Extra Curricular Activities

Our extracurricular programme gives students a choice of opportunities which complements and extends their education. These range through sporting, musical, performing, cultural and community activities. Field trips, visits and residential visits are planned as a regular feature of the students’ education at the Academy.  

The Duke of Edinburgh’s award is a programme which aims to inspire, enthuse and provide real adventure for young people. It will take a minimum of 6 months for students to complete the Bronze Award level. To obtain the award participants must complete the 3 following sections over a minimum period of 3 months and then extend the participation for one section for a further 3 months:

Section 1: Skills (E.g. playing a musical instrument, cookery, reading)

Section 2: Volunteering (E.g. Charity work to help the community)

Section 3: Physical recreation (Circuit training in the gym will be provided)

As well as the above, students are also required to plan and carry out an expedition to include a one night camp – this will take place during the warmer months and will also require practice attempts.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a well established and a well recognised award - which if completed, will contribute to a student's achievement portfolio and CV in later life. The award is run in close partnership with Kent County Council.

As an award unit, we have decided to offer all sections to our students who wish to participate. They may also organise your own activities providing they meet the criteria and can be sustained for the required period of time.

Students who wish to participate in the programme must be in year 9 or 10.

The Award organiser at SKA is Mr Low

More information can be found at: http://www.dofe.org

Science and Engineering Club

Science and Engineering Club runs once a week, and is open to any pupil in Years 7 to 8 with keen helpers from years 10 and 11. It takes place in Lab. 3 afterschool. So far this year we have completed a variety of activities including:

• Bridge building
• Hot air balloons
• Rockets
• Making fire extinguishers
• Making chocolate eggs… and many more.

As one of the students put it:

One week we made our very own jitter bug and we raced them across the classroom [ours didn’t win but it was still fun!] Another week we did spaghetti bridges: this is good for team building, thinking outside the box and great fun! We all love Science Club and wish there was even more time to have as much fun!

The Science and Engineering Club is run by Mrs Fennell

Music & Drama

Every year the Academy puts on a full scale musical production. This involves students from across the Academy and anyone and everyone who wishes to can be involved in some way either on the stage or behind the scenes: no one is turned away. It is an excellent team building experience for the students to work with other people right across the years and for the staff to work with the students in a less formal atmosphere. Everyone has a lot of fun and new and lasting friendships can be forged between students with a common interest and a zest for taking on a challenge.

The production takes up a lot of time from October to March and when it is over the students find a void in their time which we endeavour to fill with a music and drama club where they can continue to practice their skills in readiness for next year’s production, which they await eagerly

The Academy also provides the opportunity for students to partake of individual instrumental lessons, the most popular of these being the drums and the guitar. The students can be heard practising during breaks and lunch times and often form themselves into bands working together on the music of their favourite performers and also on their own material.

Every year the Academy puts on a full scale musical production. This involves students from across the Academy and anyone and everyone who wishes to can be involved in some way either on the stage or behind the scenes, no one is turned away. It is an excellent team building experience for the students to work with other people right across the years and for the staff to work with the students in a less formal atmosphere. Everyone has a lot of fun and new and lasting friendships can be forged between students with a common interest and a zest for taking on a challenge.

The production takes up a lot of time from October to March and when it is over the students find a void in their time which we endeavour to fill with a music and drama club where they can continue to practice their skills in readiness for next year’s production, which they await eagerly

The Academy also provides the opportunity for students to partake of individual instrumental lessons, the most popular of these being the drums and the guitar. The students can be heard practising during breaks and lunch times and often form themselves into bands working together on the music of their favourite performers and also on their own material.

The Performing Arts department endeavours to be a place where students can have a great deal of fun living out their dreams. Who needs The X Factor or Britain’s got Talent when you have Skinners' Kent Academy!

Mrs A Cripps is the Lead Practitioner for Performing Arts.

Sport

Skinners’ Kent Academy has an extensive and enriched extracurricular sports programme, and we enjoy good facilities including both grass and hard surfaces, and a superbly equipped sports hall. We are actively involved in local netball, football, cricket, rounders and basketball leagues. The Academy is also represented at athletics tournaments and we take part in the British Schools Curling Festival. Trampolining and dance are offered as lunchtime and after school clubs, together with dance competitions and Academy representation at local dance festivals.

The students at The Skinners’ Kent Academy enjoy hosting and helping to organise Primary School Sports Events such as two annual football and netball tournaments, nu age kurling, indoor athletics and an end of year cricket and rounders tournament. Sports Ambassadors are nominated by the Academy to represent us at these and other events, and the Junior Sports Leaders Award (JSLA) is run annually. This is a nationally recognized qualification and is designed to provide a starting point for young people aged 14 - 16 who want to develop their sports leadership skills.

Opportunities to go on residential trips include an annual netball tournament, dance weekend and adventure week. We offer opportunities for students to take part in a variety of different activities so that every individual is catered for.

Miss Nicholson is the Lead Practitioner for Sport & PE