L E A R N S E R V E L E A D

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3 W E L C O M E The Judd School is a highly academic state-funded school with traditional values. All students are expected to work hard, achieve their potential, serve their community and develop their leadership skills from the moment they first enter our inspiring buildings. These high expectations permeate the academic curriculum, the House pastoral system and the extended curriculum which encompasses sport, music, drama, the Combined Cadet Force and much more. Boys join the school in Year 7 and the vast majority continue into the Sixth Form, alongside a further intake of boys and girls. A very high proportion go on to university (15% to Oxbridge). We believe that all our students should be busy at work and play busy children are generally happy children. My mantra for the school is Learn, Serve, Lead and I trust, through these pages, you will gain a picture of what that phrase means for our students. Do also consult our website for up-to-date news and admissions criteria. A D M I S S I O N S ROBERT MASTERS, HEADMASTER Entry at both Year 7 and Year 12 is competitive. Up-to-date details on the admissions process are included in the inserts to this prospectus and on the school website. The School is always oversubscribed and entry at any other times is unlikely to be possible. Major Open Evenings are held in July (Year 7) and October (Year 12). As soon as I walked in on Open Day I had a feeling that it was the right school for me. Patrick, Year 8

4 P A S T O R A L - A H O U S E, A H O M E Upon entry, each student joins a House which becomes their Home for the duration of their time in the School. From a pastoral point of view, the aim is continuity of care, under a Head of House and a tutor. Each House (Duke, Hodge, Lewin and Powell) is a mini-school, comprising students of all ages. They meet regularly in assemblies, form the basis for competition and charitable activities and provide opportunities for developing leadership. Tutors and Heads of House always welcome contact with parents. We seek to reward and praise through House points, recognition in assemblies and on the website. The School is founded on good discipline and mutual respect. The School recognises the enormous trust parents place in a school to keep their children safe and provide a stimulating and varied education. That cannot be achieved without strong relationships between home and school, so great emphasis is placed both on the organised opportunities to meet (welcome evenings, consultations and reports) and the less prescriptive (support at fixtures and concerts, enquiries about progress). We seek open and united relationships with parents and carers in order to give children a supportive and consistent framework. Senior pupils support those younger in the School through the Student Listener scheme, for which training is provided. I settled in really easily when I joined the school because everyone was so helpful. Harry, Year 7

5 C U R R I C U L U M The curriculum is unashamedly traditional and academic, embracing the core subjects (English including Drama, Maths & Science), the humanities (Geography, History, Religious Studies), languages (French, German, Latin) and the creative subjects (Art, Music, Design Technology). ICT permeates all subjects and PE & Games are nonexamined elements in all years. At GCSE all students take English Language & Literature, Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics (the sciences are taught discretely from Year 8 onwards) and a Modern Language. A further three options are then chosen. The above subjects are all available as A Levels, alongside new subjects such as Economics, Politics, PE and Classical Civilisation. Students study four subjects in the Sixth Form. The School has experience of a range of additional educational needs (e.g. dyslexia, autistic spectrum, hearing and sight impairment) and is committed to equal opportunities. Judd students are naturally very supportive of each other, particularly where needs are clearly identified. Enquiries about provision should be made to the school s SENCO.

6 T H E S I X T H F O R M Sixth Form students lead the school in example and responsibilities, many taking on substantial duties as prefects and Student Listeners. A Sixth Form common room is provided, along with a dedicated study area and a magnificent library. Expert advice is provided in making applications to university. A substantial Sixth Form prospectus with course details is produced on an annual basis in addition to this document. S P O R T The School has a national reputation in each of its major team sports (rugby and cross-country in the winter, cricket and athletics in the summer). A & B teams are fielded in all years on a regular basis on Saturdays in rugby and cricket throughout the season. We believe, however, participation is as important as elite performance so the School runs open practice sessions in the younger years (i.e. children of all abilities are welcome) and fields C, D (and even E, F) teams when possible. There are opportunities to play tennis and basketball in the younger years, whilst the range grows considerably as students get older (including table-tennis, badminton, fencing, rowing, netball etc). The School will always work with parents when a child is training intensively for national competition in any sport. The Sports Hall is of a very high quality and, alongside the all-weather pitch, ensures activities can still be followed in inclement weather. We also have a traditional gym and a well-equipped fitness suite. The wide choice of subjects in the Sixth Form made me want to come here. Lizzy, Year 12

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8 M U S I C & D R A M A Music has always played a strong part in school life and this was recognised when Judd was one of the first five schools awarded Music Specialism status in 2004 (Science, Maths and English were subsequently added). A host of peripatetic music teachers attends on a regular basis to aid individual instrumental tuition (over 200 lessons per week, with many taking up a new instrument on arrival in Year 7), whilst the ensembles and student-led opportunities are myriad (senior and junior orchestras, big band, wind band, strings, junior singers, choir, chamber choir, various rock bands etc). Ensembles and individuals are encouraged to perform in front of an audience (there are 15 concerts each year) and all Year 7 students (singing in their House groups) compete in the Tea Concert. As well as the purpose built Music Building with its Performance Hall, a refurbished Edwardian House provides additional practice rooms, music technology equipment and two recording studios. Outside of English lessons, there are opportunities to act or work backstage in the annual drama productions (senior and junior). In Year 8 all students compete for their House in the Drama Competition. There are a lot of groups for music and the concerts are fun to play in. Josh, Year 8

9 C L U B S, A C T I V I T I E S & E X P E D I T I O N S A feature of the School is the remarkable number of educational visits. In addition to the usual fieldwork and the long-running exchanges in French and German, visits are arranged in all subject areas. The School also runs annual ski and sailing trips, sports tours (in rugby, cross-country and cricket) and World Challenge (biennial). CCF offers many opportunities that I wouldn t normally get. The trips and visits are brilliant. Jack, Year 11 The Judd School benefits from both an Army and an RAF section within its CCF. Opportunities within the CCF are many and varied, including activities such as drill, first aid, signals, shooting, adventure training, gliding, flying and night exercises. The CCF is fundamental in establishing the School s aim to develop leadership as students take increasing responsibility for each other as they progress through the ranks. Every year, over one hundred Year 10 students complete the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award which includes substantial commitments in service, skills development and expeditions. Sixth Formers are encouraged to embark upon the more challenging Gold Award which provides an ideal framework for developing and recognising their wider character, initiative and service to the community. Meeting on a weekly basis is a broad array of clubs and societies including: Christian Union, Debating, Film Club (French, German & English), Garden Club, Eco Team, Greek Club, Young Engineers, Medical Society, Philosophy Society, Potions Club, MUNGA, etc. Many are studentinitiated and led. 8/9

10 T H E J U D D P A R E N T S A S S O C A T I O N All parents are encouraged to play an active part in the JPA which organises a number of social activities throughout the year and raises significant funds for the School (used, for instance, to purchase minibuses). The JPA is organised on an area basis to enable local social events. O L D J U D D I A N S Old Juddians are very proud of their school and assist in a number of ways welcoming freshers to university, giving careers talks, offering work experience and practice interviews. The School seeks to stay in touch with all ex-students and provide a conduit through which friendships formed at school may last a lifetime. H I S T O R Y & B U I L D I N G S The Skinners Company, out of funds provided by the Sir Andrew Judd Foundation, founded Sir Andrew Judd s Commercial School in 1888 in East Street, Tonbridge. The School moved to its present site in 1896 and became known as The Judd School in Under the 1944 Education Act the School became the first Voluntary-Aided Grammar School. Today, it still has close links with the Skinners Company, whose members make up a significant proportion of the Governing Body. The spiritual home of all Juddians is the School Room the inspiring 1896 hall which is used for assemblies, concerts and theatrical performances. In recent times five substantial buildings have been added to the site, providing spacious and dedicated facilities for Art, English and Design Technology (Cohen building 1991); Music (1997); French, German & Latin (Library building 2002); Sport (2003); Maths and Geography (Atwell building 2009). Refurbished spaces within the older buildings retain the original charm whilst providing space for the other curriculum areas (including ten science laboratories), dining and the Sixth Form. The buildings are set in attractive grounds flanked on the West and North by playing fields which also include an all-weather pitch, tennis courts, cricket nets and a rifle range (CCF). Further playing fields are located 10 minutes walk away along Brook Street. T H E D E V E L O P M E N T F U N D Quite simply, this is the reason why so much capital work (new buildings and facilities) has been completed in the last 25 years. We ask all parents to contribute (according to their means) in recognition of what others have provided in the past and to ensure continual improvement in the present and for the future. The School Site Masterplan documents the forthcoming projects. The new buildings are great! Ollie, Year 8

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12 Brook Street Tonbridge Kent TN9 2PN Tel: