Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• KICC Noah’s Ark Food Bank

  Fri 21 Dec 2018

  On behalf of the KICC Noah’s Ark Food Bank, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the Teachers and Students of St Simon Stock Catholic School, for their generous donations towards the needy and the homeless. Someone once said to me; “whatever we possess becomes of double value when we share it with others.” Looking around me when the food was distributed to the homeless and the needy, I saw the difference your support made to them. Once again thank you. Your kindness and generosity towards the homeless and the needy will remain with NAFB forever.

  God bless you,

  Mrs Akhetuamen

  

• A Christmas Carol

  Wed 19 Dec 2018
  Mr Barber, our very own Examinations Officer, took to the stage in Dartford in a fantastic production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”.  He took on various roles but, without question, his outstanding performance was as “the Ghost of Christmas Present”.  He was supported at Saturday’s matinee by members of the support staff.

  

• Poetry Live!

  Fri 14 Dec 2018

  On Thursday 7^th December, the English department took 110 year 11 students to ‘Poetry Live!’ at the Apollo Theatre in Victoria, London.

  The conference gave students the opportunity to listen to a chief examiner’s advice on how to approach unseen poems in their English Literature exam and they had the privilege to see perform a number of acclaimed poets such as Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy; the enigmatic John Agard and firm favourite with the crowd Daljit Nagra.  The seven poets that participated during the day read aloud a number of their own poems – including those on the AQA ‘Love and Relationships’ specification that we study.  They discussed their inspiration and answered questions from members of the audience.  It was fascinating to learn, for example, that the extended metaphor of space and measurement in Simon Armitage’s ‘Mother, any Distance’ was inspired by his mother literally holding one end of a tape measure at the bottom of a house they were measuring up while he stood at the roof holding on to the other end.

  Students particularly enjoyed joining in with Grace Nichols’ Baby-K Rap Rhyme and listening to Daljit Nagra’s Singh Song! Particular highlights and benefits the students commented upon were ‘listening to the poems in the tone they’re supposed to be read in’ and the love advice given by John Agard.  Moreover, it wasn’t just the students who enjoyed the day – we teachers took a few notes ourselves!

  Any student who attended the conference this year is now eligible to enter the Simon Powell Poetry Prize competition for the chance of winning an invitation to a workshop with Daljit Nagra; reading their poem at a Poetry Live! Event and a receiving a set of poetry books.  To enter, they should submit a single poem of not more than 25 lines.  The closing date is 15^th April 2019 and students who are interested in competing should see Mrs Asplin for more details.

  

• 2020 Calendar Competition

  Fri 14 Dec 2018
  Miss Livermore is running a 2020 Calendar Competition

  

• Philosophy Conference

  Fri 14 Dec 2018

  On Friday 7^th December, year 12 and 13 students travelled to London to attend a Philosophy conference where they heard lectures from Julie Arliss on Animal Rights, Professor Keith Ward on Conscience, Daphne Hampson on Gender Theology and Alister McGrath on Religion and Science. They had an opportunity to share their experiences on the conference Twitter Page and have since embedded what they learned into their class lessons.

  

• River-Sienna and the Kent County Junior Choir

  Thu 13 Dec 2018

  River-Sienna has performed in The Kent County Junior Singers (KCJS) county group with Kent Music for the past 3 years.  This weekend, she performed in her first winter concert in Canterbury after moving up to the Kent County Junior Choir group (KCJC) in September.  

   

  The County choir groups have been a love of River’s for many years but each concert is always a huge achievement for River as she finds performing infront of others really quite difficult and would rather shy away from these.

  Moving up to KCJC is a big step as here the children learn to sing with bigger harmonies and from music rather than memory and quite often with no musical accompaniment.

  The concert was wonderful, the children performed amazingly.

  Congratulations to River, this is a fantastic achievement and wonderful to hear about our students outside of school.

  

• Alex Powell and The Saracens County DPP

  Thu 13 Dec 2018

  Alex Powell has been selected from the Kent Developing Player Programme (DPP), which he has been in for last 2 years, up to the Player Development Group (PDG) for more detailed coaching.

  The PDG players from Kent, Hertfordshire and Essex under 15s will compete in small matches at Allianz Park the home ground of Saracens,  the current English Rugby Premier League champions (Just in case you’re more familiar with football than rugby, they’re the equivalent to Manchester City).

  If selected from this PDG Festival,  players could then go into the Saracens Rugby Academy as an Elite PDG player, where it really starts to get serious!

  It’s a great opportunity, and good to note that over 40% of the championship winning squad came through the pathway into the first team.

  It will be tough but I am sure Alex will enjoy it whatever happens. He’s also been invited to a PDG Bootcamp event at Sutton Valence next April.

  Saracens Rugby Pathway

  Please join us in congratulating Alex! We hope to hear more good news for his Rugby progress in the New Year :)

  

• Year 9 Gothic Makeup

  Wed 12 Dec 2018
  Year 9 Drama took part in a Gothic make-up workshop today with Mrs Reader. Some students did ghost or vampire designs whilst some concentrated on cuts and scars. This is part of the GCSE Drama course and was done in preparation for their Devised Drama Gothic evening on February 12^th 2019

  

• Student of the Fortnight – November 2018

  Wed 12 Dec 2018

  Once again we honour our brilliant students with the Student of the Fortnight award.

   

   

  Year 10- For perseverance and determination.

  Isabella Barritt: Year 7- For determination and resilience

  Ellen Arkwright: Year 9 – For leadership skills, hard work and effort

  Jack Crampton: Year 8- For his improved focus and attention

  Antoinette Onwona: Year 11 – For her charity work

   

  Well done to all :)

  

• Turner Contemporary Visit

  Wed 12 Dec 2018

  Two Art Navigators from the Turner Contemporary came in this morning to work with our A Level and BTEC Art & Design students in Yr 12 to launch this year’s Art Portfolio competition ‘Art Rebels’. Winning students will have the opportunity to showcase their in the Turner Contemporary during the summer 2019.

   

  The Navigators from the gallery worked with the students today to encourage them to break the mould by making artwork that is daring and different and to make people talk. Our students confidently accepted the challenge and began the morning investigating the historical context of how artists have been considered art Rebels and why? And explored social and personal issues through art.

   

  They then enjoyed working in groups to make their own art work which created lots of discussion.