The Folkestone Academy
Encyclopedia
The Folkestone Academy is a coeducational secondary school in Folkestone
, Kent
. The school opened in September 2007 to an intake of about 1,000 pupils (11-19). Billionaire, Roger De Haan
donated two million pounds of his own money towards funding the school. The King's School, Canterbury
has also sponsored the academy. The academy has been designed by world renowned architects Foster and Partners
. There are eight houses in the academy ranging from A to H. Each student belongs to one of these houses, in which they can eat their breakfast and lunch alongside staff. Each house has a Head of House and a Pastoral Manager to provide additional support for the students. The school day is between 08:30 and 17:00, as the pupils are assigned homework to complete in school, after lessons as well as extra homework for after school. Many pupils have left or been asked to leave the academy to go to Pent Valley, Brockhill or the Harvey Grammer, just as the academy has attracted numerous applications from other local schools.
The academy specialises in art, media and European culture, and has been identified by Kent County Council
as its Centre of Excellence in Media and the Creative Arts. The Folkestone Academy is a University of Kent partner school. Each year the school intends to award Partner Scholarships, worth £1000pa, to two students who take up places at the University of Kent
and the university also provides student mentors to help guide sixth formers in their university applications.
The Folkestone Academy is sponsored by former Saga chairman Roger De Haan and by Kings School Canterbury, one of the country's leading independent schools. Designed by architects Foster and Partners, it is said to have among the finest school buildings in the country.
Folkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. The school opened in September 2007 to an intake of about 1,000 pupils (11-19). Billionaire, Roger De Haan
Roger De Haan
Roger Michael De Haan CBE, DL was born in 1948 in Northampton and is the son of the late Sidney De Haan, who created the Saga group of companies, mostly famous for selling holidays to the over 50s market...
donated two million pounds of his own money towards funding the school. The King's School, Canterbury
The King's School, Canterbury
The King's School is a British co-educational independent school for both day and boarding pupils in the historic English cathedral city of Canterbury in Kent. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and the Eton Group....
has also sponsored the academy. The academy has been designed by world renowned architects Foster and Partners
Foster and Partners
Foster + Partners is an architectural firm based in London. The practice is led by its founder and Chairman, Norman Foster, and has constructed many high-profile glass-and-steel buildings....
. There are eight houses in the academy ranging from A to H. Each student belongs to one of these houses, in which they can eat their breakfast and lunch alongside staff. Each house has a Head of House and a Pastoral Manager to provide additional support for the students. The school day is between 08:30 and 17:00, as the pupils are assigned homework to complete in school, after lessons as well as extra homework for after school. Many pupils have left or been asked to leave the academy to go to Pent Valley, Brockhill or the Harvey Grammer, just as the academy has attracted numerous applications from other local schools.
The academy specialises in art, media and European culture, and has been identified by Kent County Council
Kent County Council
Kent County Council is the county council that governs the majority of the county of Kent in England. It provides the upper tier of local government, below which are 12 district councils, and around 300 town and parish councils. The county council has 84 elected councillors...
as its Centre of Excellence in Media and the Creative Arts. The Folkestone Academy is a University of Kent partner school. Each year the school intends to award Partner Scholarships, worth £1000pa, to two students who take up places at the University of Kent
University of Kent
The University of Kent, previously the University of Kent at Canterbury, is a public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom...
and the university also provides student mentors to help guide sixth formers in their university applications.
Uniform
The Folkestone Academy has a strict uniform code. Boys wear a grey blazer, white shirt, house tie, black trousers and dark shoes. The girls' uniform is the same, except for a skirt in place of trousers and a blouse replacing the shirt. All uniform items, including outdoor coats, PE kits and scarves, are branded with the academy's logo.History
The £40m purpose-built academy opened in 2009 and replaced the town's The Channel School. Specialising in art, media and European culture, the co-ed state secondary school has now grown substantially beyond its original 1,080 pupils.The Folkestone Academy is sponsored by former Saga chairman Roger De Haan and by Kings School Canterbury, one of the country's leading independent schools. Designed by architects Foster and Partners, it is said to have among the finest school buildings in the country.