11-16 Hardship
The 11-16 Bursary at Knole Academy provides financial support for students receiving Free School Meals (FSM) to help with school-related costs. This includes uniform expenses (up to £200 for new students and £75 for subsequent years), funding for enrichment activities like UK-based trips and curriculum-related theatre visits, and financial assistance for essential materials in subjects such as Art, Photography, and Food Tech. The bursary also covers transport costs for educational visits to colleges and universities.
To qualify, students must be in Years 7–11, meet attendance requirements, and keep up with their schoolwork. Applications are assessed by a Bursary Panel, and funding is provided at the school’s discretion, subject to available funds. The bursary is intended to ensure that students have the opportunity to fully participate in the school’s educational activities without financial barriers.
To apply, please complete the 11-16 Bursary Application Form in Appendix 2 of the Financial Assistance Policy found below. Submit the Application Form to the School Office, marked ‘For the attention of the Headteacher’.
16-18 Bursary
Each student’s circumstances will be reviewed to decide on the level of discretionary bursary that can be awarded. The discretionary bursary can pay a student up to £800 per year, depending on individual circumstances.
Monies received from the 16-19 bursary can be used to support education-related costs such as the cost of transport, books, equipment, educational trips, or meals in school.
To apply, please complete the 16-19 Bursary Application Form in Appendix 3 of the Financial Assistance Policy found below. Submit the Application Form to the School Office, marked ‘For the attention of the Headteacher’, as soon as possible after the admission in September.
Free School Meals
The School supports applications for Free School Meals. These are funded annually through the School’s general academy funding.
Students in receipt of Free School Meals will not be treated differently, and confidentiality will be maintained by the school. Any eligible student will be issued with a school cashless catering card and will be seen to ‘pay’ for meals in the same way as other students.
Please review the eligibility criteria in Appendix 1 of the Financial Assistance Policy found below. Regardless of where you live, you should contact Kent County Council, who will notify the School if you are eligible.
An online application form can be found on their website or you can contact them by telephone on 0208 770 6953. You do not need to do anything further but you must let the council know if your circumstances change.
Breakfast Club
We offer a free nutritious and varied breakfast for students every day. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This is especially the case for our students in preparation of each day of learning and progressing. It is also a great opportunity to meet other students from ranging classes and year groups and speak with adults who run the club.
No booking necessary.
Details
Date/time: Monday-Friday • 08:15-08:40
Location: T1
Price: Free
Community Store
At Knole Academy, we believe that every student, regardless of their background, should have the opportunity to thrive. Our Community Store is a new initiative designed to support disadvantaged families within our school community by regularly supplying them with nutritious food and essential hygiene products. This store is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure that no family goes without the support they need.
What is the Knole Academy Community Store?
The Knole Community Store (KCS) has been established to address the increasing need for reliable access to nutritious food and hygiene products. In partnership with the charity FareShare, we have been able to provide food parcels and hampers to our families, but we know that the demand far exceeds what we are currently able to supply. That’s why we’ve created this dedicated space on our school grounds to distribute essential items regularly, ensuring that every family in need has access to the support they deserve.
How it works
The Community Store will offer families access to:
- Nutritious food items, including fresh produce, canned goods, and dry essentials.
- Hygiene products such as soap, toiletries, and cleaning supplies.
The store will be open throughout the school year, with regular distributions to ensure families have what they need to maintain healthy, balanced lives.
How you can get involved
This is where we ask for your help. To make this initiative a success, we are reaching out to the wider Knole Academy community – both locally and beyond. There are several ways you can contribute:
- Donate Food and Hygiene Products: We are always in need of donations of specific food items and hygiene products. A list of the items we are accepting can be found below. You can drop off your donations at the Pastoral Administration Office during the last week of each month.
- Financial Donations: If you are unable to donate produce but would like to support the store financially, we welcome one-off or recurring donations. Your generous contribution will allow us to purchase essential items for the store.
- Local Businesses and Sponsors: If you represent a local business and are interested in supporting or sponsoring the Community Store, we would love to hear from you. Your contribution could make a lasting impact on the lives of many families. For further details, please contact us at enquiries@knoleacademy.org.
