Kentish Express Ashford & District
School asks ex-students to support pupils today
Ashford’s Norton Knatchbull Schoool (NKS) is calling for all former pupils to join their new alumni network.
The online application allows students to keep up to date with news and networking opportunities, including reunions.
The school in Hythe Road also invites people to join the network who attended when it was called Ashford Grammar School.
Norton Knatchbull is one of 400 state secondaries across Britain working with the education charity Future First to harness the talents and experience of alumni to support current students through ‘old school tie’ networks.
The school wants to contact former students in established careers and recent leavers in further education, alumni who live nearby and those who have moved away.
Future First aim for every state school or college to be supported by an engaged alumni community that helps it to do more for its students.
More than 180,000 former students nationwide have already signed up to stay connected with their old school.
Head teacher Susanne Staab said: “As head at the NKS, I am passionate about teaching and learning, and about giving young people the best possible opportunities during their education.
“Our community is a special one and we are very proud of what our students go on to achieve beyond NKS.
“We are keen to invite all former students to continue to be part of our community, so that we can create as big a network of role models as possible for our current students, in order to inspire their university, gap year or career choices and give support in other ways.
“Joining this network also allows those who have left to hear news from NKS, get invites to reunions and open days, and keep in touch in a way that suits them.”
Christine Gilbert, executive chair of Future First and a former Ofsted chief inspector, said: “Every state school student should have the opportunity to succeed in life after school, regardless of their background.
“If students see ‘people like me’ have succeeded, they are more likely to believe they can too. They work harder and have higher expectations of success.
“We want more schools to see the benefits of using their alumni as a powerful resource.”
Signing up is free. If you were a student at NKS, or previously Ashford Grammar School, visit networks.futurefirst.org.uk/student/ nortonknatchbull to sign up.