15th January 2024
Dear All
In 2011 King Ethelbert school started a sixth form in association with Dane Court Grammar School in order to give more access for post-16 students in Thanet.
Most of you will know that King Ethelbert offers the hugely successful IBCP (International Baccalaureate Careers Related Programme) as the post-16 curriculum. This is an innovative education pathway, offering a flexible blend of academic and career-related studies. Academic IB subjects are of the same rigour as A Levels and the school offers courses such as; English, maths, global politics, anthropology, psychology and others. There is also a range of vocational subjects delivered - examples being art, business, health and social care and sport. This mixture - alongside the IB core of personal and professional skills, service learning, language development and a reflective project - enables students to develop applicable and transferable lifelong skills that prepare them for higher education, higher level apprenticeships or employment.
King Ethelbert school already has over 100 students studying the IBCP in years 12 and 13 and these students are hugely successful. In 2023 a quarter of students achieved over 190 UCAS points (equivalent to 3 A* grades at A Level), many with top grades. All of the students progressed onto university, higher level apprenticeships or employment.
It is now time for King Ethelbert to become an 11 to 18 school in its own right. This will make no difference to the curriculum it offers or how it is run - the same teachers will offer the same subjects with the same success. However, by ensuring King Ethelbert is recognised as an 11 to 18 school, we can undergo the same level of scrutiny post 16 as we do for the rest of the school. This would be effective from September 2024.
Part of the process is to inform parents and other stakeholders of this change. The consultation begins on Monday 15th January 2024 and ends at 12pm on Monday 12th February. Any comments, questions or suggestions can be made by contacting the school at mail@kingethelbert.kent.sch.uk and giving your email the title of, ‘Sixth form consultation’. Following the consultation period, the governing body of King Ethelbert school will consider all consultation responses and make any necessary modifications or changes to what we are proposing. We will release the results of the consultation and communicate with all stakeholders in due course.
King Ethelbert School