Welcome from the Principal

Dear Parent/Carer,

It is with immense pride that I write to you as the newly appointed Principal of Herne Bay High School. The transition to secondary education is a monumental milestone, and our entire team is thrilled to welcome your family into our community this September.

Before taking on this role, I served as the Senior Vice Principal at a Harris Federation school in London. My academic background is rooted in Clinical Psychology, a discipline that heavily influences my leadership style. I firmly believe that true academic excellence can only flourish in an environment where a child's mental and emotional wellbeing is deeply understood and supported. 

As a local Kent resident and father of three - including my son, who is also currently in Year 6 and preparing for his own move to secondary school this September - I completely relate to the mixture of excitement and nervous anticipation you and your child are currently experiencing.

Outside the school gates, my life is driven by discipline and resilience. I have competed as a powerlifter for Great Britain for the past fifteen years and currently help coach athletes for the Special Olympics. I bring the same unwavering dedication, high expectations, and drive for success to the education and personal development of your children.

At Herne Bay High, we recognise that our school is more than just a place of academic learning; it is a cornerstone of the local area. We pride ourselves on fostering a deeply inclusive, outward-looking community where every family is valued. We want our students to understand their broader civic responsibilities and the importance of giving back.  We view our families not just as supporters of our students, but as vital, active members of our shared community network.

To guarantee your child feels secure, confident, and ready to contribute to this community, they will be actively known, valued, and nurtured. They will be championed by our dedicated pastoral teams, our SEND department, and our specialist CASS wellbeing team, ensuring they are fully supported in making individual and safe choices.

Everything we do here is underpinned by our core belief in Kindness, Respect, and Dedication, which we expect every member of our community to share so that everyone can aspire to be their very best. In practice, this means we expect our students to embody these traits daily:

• Kindness: Students must always aim to be helpful, treating everyone with care to ensure their behaviour never makes others unhappy.
• Respect: We hold exceptionally high standards for conduct. Students are expected to be polite and considerate, and to follow staff instructions without question. This extends to wearing the correct uniform, using appropriate language, and conforming to our ICT Acceptable Usage Policy - which includes never using social media or electronics to share content about our community without permission. Crucially, students must allow others to learn by remaining silent when required. However, we also recognise that mistakes happen; when they do, we expect students to take accountability, learn from them, and attempt to repair any damage caused.
• Dedication: We ask our students to attend school with the correct equipment, maintaining excellent attendance and punctuality. They must work hard to complete all classwork and homework to the best of their ability. Above all, they must show resilience by refusing to give up and actively seeking help from staff when they face difficulties.

Alongside these core beliefs, we actively promote fundamental British Values: Democracy, the Rule of Law, Individual Liberty, Mutual Respect, and Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. These are not just abstract concepts, but lived experiences embedded within our daily school life. Whether it is debating in the school council, participating in mock elections, or exploring diverse viewpoints through our curriculum, we empower our students to challenge stereotypes and promote cohesion.

Success is a genuine partnership between home and school. To outline how we will work together to support your child, we have established a Home-School Agreement that details the commitments we expect from all parties. This agreement serves as the foundation of our shared responsibility, ensuring we collectively uphold the strong culture and ethos required for your child to thrive both academically and personally.

I look forward to meeting you and your child in the coming months as we embark on this exciting journey together.

Yours faithfully,

Christopher Simmons
Principal – September 2026