Why choose Thistle Hill Primary School?
At Thistle Hill, we envision a vibrant learning community where every individual is recognised as a shining star. Our school values – support, togetherness, ambition, respect, success – serve as the guiding lights that illuminate our path toward academic excellence and personal growth. Together, we form a constellation of learners, each contributing their unique brilliance to the collective radiance of Thistle Hill.
At Thistle Hill we are all STARS!
We embrace a culture of unwavering support, fostering an environment where every student feels nurtured and empowered to reach for the stars. Teachers, staff, and fellow students collaborate to provide the assistance and encouragement needed for everyone to thrive academically, emotionally, and socially.
In our community, we celebrate the strength that comes from unity. We value collaboration, inclusivity, and the bonds that form when we work together toward common goals. Thistle Hill is a place where diversity is cherished, and everyone is welcomed into our shared journey of learning and growth.
We cultivate a spirit of ambition that propels our students to dream big and set ambitious goals. Thistle Hill is a place where aspirations are supported and where the pursuit of knowledge is fueled by a desire to reach new heights. We inspire our students to believe in their potential and strive for excellence in all their endeavors.
Respect is the foundation of our school community. We foster an atmosphere where kindness, empathy, and understanding prevail. Each member of Thistle Hill is valued and appreciated, creating an environment where everyone feels heard, acknowledged, and respected for their unique contributions.
At Thistle Hill, success is not just an individual achievement but a collective triumph. We define success not only in academic accomplishments but also in personal development, resilience, and the positive impact we make on our community. Our commitment to excellence ensures that every student has the tools and support needed to shine brightly.
We are STARS!
In our school and community, we believe that everyone possesses a unique brilliance. Thistle Hill is a place where every child is encouraged to shine brightly, showcasing their talents, passions, and potential. As we collectively illuminate the path to knowledge, growth, and success, we recognise that together, we are stars.
Outstanding Personal development and Leadership and Management
Thistle Hill Academy was inspected by Ofsted between 5th and 6th November 2024 that graded the school as Outstanding in the Personal development and Leadership and Management areas alongside Good judgements for The quality of education, Behaviour and attitudes and Early years provision.
You can read the full GLOWING report below:
An engaging Curriculum that prepares children for the future
Our thematic creative curriculum challenges our children to be well informed, critical and creative. Enriched through powerful experiences, children are inspired to produce their own personal and meaningful responses so their learning stays with them for the rest of their lives.
Our thematic creative curriculum prepares our children for the future by providing them with a well-rounded education that incorporates a variety of teaching methods and learning experiences that are engaging and meaningful to children.
These experiences can take many forms, including hands-on activities, school trips, learning projects, and visitors to the school, all of which can provide children with the insights, knowledge, and hands-on experiences that are related to the subject matter they are studying.
Learning through themed topics and experiences helps to make learning more interesting and relevant to our children, and can foster their curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, which ultimately can deepen their understanding and help them to retain information over the long term.
A modern approach to teaching and learning
Most other schools teach children by direct instruction – where the teacher stands in front of a classroom, presents information and then gives the children a task to complete.
We believe that in order to provide our children with an education fit for the 21st century, teaching by direct instruction should only form a part of our children’s learning experience.
Instead, our teachers focus on teaching using more flexible, interactive and personalised methods that allow children to become more involved in the learning process and develop the collaboration, communication and creativity skills that our children will require to thrive in our modern society.
It’s important to understand the difference between passive and interactive teaching methods.
Passive teaching is a way of teaching where the teacher presents information to children that requires little to no active participation from the class. This method is good for teaching basic skills and knowledge, but it’s not always the best way to teach, because it doesn’t always help students think for themselves or solve problems.
In contrast, interactive teaching is designed to engage children and encourage them to participate in their own learning. These methods often involve hands-on activities, group work, and problem-solving tasks that require children to think critically and independently.
To prepare our children for the challenges of the 21st century, we promote the use of interactive teaching to help our children develop the skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
Devices for every child
To enable us to deliver a truly personal learning experience for every child, technology is readily accessible in every single year group.
Once a child enters Year 3, they will each receive an iPad and iPad pen which will be taken with them all the way until they leave for secondary school.
If children are excited about a topic and wish to carry on with their own independent research or even complete digital homework, they can take their device home!
By giving them their own device, our children can learn at their own pace and can work together with others and share ideas more easily.
We can provide more opportunities for personalised learning, as children can use their devices to access content and learning experiences that are tailored to their individual needs and interests.
With all children having access to the same resources and opportunities for learning, we can support the success of all children, regardless of their individual abilities or needs.
We're a Microsoft Showcase School!
We are a Microsoft Showcase School for 2025-26 – a prestigious achievement, with only hundreds of schools around the world achieving the accolade each year.
Microsoft has recognised our school as a member of an elite group of global schools that exemplify the best of teaching and learning in the world today.
Microsoft Showcase Schools are a global community of schools engaged in digital transformation to improve teaching and learning. Showcase Schools create immersive and inclusive experiences that inspire lifelong learning, stimulating development of essential life skills so students are empowered to achieve more.
Showcase schools use Microsoft’s Education Transformation Framework to drive a culture of learning, innovation, and continuous improvement.
There are currently under 100 schools in the United Kingdom that have achieved Showcase School status.
Purposeful integration of technology
Our children have access to a variety of technology to use in their learning such as green screen recording, QR codes, video recording, 3D world builders, audio recording and much, much more!
This technology is readily accessible in the classroom to allow children to produce highly personal and powerful responses to tasks through joyful and memorable experiences.
For example, children may take advantage of a green screen to produce a video response to a topic or even use Minecraft to demonstrate their learning in an interactive, online world!
Many schools today have access to technology in their learning environments. While technology can be a valuable tool for education, it is important that it is used in the right way. If a teacher simply uses technology for the sake of using it, without considering how it can support learning, it can be a distraction for children and be less effective at achieving the desired learning objective.
At our school, we use technology in our classrooms with purpose. We view technology as a tool that we can use to enhance and support the learning process in a way that is intentional, relevant, and designed to achieve specific goals. We carefully plan and implement the use of technology to engage and motivate our children, facilitate collaboration and communication, provide them access to a wealth of information and resources, and support a variety of learning styles and needs.
We believe that using technology in this way can greatly benefit our children’s learning experiences, and we are committed to using it in a responsible and effective way.
A child-centred, collaborative environment
In traditional classrooms, children are sat at front-facing desks and for the most part, do not move from that space all day.
In our child-centred classrooms, children are able to take advantage of our flexible classroom furniture to move around the class to suit the current learning activity. This gives children more opportunities to work with others, be social or work independently.
In our child-centred classrooms, the emphasis is on child-led learning and the development of critical thinking skills rather than learning through direct instruction and memorisation. Our teachers facilitate and support learning instead of transmitting information directly to the children and expecting them to learn from it.
In addition to traditional desks and chairs, in our child-centred classrooms, we use flexible seating to enhance the learning experience by allowing children to choose the seating arrangement that works best for them. This means the classroom environment can support different learning styles and needs.
For example, some children may prefer to sit on a comfortable beanbag chair, while others may prefer to stand at a standing desk. By providing a range of seating options, our teachers can accommodate the individual preferences and needs of their children, which can help them to be more engaged and focused in the classroom.
A close-knit community
We firmly believe in the importance of strong collaboration between our school and parents, as we understand the vital role that parents play in their child’s education. We are dedicated to fostering a close-knit community where parents feel welcome, involved, and valued.
We regularly invite parents to our school to celebrate their children’s achievements and witness their progress. Our regular parent events provide parents with the opportunity to witness the growth and development of their children’s skills, knowledge, and creativity. These events also serve as a platform for children to take pride in their accomplishments and share their learning experiences with their families.
Throughout the year, we organise various events that encourage parental attendance and participation. These events include:
Curriculum Workshops: Parents are invited to attend these informative evenings to learn more about the curriculum, teaching methods, and classroom expectations. This allows parents to better support their child’s learning journey at home.
Parents evenings: Regular meetings between parents and teachers foster open communication and provide an opportunity to discuss a child’s progress, strengths, and areas for improvement.
Special Assemblies: During these events, we celebrate our children’s achievements, showcase their talents, and recognise their hard work.
Family Workshops: We host interactive workshops for parents and children, designed to help families better understand various subjects and engage in fun, educational activities together.
Annual School Fairs and Festivals: Our school organises fairs and festivals throughout the year, providing an opportunity for families to come together, have fun, and strengthen the sense of community within the school.
By actively engaging parents in their child’s education, we promote a supportive and collaborative learning environment that benefits both children and families. We are committed to maintaining strong connections with parents and encouraging their involvement in the educational journey of their children.
A caring, supportive and responsive EYFS
Our Early Years environment is caring, supportive and responsive to children’s individual needs. We allow our children to play and explore with a particular focus on the outdoor environment.
Playing outside gives children first-hand contact with weather, seasons, and the natural world, and outdoor environments offer children freedom to explore, use their senses, and be physically active and curious.
Playing outside is important for children’s overall development, as it provides a wide range of physical, social, emotional, and cognitive benefits. Here are four reasons why using the outdoor environment is important in the early years:
Physical development: Playing outside helps children to develop their gross motor skills, such as running, jumping, and climbing, as well as their fine motor skills, such as grasping and manipulating small objects.
Social development: Exploring the outdoor environment gives children the opportunity to interact with their peers and develop social skills, such as cooperation, communication, and conflict resolution.
Emotional development: Being outside can help children to feel calm, happy, and connected to nature, which can improve their emotional well-being.
Cognitive development: Outdoor play can also support children’s cognitive development, as it provides opportunities for exploration, discovery, and problem-solving.
Modern facilities
Our school grounds and buildings are large, modern and clean – fit for a 21st century education!
Wrap around care
We recognise the importance of providing childcare options to assist working parents.
Thistle Hill Academy is open from 7:30am – 6:00pm Monday to Friday.
As well as our Breakfast Club and After School Club, we offer a range of free Extra-Curricular Clubs every term that children can take part in after school
Breakfast Club is booked online using the Arbor App and is paid for at the time of booking.
Breakfast club runs from 7:30am – 8:30am at the cost of £3.25 per child. Children are offered a wide range of breakfast meals and use the space in the main hall to play games and spend time with their classmates.
If you’re unsure how to book a club in Arbor, you can follow the guides on our FAQ.
After School Club is booked online using the Arbor App and is paid for at the time of booking.
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The After School Club will run Monday to Friday and is split into two sessions. The Twilight session is from 3:15pm until 4:30pm and the Late session is from 4:15pm until 6:00pm.
| Twilight Session | 3:15pm until 4:30pm | £4 |
| After Enrichment Club Session | 4:15pm until 6:00pm | £6 |
| Both Sessions | 3:15pm until 6:00pm | £10 |
The After School Club will offer a wide range of activities for the children and provide drinks and a freshly prepared fruit snack for all children. For those children that stay on for the late session, a picnic snack will be provided, which varies on a daily basis.
Payments must be made in advance, either termly, monthly, weekly or daily. There are no exceptions to this as it is essential that the club in self-financing.
If you are late collecting your child, an extra charge of £1 will be incurred for every 5 minutes past 6:00pm.
If you’re unsure how to book a club in Arbor, you can follow the guides on our FAQ.
We offer an extensive range of Extra Curricular clubs throughout the year which are booked using the Arbor App.
Please note that all clubs have a restricted number of places.
The clubs start at 3.15pm and finish at 4.15pm.
Choices for clubs will be sent to parents every term.
If you’re unsure how to book a club in Arbor, you can follow the guides on our FAQ.
A commitment to well-being
At Thistle Hill, we envision a community where well-being is the cornerstone of each child’s journey, and every individual feels valued, supported, and equipped to thrive emotionally, socially, and academically. Our commitment to well-being encompasses the cultivation of self-esteem, the nurturing of meaningful relationships, and the development of essential emotional regulation skills.
Our vision is for each child to shine brightly at Thistle Hill Academy with a sense of self-assuredness, a network of meaningful relationships, and a robust set of emotional regulation skills. We believe that a focus on well-being is the key to unlocking the full potential of every student, paving the way for bright and promising futures.
We use a number of ways to recognise if a child is struggling with their relationships or self esteem and use these to determine what support a child needs – based on their individual profile.
- Boxall profiles
- Wellbeing referrals from teachers or parent
- 1:1 mentoring
- Regulation strategies
Safe, Nurtured, and Protected
We define bullying as “deliberately hurtful behaviour that is repeated over a period of time.” Bullying can take many forms, but the three main types are physical, verbal and indirect.
We encourage parents to inform us immediately if they suspect their child is being bullied. The sooner we know, the sooner we can act to stop it! Please see our anti-bullying policy for further details, including early signs of distress.
Bullying will not be tolerated in our school. It is everyone’s responsibility to prevent it happening and our policy contains guidelines for all members of the school community.
Our school takes part in the National ‘Anti-bullying week’ each year.
Throughout the year, children are encouraged to report all incidents of bullying to an adult and are supported in developing strategies to combat it, including the use of discussion and role play. Children are also taught awareness of ‘Cyber bullying’ throughout the year and this form of bullying will be dealt with in the same robust manner as any other form of bullying.
Year 5 and 6 children are trained as ‘buddies’ to support any pupil who may feel susceptible to bullying or for those who may behave in a bullying way.
Nurture is at the heart of the school where we offer short term, inclusive, focused interventions to help with SEBD needs.
Our nurture room is a calm and inviting base for the children. We provide an inclusive curriculum where we work on literacy including Language Through Colour, maths and phonics.
In literacy we use a focus books that appeal to the children which allows us to offer them a stimulating and colourful learning experience.
Within the Nurture room we also address other aspects of development using child focused, tailor made interventions such as fine motor skills, sensory needs and social and emotional support. All of which are led by the 6 Principles of nurture:
Where needs are identified, well-being interventions will be implemented following a discussion with parents/carers. These may take place in a separate area or may form part of provision within the classroom. All classrooms have a dedicated area where children may withdraw to when they are feeling less settled and need to be in a quieter area in order to focus on their learning tasks. We call it the ‘calm down’ area.
Our aim is to ensure that not only do all pupils feel happy, secure and valued but that they are also able to work in a calm, pleasant and purposeful environment without disruption.
We recognise the importance of providing an ethos and environment within school that will help children to feel safe, secure and respected; encourage them to talk openly; and enable them to feel confident that they will be listened to.
We will endeavour to support the welfare and safety of all pupils through:
- Maintaining children’s welfare as our paramount concern
- ensuring the content of the curriculum includes social and emotional aspects of learning
- ensuring that child protection is included in the curriculum to help children stay safe, recognise when they don’t feel safe and identify who they might / can talk to
- Providing suitable support and guidance so that students have a range of appropriate adults to approach if they are in difficulties
- promoting a positive, supportive, neutral and secure environment where pupils can develop a sense of being valued and heard in their own right
- Ensuring all steps are taken to maintain site security and student’s physical safety
- Working with parents to build an understanding of the school’s responsibility to ensure the welfare of all children including the need for referral to other agencies in some situations
- Developing effective and supportive liaison with other agencies
A smooth transition to Reception
Do you want to help your child’s transition into their first year at school?
We host stay and play sessions every Friday to help familiarise children of pre-school age with our school.
Our sessions start with a welcome from our reception teachers, followed by lots of wonderful activities and will finish with a story or song.
No need to book, just turn up!
Please contact us for more information.
- Have the chance to meet the Headteacher and EYFS team
- Become familiar with the school setting
- Increase your confidence and understanding of school life
- Enjoy a story or fun activity with your children
- Younger siblings welcome
See our latest timetable below:
Memorable residential trips
Every year, all Year 4 children across The Stour Academy Trust are given the opportunity to attend a residential camping weekend — completely free of charge to families.
This fantastic event, held over two weekends in June, is often the first time many children stay away from home. Organised with the aim of creating lasting memories and building confidence, the residential is a key milestone in our pupils’ primary journey.
Set in the spacious grounds of Sturry CE Primary School in Canterbury, children camp for two nights in large 8-person tents and take part in a variety of exciting team-building and adventure-style activities. It’s also a great opportunity for children to make new friends from other schools in the Trust.
This year’s residential was made possible thanks to a combined effort from the Trust, school fundraising, and generous donations. With no cost to families, the residential remains one of the most popular and treasured experiences for our children.
Every year, all Year 6 children in The Stour Academy Trust are given the opportunity to attend a paid for camping residential week.
Taking place during a week in June, Year 6 children will travel by coach to 4th Dimension Outdoor Activity Centre in East Sussex.
Children camp for 4 nights and can take part in a huge variety of activities including:
- Zip Wires
- Canoeing
- Kayaking
- Rock Climbing
- Abseiling
- Climbing Indoors
- Archery
- Swimming
For more information about 4th Dimension, please visit their website here.
Part of a transformative Multi Academy Trust
Thistle Hill Academy is a school in The Stour Academy Trust, a Multi Academy Trust of 9 Primary Schools across Kent.
The Stour Academy Trust has set out to transform schools to better prepare our young people for the 21st century.