The Old Bordenian Association

We come together this evening to congratulate students on their progress and achievement and to thank many for their contributions to the wider life of the school.

Last month, Year 13 students celebrated their A level results. There were outstanding individual and departmental achievements with a total of 47% of grades at A or B. This made results day a relaxed and joyous day for students and staff.

A number of Year 12 students achieved encouraging results at AS level. They have the talent to achieve outstanding results and now need to be ambitious and disciplined in seeking to achieve this. It will, at the same time, need consistent good effort from many in the year group to achieve potential in 2010.

In Year 11 excellent GCSE results were achieved by a number of boys. 23 attained 8 or more *A/As while 40 achieved 5 or more. This resulted in 37% of all grades at A*/A, the best return to date. We expect great things from this year group. The challenge for current Year 11 is to be the first year group to reach 40% A*/As. I do believe that you can achieve this, and by doing so provide an excellent basis for your progress at A level and beyond.

At A level, more than 60% of English and Spanish students achieved A or B grades and almost 90% of French and Geography students did so. At GCSE more than 60% of History, Maths and Statistics students achieved A*/As as did 5 of the 6 music candidates.

In July we thanked a number of staff for their work at the school.

Miss Tyler and Mr Collins our Graduate Trainees have taken up posts at Rochester Girls Grammar and the Chaucer school.

Mr Weller who, after A levels became our PE Technician, begins his degree course.

Mrs Williams, who led the Sports Leaders Awards programme is working at Highsted.

Mr Harvey has taken up a post at Invicta Grammar School.

Mrs Holl who was an influential and positive force within the school, not only in languages but also in terms of guidance to students and work with Primary school pupils has retired.

Mrs Preston is now Head of Art at Sir Roger Manwood Grammar School. Throughout her 6 years at Borden she provided inspiration in Art and Sport.

Three long serving members of staff have retired from full time teaching.

Dr Wilcox, who joined the staff in 1983, has worked with enthusiasm and energy in Science and more recently in ICT. He has agreed to come in on a part time basis this year to complete an A level Computing course for which we are very grateful.

Mr Holl, who joined the school in 1979 has developed languages as a real area of strength at Borden. The Year 10 and Sixth Form visits to Spain have provided wonderful experiences for students and five Heads of Modern Foreign Languages at other schools in Kent were trained by Mr Holl. We wish him and Mrs Holl a long and happy retirement.

Mr Smith, who joined Borden in 1971 is noted for his modesty, knowledge and hard work. He too has returned to complete an A level course in Economics this year.

A few weeks after last years Prize Evening the school was inspected. The Ofsted team judged the school to be firmly good in all areas. We were very pleased with the report. The challenge this year and beyond is not only to maintain all that is good but also to address areas where we know we can be better.

One of the highlights earlier this year was the Building Schools for the future day in February. On this day students in all age discussion groups led by members of the Sixth Form discussed what a future school might look like and what could be done to create the best future learning environment for students and staff. It was a very successful day and visitors to the school commented upon the imagination, co operation and positive approach of Borden’s students. Schools in Sittingbourne and Faversham are part of Wave 6 for BSF. Headteachers had been told that preliminary discussions with KCC architects would take place this autumn before meeting began with the architects appointed for the design stage of the project. There has been a delay as one of the main contractors withdrew. Last week a KCC press release announced that Kier Group plc has replaced Telereal Trillium within the scheme and a meeting for Swale Heads would be arranged in due course while work on the proposals for second phase projects in Gravesham and Thanet will immediately commence. When there is firm news regarding Swale I will of course share it with you.

Good learning and positive relationships are at the core of school life. Much has been achieved in the past few years by students, staff, parents and governors working in their different ways for and within the school community. There is still much to be done but we approach the aims of improving learning and strengthening good relationships confident that the foundations for future progress are secure.

Before concluding I wish to register my thanks to the staff of the school for their dedication throughout the past year. Teachers and support staff have worked together to provide an interesting curriculum, support for students, and an exciting programme of educational visits and adventurous activities.

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