Kilton Thorpe Friends Association is a registered charity. Membership consists of all staff of the school, parents, guardians, carers, grandparents, governors and friends.

We raise funds for the pupils by providing social evenings (disco’s, charity events bingo) and engage in many activities which support the school and the local community.

Summer School
During the summer break Kilton Thorpe School runs a Summer school during the first two weeks of the school holidays for forty hours in total 30 pupils are offered places. It is run by members of the teaching staff and teaching assistants.

Activities are wide ranging, some academic and others social. These include art and crafts, computer studies, reading skills, swimming, sports, as well as outings to local places of interest.

After Hours Club
All of our pupils are given the opportunity to participate in a weekly after hours club of their choice over a three year period at least once. All clubs are well staffed by staff who understand the various needs of the pupils.

To date we have enjoyed sewing, art and craft, flower arranging, football, cartoon drawing, circus skills, cookery, batik, computers, drama, music and outings. We also hold a term of hydrotherapy, rebound therapy (trampoline), and sensory sessions for pupils who have more profound needs.

Our pupils are given a picnic tea before the club starts and are transported home at the end of the session. Pupils learning is enhanced with new skills being taught and a new dimension being added to school life.

School counselling service
The school has two qualified counsellors on its staff and during the last two years the school has been operating a counselling service for the pupils. This service is in addition to the pastoral care that all the pupils receive from the tutor/classroom staff. The counselling gives the opportunity for individual pupils to talk with a member of staff who is not necessarily directly involved with them on a regular basis. To date we have had great successes and the feedback from the pupils’, staff and parents is very positive. For an individual pupil to receive counselling they need to be willing and we must have consent from the parent or guardian.

At Kilton Thorpe we have a thriving Student Council, which is made up of 2 committees. The Upper council, which comprises the 6th Form representatives, and the Lower Council, which includes the Primary and Secondary pupil representatives. There are also representatives from the PMLD and the Autistic Home Bases on the committees.

The councils have two main purposes. Firstly it ties in with aspects our PSHE and Citizenship curriculum by introducing the concepts of living in a democracy and being bound by the rules of this (constitution) etc. It also gives pupils a flavour of what it is like voting and taking part in a real election. Just as importantly it helps empower the pupils and encourages the idea that individuals can make a difference and bring about change.

Pupils elect to stand and are nominated and seconded by fellow pupils and an election day is set so that all pupils get an opportunity to vote. The school becomes a polling station for the day and we usually have PC Eric Green in attendance and use an official ballot box and polling booths.

The elected pupils meet every half term and report back to the Governors and the whole school at the annual general meeting which is also used to thank the outgoing council and welcome the newly elected members.

Last years council managed to bring about a number of changes including arranging for table clothes and individual plates and dishes to be used for the 6th Form lunches. The lower group also arranged to sell ice pops in the summer term during break times to raise money to purchase games to be used for break and lunch time.