Twenty-four lucky pupils from three local primary schools were invited to a chess master class at Dover Christ Church Academy, part of Turner Schools.

The children from White Cliffs Primary, Northbourne CofE Primary and Priory Fields Primary were given a two and a half hour lesson in how the game works.

The children, from Years 4, 5 and 6, were coached on how the pieces move, how to check and checkmate and how to plan an opening game strategy.

The class was a great success and inspired the children to think about their next moves to become better at this classic game. 

One of their teachers said: “The children were so excited coming back into school and have sparked interest in their peers and other teachers too.”

Francesca Fozard, Modern Foreign Languages teacher and Chess Club Leader at Dover Christ Church Academy, said: “It was a great pleasure to host the pupils from three of our local primary schools and we hope that this session will inspire them to continue to develop their chess skills and moves.

“We were very impressed at how well the children focussed and how quickly they picked up the nuances involved in becoming a successful chess player.

“It is very exciting to think that many of these children may be joining our thriving chess club at Dover Christ Church Academy in the years to come!”

Aim

• To raise awareness amongst pupils of local businesses;

• To improve pupils’ understanding of the job roles that exist within different organisations;

• To develop pupils knowledge of employability skills, why they’re important, and how they are applied in the workplace;

• For pupils to learn about education pathways, including college, apprenticeships and university.

Pupils from Years 7-13 attended the event, with each year group having 40 minutes to speak to the exhibitors that interested them. Across the three schools nearly 2,500 students attended.

Pupils were given a booklet to complete to help them engage with exhibitors, the booklet highlighted 8 key employability skills, as identified by Skills Builder (https://www.skillsbuilder.org/), and pupils were given the task of finding out how businesses used the skills in their workplace.

Each event had 22-27 exhibitors, including:

Port of Dover

Kent Police

Church & Dwight

Bannatyne Health Club

NHS

Invvu Construction

Army

Jazz Pharmaceuticals

The Environment Agency

Jenner Construction

Channel Commercials

Hollis

Digital Kent

Swiss Re

University of Kent

Canterbury Christ Church University

University of Portsmouth

University of Creative Arts

Kent Medical School

East Kent College

Apprenticeship Service Kent

Katy Tibbles, Trust Head of Careers: ‘This year’s careers fairs were a resounding success. As with all our careers activities, our aim is to improve pupils’ career-readiness so that they’re able to take their best next step at key transition points in their lives. The focus this year on workplace skills encouraged pupils to consider the importance of not just qualifications and technical knowledge, but also the significance of essential skills, no matter what career they go into. We are incredibly lucky to have had so many organisations support our pupils at these events, sharing knowledge and expertise that pupils don’t necessarily experience in a normal school day.’

Helen, Canterbury Christ Church University: ‘The students were an absolute credit to the school. Curious, enthusiastic and polite!’

Reda, University of Greenwich: ‘The event was really well organized. The skills booklet the students filled out was a great touch—it helped them get more involved and sparked their interest in the opportunities available.’

Nathan, Jenner Construction: ‘All pupils engaged well, there were some great questions asked and real interest in our sector.’

Sam, Year 10 Folkestone Academy: ‘It was a great experience to learn about different careers.’

Olivia, Year 11 Turner Free School: ‘I found it useful speaking to the universities. The whole thing helped me to think about my future.

Planning permission for the creation of an all-weather 3G Artificial Grass Pitch (AGP) with floodlighting and an access footpath has been given and will be located within the grounds of Dover Christ Church Academy (DCCA). The refurbishment of two netball courts with floodlighting at the school was also given the go-ahead. 

The £1.2m project is being jointly funded by the Football Foundation, Dover District Council, Turner Schools and local clubs including Dover Rangers, Whitfield Juniors FC and Dover Athletic Youth FC.  

The facilities will be used by DCCA students during the day and made available for use by local community teams during evenings, weekends and holidays. 

Cllr Charlotte Zosseder, DDC Portfolio Holder for Community and Corporate Property, said: “We are delighted that this planning permission for an all-weather 3G artificial grass pitch has been approved. 

“It has been proven how important regular team sports is for the mental health of our young people, and these floodlit facilities will ensure that they can play their favourite sports throughout the winter months too. We are pleased that £178,000 of Section 106 money from the district’s housing developers - to fund infrastructure, affordable housing, or community services - can be put towards this project to benefit our local community.”

Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, The FA and Government – to transform the quality of grassroots facilities in England by delivering projects like this across the country.

“Good quality playing facilities have a transformative impact on physical and mental health and play an important role in bringing people together and strengthening local communities.

“This grant award for developing a 3G artificial grass pitch with floodlighting at Dover Christ Church Academy is fantastic news for the local community and will help give more people access to a great place to play.”

Seamus Murphy, Turner Schools CEO, said: "At Turner Schools (a local Multi Academy Trust), we are dedicated to providing our students with a rich and varied school experience. Access to first-class sporting facilities is central to that vision, as demonstrated recently with the new skate park at our Folkestone Academy. This latest investment in Dover Christ Church Academy will be transformational for both the school and the local community, broadening access to sport and enriching lives. It’s a fantastic example of what can be achieved for schools through effective partnerships and shared ambitions."

Manj Nijjer, Principal at Dover Christ Church Academy, said: "This is fantastic news for both our students and the wider community. At Dover Christ Church Academy, we understand how vital sport is for building teamwork, resilience, and wellbeing. These state-of-the-art facilities will enable even more of our students, including our newly formed girls’ football team, to enjoy the benefits of sport all year round. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone involved in making this project a reality, and we can’t wait to see our students thriving on the pitch!”

The building work is scheduled to commence in spring 2025.

For more information on the Football Foundation, visit www.footballfoundation.org.uk  

For a group of post 16 students from Kent, the possibility of following careers in sport and community outreach recently became much more real, thanks to an exclusive initiative between Folkestone Academy (FA), Dover Christ Church Academy (DCCA), and Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT).

Students from FA and DCCA—both part of Turner Schools—took part in an engaging careers programme designed to showcase opportunities within Charlton Athletic Community Trust, an organisation that employs over 100 permanent staff, a pool of more than 100 casual coaches, and engages with thousands of people weekly. The initiative helped students explore career paths not only in sport but also in community development, education, and social outreach.

As part of the programme, students visited Canterbury Christ Church University, the University of Greenwich, and the University of Kent to explore relevant courses in sport, coaching, and community engagement. They took part in interactive taster sessions, spoke with lecturers, and toured the campuses—helping them understand how education can lead to careers in these fields.

The experience culminated in a Careers Day at Charlton Athletic FC on Thursday, 30th January, where students explored career opportunities within CACT and honed their employability skills. The day began with student-led presentations on leadership, highlighting key traits such as communication, motivation, and decision-making. This was followed by one-on-one mock interviews for coaching and community outreach roles, allowing students to practice answering competency-based questions and demonstrating their potential for working in sports and social programmes.

Raman, one of the participating students, shared his excitement:
"This is good, Miss—I definitely want to work in sport!"

The programme had a strong personal impact, with many students now considering roles in sports coaching, community outreach, and youth engagement.

To round off the experience, students enjoyed an exclusive stadium tour of The Valley, Charlton Athletic’s home ground. They explored areas usually off-limits to the public, including the players' lounge, changing rooms, and dugouts—offering a rare glimpse into the professional sporting world.

Manj Nijjer, Principal of DCCA, praised the initiative, saying:

"This project embodies our commitment to preparing students for successful futures. The hands-on experience gained through Charlton Athletic Community Trust has been invaluable in helping our students build confidence, develop leadership skills, and explore careers in both sport and community engagement."

Steven Shaw, Principal of Folkestone Academy, added: 

“Raising the aspirations of our students and showcasing what’s possible is a huge part of what we do. This partnership with Charlton Athletic Community Trust has opened our students’ eyes to futures that they perhaps had not considered before. As they look forward to life after school, initiatives like this are incredibly important in broadening their horizons.”

Following the event, several students expressed interest in gaining coaching qualifications, work experience, and even future roles within CACT’s extensive community programmes— showing the success of the project and its impact.

The students will be spending 10 days in March 2025 volunteering in a local primary school in Tegbi, a small coastal town in the Keta Municipal district of the Volta Region of Ghana

The Dover Christ Church Academy students will be helping teachers to deliver sports lessons and supporting small groups of children with their schoolwork. They will also assist with some renovation work at the school. 

Many of these children have special educational needs and disabilities or are from disadvantaged backgrounds, so the trip will be a great opportunity for them.

The students will be organising fundraising events, such as cake sales, organising non school uniform days and Ghanaian music dance-offs, in a bid to raise funds. 

They are also hoping the local community and local businesses will help by sponsoring a tree, as they aim to plant over 105 trees on the Dover Christ Church Academy grounds.

As well as off-setting their carbon footprint, the students hope that their efforts will establish food and shelter for wildlife and create a living legacy for future generations at their academy.

The trees are likely to be a mix of hawthorn, rowan, blackthorn, silver birch, hazel and common oak and will be planted by the students in November.

Bonnie Tillotson, Head of Geography at Dover Christ Church Academy, who is leading the trip, said: “This trip will be an amazing, life changing opportunity for the 20 students who are going to Ghana.

“It will give them a chance to see how other children live in a country very different from their own and this will broaden their horizons and outlook.

“We are hoping that the local community and local businesses will support the school as we seek to raise funds for this opportunity - we need to raise a lot of money! 

“It would be fantastic if businesses could donate at least £100 per tree - please support this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these students in any way you can.” 

The link to the school trip’s fundraising page is  https://gofund.me/1db3491a 

Teachers and staff have worked tirelessly to ensure students had the support they needed to sit the final exams of their school career. In particular, staff offered additional revision and intervention sessions after school, during lunch times and during school holidays to ensure that pupils had every opportunity to succeed. 

Amongst other outstanding results the Turner Trust congratulates the following students whose portfolio of achievement includes:

Kalel Davies - Double Distinction in Sport and a Merit in Business. Kalel is currently in Germany after securing a three-year deal to play basketball for a professional club BC Bremerhaven.

Maddie Fisher, who achieved an amazing A* in Criminology, B in A Level History and a Distinction in BTEC Applied Law. She will be moving on to study Law at Royal Holloway University of London.

Shiar Arab  - achieved a Distinction in Business, a Distinction In Applied Law and a Distinction In Information Communication Technology. Shiar is moving on to study Software engineering at Bournemouth University.

Jack Reynolds achieved a Distinction* Distinction in a BTEC Sport Diploma and a Distinction in Music Technology. Jack is moving on to study primary education at Canterbury Christ church University. 

Tyra Skinner achieved a Merit in Applied Law, a C in Criminology and a Distinction in Sport. She is moving on to study Applied Criminology and Forensic Investigation at Canterbury Christ church University. 

Lina Mills achieved a Distinction in Sport, Distinction in Business and a Distinction in Applied Law  moving on to study Digital marketing at Birmingham City University, 

Over 70% of the cohort applied to university with 69% accepting their first choice offers.

Director of Sixth Form, Mrs Brown  was very pleased for students, saying “The students have worked incredibly hard within a wide range of subjects, we are really proud”

Our Sixth Form offers a broad and aspirational curriculum,  preparing students well for further study and the workplace. 

There are still spaces at our Sixth Form for next year, if you would like to find out more please contact  Luci.Brown@turnerschools.com

Steven Shaw, Head of School at Folkestone Academy (one of Turner Sixth Form’s three school sites), said: 

“We are pleased to see so many students achieve the grades they deserved across their A-Levels, BTECs, and vocational courses.  Our rich curriculum prepares students well for their diverse and exciting post 18 destinations. Our students will be going on to a wide range of exciting destinations and I couldn’t be happier for them.” 

Seamus Murphy, CEO of Turner Schools, said: 

“It is fantastic to see how well this cohort has achieved and they have every right to feel very proud of their success. Today’s results are a testament to the hard work, commitment, and dedication to their studies of these young people, as well as the fantastic teaching team here at Folkestone Academy, and I am delighted by how well they have all done. We wish them the best of luck for the future and know they will continue to excel as they take their next steps after leaving school.”

From discussions on living with neurodiversity to hearing from speakers from different faiths and cultures, students in the trust’s schools across Folkestone and Dover have heard more about other people’s life experiences.

Boxer Josh Kennedy talked about how he had coped with living with ADHD, from his struggles at school to how boxing had helped him turn his life around. In an interactive assembly, he invited staff to take part in a ten second boxing exercise to the delight of watching students.

Musical treats included Maha Rai, a key figure within the Nepalese community, who prides himself in multiculturalism, engaging with students through his indigenous drumming and dancing.

Meanwhile, some innovative students from Folkestone Academy and an ex-student brought their Roma jazz band to Morehall and Folkestone Primary, showcasing  traditional music from the Roma community, with the songs all about love and family.

Students at Turner Free School heard about diversity in politics from local district councillor Abena Akuffo-Kelly, who spoke to current T6 students and Year 11s ,about her transition from a teaching career into politics. 

Multi-faith talks included one from a local imam from the Folkestone Mosque, who spoke with students about the five pillars that the islamic faith is built upon and the celebration of Ramadan, while teacher Mr Nijjer shared his Sikh beliefs.

The students also heard a powerful talk from Lea Baynes about the importance of accepting who you are for you and being proud of all you represent by sharing his inspirational experiences about his transition.

Turner Free School, Folkestone Academy , and Dover Christ Church Academy (DCCA) also  heard from Kim and Andy from the Kenwood Trust, who talked to them about the importance of making the right choices in life, and the destruction that any substance abuse can bring, with their powerful message bringing silence to assembly halls.

Students also enjoyed local trips as part of the week including one to The Beacon cafe on Guildhall street, where they engaged with the staff, and enjoyed having cakes, hot drinks.

Elise Tordecilla, Stakeholder Engagement Manager from Turner Schools said:

“‘Celebrating and discussing diversity in all its forms is a key way for young people to learn how to show respect to others and to learn from one another through others’  life experiences.

“It is important for children to learn that it is our differences that help to make the world a better and more interesting place, whether that be through race, culture, life experience, being neurodiverse, or through our sexual orientation.

“I want to thank everyone for taking part in Diversity week and for the staff and pupils at Turner Schools for ensuring everything ran smoothly and for making our speakers feel so welcome.”

The audience was wowed by dance numbers, musical performances, cheerleading routines and even yo-yo displays in a series of highly competitive heats, with eight acts making it through to the final showcase.

Performers had to impress a judging panel made up of Cllr Jackie Meade, Councillor for East Folkestone, Tim Smith,  Music Producer at local recording studio ‘Seaview Studio’, Steve Shaw, Principal at Folkestone Academy and Am’e Moris, Principal at Morehall Primary.

The Best in Primary award, presented by Steve Shaw, went to Indie-Lew from Morehall Primary, with a live drawing of a dinosaur to the ‘Jurassic Park’ theme tune, while Best in Secondary, presented by Tim Smith, was Ivan from Turner Sixth Form performing on the guitar ‘Ronda alla Turca’ by Mozart.

The Murphy Prize, named after Turner Schools CEO Seamus Murphy and awarded to the act who shows the most potential for the future, was awarded to Martello Primary’s Nestor, who performed ‘Scarborough Fair’ on the trumpet.

Finally, the overall winners of Turner’s Got Talent 2024,awarded by Cllr Jackie Meade, were announced: Folkestone Academy’s students, Beth, Ava, Leah, Angel, Esme and Eden who performed ‘Ex-Wives’ from the musical Six.

Michelle Foxwood, Director of Creative Arts at Turner Schools, said:

“Once again the pupils of theTurner Schools Trust have provided an outstanding evening of entertainment. Their talent and confidence is testament to the creative education at their schools and to our ethos of striving for excellence.”

Leah Whiting, from the Folkestone Academy ‘Ex-Wives’ performance, said: 

We were so happy about winning the competition that we cried! It was such an amazing experience to be able to perform in front of so many people. We’re so proud of our achievement.”

Tim Smith, Owner of Seaview Studios, said: 

"It is so exciting to see how much talent there is in the next generation and I am thrilled to see that being nurtured in these schools"

Seamus Murphy, CEO at Turner Schools, said:

“I was delighted to see the variety of talents on show this evening. Well done to all who reached the final and congratulations to all the winners”. 

Companies including: Invvu Construction Consultants, Church & Dwight, Saga, Eurotunnel, Jenner, Swiss Re, NHS Pharmaceuticals, and Digital Kent all exhibited at Turner Schools’ annual Careers Fair, which focused on STEM this year.

Hundreds of students were able to access the careers fair as it toured three schools within the Turner Schools group - Turner Free School in Folkestone in January, Folkestone Academy in February and Dover Christ Church Academy (DCCA) in March. 

Students in Dover were able to take part in the careers fair for the first time since the school became part of Turner Schools.  As part of the Trust’s fully inclusive approach, all pupils from the Aspen 2 Specialist Provision at Dover Christ Church Academy also participated in the fair.

As well as exhibitors introducing students to job roles that utilise STEM subjects, a range of further and higher education providers including Canterbury Christ Church University and East Kent College were on hand to explain the qualifications they offered in STEM.

Pupils across all year groups attended the careers fair, enabling them to learn more about the wide range of career opportunities available in these industries and ask employers more detailed questions.

Katy Tibbles, Trust Head of Careers, explained: 

“Every year we run a series of careers fairs that link to a specific sector. This means that pupils get a more in-depth look at that particular industry and a greater insight into the wide variety of roles, not just those that are well known. 

“This year, we focused on STEM and it was great to have so many local companies attend the fairs and provide engaging activities that inspired the pupils to consider careers in this field.”

Fiona Dryburgh, Invvu Construction Consultants, commented:

‘We had a fantastic experience at the Turner Schools STEM Career Fairs, engaging with students (who were brilliant!), sharing insights into our work, and shedding light on career paths within the construction industry.

“At INVVU, we are passionate about enlightening students of all ages about the diverse opportunities in Engineering and Construction Design, showcasing the dynamic careers available in this field.

“We find that many students associate engineering solely with repairing cars or machines. However, the field of engineering encompasses much more than this and is intricately intertwined with everything we encounter in our daily lives from roads to bridges, schools to drainage systems, lighting and heating.

“Given the skills shortage in the UK, we recognize the importance of our role in inspiring future talent to explore careers within our industry, and after meeting lots of switched on and engaged students, at the Turner Schools - the future looks bright!’.”

Pupils from DCCA were delighted to attend the fair for the first time:

“I found it really interesting finding out all about different jobs I could do in the future and I hope we can do this again.” - Stanley, year 8 DCCA. 

The prestigious awards, run annually by the national body for careers education in England - The Careers and Enterprise Company, celebrate excellence in careers education.

They select just ten careers education champions, whose collective effort has promoted skills and great outcomes for young people, from thousands nationwide.  

This year’s awards recognised champions who stood out in three areas: Widening Opportunity, Building Future Skills and Raising Quality.

Turner Schools, which runs schools including Folkestone Academy, Turner Free School in Folkestone and Dover Christ Church Academy in Dover, was recognised in the Raising Quality section, for “demonstrating exemplary leadership in improving the standard of careers provision in their area”, according to the selection panel, who said:

“The Trust has demonstrated strategic leadership for careers across all its schools and built strong relationships with local employers.”

The panel also recognised that Turner Schools’ achievement in careers education was even greater because a higher number of the trust’s students – 44% compared to the national average of 24% - were eligible for free school meals. A higher figure is often equated to increased disadvantages faced by children in education and beyond.

The panel reported: “They progress to a wide range of post-16 destinations, with a mix of academic and vocational pathways, suggesting that pupils are well informed of the different options available to them.”

Turner Schools was awarded the accolade during National Careers Week in a ceremony at the House of Lords, attended by Seamus Murphy, Turner Schools’ CEO and Katy Tibbles, Trust Head of Careers, and hosted by Baroness Nicky Morgan, with the keynote speech given by Lord David Blunkett. 

Seamus Murphy, Turner Schools’ CEO said:

“I was delighted to have our careers provision celebrated at such a high profile event. Our strategic focus on the importance of careers education is a reflection of the trust vision for excellence in education for all and a vindication of the investment we have put in our amazing staff and partnerships.”

Katy Tibbles, Head of Careers at Turner Schools, said: 

“It was an absolute honour to be recognised for raising quality at The Careers and Enterprise Company’s Careers Excellence Awards. 

“As a trust we recognise the importance and impact of good careers education for all young people to ensure that they can take their best next step as they progress through education and into the world of work. 

“Having worked hard for a number of years to create a meaningful and rigorous careers programme that meets the needs of all pupils across our schools, it means a lot to us to receive this award.”

Pupils from Years 7 to 13 worked with Academy drama, music, and dance teachers to put on a sensational show. In all, 35 pupils contributed to the final production, either through performing or working backstage to support their peers. With the support of sound and lighting engineers the full stage production allowed pupils to deliver a truly professional performance.

After all their hard work and dedication, pupils performed four shows. They performed two matinee shows to 90 primary school pupils from the local area and the Creative Arts Scholarship students from the academy, followed by two evening shows to sell-out audiences of family, friends, and staff members.

Mr Woodbridge, Drama Teacher at Folkestone Academy who organised the event, said: 

“Congratulations to all of our pupils involved with the Little Shop of Horrors performance! They have worked so hard over the past six months and it was fantastic to see this all come together to form a remarkable performance which showcased the talent that we have here at Folkestone Academy. I am incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication and who knows, we could be looking at the next Westend star.”

Kaitlyn Leizert, who played the dentist and voiced Audrey II, said: 

“It was an extraordinary experience that I will never forget. I especially enjoyed working with the band as it made the production feel more professional. We could not have produced such a successful performance without the support of the stage, lighting and sound crew as well as the hard work and dedication of our teachers Mr Woodbridge and Mr Field.”

Steve Shaw, Principal at Folkestone Academy, said:

“The pupils have really enjoyed the experience of participating in the production, and have demonstrated great resilience through working all day at school and then rehearsing in the evening. All their hard work clearly paid off as the actual performance was fantastic! Thank you to Mr Woodbridge as well for his great work in organising the event and pulling this spectacular production together.

“This musical is a great example of the opportunities we want to offer all pupils across Turner Schools. Productions like this give young people the chance to see how a large-scale performance really works; whether they’re up on stage or working behind the scenes they are developing key skills and learning more about life outside of the classroom.”

During its first session, Le Hatch took over 40 covers. The feedback from the customers was amazing. Every customer said how polite the waitress staff were.

All the kitchen staff handled the pressure last night when the orders got busy. They all provided outstanding meals to the customers. A review from a customer ‘ I was not sure what to expect when coming here but it has totally exceeded my expectations. This food is better than what you would find in our local pub. Well done to all the kitchen staff. We will be booking again next time’.

One of the mains on the menu was Sea bass with creamy mash and roasted vegetables.