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14/11/25

Every child’s learning journey is unique, and as parents, your support can make all the difference! Attached are some practical ways to help your child thrive.

14/11/25

It’s Maths Week England next week and as the name suggests, it’s a week-long celebration of all things maths!  We’ll be holding activities in school, throughout the week, including a SPARX contest and a teacher treasure hunt.

13/11/25

For Life Skills Cooking Club this week we were very lucky to have a special guest, none other than master baker Stephen Gadd from . We would like to thank Steve so much for the wonderful new experience and exciting opportunity he provided for our pupils!

11/11/25

Year 10 Graphics pupils were asked to design a brand and logo for a company. They created mock-ups of their designs so that we could see them in context. We think you’ll agree, there are some great designs here - Well done Year 10!

11/11/25

Ever feel like your voice isn’t heard as a young person? Vote in the KYCC elections! The countdown to this year’s Kent Youth County Council elections has begun and it is time to vote!  kent.gov.uk/about-the-counci… We are lucky enough to have Tommy standing for election for KYCC!

11/11/25

Here are this week's Sparx Maths leaderboard stats from our maths homework platform!

10/11/25

Our head pupils proudly took part in the Broadstairs Remembrance Service, joining the community in honouring those who served and sacrificed for our country.  We are incredibly proud of their participation and the values they continue to uphold. Lest we forget.

05/11/25

Due to Year 11 mock examinations, and no indoor space available, Sports Clubs will be cancelled until week commencing the 17 November.  However, the PE department will be running the Wednesday Clubs which are Netball and Fitness. Apologies for any inconvenience.

05/11/25

Welcome back to Life Skills Cooking Club! This week we enjoyed making cheese scones, a traditional and delicious British snack, or a lovely additional to an afternoon tea. But the question is, how do you pronounce scones?

05/11/25

Thinking of your Sixth Form place, have you considered Barton Court Grammar School? Find out more: https://t.co/FyhqjdOcWb We also have an Open Evening on Wednesday 21 January 2026 6.30 – 8.30pm. Put a reminder in your calendar and we look forward to meeting you. pic.twitter.com/CE7B3zYXwR

04/11/25

We will be proudly selling poppies to staff and pupils to honour, and remember, those who have served and sacrificed. Prefects will be selling poppies in the Heart during break/lunch times leading up to the 11 November. Let’s wear our poppies with pride and show our support!

04/11/25

We’re proud to announce our donation of £3,239.03 to The Hygiene Bank, Thanet, a charity working tirelessly to ensure everyone has access to the basic hygiene products they need to live with dignity. A big thank you to them for the donations they provided for our CARE boxes.

30/10/25

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29/10/25

CDS has partnered with the UK’s biggest parent charity, Parentkind, to create a new parenting language survey which allows parents and carers to discover ways to support their children and will help the school to work better with its community.

29/10/25

You probably know that Sparx Maths is our homework platform – here are this week’s stats from the online learning platform. Remember – If you have any queries relating to the maths homework or Sparx Maths, approach your child’s maths teacher in the first instance.

29/10/25

At the end of Term 1 we were proud to present our inaugural Mayor of Broadstairs Award badges to Year 8 and 9 pupils. Over the last year these pupils committed themselves to this new award, a real testament to their character.  Thanks to Cllr Mike Garner, Mayor of Broadstairs.

15/10/25

CDS uses Sparx Maths for maths homework setting and from their online learning platform we receive statistics, each week, on how our pupils are progressing and whether extra support is needed.  We will publish our overview of Sparx Maths each week for your information.

15/10/25

KS4 Life Skills Cooking Club upped their skills in piping to make some beautiful, sweet and crumbly, vanilla flavoured Viennese biscuits. Perfect with a cuppa after a long day! Great piping skills, they look very professional!

14/10/25

Pupils headed to the Detling showground for a fantastic event all about mental health and wellbeing. The ‘Big Mental Health Conversation’ event was packed with inspiring workshops and tips on how to look after your own mental health.    

13/10/25

We are so proud to announce that we have received the Kent School Award for Resilience and Emotional Wellbeing this year.  The award celebrates our whole-school approach to creating a positive and caring environment where every pupil feels valued and supported.

10/10/25

The Emotional Wellbeing Team are running a free online session for parents wishing to understand more about autism. This takes place on 2 December at 5:30-7:30pm. If you are interested in signing up, please do so via this link:  events.teams.microsoft.com/e…

10/10/25

The Emotional Wellbeing Team are running a free online session for parents to help better understand the changes that happen in the adolescent brain. This takes place on 16 November at 6pm. If you are interested in signing up, please do so via this link:  events.teams.microsoft.com/e…

10/10/25

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09/10/25

We’re proud to announce that we’ve been awarded the Equalities Silver Award! This recognition reflects ongoing commitment to creating an inclusive, respectful, and equitable environment for everyone.      

07/10/25

Pupils attended the Crime and Punishment workshop at the Tower of London where they learnt about the lives of prisoners and the concept of crime and punishment in the Tower’s history.  This was part of their own study of history, on the topic of Elizabethan England.

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Enrichment Activities

Character Education

The Charles Dickens School offers a broad range of enrichment activities, designed to develop our pupils as a whole person, through the PSHEE curriculum, extra-curricular activities and Cultural Capital activities.

Character Education enables us to provide experiential learning opportunities to pupils.

Character Education helps pupils to develop their interests and abilities, provides valuable learning experiences outside their studies, and promotes independence and interpersonal links with pupils in other year groups.

The core aims of our Character Education programme are to:

  • Develop pupils’ resilience
  • Promote co-curricular opportunities to broaden pupils’ horizons
  • Develop independence, self-esteem and responsibility
  • Play an active role as members of a democratic society
  • Make the most of their own abilities and those of others
  • Behave in a socially and morally acceptable way including towards authority and each other
  • Encourage pupils to become involved in the life of their community, both inside and outside of school.
  • Value the achievements they make, and the achievements of others
  • Make informed choices about dealing with risks and meeting challenges now and in the future.
  • Decide on values by which they want to live their lives, helping pupils make informed, ethical choices.
  • Prepare pupils for the future, pathways and progression with pupils realising their potential.
  • Develop a sense of belonging that allows pupils to have a voice and to influence society.
  • Develop confident communicators.

 

The Charles Dickens School Core Values of Character

The school values of Compassion, Aspiration, Resilience and Enthusiasm are embedded into the planning and delivery of Character Education within the school.  Consistent promotion, delivery and reference to our core values to our pupils encourage them continue their development to become well-rounded and exceptional young people:

Compassion; empathy, kindness and an understanding of those around us.

Aspiration; challenge oneself to pursue our dreams and ambitions.

Resilience; manage the change in our lives and develop coping mechanisms to make the right choices and overcome obstacles.

Enthusiasm; to have the energy, equilibrium and happiness in life.

Recognising Character:

We know how important it is for pupils to be rewarded and recognised for doing the right thing. Pupils have the opportunity to earn over 50 badges that represent our “pupils of character”, ranging from Orator, College Bowl champions, Attendance, Intercollege Champion and pupil leadership roles and so many more.

We truly believe in the power of empowering pupils to tell their own story of personal development through these badges; proudly displaying the characteristics and values that they have achieved.

CARE values:

Throughout the academic year, pupils will be exposed to the CARE values consistently to embed the importance of these values as future life skills, alongside opportunities within the Personal Development curriculum to broaden pupils’ experience of extra-curricular opportunities to develop them as a whole.

Continued exposure to the school’s core values (CARE) will allow the consideration of these values to become routine, alongside the explicit highlighting of specific values through PSHE, assemblies and extra-curricular provisions.

Character Caught:

Pupils will develop the strength of their character through the regular reinforcement and empowerment of the school’s CARE values. Character will be caught through the ethos and the values of the school.

Character Taught:

Pupils are provided with structured teaching of character, through lessons, PSHE, assemblies and form time. Throughout the school year, the school CARE values, virtue and character are consistently taught.

Character Sought:

Pupils are provided with multiple opportunities to encourage them to actively seek to develop their own character, for example through (but not limited to) Duke of Edinburgh award, PIXL LORIC, Diana Anti-Bullying award and Debate club, alongside our extra-curricular offer. 

Pupils are given opportunities within school to experience:

  • Outside speakers into assemblies
  • One off workshops
  • Long term programmes
  • Drop in sessions
  • Vote in school-based elections
  • Pupil Voice (Sit on pupil council and various ‘drive teams’).
  • Attend clubs at lunchtime, and after-school
  • Go on school trips
  • Brilliant Club
  • Gifted & Talented club

Values

Documents

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Term 2 PE - After School Clubs Download
Extra curricular activities term 3 KS3 Download
Extra curricular activities term 3 KS4 Download