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‘Exemplary’ Kent school offers pupils ‘rich opportunities’, says Ofsted

Morehall is commended for being a place where all pupils “flourish and thrive” Read on...

Morehall Primary School in Folkestone, part of Turner Schools, is celebrating after receiving a glowing report from the schools watchdog, Ofsted.

Following an inspection in February, inspectors say that Morehall is a school where everyone is committed to making sure all pupils “flourish and thrive”.

The report says the school has extremely high expectations of pupils, who are “very well supported to meet them” as they attain highly across the curriculum.

Inspectors were impressed by the “rich opportunities, interesting activities and examples of excellence” that surround the children and inspire them every day.

“This exemplary and extensive provision helps pupils understand and enjoy all their local area has to offer,” they say.

The report notes that pupils are happy at school and know that they are cared for and that staff will respond to any problems or worries they have.

“Smiles abound, and relationships are warm and good humoured,” the Ofsted report says.

The school is also praised for its pride in being “a school at the heart of our community”.

Parents are highly complimentary of Morehall and say that this excellent Ofsted report is much deserved.

They praise the school for offering a wide range of activities for children, as well as support for families.

One mother said: “We feel so lucky to have our children at Morehall. The best thing about Morehall for us is the welcoming, warm and supportive staff - including the teachers, family support, after school club team, and reception, along with the range of extra activities and learning opportunities offered to the children alongside academic work.”

Another mother said: “Morehall Primary School has been a safe and nurturing place for both my children. Beyond academics, they offer clubs, competitions, and a fantastic Forest School, shaping well-rounded, independent individuals. They teach respect - for themselves, others and the planet - while fostering a strong, eco-conscious community. The dedicated teachers and head go above and beyond, creating a warm, inspiring environment.”

Another added: “I was not surprised that Ofsted found Morehall Primary an excellent educational establishment for children. My daughters have thrived in an environment that not only values academics but also encourages students to partake in events outside of the normal classroom. Well done Morehall, as this is a big achievement, which has come from a lot of hard work and dedication.”

Am’e Moris, Principal of Morehall Primary and Nursery School, said: “We are extremely proud that Ofsted have recognised just how fantastic Morehall Primary and Nursery is.

“The report really captures everything we work so hard to achieve each day, with and for our children and families, especially highlighting the happiness of children and staff alongside excellent attainment and the wide range of enrichment activities we offer our children.

“Everything we do is with a focus on improving the lives of the children and families we serve, whether that be through our vast after school club offer, learning in our outdoor classroom and Forest School, or taking part in our annual art exhibition and talent show - what a privilege that is to be part of!”

TURNER SCHOOLS CEO TALKS TO TES ABOUT TRUST inclusion & SEND OFFER

Seamus Murphy, Turner Schools CEO, has overseen a raft of initiatives designed to improve support for pupils with SEND shares some insights on what they did and the impact it is having. Read on...

How our trust improved its inclusion and SEND offer

Pupils at Morehall Primary School will be recycling their old shoes and clothes to help reduce landfill.

Eco-minded pupils at Morehall Primary School in Folkestone have arranged for a textiles recycling bin to be set up in their playground. Read on...

Morehall Primary, part of Turner Schools, was keen to contribute to the Eco Schools movement and see what more it could do to be sustainable and support the environment.

The idea of a textiles bin was put forward by the school’s PTFA (Parent, Teacher and Friend Association) and the group worked with the school to have the bin installed.

Pupils, parents and staff will be filling up the bin - which is already in the playground at Morehall - with unwanted, but wearable, shoes, clothes and soft toys.

The bin, provided by Astra Recycling, will be collected every two weeks and the school will receive 40p for every kilo of recycled textiles.

Astra Recycling is a small company that promotes textile recycling to help reduce landfill waste. They have 500 textile banks across the south of England.

Their textile recycling services are available to local councils, community centres, charities, schools and the general public, giving people the chance to get something back for their unwanted textiles.

Co-chair of Morehall’s PTFA, Becky Wilson, said: “This allows the whole community to be involved in not only helping our school achieve more, but also the wider community through these donations.”

Am’e Moris, Principal of Morehall Primary, said: “We are always looking for ways to become even more sustainable as a school.

“This latest initiative will help our families and the local community recycle unwanted clothes whilst raising money for our school.

“The money will go towards the numerous eco-projects that our eco-champions have set for the future”.

Amelia Aslett, Turner Schools’ director of food and engineering, said: “It has been a pleasure to be involved with this scheme put forward by Morehall’s PTFA.

“As a community we look forward to filling the bins and doing our bit for the environment, as well as raising funds for the school.”

Eco pupils roll up their sleeves to clean up Folkestone beach

Pupils from Turner Free School and Morehall Primary School took part in an Eco Schools beach clean-up this week to help make the area a place for all to enjoy. Read on...

The young people, who are on the schools’ Eco Council, met up at the beach by The Lower Leas Coastal Park to work together on this shared project.

One of their priorities for this year is “Our Coast” and the pupils chose to help clean up the beach for the local community.

Fortunately the sun was shining for the clear-up operation and the youngsters managed to fill a staggering 11 bin bags with rubbish.

The pupils will now sort through the rubbish and they plan on creating an art project back at school with all of the recyclable material that they found.

Year 7 pupil, Olivia, said: “I feel good that I've cleaned up my local beach. We thought it looked quite clean at first but found loads of rubbish.”

Another pupil added: “I'm pleased we have cleaned the beach for the wildlife as well as the people who use it.”

Clemmie Webster, teacher and Eco Schools Co-Ordinator at Turner Schools, said: “It was great fun to spend time with our pupils down on the beach and to help make the area more pleasant for the whole community.

“We were very lucky to have some lovely sunny weather, and we worked together to collect 11 bin bags of rubbish!

“We will sort all of the rubbish out and are planning on creating an art project back at school with all of the recyclable material that we found.”

Children at Turner Schools celebrate Diversity Week 2024

Speakers and even a jazz band have enlightened and entertained students at Turner Schools annual Diversity Week aimed at celebrating diversity across the trust and the wider community. Read on...

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.”

Morehall Primary School honoured for ‘Changing the World’ with their eco-friendly policies

Staff and pupils from Morehall Primary School are celebrating after being honoured for their environmentally conscious work at the Green School Awards. The school won the award for ‘Changing the World’ in recognition of their efforts to help make the planet a better place. Read on...

At the Awards, the Morehall children were given the opportunity to show off their eco-projects to other guests as well as learning what other local schools are doing to help protect the environment.

The Morehall pupils showcased their work sending their food waste to be turned into energy pellets, growing their own vegetables, rewilding the school field, and planting more trees.

The Green School Awards recognise pupils, students, schools, and colleges who are making a real difference to the environment and celebrates their success.

Dorothy, a pupil at Morehall Primary School, said:

“We got to show people what we have done at Morehall and find out what either schools have been doing. The tea and biscuits were delicious! It was nice to see all the videos of the schools who won the awards. I felt proud of what Morehall had achieved.”

Tessie, a pupil at Morehall Primary School, said:

“When we arrived we went into a big hall where there were lots of stalls to look at to see what other schools have done . There was a stage where the awards were. When we got up to collect our award they showed the school's eco video. We got a gift bag with a cup, bottle, notepad and eco friendly things. I felt proud and happy of what the school had done and that I got to go up on stage to collect an award.”

Am’e Moris, Principal at Morehall Primary School, said:

“We are so happy for the children to receive this recognition of their efforts to make the school more environmentally friendly. Our pupils have worked so hard to become an Eco School and have taken this project really seriously, coming up with lots of new initiatives to make the school greener and to reduce our energy consumption.

“They were delighted just to be invited to attend the Green School Awards, and when they learned that we had won an award they were beside themselves! This is a wonderful achievement for the school and something we will all celebrate. I’m sure our children will continue to come up with great new ideas to make the school even more environmentally friendly.”

Folkestone pupils welcome HeadStrong singers into school for joint concert

Year 4 pupils at Morehall Primary have welcomed a local singing group into school for a joint concert as part of an intergenerational community project. The HeadStrong singers, a local singing group for adults who have had any head or brain affecting injury or illness, visited the school as part of their "Generation Link" project, where they enjoyed singing together on a range of songs spanning the 1940s through to the 2020s. Read on...

Both Morehall pupils and HeadStrong singers suggested songs from different eras for the group to practice and perform together.

The group have been singing with Morehall Primary pupils for the past three years in a relationship which brings so much to both the adults and children involved.

The choir have also come to watch plays put on by the school in the past and the children will enjoy visiting the HeadStrong singers at their rehearsal space at Wood Avenue library later on in the new year.

HeadStrong first connected with the school after researching the benefits of intergenerational musical schemes, and how these improve the emotional and physical wellbeing of all those taking part. It also helps Morehall pupils to force closer links with their local community, including those they might otherwise not have met.

Duncan Moris, choir leader of HeadsStrong singers: It was such a wonderful afternoon - the excellent singing and beaming smiles just proved how much both the adult choir and the children enjoy the Generation Link Project, bringing together two groups of people who might not otherwise interact.

Ellie Ayers, Year 4 teacher at Morehall Primary: The children had so much fun learning the songs with Duncan and were excited to hear how the HeadStrong singers had got on learning the modern songs they had suggested! We can't wait to build on this relationship and continue meeting up to sing and chat together, bringing the generations together.

Visually impaired Folkestone student wins Remarkable Achievement Award in recognition of musical skills

A Folkestone student has been honoured for overcoming incredible challenges with his remarkable commitment to music. Theo Oakley, who was born blind due to Norrie Disease, was recognised for his exceptional skills in music at the Wards Children’s Awards. Read on...

Theo, from Turner Free School and previously Morehall Primary, received the Remarkable Achievement Award. This was in recognition of his passion, skills, and accomplishments in music despite the challenges he has faced.

He takes part in Folkestone Academy’s weekly Folkestone Music Lab to further develop his musical skills. He also hosts a weekly Sunday morning show on Folkestone Academy FM from 0900 – 1000.

Theo enjoys making music through remixing songs and experimenting with drum machines. In partnership with his Music Lab tutor Oli they have explored production sounds and deepened Theo’s understanding of musical progressions, chords, and different instrumental sounds. They are now working on further developing Theo’s remixing skills at the Music Lab.

The Folkestone Music Lab runs every Saturday morning in term time at Folkestone Academy. The Music Lab also offers some financial support to those families who are interested in pursuing further musical experiences but are unable to access these.

The Wards Childrens Awards have been running for 20 years and are designed to celebrate the amazing achievements of children, families, and charities in Kent despite the challenges they may face. The awards are organised by estate agents Wards and supported by the KM Group and Kent Community Foundation, and this year were hosted by Good Morning Britain’s Charlotte Hawkins.

Theo said: It’s great to get an award especially as sometimes it’s difficult for me to access music lessons due to being blind. I love to be creative with music and enjoy the remixing of tunes.”

Mandy Sangiuseppe, Inclusion Development Manager at the Folkestone Music Lab, said:

“Theo is a truly inspiring and committed young individual, who has a wonderful sense of humour and committed ideas of what he wants to achieve in the sessions… We are immensely proud of what Theo has achieved in his time whilst attending the Lab and look forward to following and supporting his musical journey!“

Folkestone children celebrate love of reading with Book Week

Pupils from across Folkestone have celebrated World Book Day with a full week’s worth of activities. The children, from Folkestone Primary, Martello Primary and Morehall Primary, enjoyed Book Week with a wide range of activities from Monday to Friday. Read on...

Book Week is an annual event for Turner Schools, which organises a full calendar of activities across the week. The aim is to build on the appeal of World Book Day by bringing pupils, families and staff together to appreciate the importance of literature, and the joy which can be found within it.

Over the course of the week:

At Folkestone Primary, pupils designed an Egg Box Character, dressed up as their favourite book character, browsed a Scholastic Book Fair where they could use their National Book Tokens to buy books, and were treated to a visit from local author and illustrator Katy Towse. They also decorated their classroom doors with their favourite stories, took part in book-themed dance workshops, and hunted for Golden Tickets - hidden around the school grounds where children who found them would receive a new book. The school also invited parents in for a DEAR - Drop Everything and Read - event with their children.

At Martello Primary, parents were also invited in to read with their children as well as to participate in a World Book Day Celebration Assembly. Children also competed to design the best potato character, participated in author workshops with Loris Owens and competed in the Big Book Quiz. Teachers also read to different classes after school and before lunchtime.

At Morehall Primary, pupils designed a National Book Token cover, dressed up as their favourite book character, visited Cheriton Library, and participated in the Masked Reader competition where they had to guess the teacher behind a mask while they read an excerpt from their favourite book. Pupils also joined in with the Scholastic Book Fair and the book-themed dance workshops.

Aleysha, Year 3 Morehall:

“I really enjoyed trying to guess which teacher was reading in "The Masked Reader" and I'm so excited to start reading my book that I was able to get from the library. Book Week is always so much fun!”

Louise Lythgoe, Executive Head Teacher and Primary Improvement Team Lead at Turner Schools, said:

“We know that getting children excited about reading at a young age is key to developing a life-long love of reading. This is important for children’s educational development, but more than that, it’s about helping them realise how much joy they can find in books.

“There’s no question that Book Week was a fantastic success and our children loved taking part in such a wide range of activities. Everyone got so involved and it was wonderful to see so much laughter and happiness across our school with such a creative range of activities based around reading.”

Turner Schools’ Diversity and Inclusion Week teaches local young people about those who might be different from themselves

Over the last fortnight (w/c 30th January and w/c 6th February), thousands of pupils from across Folkestone have taken part in a number of activities to enhance their understanding of others. In all, 2,650 pupils from the Turner Schools trust have participated in Diversity and Inclusion Weeks within their schools to learn more about the world around them.Read on...

The five schools within the trust - Folkestone Academy, Turner Free School, Morehall Primary, Folkestone Primary, and Martello Primary - worked together and independently to organise activities as part of the trust-wide community engagement programme.

Throughout the week pupils took part in a range of lessons, presentations, and workshops to celebrate different aspects of diversity. Guest speakers shared their knowledge and experiences; the overall aim being to develop pupils' awareness, appreciation, and understanding of those who may be different to themselves, and to inspire and provide role models for those pupils who may not not see themselves reflected in everyday life.

Some of the main activities this year included:

Visit of Sir Stephen Wall
- Sir Stephen spoke to pupils in Years 11, 12, and 13 about LGBT rights and what it was like for him growing as a gay man and working as a British Diplomat at a time when it was unacceptable to be part of the LGBT community.

Visit of Wordly Wise Ambassador Mark Parrin
- Mark talked about his physical disability and what it is like being in a wheelchair. He shared stories of some of the challenges he’s faced, such as being left on aeroplanes for hours because airport assistance hasn’t been available and having his wheelchair destroyed by baggage handlers. Mark highlighted the importance of having a positive attitude when facing adversity.

Nathassia Devine Performance
- Chart topping, electronic music artist Nathhassia performed to pupils in Years 7 and 9. Her music promotes inclusivity and kindness. Nathassia also talked about her experience of being bullied as a child because of her multi-cultural heritage and the impact that that had on her mental health. She encouraged pupils to be kind and accepting of each other and to speak up if they ever felt unhappy.

Positivity Pebbles
- Year 7 pupils at Folkestone Academy spent the week reflecting upon aspects of diversity that were important to them. They each decorated a pebble to promote inclusion and kindness which they then placed in areas around the town.

Books for Change
- Emily Ghassenpour from Books for Change worked with pupils throughout the primary schools, delivering anti-racism workshops. She encouraged pupils to reflect upon what we mean by the term racism and how people feel when they are treated differently because of the colour of their skin.

Library visits
- Pupils in Year 2 visited their local libraries to have a storytime session with books that promote inclusion. Staff from the library read The Proudest Blue and And Tango Makes Three; the children then had a discussion about the stories and why it’s important to have diverse characters represented in books. They then made posters for a display in the library to promote books with diverse themes.

The Beacon Plus
- During the primary school week, both Martello Primary and Folkestone Primary carried out activities with The Beacon Plus. Year 6 children from Martello visited the Beacon Plus Community Cafe on Tuesday and enjoyed time with the learners there, hearing about the work that they do and their goals for the future. On Thursday, Year 6 pupils at Folkestone Primary were treated to a talk from one Beacon Plus learner about autism and then they were joined by 16 other learners from the provision who spent the morning chatting and playing games with the children.

Young Animators Club
- Year 4 and 5 pupils at Morehall Primary participated in an animation workshop which was delivered by the Young Animators Club. They discussed what it means to be neurodivergent and then created animators that reflected how neurodivergent people might feel in different situations.

Katy Tibbles, Stakeholder and Community Engagement Manager at Turner Schools said:

“As a trust, we're passionate about developing our pupils into well-rounded individuals with open minds and an appreciation for a diverse society. Whilst inclusion is part of our everyday practice, we use these weeks to really celebrate and focus on diverse topics. Essentially, our goal is to develop our young people into well rounded, open-minded adults who appreciate living in a diverse society.”

Am’e Moris, Principal at Morehall Primary said:

“It’s incredibly important that our children learn about inclusion. Diversity Week encourages kindness, understanding and empathy. The children have had lots of fun participating in the activities this week, but most importantly, they have developed knowledge and an appreciation for a diverse society.”

Ben, Year 12 pupil at Folkestone Academy said:

“The talks this week have been really interesting. They have broadened my perspective; I really enjoyed the talk on LGBT history.”

Sophie, Year 9 pupil at Turner Free School said:

“Diversity week has made me think more about others and the importance of being kind to each other.”

Olive, Year 5 pupil at Martello Primary said:

“This week we have learnt that it doesn’t matter if you are different, or think that you are different, everyone is important and special. Everyone deserves to be treated the same way and not different because of the way they look or feel.”

New Artist in Residence

Morehall Primary is pleased to announce that a professional artist has been appointed to lead a series of pupil workshops over the coming year. Louella Ward, a professional artist from Kent, has been appointed as Artist in Residence with the intention of empowering children’s creativity and unleashing their artistic talents. Read on...

Louella will be delivering a workshop each term, aiming to engage as many children from across the school as possible. She will also support the school’s regular art lessons to ensure these are as effective as possible.

She will start by leading four after school workshops with 12 pupils from across Key Stage 2. The pupils will all have shown a previous enthusiasm for art and developing their artistic talents.

The first project for the workshops will focus on the natural world as pupils work together to celebrate their local environment by creating a multi media artwork. For this they will use a range of techniques including theatre, photography, collage, and drawing.

The children’s art from the workshops will be exhibited at the annual Turner Schools exhibition in July, as well as adorning the Morehall corridors and classrooms. They will also have a specific project from Am’e Moris to decorate Morehall’s windows.

Louella Ward said:

“I believe in the transformative power of creativity. I have always liked Art made with communities, and so I am very pleased to be exploring how a working artist studio within Morehall Primary School can create opportunities for freedom, innovation, and creativity.

“I am excited to explore the joy and wonder of learning; to use art as a way to encourage play, interrogation and enquiry; to empower students to think independently and develop their sense of self and agency; to help create happy, critical, creative and educated citizens for the future.”

Am'e Moris, Principal at Morehall Primary, said:

“We are thrilled to be able to welcome Louella to Morehall as our Artist in Residence and look forward to this relationship developing over time as we work together to provide all of our children with these rich and exciting creative art experiences.

“There is so much incredible artistic talent in Folkestone, not least in our Creative Quarter, and we are always looking for ways to reach out to our community and work together to create inspirational experiences for our children and families.”

Festive Hampers Delivered To Folkestone Families

This Christmas, staff at Turner Schools delivered 100 families from across the Turner community a Christmas food hamper. On Friday 23rd December, Turner staff volunteers will packed up 100 hampers and delivered them to homes across Folkestone.. Read on...

The hampers included ingredients for a Christmas dinner, excluding meat products, and helped bring festive cheer to families across Folkestone. The project was funded by a £2,000 donation from Folkestone Rotary Club and £900 from Folkestone Town Council, as well as £415 donated by Turner Schools staff. This last figure was match-funded by the Trust.

Katy Tibbles, Senior Stakeholder and Community Engagement Manager at Turner Schools, said:

“We were delighted to offer families across Folkestone these festive hampers. We know how tough life is right now for too many families and so we wanted to do what we could to help out. Hopefully this brought a smile to people’s faces and allowed them to have a really special Christmas. Thank you to the Folkestone Rotary Club, to Folkestone Town Council, and of course to our fantastic staff for their support in making sure we can offer these hampers.”

Sarah Morgan, Director of Secondary Improvement at Turner Schools, said:

“Our aim was to bring festive cheer to those in need and to show everyone the Turner spirit. I am so proud of the staff members who donated to this project, as well as those who offered their time to help us pack up and deliver these hampers. I am delighted that we have been able to offer these hampers to so many families this Christmas.”

Christmas Charity Concert

Turners Schools will be supporting Folkestone Community Swing Band's Christmas Charity Concert on Thursday 15th December 7.30pm - 8.30pm at Folkestone Academy.

Tickets are available from our Eventbrite booking page:

The Turner Schools Trust is deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty The Queen.

Her decades of loyalty and service to her people, her country and the Commonwealth are unrivalled and was an extraordinary example for us all in serving her community. She was an amazing role model for all at Turner Schools.

She will be greatly missed.

Turner Schools organises Community Day for thousands of pupils

Pupils from across Folkestone have come together in a series of activities to celebrate and support their local community. More than 2,000 pupils from across Turner Schools spent the day giving back to the people around them in the organisation’s first ever ‘Community Day’. Read on...

Over the course of Community Day, pupils from all year groups spent their time making a positive impact across Folkestone. Different children were given different opportunities to give back to society so that every pupil across Turner Schools was able to participate and do their bit for Folkestone.

Activities included litter picking across the local area, children reading to members of Age UK Folkestone, creating ‘kindness parcels’ for residents of Folkestone care homes, and hosting tea and card games for grandparents and pensioners and much more.

Seamus Murphy, CEO at Turner Schools, said:

“It is so important to us all that pupils are encouraged to be generous members of their community. We wanted to take this day to show them how they can enjoy giving back to those around them and to help them understand the positive impact they can make. We expect our academies to contribute to their communities and across society in general, and to support our young people in becoming kind and open-hearted adults.

“The Community Day was a stunning success, and we are very excited to do this again in the future. We had a real range of different activities taking place and I know our pupils really enjoyed taking this time to make a difference for the wider Folkestone community. Hopefully the pupils’ hard work made a real impact on their community, and everyone across Folkestone enjoyed it as much as we did!”

Katy Tibbles, Stakeholder and Community Engagement Manager, said:

“Community Day has been a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to develop their knowledge and understanding of the wider community and for them to consider ways in which they can become active citizens who make a positive contribution to the town in which they live.”

Year 8 pupil, Folkestone Academy, said:

“I really enjoyed making the gift boxes that we delivered to local houses. I hope they put a smile on everyone’s and brightened up their day.”

Year 4 pupil, Folkestone Primary, said:

"I think it is important to be thankful to our community because they do a lot for us. I’m happy that we could do something nice for other people.”

Turner Schools hosts Creative Arts Exhibition to highlight pupils’ talents

Pupils from across Folkestone have showcased their artistic talents at the second ever Turner Schools Creative Arts Exhibition. In total the exhibition saw more than 1,500 entries from the schools in the trust, with pupils collaborating on a number of projects to make up the finished exhibits. Read on...

In addition to the range of artwork on display, pupils from the three primary schools as well as Sixth Form pupils from Folkestone Academy performed a series of live shows. The Folkestone pupils sang, played the piano, danced and busked throughout the evening. After the performances there were speeches from notable dignitaries followed by prize giving.

Councillor David Monk, Leader of Folkestone & Hythe Council, and Deputy Mayor Councillor Belinda Walker attended the exhibition, along with school governors and other notable figures from across the trust. Councillor Walker and Turner Schools CEO Seamus Murphy presented prizes to the winning pupils.

The theme of this year’s exhibition was ‘We Are Folkestone’. This theme has allowed pupils to examine the town in which they live, looking at the past, present and future and creating a body of work which puts young voices at its heart.

Seamus Murphy, Turner Schools CEO, said:

“I’m incredibly proud of the resilience and strength of character that our pupils have shown throughout the past year. The quality of work that they have continued to produce both in school and via home learning has been fabulous. This exhibition was an opportunity to showcase just some of the talents that they have demonstrated throughout the year. I am especially pleased that we also have the creative scholars showcasing their work this year, a new initiative at Folkestone Academy.”

Michelle Foxwood, Turner Schools Creative Arts Director, said:

“We are not just five institutions working independently to tick off Ofsted criteria, but instead, a united collective invested in the continual regeneration of our town through its most important asset: young individuals who as a community will take us into the future.”

Exhibitions:

Superworm is Super-Long by Reception, Year 1 and 2 pupils
My Folkestone by Years 3 and 4
Folkestone of the Future by Years 5 and 6
Objects of Childhood by Years 7
Folkestone Year 7 Creative Arts Scholarship display
Generation Regeneration by Years 8 and 9
GCSE Fine Art by Years 10 and 11
GCSE Graphic Communication by Years 10 and 11
A-Level Fine Art by Years 12 and 13
A-Level Graphic Communication by Years 12 and 13

Shortlisted categories - Prizes presented by Deputy Mayor, Cllr Belinda Walker

Best in Reception / Key Stage 1 - won by James in Year 2 Martello Primary
Best in Key Stage 2 - won by Libby in Year 5 Morehall Primary
Best in Primary - won by Benjamin in Year 3 Martello Primary
Best in Key Stage 3 - won by Myrtle in Year 9 Folkestone Academy
Best in Key Stage 4 - won by Dailly in Year 11 Folkestone Academy
Best in Key Stage 5 - won by Pedro Year 13 Folkestone Academy
Best in Secondary - won by Maria Year 7 Folkestone Academy
Murphy Prize (Awarded by Seamus Murphy CEO of Turner Schools) won by Claudia in Year 12 Folkestone Academy

Award winning actress Jessica Hynes on judging panel for school talent celebration

Pupils from across Turner Schools had the chance to wow their peers at the first annual Turner’s Got Talent showcase at Folkestone Academy. In total, ten acts from across the trust performed their acts, including musicians, dancers, singers, and gymnasts. The ten finalists were given the chance to compete after each school held its own heats with more than 170 pupils across Turner Schools participating and showcasing their talent. Read on...

During the final showcase prizes were awarded by a panel of judges including renowned actress Jessica Hynes, Seamus Murphy, CEO of Turner Schools, Krissy Yates, Principal at Turner Free School and Local Councillor Jackie Meade.

The Turner’s Got Talent crown was taken by winners Holly, Peter, Zach and Josh from Folkestone Academy who performed ‘Come as you are’ by Nirvana.

In addition to the grand prize, Adela from Morehall Primary School was named Best in Primary for her cello performance of Spring Song by Frank Bridge, while Isabelle from Turner Free School won Best in Secondary for singing ‘Traitor’ by Olivia Rodrigo and Sienna from Martello Primary won The Murphy Prize, a prize that recognises potential talent in the future, for her rendition of ‘Try Everything’ by Shakira.

Holly, Year 9 Folkestone Academy pupil, from the winning band, said:

“I was very happy to win this great prize! We rehearsed this song for a couple of months and it’s nice to see that our hard work paid off. We have named our trophy ‘Benny’.”

Jessica Hynes said:

“Well done to all the performers, there was a fantastic amount of talent on the stage. We chose the winners because they showed incredible talent, dedication and amazing potential. We all agreed they had a kind of magic and an alchemy of fantastic performance skill. I really hope they go on and keep doing it because they really have got something.”

She continued: “Nothing is impossible, it’s really important thinking about performance and the Arts it sometimes seems unreachable. It isn’t! All you need is talent, focus, dedication and to keep on working. Any dream, no dream is too big.”

Seamus Murphy, CEO at Turner Schools, said:

“Congratulations to Holly, Peter, Zach and Josh on being named winners of the Turner’s Got Talent competition, and to every single one of our performers for their hard work. The competition was a resounding success and really highlighted the depth of talent across Turner Schools, which was absolutely fantastic to see. I’m sure these pupils will continue to showcase their skills over the coming years and I look forward to watching them do so.”

Folkestone pupils mark Queen’s Jubilee with tree-planting ceremony

Pupils across Folkestone have marked the Queen’s Jubilee by planting trees in celebration. Pupils at Martello Primary School, Morehall Primary School, Folkestone Primary, Folkestone Academy and Turner Free School planted a tree outside the school buildings as part of a national campaign of celebration. Read on...

The initiative, organised by The Queen’s Canopy, calls for schools to get involved and celebrate their outside spaces. In total more than one million trees have been planted in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The project is a unique tree planting initiative and invites people from across the country to plant their own trees to celebrate this historic milestone.

The Turner Schools team sourced their trees through Kent Historical Trees from Brogdale Collections, planting five trees, including two cherries, two acers and one ornamental plum in total. The pupils were also warded a commemorative plaque by the Queen’s Canopy initiative in honour of their efforts.

This is just the latest action by Turner Schools pupils to raise awareness of climate change and to look at how they can be more environmentally responsible. Pupils at Folkestone Primary and Martello Primary School have formed an Eco Council to look at addressing the school’s environmental impact, while their peers at Morehall Primary voted for Eco Champions to represent them and to decide which eco-friendly projects they should implement.

Cayden Collins, newly appointed Head Boy at Folkestone Academy Sixth Form, said:

“I feel very privileged to be a part of the tree planting at Folkestone Academy. The Year 7 pupils that accompanied the Head Girl and myself will get to watch the tree grow during their time at the Academy. I’m looking forward to coming back in years to come and seeing the progress the tree has made, knowing that I was a part of its beginning.”

Seamus Murphy, CEO of Turner Schools, said: DRAFT

“It’s fantastic to see our pupils are so keen to find out more about nature and the joys of spending time outside. They are really environmentally conscious and are so keen on doing what they can to raise awareness of climate change and to make a positive impact on the natural world around them.

“The Queen’s Canopy initiative is a fantastic means of getting schoolchildren out in the fresh air and to highlight the great wellbeing benefits of spending time with nature. These trees will form a lasting monument to this historic milestone.”

Schools celebrate their community through ‘Folkestone Talks’

Care 4 Calais, Kent Police and the Napier Barracks are just some of the guests invited in to meet pupils of Turner Schools during their month-long ‘Folkestone Talks’ - a Trust-wide celebration of the people who make up their local community. Read on...

The initiative, which is running throughout March, is a wonderful opportunity for pupils to meet people who live or work in the town and to benefit from the stories, backgrounds and experiences that they can share. It aims to:

Celebrate Folkestone’s diversity;
Encourage pupils to feel proud of their town;
Promote empathy and cultural awareness;
Prepare pupils for life in a modern world.

Over 70 members of the community have committed to participating, including representatives from the Nepalese and Roma communities; various churches and religious groups; councillors from the town and district council; and the Rotary Club. The events are run in a ‘speed networking’ style where small groups of pupils spend 10 minutes with each guest before moving on to the next person. So far, events have been held at Turner Free School, Morehall Primary and Martello Primary, with dates set for Folkestone Academy and Folkestone Primary later on in the month. By the end of the series, over 900 pupils will have participated in the events.

Katy Tibbles, Community Engagement Manager, Turner Schools, said: “I’ve been overwhelmed by the support that’s been shown by the community towards these events. It’s a fantastic way for our pupils to meet the wide variety of people that play a part in the town and who help to make Folkestone a great place to live and work. At Turner Schools, it’s part of our mission to strengthen communities and I feel that these events have been successful in doing that.”

Haydee Blaskett, Environmental Enforcement Officer, Folkestone and Hythe District Council, said: “We thoroughly enjoyed the morning and would like to say how wonderful and polite all the children were. They were really engaged and were asking some brilliant questions that were really relevant to our role and about the town.”

Mick Cronin, Community Liaison Officer, Kent Police, said: “I’ve very much enjoyed taking part in the Folkestone Talks events across the Turner Schools. It’s been a great opportunity to bring together different groups from the community and to celebrate the diversity that exists in the town. Initiatives such as these play an important part in developing community cohesion.”

Noah (Year 4, Morehall) said: “I really enjoyed meeting lots of new people and finding out about their lives, feelings and jobs”.

Parent (Turner Free School) said: “As a parent I would like to thank you as a school for not only helping to shape my daughters academic future but also herself as a person with activities like this. “

Rotary Club Donate Trees to Morehall

Pupils from the heart of the Garden of England have planted two fruit trees, donated by Folkestone Rotary Club to mark the Platinum Jubilee.

The year 3 children from Morehall Primary School, part of the Turner Schools trust, were joined by Kate McNiece, Chair of Folkestone’s Rotary Club, and Councillor Jackie Meade to plant the apple and cherry trees on the school field. Read on below...

The newly planted trees will make an excellent addition to the school’s outdoor curriculum, which already boasts a forest school area and burgeoning kitchen garden. Over the coming weeks, pupils and staff, who are extremely passionate about gardening and spending time outdoors, will be building insect habitats and growing vegetables for cookery lessons and Jubilee celebration treats.

Mrs Am’e Moris, Principal at Morehall Primary School, said: “At Morehall Primary we are very passionate about our outdoor space and outdoor learning opportunities for our children. We have recently employed a specialist outdoor education teaching assistant to run fantastic outdoor sessions with our children, who have already built bird boxes, bat boxes and a specialised bee house. We have many more exciting plans to "eat what we grow", turning over some of our field to vegetable patches.

“We are so thankful to the Rotary Club for their donation to our kitchen garden and for helping us to mark such a significant occasion. Our young gardeners were so excited to take part in the planting process and are eager to nurture the trees and watch them grow for many, many years to come. And we very much look forward to reaping the fruits of our labour!”

Number Day 2022

Pupils had a fantastic day celebrating all things Maths related in this year's Number Day. Watch the video to find out more!

Morehall Number Day 2022

Turner Schools Christmas Concert 2021

Pupils from Folkestone Academy, Folkestone Primary, Martello Primary, Morehall Primary and Turner Free School perform in our first Turner Schools Christmas Concert.

Folkestone Pupils Take Part in Diversity and Inclusion Week

School leaders across Turner Schools have worked together to launch a trust-wide Diversity and Inclusion week. Pupils in all year groups across all five schools took part in a range of activities throughout the week including subject specific lessons, workshops and presentations from a range of guest speakers. Read on...

The aim of the week was to broaden pupils’ awareness of what is meant by diversity and inclusion; to encourage pupils to develop a greater sense of empathy and understanding towards those who are different to themselves; and to gain an appreciation for the diverse community in which we live.

Events included:

Neurodiversity workshops with The Young Animators Club - Pupils participated in workshops on the concept of neurodiversity and how it feels to be neurodiverse, before producing animations to reflect their thoughts.
Anti-racism workshops with Books for Change - Pupils actively engaged in workshops delivered by Books for Change where they talked about the impact of racism and the importance of treating people equally.
Mark Parrin (Ambassador at Wordly Wise) - Mark delivered assemblies to Year 10 pupils at Folkestone Academy and Turner Free School, sharing his story of how he became paralysed in his mid-twenties, and how having a positive attitude has helped him to live a full and rewarding life. He went on to talk about the work he does now to support other people living with disabilities.
Mr Lea Baynes, teacher at Folkestone Academy - Delivered assemblies at all schools about his experience of being transgender., speaking openly and honestly about the challenges he faced as a teenager and the struggles of trying to ‘fit in’ before realising that he was transgender.
Folkestone and Hythe District Council - Deputy Leader Cllr Jenny Hollingsbee and other Council representatives spoke to pupils about diversity in the workplace, looking at the 9 protected characteristics and why having a diverse body of employees makes the workplace a more successful and happier environment.
Hearing impairment specialists from Kent Supported Employment - Helped pupils to understand what it’s like to be hearing impaired and what they can do to support members of the community with these needs.
Storytime with Dita the Drag Queen - To end the week, pupils spent the day with Dita the Drag Queen, reading stories about gender differences, using appropriate pronouns, and inclusive language. They got to know Dita, asked them questions, enquired about their job, their life, their own experiences at school, and learned exactly what it looks like when somebody, who may initially appear different in some way, is happy and confident and able to express themselves however they see fit.

A Year 7 pupil from Folkestone Academy said:

“This week I have learnt to be more respectful and considerate of other people's feelings. We should celebrate the differences between us; no one should experience discrimination.”

Seamus Murphy, CEO at Turner Schools, said:

“As a trust we embrace the diverse culture in which we live and we want our pupils to grow up having confidence in themselves, no matter what their situation may be. This week, pupils have had the opportunity to explore a wide range of issues and have heard first hand from people with diverse backgrounds. Pupils from all age ranges have approached the week with interest and maturity and I know that they have gained a huge amount from these experiences.”

Katy Tibbles, Community Engagement Manager at Turner Schools, said:

“It has been a privilege to work with such a diverse group of people throughout the week. I am incredibly grateful for the contributions made by members of the wider community and the stories that they have shared with us.”

Pupils team up with HeadStrong Singers

Over the last month Year 5 pupils at Morehall Primary have worked hard to master a selection of songs, old and new, to sing with local group The HeadStrong Singers. Both groups then met at the school, singing together in "The Generation Link" - a project that brings children and the retired population together through music. Read on...

The HeadStrong Singers is a weekly social singing group for anyone who has experienced a head or brain injury or illness. The group is run by Duncan Moris through Music and Arts for the Shepway Community (MASC), a local charity that aims to bring music and the arts to everybody in Folkestone and Hythe through various projects. They believe in the social, physical and mental benefits that music and the arts can bring. For more information visit https://masccharity.org.uk/headstrong-singers/

This collaborative project was funded by the Headstart Kent Pay It Forward grant and was initiated by children in Year 5 at Morehall who wanted to do something which promoted mental health and well-being in others. They also wanted to make stronger links with their local community, and do their part to bring joy to the people around them, as well as emphasising the benefits of singing for their own mental health.

The programme was also inspired by research into the benefits of intergenerational musical schemes, which improve cross-age attitudes and interactions, as well as the emotional and physical wellbeing of those taking part. The programme ensured that the Morehall pupils were able to forge closer links with members of their local community who they might otherwise not have met, and helped brighten their days.

One year 5 pupil explained:

“We had so much fun singing with people that we wouldn’t normally meet, and learning songs that we hadn’t even heard of before! Everyone was really friendly and didn’t stop smiling.”

Am’e Moris, Principal at Morehall Primary School, said:

“It has been a pleasure for Morehall Primary to host and run this fantastic project - The Generation Link. At Morehall Primary we are passionate about engaging with our local community and giving our children rich and varied experiences, lead by themselves as inquisitive citizens. We hope that the HeadStrong Singers have enjoyed this project as much as us!”

A member of HeadStrong singers added:

“It was an absolute joy to sing with the younger generation, to share our stories and to listen to theirs. There was such a wonderful feeling of togetherness.”