The pupils from The Sittingbourne School led officers to a vulnerable missing teenager found deep in chalk pits near Highsted Road, and have since been presented with Upstander Awards by Kent Police.
Four schoolboys from Sittingbourne have been recognised by Kent Police after guiding officers to a missing teenager found deep in chalk pits near Highsted Road on 2 July 2026. The teenager was uninjured but passed into the care of medical professionals as a precaution.
Officers had been carrying out enquiries in the Highsted Road area after receiving a report at around 4.20pm that a vulnerable child had gone missing. Dense woodland and awkward terrain made the chalk pits a difficult area to search — until the boys stepped in. They told officers they had spotted a girl deep in the quarry and led them straight to her location.
PC Frazer Harris, who later visited the class to present the awards, said: “These boys were a massive help in finding a vulnerable missing person and made what might have been a difficult area search into a very easy one. Had they not been there and provided that assistance, the outcome could have been very different. They are a credit to themselves and their school, and they should rightly be proud of themselves.”
The Upstander Awards are handed out by Kent Police to pupils who show exceptional bravery, sympathy or support for their community. PC Harris attended The Sittingbourne School to present the awards in person to Will, Archie, Jack and Charlie.
Headteacher Nick Smith said: “When it really mattered Will, Archie, Jack and Charlie showed great character and did all they could to help someone in need. We couldn’t be prouder of the boys here at The Sittingbourne School.”