With the original cohort graduating from the KAN APP, Sunday was a day for looking back, reflection and celebration. However, Sunday was also a day for looking forward to the next four years; our fifth cohort enjoyed their first day of an APP residential!

As always at this stage there were a few nerves, but there was also a sense of anticipation and excitement, and long may that continue! It was also great to see our year 10 cohort again; they are a great bunch who act as the perfect example of how the first year on the programme can help to shape a group of young people.

In addition to the regular drama slot to ‘break the ice’ at the start of a residential, we also welcomed a new partner organisation, 2-3 degrees. In their own words, 2-3 degrees are a training company that inspire and equip young people with the power to make positive decisions. Through talks and workshops they build the confidence of young people to take practical steps towards achieving their goals. The opportunity for both cohorts to work with 2-3 degrees was invaluable, and reminded us clearly of one of our core values; the greatest resource our students have is themselves and each other, 2-3 degrees did a great job encouraging our students to reflect on their progress up to now, where they want to be and how they intend to get there.

Sunday evening saw a visit from former head of MI5 Jonathan Evans, who delivered a fascinating talk, and Monday morning has involved lessons from teachers across the Kent Academies Network, including KAN APP regulars Steve Burns and Andrew Schagen, teaching Maths and English, as well as Science and History.

Our long-term partners from the Brightside Trust visited this afternoon to introduce the new cohort to the online mentoring platform, a key way in which interactions are maintained between mentor and mentee over the course of the year, and we are very excited to make continued use of their revamped service.

It is all go at the moment, but that os the way we like it! Keep following twitter for regular updates and we will be back with another blog tomorrow…