Foreword
Foreword
This year has been another year of growth and success for KAN.
We currently have 92 students on the programme which is the highest number since KAN began. A key objective remains keeping the Core programmes at capacity and, as we begin the 2025-26 academic year, our Core cohorts for 2023, 2024, and 2025 are fully enrolled, with only a single space remaining in the 2022 cohort. Attendance is strong, with over 80 per cent of students attending both meet-up days. 80 per cent of Core students attended the April residential and a fantastic 95 per cent attended the July residential.
One of our KAN schools, the former Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey was acquired by Leigh Academy Trust( LAT) in September 2024 and is now the Leigh Academy Minster. Our current KAN students, who have established relationships with their peers and the KAN mentors, have remained part of the programme, but LAT has established an exciting new university access programme, Ambition, in partnership with us at Sevenoaks School. The programme launched in July 2025 and recruits from five LAT schools, including Leigh Academy Minster. It has been wonderful to harness the transformative power of the KAN programme to shape a second programme that will support ambition and achievement for another cohort of young people. This change has enabled us to invite a new school, St George’ s Church of England to join the network. We were delighted to welcome two of their Year 9 students into our 2025 cohort.
A highlight of the year was the Alumni Dinner when we welcomed back alumni students and mentors, as well as, current mentors and KAN donors, teacher leads and contributing teachers. There was a palpable sense of collective achievement and pride in the room. The evening also gave as an opportunity to say farewell and thank you to Isla Phillips-Ewen who had served as KAN Director since 2020. She was a passionate leader for KAN, professionalising the programme whilst never losing sight of the students at its core. She leaves behind a programme poised for continued success and her vision and high aspirations for KAN will guide us long after today.
We are immensely grateful to our supporters: Christopher and Kristin Gill, The Buffini Chao Foundation, Queens’ College and Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, and Sevenoaks School. As ever, we extend our thanks to our teacher leads who promote KAN in their schools and provide valuable feedback. Our mentor team continues to be the backbone of KAN, supporting our students and sharing their own experiences. Thanks also go to Jutta, Jamie and Sophie at Sevenoaks who have been instrumental in running KAN, as well as all our volunteer teachers who deliver a wide range of engaging sessions during meet-up days and residentials. A sincere thank you too to our collaborators( listed in the‘ Review of Events’ section of this report).
Kathy O’ Donnell Director of the Institute of Service and Partnerships
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