Bennett Memorial Diocesan School 7-11 Prospectus

Welcome to

Bennett Memorial Welcome to our prospectus. Bennett is a school with rare qualities. We are a Church of England school, academically highly successful, and we also set great store by the development of character and values.

Ian Bauckham Executive Headteacher

We expect commitment and high standards both in lessons and beyond lessons, where students benefit from a vast range of wider opportunities, especially in music and sport.

At Bennett, Christian values run through all we do. We are a happy, tolerant, and inclusive school, yet unshakeably clear about our distinctive character and ethos.

In these pages we set out to capture something of the spirit of the school in a few words and pictures. There is more information on our website, and you are warmly invited to visit us to form your own impressions.

We hope you will want to find out more about our school.

Jon Sparke Headteacher

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Believing in

Young people

Bennett is a Church of England school with a record of providing outstanding education, rooted in tradition and preparing young people for the future. Our distinctive Christian identity and ethos inform our approach to living and learning.

We believe in the potential of every young person, academically and personally. Our faith in our students means that we aspire for excellence in all spheres. At Bennett, young people develop confidence in themselves. Confidence breeds success.

Bennett is a happy and vibrant community which fosters values and personal qualities in students. Courage and resilience, determination and perseverance, service to others, courtesy and consideration are put into practice in and out of lessons every day.

Bennett students not only excel academically but have a vast range of opportunities beyond lessons, including in music and sport, travel and adventurous activities.

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Richard Holman, Yr 13

“We are impressed both with the ‘whole person’ approach of Bennett as well as with the high expectations for students.”

“ Maths is my favourite subject in Sixth Form. I enjoy the problem solving and working through difficult questions. A Level maths has been a large step up from GCSE maths. It is considerably more challenging but rewards hard work. I am looking to study either maths with business and finance, or a degree focussing on banking and accounting at university. I feel that A Level maths places me in an excellent position to do this and continue my development.”

Parent

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Saffron Hancock, Yr 9 “ In Year 7 at Bennett my coach put me forward for Kent Academy trials. I was selected and joined the Under 14 Development Academy.

This year I trialled for Kent again and have successfully got into the Under 14 Potential Academy. I am especially excited because I am also being considered for a place in the Performance Academy which is the very top tier of the Kent Netball Academy Programme.”

“ Bennett makes no apology for promoting Christian values and the need to develop students’ characters as well as their academic potential.”

Parent

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Achieving

Excellence Outstanding teaching and impressive results are at the heart of Bennett’s success. We are rightly renowned for the excellent results Bennett students achieve at GCSE and A Level. This is because our teachers are experts in their subjects, and because we expect hard work, excellent behaviour and a positive approach at all times.

The Bennett curriculum has long reflected our traditional approach. Students focus on the academic subjects which provide the best bedrock for their future and which will allow them to compete with the best beyond school.

Mathematics, English, the three sciences, philosophy, classics, languages, history and geography, music, art, drama, sport and religious studies are all particularly strong.

Bennett students from our large and thriving academic sixth form achieve places at the best universities at home and abroad each year, including Oxford and Cambridge, as well as other Russell Group universities.

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Teaching for

Success At Bennett teaching is rigorous and demanding, Relevant and engaging, with high expectations in class and at home.

Bennett students are active, participative and enquiring learners with a thirst for knowledge and a love of learning. Teaching is supported by the latest technology, enabling students, and parents, to access their work and track their progress online.

Teaching groups are organised flexibly and reviewed regularly to ensure that every student’s progress is as strong as possible, and that no-one is left behind.

Self-confidence is the springboard for progress and this philosophy underlies our approach. Praise and rewards are used to encourage students to excel, and an atmosphere of healthy academic competition motivates students to greater success.

That confidence is complemented outside formal lessons by a wide range of carefully designed activities, including public speaking, debating, and recital.

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Maeeshah Rabbani, Yr 11 “ When you know the ‘how’, the possibilities of the future are endless. This is what science brings, which is why I relish every learning moment of science at Bennett. The teachers at Bennett not only feed my passion for science, but they also help me gain a deeper understanding of the subject.” “ I have really enjoyed science at Bennett this year, especially the practical chemistry lessons! I have definitely developed my knowledge of science through a particularly motivating teacher, and now love the subject even more.” Isaac Strand, YR 8

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“In the last five years we have seen our daughter grow as a student, working independently and thoroughly enjoying her time at Bennett.�

Parent

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Caring and

Thriving As a Christian school, we place particular emphasis on caring and supporting young people as they grow up.

We are well-known for our excellent pastoral care. We have a strong and experienced team of dedicated staff who are always on hand to help students through the challenges and dilemmas they sometimes face. The team includes counsellors, a nurse and a chaplain, and they cooperate closely to make sure that students and families receive the advice they need, when they need it.

Amelia Hepburn, former Head Girl “ For me, as a classicist, origins and beginnings have a particular significance due to my interest in etymology. This makes me think back to the beginning of my time at Bennett, and how I have changed and grown since I started. I believe the opportunities I’ve had here have shaped me into the person that I had the potential to become when I entered seven years ago.�

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“ The great musicians that I get to work with here have been the people who inspired me to apply for a place the Royal Academy of Music in London.”

Jack Gonzalez-Harding, YR 8

Rayan Chowdhury, Yr 11 Rayan enjoys the drama here at Bennett and has been involved in every Bennett production so far including: Oliver!, Macbeth and Les Misérables, with a leading role of Charlie Peaceful in Private Peaceful. “ I love the productions that take place here at Bennett as I am working with professionals who are incredibly inspiring and from whom I am able to learn a huge amount.”

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Taking part and

Enjoying

Learning outside the classroom is a central part of Bennett life. Music and sport, travel and adventure, all play an important role in the life of Bennett students.

Bennett is a truly musical school. Music making and singing, choral and individual, and of every style and period, permeate our school.

Our regular productions, musical and dramatic, are quite simply stunning, and the pride and confidence students get from them are immeasurable.

Bennett is the largest Duke of Edinburgh Award centre in the region, with most Bennett students taking part in the programme.

Expeditions are undertaken on foot or by canoe, and high value is placed on the Award in school. Every year a large group of Gold Award winners is invited to the Palace to receive their awards.

Sports of many types are practised to top competition level, and Bennett excels in local competitive leagues and tournaments.

Rugby, cricket, football, netball and gymnastics are all especially strong, and our dedicated sports coaches run a wide range of clubs and teams with frequent training to develop skills to a high level.

The adventure doesn’t stop there. Every year Bennett students take part in a breath-taking range of trips and expeditions near and far, from trekking in the Himalayas to the culture and history of Rome; from France, Germany and Spain, to visiting our partner schools in Africa.

Bennett’s co-curricular life truly has something for everyone.

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Bennett

Sixth Form The vast majority of Bennett students choose to move into the Bennett Sixth Form after GCSE. Our large and vibrant Sixth Form is characterised by an atmosphere of aspiration and excellence.

The ethos and expectations established in the younger years are continued and developed further as students prepare for their A Levels.

“We would like to thank all the staff for their dedication, expertise and care of both of our children. Now we have relocated as a family, finding a school that comes even close to Bennett is proving to be very difficult.�  Former Bennett Parent

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Expert teaching and highly specialised subject knowledge come into their own in this part of the school, and inspirational teaching enables students to develop genuine passion for their subjects. The Sixth Form centre introduces students to the working atmosphere of the university library, and they are prepared and guided towards university application by a dedicated and specialised team of advisors.

Life in the Sixth Form is not all work however: students are encouraged to take part in a wide range of challenging and enjoyable activities which continue to develop their confidence. Debating and public speaking, sport and music, adventure and travel also feature on the sixth form programme.

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T: 01892 521595 E: enquiries@bennett.kent.sch.uk www.bennett.kent.sch.uk

Believing in Young People

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Bennett Memorial Diocesan School Culverden Down Tunbridge Wells Kent TN4 9SH