Chatter 10 - Summer

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Published: Friday, 19 July 2019 05:00

Written by The Chatter Team

Summer is here and the uniform is nearly consigned to the laundry basket and the lesson planning has been kicked into touch.

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Ephemeral 8 - Changing Times

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Published: Wednesday, 17 July 2019 15:19

Written by Mr B Forward

As the year draws to a close, our talented team of writers and editors in Year 12 have produced another engaging and visually stunning edition of ephemeral, our creative writing-themed magazine.

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Gene technology week

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Published: Wednesday, 17 July 2019 13:50

Written by Mr J Butt

For over 20 years, the Life Sciences department at Canterbury Christ Church University has been loaning Dane Court Biology department the necessary hardware to enable the students to be able to carry out gene technology practicals in school science labs, which otherwise would be completely unaffordable.

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Sixth form students celebrate stunning results

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Published: Sunday, 14 July 2019 17:50

Written by Mrs A Hale

Sixth Form students at Dane Court Grammar School celebrated stunning results this week in their International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP) and International Baccalaureate Careers-related Programme (IBCP) qualifications.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, which is a rigorous post-16 academic qualification delivered in some of the most prestigious independent and international schools around the world, requires students to study a balanced range of six subjects, three at higher level. The programme also includes a 4,000 word research project and 150 hours of creativity, activity and service. 

Head of School, Martin Jones, praised the hard work and dedication of all the students in the school’s Sixth Form: “This demanding and rigorous qualification equips students for lifelong success and enjoyment of learning across the world. Our students have demonstrated resilience and independence and this will provide them with such a strong foundation for future success. I congratulate all of our students on their success; we’re very proud of them. They have been very well supported by their teachers and parents. The great feature of the IB is that, although it is undoubtedly ambitious, it is also accessible to all students in Thanet: we have courses here for everyone.” 

The International Baccalaureate Diploma is graded out of 45 points, where 24 points is the pass mark. Once again the average points score for the Diploma at Dane Court exceeded 33 points (in the context of university entry requirements this is equivalent to A and B grades at A level, and provides access to some of the best universities in the UK and across the world). As a consequence of this excellent performance, the vast majority of students have already secured their first choice university place or career-related placement.

Top performing Diploma students at Dane Court this year include Olivia Button (41 points: heading to Edinburgh University to read Veterinary Medicine); Eljoh Balajadia (40 points: Experimental Psychology at Oxford University); Lily Finch (39 points reading English also at Oxford University); Joe Chesters (40 points: University of Durham to read Natural Sciences); Daniel Nisan (40 points: Mathematics at University of Kent); Riona Newaz  (40 points: also  Durham for Spanish and German). In total, 57 students (out of 61) gained 24 points or more.
Students will spend the next few days confirming their places at the best universities in the UK.

Annie Hale, Head of Sixth Form, commented that, “These fabulous International Baccalaureate grades come as little surprise: they are the result of considerable effort by our students over the past two years and I would like to join with the staff of Dane Court to congratulate all our Year 13 students, who have achieved so highly in this prestigious and demanding qualification. We are truly proud of their achievements.”

Melissa Linton, Deputy Head of Sixth Form, recognised outstanding achievements from the IBCP students who have achieved Level 6s in a variety of subjects including, Mathematics, Psychology, Biology and English Literature to name a few.  This year, 100% of IBCP students have successfully completed the full programme. Our IBCP students will be leaving us to follow academic and vocational degrees at university. Top performing IBCP students were Harry Costin (studying International Business at the University of Kent), Luke Rigney (studying Psychology at the University of Portsmouth), and Emily Walton (studying Primary Education at Canterbury Christ Church University). The following IBCP students have done exceptionally well to secure apprenticeships; Casey McKweon in Quantity Surveying, Myles Avory in Accountancy, and Georgia Solly in Business Management. 

• Students interested in joining the school’s sixth form in September should contact the school 01843 864941 or email head of sixth form, Annie Hale (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
• Read about Kurl-Ann's experience on our IB Career-related Programme
• View our 2019 Prospectus here.

Courage and determination

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Published: Monday, 08 July 2019 21:30

Written by Mrs M Linton

Kurl-Ann joined us in January 2018 shortly after arriving in the UK. She enrolled on our International Baccalaureate Career-Related Programme studying on the Health and Social Care pathway. Over the last eighteen months Kurl-Ann has studied IB subjects Psychology and Biology, as well as completing voluntary work, studying Japanese culture and an internship at Age UK in Margate. She was able to complete her studies in Health and Social Care a year early and has been accepted on a place at Kingston University to study BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing.
Kurl-Ann is courageous young woman and we wish her every success in the future.

Dane Court students take top business prize

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Published: Wednesday, 10 July 2019 20:33

Written by Mr D Towe

Dane Court Grammar School had two excellent groups of year 10 students who qualified for the final of this year's Business of Enterprise competition and one of those returned from London with the top prize. Last Friday (5 July 2019), the two groups travelled in hope to NatWest's HQ in Bishopsgate with their well thought out and rehearsed business propositions and both performed with commendable skill.

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Edward lays wreath at Somme battlefields

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Published: Tuesday, 02 July 2019 16:09

Written by Mr M Alderson

Year 9 student Edward Thompson has visited the Somme battlefields, after being invited to lay a wreath at the annual service at the Lochnagar Crater by the site's owner Richard Dunning MBE. The service focuses on themes of peace and reconciliation.

It is the third time Edward has visited the crater, which was caused by mines blown by the British under the German lines as the opening act of the Battle of the Somme. The mines were blown at 7:28am on the 1 July 1916, and the act is remembered at the same time every 1 July, in a service that starts with trench whistles being blown around the crater, which is 30 metres deep and 100 metres wide. Edward has previously had the honour of being allowed inside the crater bowl, which - as a war grave - is closed to the public.
After laying a wreath for the Grimsby Chums, who signed up together and died together at the Somme, Edward visited the British Cemetery at Hailly Station, the site of a major field hospital. The cemetery contains over 3000 bodies, including those of German soldiers.

Edward also visited the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's newly opened visitor centre at Beaurains, to see new gravestones being carved and the sword from a Cross of Remembrance being repaired, and visited a vast underground V2 rocket base from the Second World War.
Edward has chosen to study history at GCSE.