Fulston Manor Prospectus 2024/5

Welcome to the Fulston Family everybody matters, everybody succeeds, everybody helps

Executive Headteachers Welcome

It is an honour to welcome you to Fulston Manor School. We are a large non selective school with an outstanding reputation for developing young people who make a positive contribution to their community. We have always believed that a child will only learn effectively when happy and, without losing sight of the need to secure the best possible qualifications, every effort is made to ensure that children are well cared for and given a huge range of opportunities, both inside and outside the classroom. Our school motto reflects both the importance of the individual and the whole community. We are committed to ensuring that everyone is helped to make progress during their time with us and that such progress is recognised wherever it occurs, whether in academic achievement, sporting success or in any one of the many other activities we make available to all. Equally important is ensuring that everyone comes to understand the part they play in helping others achieve their personal goals, recognising that the taking on of responsibility and developing an understanding of the needs of others is a fundamental key to living within any community. “e verybody matters, everybody succeeds, everybody helps ”

Our school ethos and family values drive all that we do here to ensure our young people both achieve the best possible qualifications and also grow and develop their sense of self and their understanding of our world. The crest of the school carries the Latin inscription “Artes Discant Amitiae”, which translates as “May they learn the art of friendship”. In the midst of all the pressures to succeed and the drive for achievement, I am most proud of the fact that we are a community which has never lost sight of the importance of positive human relationships and it is this, perhaps above everything else, that continues to ensure the enduring quality of Fulston Manor School.

Mrs S Burden Executive Headteacher

Our Ethos

Our school motto is everybody matters, everybody succeeds, everybody helps . This underpins everything that we do at Fulston Manor and is richly embedded in the day-to-day life and culture of our students, staff and visitors.

We create a fantastic learning environment allowing students to thrive not just academically, but as kind, mindful and well-rounded young citizens ready to face the challenges of the 21st century world.

Everybody Matters

Everybody Succeeds

We are a welcoming school that operates as a family, with a strong sense of pastoral care linked to our house system. We have four houses (Cromer, Hales, Morrison and Stanhope) in Year 7 to 11 with key stage tutor groups in each house. This means small numbers of the key stage in each tutor group who have a dedicated tutor they see each day. We encourage all students to show fortitude and integrity in all that they do - to uphold strong honest principles and be mindful of themselves and others within their community. Everybody matters is not just something we say, it’s something we truly believe in and work tirelessly to ensure we instil in all members of our unique, diverse and welcoming Fulston Family.

We offer a broad curriculum from Year 7, which allows our young people to excel in all areas, including the creative arts, and students are encouraged to develop a love of learning both inside the classroom and beyond. We are committed to ensuring that students' time at Fulston Manor is time well spent and that they leave fully prepared to play a positive role in society. The fact that, almost without exception, students not only progress onto university or careers of their choice, but then proceed to enjoy great success within their chosen field, demonstrates that we meet the goals we set ourselves and that Fulston Manor is indeed a very special place in which to be educated.

Despite the national oppression of grades at A level in 2023, we improved on the 2019 benchmark.

Our students go on to a wide range of further education and employment opportunities. Over the last few years alone we have had entrants into Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial Universities as well as apprenticeships in quantity surveying, equestrian, football, skilled trades and Harrods, to name but a few. At Fulston Manor we believe that success is not just about exam results and to ensure that ' everybody succeeds ', regardless of their starting point, we provide a wide range of extra-curricular activities to ensure that every child can get the most out of their time spent with us. It is of this that we are most proud.

in for the better and to have courage of their convictions.

Everybody Helps

We place great importance on developing young citizens, not just academically but as well-rounded, supportive people who help each other in times of need and engage positively with their community. We are proud of our young people every day. We nurture a culture where ' everybody helps', a culture where young people are capable of standing up for our core values and of charity and support for others.

This is not only achieved through excellent exam results, or by their individual skills and talents, but this, coupled with the sense of belonging and community that comes with being a member of the Fulston Family - the sense of shared responsibility. It is this that defines the best of our students, those who raise thousands of pounds for charity each year, who volunteer to tidy up the local community and those who work on our school councils and learn to bring about change, both in our school community and the wider world around us.

We encourage all of our students to change the society that we are

Our Fulston Family Values

In 2023, our family values were introduced to help further enhance our mission to make Fulston Manor School a safe, welcoming and friendly place to learn. Developed in conjunction with our School Councils, School Governors and our Senior Leadership Team, these collaborative values celebrate all that is best about the Fulston Family. We embed these integral values into every part of Fulston Family life, from having high ambitions of both our students and staff, showing fortitude and integrity in the classroom, around our site and in our wider community, to being mindful of each and every member of our community and embracing and celebrating our differences.

When applied together and with relentless consistency, we really can help shape great young citizens, not just for the Fulston Family but for our wider community too.

Fortitude - we show strength of mind and conviction. Ambition - we strive to be the best we can be. Mindful - we are considerate of ourselves, others and our community. Integrity - we uphold strong, honest principles. Leadership - we lead by example. Young Citizens - we are young ambassadors for the Fulston Family.

‘ If we show fortitude , have high ambitions , are mindful of ourselves and each other, show integrity and leadership , together we make great young citizens of the Fulston Family! ’

A Broad and Balanced Curriculum

We provide every member of the Fulston Family with the opportunities, freedom and experience of a wide ranging and ambitious curriculum. We believe that every student deserves exposure to a whole host of subjects from the moment they join us in Year 7 right through to their GCSE and A level studies. This equips them with the skills, knowledge and experience to pursue any careers they wish or continue into further education. We are committed to bringing success to every student. We are not interested in the majority, we are interested in every single person reaching their potential, whatever it takes. Obviously, the national focus is on exam results and our students do extremely well. But it is the fact that our students achieve these results and aspire to go to university or to pursue their dream pathways, all whilst keeping as wide a range of subjects available to them as possible, that we are most proud. Of course, English, Maths and Science are important, but we do not believe that they are all that our students should focus on to the detriment of Art or French, or Performing Arts and Photography. Many of our students go on to have flourishing careers in theatre or the media, many go to university to study Law or Forensic Science and this is because we have provided them with a first class, broad and balanced curriculum allowing them to grow and develop into amazing young ambassadors for the Fulston Family.

In KS3 students study a range of 20 subjects...

Personal Development Curriculum

Maths

Science

English

Design Technology

Dance

Drama

Art

Computing

Food

French

Citizenship

Religious Studies

Games

Geography

PE

Textiles

History

Music

Spanish

At GCSE students have a wider choice of subjects to choose from. These include, but are not limited to:

Health and Social Care

Computer Science

Business Studies

Design Technology

Art and Design

Spanish

Sport

Photography

In our sixth form, students have an even greater choice of subjects available to them. These include, but are not limited to:

Religious Studies

English Literature

Chemistry

Sociology

Psychology

Politics

Law

Music

“ we believe in a broad and balanced curriculum to prepare our students for their future ” Mrs J Dunnett - Deputy Headteacher (Curriculum and Teaching & Learning)

Our House and Pastoral System

We respect and place great importance on the traditional values of family and our house system is integral to this approach. We have physical house bases with lockers for students and a space to eat and socialise before and after school and at break and lunchtime. Our house system allows for a sense of a smaller family grouping within a much larger community. Every student, from brand new Year 7s right through to our sixth form have outstanding pastoral support available to them. With a tutor that students will see each morning and house staff to guide them through their time with us, truly ' everybody matters '.

A spirit of friendly rivalry exists between our four houses and our sixth form, rivalry which is played out in a wide range of inter-house competitions, culminating in our annual Sports Day where students compete for the House Cup! Students are encouraged to develop a sense of pride in their house, working not just for themselves but for others. Charity fundraising activities are also organised on a house as well as a whole-school basis, further fostering the concept of a caring community which is central to the aims and core-values of Fulston Manor School.

Sixth Form at Fulston Manor

Our highly popular sixth form offers a unique range and combination of courses, providing packages suitable for students of all abilities and interests. The Fulston Manor journey is seen very much as a seven-year plan and students are encouraged to continue their studies and join our sixth form community. In addition to the wide variety of subjects on offer, enhanced further by our links with local grammar schools, we have extensive work-related contacts, high quality careers assistance and a student centred support system, all ensuring that every student can flourish and excel during their time spent in our sixth form. The sixth form is seen not only as an opportunity for academic enhancement, but also as an environment in which young adults can develop the personal qualities necessary to succeed in society. Every student is seen as an individual and valued as such, being given the chance to increase in self-confidence and interpersonal skills whilst achieving the best possible qualifications. We have outstanding facilities with a brand new, purpose-built Sixth Form Centre which boasts a common room, our Sixth Form Café, study zones, our school library and multiple classrooms with flexi-wall design allowing rooms to be opened up into fantastic open spaces for dynamic and engaging lessons and events.

Extra-Curricular Clubs and Activities

We are proud to offer a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and activities to suit all interests, from football and science to art, textiles and performing arts - there really is something for everyone! We strongly believe that learning is not something that should only take place within the classroom. We have an extensive range of residential trips and visits, all carefully designed and planned to greatly enrich our students cultural capital, enhance their learning experience and make the most of their time spent with us. With in-house events such as our performing arts festivals, many local sports fixtures and events, our annual Sports Day as well as visits to universities, museums and places of interest and visits further afield across Europe and the rest of the world, every student who attends Fulston Manor School has a plethora of life-changing opportunities available to them from the moment they first walk through our school gates in Year 7.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Within the Fulston Family

Parents and Carers and Staff

Wellbeing Team

Students

It is estimated by the charity Mind that around 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem during the course of a year. The Fulston Family is a community of students, staff and parents and carers and our Wellbeing Team is on hand to support everybody. We have a team of trained specialists who can help in a variety of ways. Our Wellbeing Team can support students, staff, parents and carers - we are all members of the Fulston Family.

A common trait with mental health issues is for young people to bury or hide it inside. It is much healthier to have a

Our support does not stop with our students. Every person who joins our community is joining the Fulston Family and this extends to our parents and carers too. If you find yourself in need of support, we have plenty of resources available on our website. These range from wellbeing and mental health information to cost of living and bereavement guidance. Parents and carers can also contact our Wellbeing Team twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. We really are a (Fulston) family.

conversation with a peer, friend, parent/carer or a

member of staff. The hardest part is getting the conversation started. We have the capacity to run one-to-one counselling sessions within school as well as group workshops. Students can talk to their house pastoral teams, their teachers, friends and peers or can even be referred to our Wellbeing Team by a parent/carer.

wellbeing@fulstonmanor.kent.sch.uk www.fulstonmanor.kent.sch.uk/wellbeing

Fulston Manor Academies Trust

Fulston Manor Academies Trust (FMAT) was formed by Fulston Manor School in 2013, three years after we became a single academy in October 2010. Fulston Manor has enjoyed an excellent reputation for many years, being heavily oversubscribed and attaining very high levels of academic achievement. An increasing involvement in school-to-school support and other collaborative ventures led us to becoming a National Support School and then to the award of Teaching School status (lead within the Swale Teaching School Alliance). The commitment to partnership working made the creation of a multi academy trust a logical step, providing a further way in which school improvement could be achieved. Although we have supported schools right across Kent, participated in the delivery of national conferences and been involved in forging strong international links, when developing the multi-academy group the intention was always to work with local schools in order to provide sustainable improvement and

enhanced provision for young people across Swale.

The opportunity, therefore, to welcome South Avenue Primary School into our trust fitted perfectly into this framework and will ensure a solid foundation across all three phases of compulsory education.

Admissions

Fulston Manor is one of the most oversubscribed schools in Kent. As such, our Admissions Team work tirelessly to ensure that all applications and appeals are processed accurately and fairly. Please ensure you have read all the instructions on the Kent website regarding applying for a secondary school place. If you would like to apply for a place within the Fulston Family or learn more about our over subscription criteria or process, then please scan the QR code or visit the ‘Joining us’ section of our website. Here you will find a wealth of information.

scan to view our online admissions information

Admissions Team: 01795 412617 | admissions@fulstonmanor.kent.sch.uk | www.fulstonmanor.kent.sch.uk

Fulston Manor School a Fulston Manor Academies Trust school

@fulstonfamily

Brenchley Road, Sittingbourne, Kent. ME10 4EG | www.fulstonmanor.kent.sch.uk | mail@fulstonmanor.kent.sch.uk | 01795 475228