENIOR SCHOOL BUT LIKE
THEM, I HAVE A WONDERFUL YEAR OF DISCOVERY AHEAD OF
ME AS I GET TO KNOW ALL THE STUDENTS, STAFF AND PARENTS
AT THE SCHOOL AS WELL AS CANTERBURY AND KENT.
We will be giving a big KC welcome to our largest
ever year 7 cohort this September and I will be
taking a special interest in their wellbeing and
development. I am sure they, along with all our
other new pupils, will feel right at home in no time
thanks to the support they will receive from students
and teachers.
This year will begin with a big bang with the official
opening of our new 600-seat Great Hall by the Lord
Lieutenant of Kent. This will provide the school
with a beautiful space for worship and a state-of-
the-art theatre for the performing arts which our
seven music ensembles, five choirs and vibrant drama
department will make full use of.
I am looking forward to welcoming the local
community to the Great Hall and our first
performance will be “And Can It Be?” a musical
about the life of John Wesley, written by Dr David
Lamper our Executive Head and our Chaplain,
Revd.Dr Paul Glass.
Happy children make for happy learning and as the
pastoral lead for the school, I will be building on the
nurturing and supportive approach that is firmly
embedded at KC. I have already been struck by
what a friendly community it is, with older students
mentoring and looking out for younger pupils. Our
regular health and wellbeing weeks enable the
students to ensure they are well equipped to cope
with the pressure of exams and to understand the
value of exercise, hobbies and healthy eating.
The Christmas season is one of my favourites,
especially as I have two young children, so I will
really be looking forward to carols on our school
farm and our carol service in the majestic
surroundings of Canterbury Cathedral.
Sport is one of my greatest pleasures and I will be
spending many weekends watching our students
competing, whether that is playing hockey for the
Under 18s England squad, cricket, cross country
running, horse riding, netball, rowing or just having
fun learning a new sport. We offer over 60 different
114
extra-curricular activities and clubs so there really
is something for everyone, be it our eco-warriors’
group, fencing, basketball or jewellery-making.
Spring brings Arts’ week with a plethora of
opportunities for fun from learning circus skills to
African drumming, as well as our annual variety
show and house drama and music events. May will
see me pulling on the wellies for our Farm Open
Morning, a wonderful community event when over
300 visitors meet our farm family of pigs, cows, goats,
sheep, rabbits, chicks and ponies and can have a go
at welly-wanging and other fun games.
The summer term builds to a crescendo with exam
season followed by the joy of Activities’ week with
students camping, having exciting days out all over
Kent, enjoying house picnics with an ice cream van
on site and the final push to complete our charity
fundraising for the year.
Finally, speech day with moments of celebration,
achievement, shared memories, thanks, fond farewells
and plans to meet those friends that have been made
from all over the world in the months ahead.
The school Open Morning will be on Saturday 28th
September when we will open our doors to current
and prospective families to show them how inspiring
our teachers are, how exciting learning can be at
KC and how our bespoke timetabling and focus on
each individual enables students to find their own
tailored path to success. The students’ results are
testament not only to their hard work but also the
individual support they receive at the school that
means that KC has regularly been amongst the top
10 schools in the UK for the International
Baccalaureate for the last 5 years, whilst for the last
6 years, our A-Level students have achieved an
average of 70% A*-B grades; all very impressive for
an inclusive school.
Such a lot to look forward to!
Kent College Canterbury
01227 763 231
www.kentcollege.com