Virtual Open Day

“Hello and welcome to our Virtual Open Day. I am excited to share with you everything that makes us the best choice of school for your child.

“Across this page we will share a real sense of our school and its energy and how my team and I are transform the life chances of our students, we ensure we support and encourage them to achieve their best. We deliver this through our own unique BEST Agenda;

B = Brilliance
E = Enrichment
S = Society
T = Thinking

Students who join us have a wealth of opportunity, from their first day in Year 7 as we will work with them to teach new skills, help develop their knowledge and practice what they have learned. Our school staff are dedicated and passionate practitioners in their fields of expertise and are committed to providing an education which delivers results across all aspects of your child's life, not just in their school career. Goodwin, along with its comprehensive and successful BEST Agenda, will provide your child with resources and facilities to become a well-rounded young adult, ready for their next step into their life after school.

In addition to the BEST Agenda we aim to instil positive habits of mind to enable students to become independent and creative learners, providing them with transferable tools that can support them on the journey to achieving their goals. Each of the Gateways has been chosen specifically to fit the needs of Goodwin Academy students, so that they become confident, well-rounded and contented individuals.

B = Brilliance; We live in a society, which bombards our young people with images of superficial ideals. Rather than promoting the idea of quick wins we aim to instil the habit of resilience. Examples of Goodwin Brilliance would be a commitment to academic studies and raising personal aspirations.

E = Enrichment; Learning does not only take place inside the classroom, instead we encourage our students to see each experience as a learning opportunity. At Goodwin, we want our students to engage and embrace the world around them. Examples would be, sporting activities and Duke of Edinburgh, and taking part in work experiences.

S = Society; We live in a global community, so it’s essential that our students understand the roles and responsibilities that come with living in a democratic society. Students at Goodwin are active not only in the immediate community of Deal, but also with national and international agencies to support those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Examples would be attending charity events and showing student leadership.

T = Thinking; The “Thinking School” approach arms learners with skills that better prepare them for the ever-changing world we live in. Students achieve this through developing their confidence to map out their ideas independently and reflect upon these processes. Examples would be using Thinking Maps to visualise thinking and to always ask questions to encourage thinking.

1. WHO THEY ARE: Affectionately nicknamed Our Trust, it’s effectively the family name for the 18 schools in Our Trust. The schools within Our Trust are situated across Medway, Deal, Hampshire and Plymouth.

2. WHY A THINKING SCHOOL IS THE ONE FOR YOUR CHILD: A Thinking School challenges students to think deeply about their thinking, to be their best self and to gain the knowledge, tools and skills to shape their success in a life beyond school.

The children and young people we're presently educating will retire around 2070. According to experts most of the jobs our children will have don't even exist yet, and this is why developing skills to think independently and become life-long learners is so important.

3. HOW A THINKING SCHOOL WORKS: Our cognitive approach to education defines us but does not create a 'one size fits all'. Each and every member of the TSAT family is equally as important and shares a direction and ethos; put simply, we believe that we are stronger together.

Our schools work with each student so they are aspirational and ready to move forward and understand their role within their local community and beyond. The Thinking School approach to education is unique and we believe that it genuinely transforms the life chances of our children, teaching them the critical thinking skills they need to be resilient in life after school.