Meet the Head of Junior College: Tracey Sanford

We spoke to the Head of Junior College, Tracey Sanford.

We asked her about her role at EKC Broadstairs Junior College, her thoughts on the two-year programme, and how the Junior College supports its students. 

What is your background in education? 

I finished school when I was 18 years-old and university wasn’t right for me at the time. I began working at EKC Broadstairs College in the Student Centre and then progressed into a mentoring role where I was able to support students with pastoral support. 

I learned very early on that understanding the barriers to education and supporting the students from that aspect brought out a better outcome in the classroom. I began university courses in the evening and completed my degree whilst starting to teach in the Maths Department at EKC Broadstairs College. I then progressed into the Head of the Maths role and then moved on to the Head of Junior College. 

What is Junior College? 

It is a provision for young people aged 14 to 16 years-old where the typical academic approach to schools or home schooling isn’t appropriate for them. Its aim is for young people who already know that they want to progress into the world of catering or sports while studying for their GCSEs in English and Maths.  

How do you personally support students in Junior College?  

Part of my role is teaching the students. I teach them Maths and PSHE, which is our personal growth and wellbeing qualification. That gives me an opportunity to get to know the students in the classroom and support achievement.  

I have an open-door policy in my office, so students come in and have conversations outside of the learning environment. It’s about showing students that they can trust teachers and educational staff if they’ve had previous bad experiences. 

What is special about the EKC Broadstairs Junior College?  

The most special thing about it is the staff that supports the students. We are a very nice, small school of only around 30 students. They are thoroughly supported with mentors who have the capacity to really get to know every single student on a familiar basis. 

We are able to understand what makes students tick, how to best teach and support them, how to make reasonable adjustments and recognise when they’re having a bad day. It enables them to feel like they can enter the world of learning.  

How does the College support students transitioning from a traditional school or a home school setting? 

As part of our application process, we have an open evening where parents can come in and see the facility, which is the first step to our transition. They’re able to see if the Junior College is the right facility for them. 

We present to them what our core curriculum looks like, including GCSE Maths, English, PSHE, STEM, and vocational classes, so there’s a clear understanding that this is a full-time provision as well as all of the resources available to these students including pupil premium, free school meals, and trips. 

We look at the prospective students’ Maths and English abilities to make sure that when we design a curriculum, it meets their needs from day one. They also meet the staff where we will interview them for their intentions and they can interview us to get a clear understanding of who we are, how we can support them.  

Can you give us an example of a Junior College success story? 

One of our students initially struggled in having conversations with strangers and has really progressed in the first four months that she’s been with us. This student is very quiet but has really built on her confidence since joining the Junior College and is now able to open up and be honest about the support she needs.  

It’s because we have a good working relationship with that student that she has felt confident enough to grow in her academic and personal skills which are a really critical part of maturing. 

What advice would you give to students and parents considering applying for the Junior College?  

The Junior College is an excellent opportunity for young people where the typical school or home school setting is not meeting their personal needs as well as giving them an opportunity to really focus on a vocation that is already a passion for them.  

When students are engaged in the activities that already interest them, then the outcomes are better. The students are here because they want to be here. 

Visit our EKC Broadstairs Junior College page to learn more about Junior College.