I hope that you and your families have had the opportunity to enjoy some time together over the summer and that your children have enjoyed the beginning of the school year. Having been part of the Kesteven and Sleaford High School community for the past four years, I feel incredibly privileged to be taking on the role of Head of School. During that time, I have come to understand not only what makes our school successful, but also what makes KSHS such a special place to be: our ambitious students, dedicated staff and the strong sense of community that exists across the school. I am looking forward to further strengthening and developing the work already established across the school in close collaboration with Mrs Smith, colleagues at Carre's Grammar school, and those within the Community Inclusive Trust. My focus will be on maintaining the high standards and expectations that our students deserve, while continuing to develop the quality of their experience at KSHS. 

For me, the very best part of school leadership is being around our students and seeing the school through their eyes. It has been lovely to see the energy return to school over the past 2 weeks: students settling into new routines, reconnecting with friends and getting stuck into the opportunities that a new academic year brings. I am looking forward to getting to know even more of our students and working closely with staff, parents and carers to make sure that every young person at KSHS feels valued, supported and able to achieve their very best. 

Over the summer, we have also made a number of changes to our school site. Our Maths department now features new wall art celebrating mathematical achievement, and we have added new and additional seating in the dining room. This creates a more comfortable indoor space for students to use during break and lunchtime and is part of our ongoing commitment to making KSHS a welcoming and purposeful environment in which students can learn, socialise and feel that they belong. 

There is, of course, much more to look forward to this year. We will continue to focus on excellent teaching, high expectations, personal development and the opportunities that enable our students to flourish beyond the classroom. Our vision of Achieving Excellence Together captures this perfectly: excellence is not simply about outcomes, but about the contribution that each of us makes to creating a school community in which everyone can succeed. 

I am genuinely excited about the year ahead and I look forward to working with you and your children and sharing the many successes, challenges and memorable moments that the year will bring. 

Thank you, as always, for your continued support of our school. 

Mrs K Stokes

Head of School

Above: Mrs K Stokes, Head of School and Mrs J Smith, Executive Headteacher

Left to right - Outgoing Head Girl Marith Leafe who started her undergraduate studies at Edinburgh university this autumn; Mrs Josephine Smith, Executive Headteacher; Grace Grevatt, current KSHS Head Girl; Mrs Katy Stokes, Head of School. 

Please remember that parental cars are not permitted on site at either end of the school day; this to ensure the safety of students and staff on site.  If you need to collect your child, please arrange to meet them away from the school.

Always ensure that your child has sufficient funds on their ParentPay account to enable them to buy the food they need in the dining room.  Overdrafts are not permitted, so please provide your child with a packed meal if there are no/insufficient funds on the account.  

Students from Kesteven and Sleaford High School and Carre's Grammar School have returned from an incredible expedition to Namibia, having made a lasting impact on a local school while demonstrating exceptional resilience, teamwork and leadership throughout the trip.  A total of 56 students took part across three separate expedition groups.  

The expedition leaders, alongside partners from Schools Worldwide, were full of praise for the students' attitude and commitment. The groups were described as amongst the most impressive teams they had worked with, with students displaying maturity, independence and an outstanding work ethic throughout the visit.

During their week-long community projects, students worked at primary schools in rural Namibia, where they took on a range of ambitious improvement projects. They painted the interiors of classrooms, created large-scale murals, added new signage around the sites and transformed the entrances to the school. Working closely with local staff and pupils, they also helped to build playgrounds, creating a more engaging and welcoming environment for young learners.

The impact of their work was significant. On the final day, representatives from the Namibian Department of Education visited one of the three primary schools, Auuns Primary School.  This was to view the completed project.  They praised the transformation that had taken place. One member of staff commented that the improvements would help pupils develop greater pride in their learning environment and positively influence their attitude towards education.

Alongside their practical work, our students also led activities and learning sessions for Namibian pupils, demonstrating confidence, creativity and excellent communication skills. Their commitment throughout the week was remarkable, with early starts, long working days and a willingness to embrace every challenge presented to them.

The expedition also delivered much-needed resources to the schools through additional fundraising.  This included a donation of 23 blankets, 23 mattresses, sacks of maize porridge and hundreds of exercise books for each school. Importantly, all equipment and materials used during the project were left behind so that staff could continue developing the school after the team's departure. Teachers have since reported that they are already using the supplies to enhance additional classrooms.

Following the community project, students had the opportunity to experience some of Namibia's extraordinary natural environment. Highlights included a safari, wild camping in an area rich with ancient rock art and sea kayaking alongside seals, providing unforgettable opportunities to learn about the country's wildlife, culture and history.

The expeditions were a tremendous success, showcasing the values of service, compassion and perseverance that are at the heart of both schools. Students represented Carre's and KSHS with distinction, and everyone involved should be immensely proud of the difference they have made and the memories they have created.

Mrs M Brook

Namibia Trip Leader 

If you want to do something positive for the community, Interact would love you to join us! We are linked to Sleaford Rotary Club and we have a very busy term between now and Christmas. We usually meet every other Friday but will probably meet weekly in term 2 as we have a party to organise!

At the end of last term Y10 Interact members held a teachers’ rounders match. This very competitive match on a very warm day raised £80 towards our charities for the term: Lincolnshire Blood Bikes and Lincolnshire Air Ambulance. Then, on Sports Day, we organised a variety of stalls, including House merchandise, cakes, books, crafts and hook-a-duck for the same charities. This raised a huge £400 so a grand total of £480 is on its way to these very important charities in the local area.

In our first meeting this year, we will decide what our first project will be.  Later in the term we will have our Shoebox Appeal where we aim to fill shoeboxes with little gifts for those who otherwise might have very little at Christmas and then our famous Senior Citizens’ Christmas Party in collaboration with the Food and Music Clubs.

We are always delighted to welcome new and old members from all year groups, especially those with lots of ideas and enthusiasm!

Mrs L Samworth   

Recruitment is now open for the Lincolnshire Safer Communities Leaders initiative, run by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire.

Young people aged 14–21 are invited to become part of a small group helping to shape the future of crime, policing and community safety across Lincolnshire.

Safer Communities Leaders will work with other young people, gather their views and present ideas directly to the Police and Crime Commissioner and senior leaders.

It’s a fantastic opportunity to build confidence, develop new skills, make a difference and gain valuable experience for your CV.

Most current representation is from Lincoln, so we’d particularly love to see young people from the Sleaford area get involved!

For more information and details of how to apply, please visit the Police and Crime Commissioner’s website. Questions can be sent to safercommunitiesleaders@lincs.police.uk.