We would like to extend a very warm welcome to all prospective parents / carers and their children. Throughout the course of the year we will be working with all of our feeder primary schools and your children to prepare them for life at Kepier.

We would like to take the opportunity to meet you and will be attending events at primaries throughout the year.

We understand that choosing your child’s school can be a very difficult decision and that’s why staff at Kepier believe that everyday should be an Open Day. If you would like to see our school in action, to book an appointment please contact our main reception.

Transition update: June 2024

Below is some information regarding your child’s transition programme to Kepier before the summer holidays.

Mr Haley and Mrs Bilton have met with the majority of learners in their primary schools over the last few weeks and we are now in the process of meeting with your child’s teachers and key staff to gather as much information as possible to support them when they start Kepier.

Over the coming weeks, there are a number of activities taking place which I have detailed below (a paper copy of this information will be delivered to your child’s primary school this week)

Transition week events w/c 24 June 2024

We are inviting all learners who are starting Kepier in September 2024 to join us for two days in June.  During the two days, learners will experience a range of activities which will support them in year 7.

For their transition days learners will need to make their own way to and from Kepier. They should arrive at Kepier at 8.30am and assemble in the canteen where they will have an opportunity to have breakfast. Learners will be dismissed at 2.50pm (learners who are waiting for their siblings will remain in the main hall). Kepier will liaise with your child’s primary school regarding confirming they have attended these days.

  • Monday 24th and Tuesday 25th June: Bernard Gilpin, Dubmire, East Rainton, Gillas Lane and Shiney Row
  • Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th June: Newbottle, Burnside, Non-Feeder schools
    • There will be a number of staff available to support and guide learners throughout the day including at the gates as they arrive and depart Kepier.
    • Kepier will provide lunch, any dietary requirements should be documented on the green form  ‘Acceptance of Responsibility for School Events / Visits Summer 2024’.  Your child will bring this home with them from their primary school.  Please return this to your child’s primary school by Thursday 13th June 2024.
    • All refreshments and lunch will be provided free of charge and learners do not need to bring any money with them.
    • Learners should wear their current school uniform, however they may participate in some sporting activities throughout the day and we advise that they have appropriate footwear such as trainers.
    • Learners should bring their water bottle with them.

Completion of Year 6 data collection

As part of our Virtual Parents’ Evening in March 2024, we asked that Parents and Carers completed the following form;  Year 6 information, September 2024 intake (google.com)

If you have not completed it, can you please fill it in as soon as possible as it will help us allocate places for two events listed below. The form will be closed on Friday 21st June to allow the information to be processed.

Parent and Learner Visits w/c 1 July 2024

For those parents who have expressed an interest in visiting Kepier during the school day for a guided tour (via completing the Information form listed above), the allocated appointment times will be confirmed to you by email . There will be samples of uniform from Emblematic, Kepier’s uniform supplier, available onsite during these visits enabling pre-ordering.

Parents’ Evenings July 2024

Kepier will be hosting two parents’ evenings starting at 5.00pm on Tuesday 2 and Wednesday 3 July. Access to the building will be from 4.30pm, parents will be informed of their chosen event and advised that parking is limited.

Data collection

A number of data collection documents will be provided to learners at the end of their transition day and request that they bring the completed documents with them on their transition day.

Key contact information

If you would like to speak to a member of staff, about a specific query, the contact details of key staff are listed below:

Alternatively, you can call our main reception on 0191 5128960. The office opening times are:

Monday – Thursday: 8am -4pm

Friday: 8am – 3.30pm

Our Virtual Parents’ Information Evening took place on Tuesday 26th March 2024, a copy of the presentation can be found via the following link; _Y6 Virtual Parents’ Evening, March 2024

Kepier’s On-Site Y5/6 Open Evening this year will took place on Wednesday 20th September 2023 from 3.30 – 6pm.

Updated information regarding Kepier’s Elite Football Academy.

Kepier will admit 230 learners into the September 2024, year 7 intake. We are not recruiting into the Elite Football Academy programme this year, all learners who are offered a place at Kepier will follow our mainstream curriculum pathway.

As a result, we have removed Children selected on the basis of aptitude from our oversubscription criteria (criteria 2). Admissions will now ranked on the following criteria:

  1. ‘Child in Care’ – a child who is looked after by a Local Authority, in accordance with Section 22 of the Children’s Act 1989 or a child who was looked after, but ceased to be so, because of adoption (or become subject to a residence order or special guardianship order)
  2. Attendance in Key Stage 2 (age 7-10+) at a designated cluster junior or primary school namely:
    1. Bernard Gilpin
    2. Burnside
    3. Dubmire
    4. East Rainton
    5. Gillas Lane
    6. Newbottle
    7. Shiney Row
  3. A sibling link – an older brother/sister or older child (including adoptive and step children) that share the same parent/carer and lives at the same address, who will be attending Kepier at the time of admission.
  4. Exceptional medical or psychological reasons – you must include a medical or psychological report, prepared by a professional, to confirm information that you include in the section.  This report should explain why only Kepier could meet your child’s medical or psychological needs.  Common childhood medical conditions such as asthma or giving a child’s nervousness at starting a new school as a psychological reason for choosing a particular school are unlikely to be accepted as exceptional.  If you intend to use this criterion when expressing a preference, please contact the School Admissions Team before completing the application form.  Eligibility under this category will be considered by a meeting of the Learning Matters Trust. 
  5. Pupils for whom preferences are expressed on grounds other than those outlined above.
  6. Within each of the above, places will be offered on the basis of distance from the centre of the home address to the main entrance of Kepier.  Distance is measured by the shortest safest walking distance, using a geographical information system (GIS), with priority being given to those learners that live closest to Kepier. 

Below are some quotes from parents and carers from Transition Programme.

‘Fabulous introduction to a new school allaying all anxiety. Now, when school starts he can hit the ground running.’

‘I think everything relating to the transition has been outstanding. Well done to all involved, it certainly wasn’t like that when I was young!’

‘Kepier has by far exceeded our expectations by supporting his transition from primary to secondary school. he staff have been fantastic.’