The Orchard School

09/10/2026

18/09/2026

This event is for KS3 parents/carers and pupils and will take place on Wednesday 30th September, 1.00pm to 2.15pm. It's a lovely opportunity for families, pupils and staff to come together through outdoor activities, creativity and shared experiences.

09/07/2026

Free Kellogg's breakfast for families at Morrisons cafes

Between 29th June and 6th September 2026, families can access free Kellogg's breakfasts in all Morrisons Cafes. This is available to both children and adults , who can choose from much-loved favourites Corn Flakes or Rice Krispies, topped with their choice of dairy or non-dairy milk and a free apple or banana.

In addition to the Kellogg’s Breakfast offer, Morrisons ‘Kids Eat Free’ offer will continue to run in all its Cafés, allowing families to enjoy a free meal and drink for one child aged 16 or under when they purchase an adult main meal costing over £5 from The Breakfasts and The Classics menu.

25/06/2026

Dear Parents and Carers,

Due to the exceptionally high temperatures experienced throughout this week, and with further extreme heat forecast for Friday 26 June 2026, we have made the difficult decision to close The Orchard School early, with all pupils finishing at 12.30pm.

Whilst our classrooms are air conditioned and provide a comfortable learning environment, our pupils have very limited opportunities to regulate outside of the classroom. Unfortunately, our school field remains out of bounds due to the extreme weather conditions, significantly reducing access to the outdoor spaces that many of our pupils rely on to support their social, emotional and mental wellbeing.

As a specialist SEMH school, we know that maintaining access to appropriate regulation spaces is essential. Having carefully considered the forecast temperatures and the impact of the prolonged heat on our pupils and staff, we believe that an early finish is the safest and most appropriate course of action.

Parents and carers who usually collect their child from school are asked to do so at 12.30 pm. The school office will contact our transport providers to ensure that taxi collections are rearranged for 12.30 pm wherever applicable.

We appreciate that this decision may cause inconvenience and thank you for your understanding and support. If you anticipate any difficulties with the revised collection time, please contact the school office as soon as possible so that we can discuss appropriate arrangements.

Thank you for your continued support as we work to keep everyone in our school community safe during this period of extreme weather.

14/05/2026

🎉 You're invited to our Summer Fayre! 🎉

Come along on Wednesday 15th July from 12:30 – 2:00 pm for a fun-filled afternoon.

We can’t wait to see you there! 🌞

24/03/2026

Dear Parents and Carers,

We would like to say a warm and heartfelt thank you to all our incredibly supportive, kind, and generous parents and carers who donated cakes, biscuits, and treats for our Comic Relief Bake Sale , as well as giving your children money to buy something on the day!
Your enthusiasm, kindness, and willingness to help made the event a real success.

Thanks to your amazing contributions, we raised an impressive £140 for Comic Relief!

We are so grateful for your continued support. Events like this simply wouldn’t be possible without you, and your generosity helps us teach our pupils the importance of community, kindness, and giving back.

Thank you for making such a positive difference.

Warmest wishes and appreciation

The Orchard School

19/03/2026

We have made the difficult decision to postpone our upcoming Easter Egg Run.

This is always a much-loved event in our school community, and we are incredibly grateful to the biker group for their continued kindness, generosity and support each year.

We are already looking ahead to rearranging the event for later in the term, so that it can take place in a safe, well-planned, and enjoyable way for everyone.

Thank you to our families, staff and wider community for your understanding and ongoing support. We look forward to bringing everyone together soon.

16/03/2026

Dear Parents and Carers,

We would like to let families know about a lovely community event taking place at The Orchard School this Sunday, 22 March.

The Whitstable Toy Run Association (WTRA) will once again be visiting the school as part of their annual Easter Egg Run. Riders will set off from Tankerton at 12:00 and are expected to arrive at The Orchard School at approximately 15:00.

The group ride motorcycles through the area collecting and delivering Easter eggs to schools and charities. It is a wonderful act of generosity and community spirit.

Last year the riders donated over 450 Easter eggs, which were shared between our pupils, St Nicholas Special School and local food banks. Their support makes a real difference to many families.

Weather permitting, families who are nearby are very welcome to come along and help us show appreciation and say thank you to the riders who give up their time to support local children and charities.

We are incredibly grateful to the Whitstable Toy Run Association and all the riders who take part. Their kindness and commitment to supporting the community is something we are proud to be part of.

Finally, many of you will know that our recent Ofsted inspection report will be published soon. The new national framework no longer gives overall graded judgements. Instead it provides detailed feedback about the school’s strengths and areas for development. We look forward to sharing the report with families and continuing the positive journey we are on together at The Orchard.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

04/12/2025

🎄 Christmas Jumper Day! 🎄

Let’s spread some festive cheer and make a difference together!

Staff and students can wear their favourite Christmas jumper and donate just £1 to support Save the Children. Every little bit helps bring joy and hope to children in need.

✨ Date: Thursday 11th December 2025

Let’s make this Christmas brighter for everyone! ❤️