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16/09/25

Street Cricket is back at CDS!  Sessions run by Kent County Crick will start again on Tuesday 23 September and will run each Tuesday between 5.30pm and 6.30pm, at CDS.  AND IT'S ALL FREE!!

12/09/25

Kooth are running a webinar on Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA) on 23d October 2025. If you are interested in joining this free online session, please use this link to sign up:  connect.kooth.com/events/eve…

11/09/25

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08/09/25

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16/07/25

Barton Court Academy Trust has a Trustee vacancy, for a non-executive Director.  If you, or someone you know, feel you have the experience and expertise for such a role then please see more here: bartoncourtacademytrust.org/…

16/07/25

Barton Court Academy Trust are seeking to recruit Governors for each of the 3 schools within the Trust.  If you, or someone you know, feel you have the right attitude, experience, skills, and time to fulfil this role, then please see the role here:  bartoncourtacademytrust.org/…

15/07/25

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15/07/25

Another year of our Take it Further challenges, and competitions have come to an end and the final reward breakfast celebrating the achievements of our pupils over the last 2 terms has been held. Well done to all pupils who have gone that extra mile over the last year! 

14/07/25

Barton Court Wins Inaugural Trust Eco Challenge... find out more at: cds.kent.sch.uk/238/latest-n…

14/07/25

Barton Manor School hosts Inaugural Trust Eco Challenge... find out more at: Barton Manor Hosts Inaugural Trust Eco Challenge - Latest News - The Charles Dickens School pic.twitter.com/Qlnpy4pVH2

09/07/25

It has been an exciting year for Life Cooking Skills! Club members have made so many cultural and appetising dishes over the year,  The last club of the year was chicken fajitas – All of which were eaten before club ended!  

04/07/25

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25/06/25

From 02/07/2025, if your child receives income related free school meals, you can to book your child’s place on the HAF summer programme with Inclusive Sport.  They advise to book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.   Find out more here:  inclusivesport.org.uk/

19/06/25

Year 7 pupils raised a whopping total of £349.19 from their spring fair this year. The year group planned the whole in school event, with a little guidance from their Tutors. The money raised will go to our chosen school charity, Community Kindness Thanet.  

12/06/25

We are extremely grateful to the Rotary Club of Thanet for their recent donation of £2000 to our STEM Club. The money will be used towards 4 new SPIKE kits and 6 expansion packs which will allow the Club to cater to a larger audience and begin outreach to local schools.

11/06/25

KS4 Life Cooking Skills started this term in style! Pupils were taught how to make mocktails with talented Thea Barret from Thorley Taverns, at the helm. Pupils learnt how to “muddle, blend, shake and layer” and it was so much fun!

09/06/25

Y9 Technologists were lucky enough to take part in a STEM Challenge Day at the University of Greenwich in Medway. Working in pairs with other schools, they were set challenges in robotics, E-fit technology, electric cars and medical diagnosis. 

23/05/25

A big thank you to Rotary Club of Thanet for hosting our STEM Club leader, allowing him to present to the Club the ‘Disaster Relief Robot’ that pupils have designed, and programmed, in their after-school STEM Club.

21/05/25

Bounce Forward, supported by the Harry Kane Foundation, are running a free online parent course focused on building resilience in young people and supporting parents in raising resilient young people   bounceforward.com/bounce-for…

20/05/25

A Big Shout Out, and thank you, to Dan Cooper Garden in Broadstairs, who has donated lots of items to our Gardening Club. Our green fingered gardeners were out in the sunshine last week planting and tidying the garden!

15/05/25

As part of last week’s VE day celebrations, pupils created artwork to be a part of the exhibit organised by Broadstairs and St Peter’s Town Council, at Broadstairs Bandstand.  We hope you had the chance to see some of the work there!  Here’s a sample of our budding artists' work.

15/05/25

Our last Cooking Life Skills session with Noi Silk had our budding chefs making Prawn Tom Yum (hot and sour) soup, using some of the biggest king prawns we have ever seen!

14/05/25

Building community is really important in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people. Please see the poster for some helpful tips from the National College for parents.

13/05/25

We have 32 entries in the Thanet Schools  Artists Festival 2025, presented by Margate Rotary Club.  The exhibition of all entries across Thanet will be on display in Sainsbury’s at Westwood Cross between 12th and 18th May.  The award ceremony will take place on 17th May at 12pm.

13/05/25

Year 7 got fully involved in a an immersive lifesaving experience!  The ‘ Community Lifesavers’ visited CDS, where they communicated the importance of turning ‘bystanders into lifesavers’. They demonstrated how to administer CPR and how to use the defibrillator/AED.

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Pupil Voice

Prefects

The prefect structure exists to allow pupils the opportunity to develop and to practise their leadership skills whilst serving their school community or representing the school both locally and nationally.

The structure provides leadership pathways for all pupils within the School and opportunities to develop skills such as working within a team; solving problems; making decisions, being enterprising and taking responsibility.  Prefects at the School support members of staff by encouraging good behaviour and following the School rules and uniform requirements.

The Prefect Team consists of 2 Head Pupils and 2 Deputy Head Pupils. These Pupils represent our school at formal events, lead Pupil Voice, lead all other Prefects and have whole school responsibilities, such as lunchtime duties.

By taking on a Prefect responsibility, pupils will be able to:

  • Demonstrate the quality of commitment by upholding a post of responsibility within the school.
  • Demonstrate leadership skills through the organisation of activities within the school.
  • Demonstrate social values throughout the school.
  • Support school staff in the promotion of excellence within the school.
  • Enjoy the privileges afforded from positions of responsibility.
  • Act as role models for other pupils in the school.

​Pupil Voice

  • The Head Pupils represent the views of the pupils of the school and are the pupils’ ambassadors for the school.
  • The Head Pupils are responsible for leading and organising the whole school pupil voice team.
  • The whole school pupil voice team will include the Head Pupils, and two representatives from each year group.
  • The whole school pupil voice team will meet regularly with the Deputy Headteacher and Assistant Headteacher (Personal Development) to discuss pupil views, ideas and any issues. Minutes and decisions resulting from these meetings are communicated via the notice boards as before and through Form time and Assemblies by the Head Pupils and SLT as well as SV reps as appropriate.
  • Pupils have the opportunity to elect two members of their form group to be their year group pupil representatives.
  • Pupils have the opportunity to put forward ideas or suggestions for discussion at pupil voice meetings via their form representative or their year representative.

The Pupil Voice Form Representatives (2 from each Tutor Group) are scheduled to have a meeting with their Year Head every term.

Minutes of these meetings are published on the year group notice board and Form Room notice boards, as well as on to the Pupil Portal.