Prospectus

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Prospectus Inserts 2008

Introduction
The Judd School maintains a long tradition of academic excellence and has exceptional expectations for all its students. Above all, it has a reputation for being a very caring and happy community. It places an emphasis on both individual and group achievement and promotes a full range of activities, which includes a very high standard of sport, music, drama and service to the community. The expectation is that all students leaving The Judd School will have gained success academically, achieved a well-balanced and confident approach to life and be prepared for the challenges of leadership in the 21st century.

History
The Skinners’ Company, out of funds provided by the Sir Andrew Judd Foundation, founded the Sir Andrew Judd 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 1925. 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.

Admissions
The Judd School is a selective four form entry Voluntary-Aided Grammar School with approximately 625 boys in Years 7-11. There are 310 students in the Sixth Form, which includes about 60 girls. A key enriching facet of the school is its openness to children from all parts of West Kent and beyond. There is no catchment area and admission is based upon academic merit. A major open evening for prospective parents takes place in early October. The Headmaster and the Head of Key Stage Three are always willing to see parents at other times when they and their children can be shown around the School. From 2006 the School will admit 125 boys at age eleven. There are always significantly more applicants than places. Pupils are admitted in other age groups only where vacancies occur. There is a separate Sixth Form entry procedure. Offers are made at the beginning of the Spring Term.

Music College Specialist Status with Mathematics
In September 2004 the school was awarded Music College Status in recognition of its outstanding achievements in Music and its robust plans to continue to develop provision in the school and the local community. Students at Judd give some 40 concerts each year and now benefit from high quality facilities and teaching in Music Technology as well as traditional music. Judd’s prowess in mathematics is also recognised under the specialism. Outreach work is undertaken in local primary schools and additional resources are deployed in school to support all students. [Relevant Site]

Community Links
A number of students assist staff in our ‘outreach’ activities. These include ‘Aspirations’, - a Gifted and Talented project for Year Four children in Tonbridge, working with disabled adults through the Music College and coaching/refereeing through the Sports Partnership.

Curriculum
The School follows the National Curriculum in Years 7-11 and offers a broad range of ‘A’ Levels. In this context, the School seeks to provide an environment in which each pupil has the opportunity to develop talents and interests to the full so that he/she is well prepared to lead a satisfying and useful adult life both in work and leisure. Highest standards are expected and achieved in all our activities. The curriculum is aimed at giving a broad education, leaving specialisation as late as possible. [Relevant Site]

Examination Results
Pass rates are consistently high, both at ‘A’ Level and in GCSE, and the School has regularly featured in the national newspapers as one of the top State Schools in the country. OFSTED lists the School as ‘outstanding’.

Religious Education
The School has no affiliation with a particular religious denomination. Religious Education is given throughout the School and boys may opt to take the subject as part of their GCSE course. Morning assemblies take place and are Christian in nature, though non-denominational. All pupils are expected to attend a Carol Service or similar occasion. Parents may withdraw their children from Religious Education and assemblies by arrangement with The Headmaster.

Careers
The School has an active careers team and the careers library contains up-to-date and comprehensive files on occupations and Higher Education. Careers advice can be obtained at any stage and all pupils receive advice during tutorial time. Careers conventions are held biennially. All Year 11 are involved in a two-week work experience scheme during the post-examination period and the Lower Sixth have mock interviews and the opportunity for further work experience/work shadowing.

Homework
Parents are informed at the beginning of the year of the homework schedule and expected time for study. In Years 7 and 8 this is approximately one and a half hours per night, in Year 9 one and a half to two hours and in Years 10 and 11 over two hours. A homework planner is issued and used as a key form of communication between home and school.

Pastoral System
The responsibility for general welfare and progress lies with the Form Tutors. Heads of Year work closely with Form Tutors to ensure carefully monitored development. The School encourages parents to keep in close contact with both Form Tutors and Heads of Year and, where appropriate, the Headmaster. Good relationships between students, staff and parents are highly valued.

Extra-Curricular Activities
The School expects all students to participate in some of the many opportunities offered. There is a very wide range of school clubs and societies such as the Art Workshop, Bridge Club, Chess Club, Christian Union, Computer Workshop, Debating Society, Design & Technology Clinic, Film Club, French Club, Garden Club, Greek Club, Junior Running Club, Musical Activities, Politics Society, Theatre Club, Voluntary Service Unit, Warhammer Club, Young Engineers’ Club and Young Enterprise. Students are strongly encouraged to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and many achieve Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. We are also keen that school should not unduly dominate a child’s life and we encourage all students to be fully involved with the wider community.

Music
Music is a very strong feature and the Choir, Junior Singers, Chamber Choir, Judd Brass, Big Bands, String Orchestra, Chamber Groups, Concert Band, Symphony Orchestra and Junior Orchestra perform at various functions throughout the year. Instrumental lessons are available through the School, for which a charge is made.

Drama
There is a major school drama production each year and usually one or two productions aimed at
particular age groups. Recent productions have included The Importance of being Ernest, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, All My Sons and Animal Farm (musical).

Combined Cadet Force
The School has its own contingent of the CCF with Army and RAF Sections, meeting after school on Fridays. Membership is voluntary and boys can join from Year 9. Cadets have the opportunity to attend camps and expeditions as well as Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force courses. The School has an exceptional record of gaining Flying Scholarships in the RAF Section.

Educational Visits
All pupils undertake fieldwork in Geography and Biology. They may take part in French and German
exchange visits or join the School skiing or sailing holidays. Every other year older students have the opportunity to join a World Challenge Expedition to a remote part of the globe. There are also various other residential visits at home and abroad arranged from time to time and numerous day excursions to places of educational, cultural and recreational interest. A feature of the School is the full programme of visits for Year 7 which includes the opportunity to participate in an Adventure Activity week in Dartmoor. The School has two minibuses, which are used for local visits and for transporting teams to away matches.

Sports and Games
The School enjoys an enviable reputation in sport at national and county levels. Competitive inter-school fixtures are an important aspect of the games programme at all levels. There is a very strong fixture list every Saturday and a high standard is maintained leading to national competitions. At junior level there are regular games for ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams, so that many of the students have the chance to represent the School. In Year 7 there are even ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘E’ and ‘F’ rugby fixtures from time to time. There is also an extensive programme of interform competitions, including one designed specifically for those who are not school team players. The main games are rugby football, cross-country running and basketball during the winter months, and cricket, tennis and athletics during the Summer Term. The open-air swimming pool is much used during the summer. There are also opportunities for rock climbing, canoeing, sailing, squash, badminton, judo, golf, table tennis and hockey at later stages in the School. Top quality coaching continues, even in inclement weather, owing to the versatility of the Sports Hall and All Weather Pitch. [Relevant Site]

Sixth Form at the Judd
Life in the Sixth Form at The Judd is extremely busy, and not just from an academic perspective. From the moment they join year 12, students are encouraged to participate fully in the life of the community, to develop their talents and to take on roles of responsibility and leadership. Indeed, a significant number of extracurricular activities rely upon the input from the Sixth Form to run smoothly.
We offer courses leading to AS and A2 in a wide range of traditional, academic subjects. All students, whether internal or transferring from other schools, are interviewed by senior staff who seek to provide guidance and support as 4 subjects are chosen for study. In addition, students follow a course in either General Studies or Critical Thinking,
also to AS.
The vast majority of Judd students stay on at the end of Year 11, and they are joined by a further thirty or more students from other schools; these include a number of girls. Pastoral Care is very important, and the Director of Sixth Form is
supported by a team of experienced Heads of Year and Tutors. All students are allocated to a Tutor Group of approximately 20 students, with a Tutor who manages the day to day pastoral care. Clear systems are in place to ensure that students and parents are kept informed of progress, and we welcome informal contact with parents/guardians. Students are provided with a Common Room shared by both year groups, which has a canteen facility, open for most of the working day. There is a vending machine for hot drinks available all day. Each student
is also provided with locker space. [Relevant Site]

Parents
A close liaison is kept with parents, and Parents’ Evenings are held during the year to provide an opportunity for parents to meet members of the staff who teach their child. A guide for parents containing more details is issued to those joining the School. A small voluntary subscription is collected annually by the School to help finance the costs of the Magazine, Year Book and Calendar, team transport, games teas, other school activities and inter-school competitions.

The Judd School Parents’ Association
There is an active Parents’ Association (JPA) which gives valuable support to the School as well as offering social occasions for parents and staff and providing a means of communication over current issues. In recent years, the JPA has provided extensive funds for refurbishment of the Sixth Form facilities and the School Room, as well as acquiring specialist equipment for subject areas. [Relevant Site]

Old Juddians
The School has a very strong record of university entry, including Oxford and Cambridge (10%), and nearly 100% of Upper Sixth leavers each year enter universities for degree courses. The Governors award a major scholarship and up to four leaving exhibitions to outstanding Sixth Formers going on to university. Each year, two or three students are apprenticed to the Skinners’ Company. All students are encouraged to join the Old Juddian Society and to keep in touch with the School through the newsletter, the OJ Website and attendance at social events. [Relevant Site]

Development Fund
Existing Judd students are benefiting from £5 million of investment over the last fifteen years, with over £2million being given by friends of the school through the Development Fund. A ten year plan has been approved by the Governors to further develop the school’s facilities for the present and future generations. It is hoped that parents will want to give generously to the Development Fund to make these plans a reality. [Relevant Site]