THE INSTITUTE OF SERVICE AND PARTNERSHIPS
It has been wonderful to join Sevenoaks School as Director of Service and Partnerships and to get to know our committed and socially aware student body , as well as our wide range of local and global partners .
Engagement with Service and Partnerships is a golden thread that runs through a Sevenoaks education : through our Society and Change curriculum in Year 7 , the Social Entrepreneurship programme in Year 8 , to the ‘ Your Place in Society ’ enrichment week at the end of Year 9 and the Service Programme for students in Year 10 and above . Research by Tyler VanderWeele has demonstrated that social connectedness is key to human flourishing , and involvement in the Service and Partnership programme enables our students to develop their compassion , communication skills and initiative , while also exposing them to a range of experiences and perspectives that will support them to become rounded and grounded young people .
Our partnership projects and initiatives continue to operate under three core strands : Environmental Sustainability , Educational Partnerships , and Equity , Diversity and Inclusion .
EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS
Our relationship with the Sevenoaks Partnership of Primary Schools continues to thrive , with children arriving on campus for weekly sessions in design technology , coding and robotics , music , sport , art and science . Our students also travel offsite to run sessions for primary pupils in chess , history , languages , drama , sport and reading .
The KAN ( Kent Academies Network ) programme , now in its 11th year , continues to support young people to access higher education by developing pupils ’ confidence , knowledge and agency so they can set ambitious goals , and ultimately reach them . We have welcomed our current KAN students ( of whom there are 75 ) to meet-up days and residentials at Sevenoaks , and workshops have ranged from managing imposter syndrome to gothic calligraphy , particle physics and body pump . During the Easter residential , students enjoyed a talk from Jonathan Evans , Baron Evans of Weardale , former Director General of MI5 ( OS 1976 ). We have been delighted to welcome back several KAN alumni as university mentors on the programme . The programme also provides professional development opportunities for our mentors , and it has been wonderful to see KAN mentors graduate from university and take on a range of graduate roles , including teaching roles both here at Sevenoaks and with Teach First .
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