Delight at A-level success story


A-LEVEL results continued on an upward trajectory throughout the borough – to the joy of students, parents and teachers. Swadelands School in Lenham achieved


its highest pass rate and average point score for many years. Atotal of 92% of students passed amin-


imum of two A-levels or equivalent. All who applied for university (38% of students) got their places without having to go through clearing. Sixth form head Jenny Silk said: “The stu-


dents’ success is down to their talent and hard work and the committed staff who have helped and supported them in what can be a very challenging two years. “It is a successful team effort of which we


are all proud.” Maidstone Girls’ Grammar School results


were “outstanding” – 73% of all gradeswere A*-B. Head teacher Mary Smith said: “An ex- ceptionally high 14% of resultswere the top A* grade and 28 students achieved at least three A*/A grades. “We are delighted with these results and


so pleased to see our students take up their well-deserved university places.” The town’s other grammar schools’ A*-B pass rates were:


Appeal for help on


speeding biker BOXLEY PCSO Andy Haw- thorn is trying to identify a mo- torcyclist who has been speeding on Walderslade Woods Road, and would wel- come any information from res- idents. He said the recent quad bike problem in Lordswood had been resolved after hemanaged to trace the owner/rider and the police paid a home visit.  There had been some in- cidents in Walderslade involv- ing dog attacks on other dogs and these had been reported to the borough dog warden.


Chiropody proposal ACHIROPODY clinic could be- come established in the centre of Lenham. Heather Palmer-Creasey has applied to convert a home at 24 Maidstone Road into the new practice. Her supporting statement


says: “The current position lends itself to the proposed use of a chiropody clinic due to it being adjacent to the chemist and in close proximity to the dentist. “It also overlooks The Square,


as do themajority of other com- mercial premises in the area.”


Holiday lets hope LESLEY Stephens has applied to convert a workshop into three holiday lets, each accom- modating two to four people, at Honywood Farm, West Street, Lenham. The workshop currently has


an established use for the repair and maintenance of cars and agricultural machinery. The planning application also in- cludes the erection of a single storey tractor/agricultural store.


46 East


ity of pupils.” He added:


“This is testa- ment to the hard work and aca- demic rigour of the students and the huge levels of support from staff.”


Jumping for joy – Maidstone Girls’ Grammar students are delighted with their results


Invicta 75% Oakwood Park 62% Maidstone Boys 60% Meanwhile, sixth form students at Corn-


wallis Academy have been celebrating an- other record-breaking year, with 68% of grades at A2-level being A*-C. Head of academy David Simons said: “We


were especially delighted for the Year 12 co- hort who achieved 71% A*-C, confirming our confidence in early entry for the major-


Students at- tending Maples- den Noakes School achieved a 98% pass rate, with 67% gain- ing A-C grades. Delighted school head Jane


Prideaux said: “All students wishing to go to university were successful in obtaining places.” She added: “The excellent results demon-


strate the hard work and commitment of both staff and students.” A total of 76% of Valley Park School stu-


dents achieved A*-C and 38% passed at grades A* and A. Astor ofHever School had an overall pass rate of more than 96%.


Disabled farmer given renewed


hope for barn ‘conversion’plan THE editor of Ulcombe’s village newsletter was blocked in his at- tempt to convert a barn into a home at Boy Court Farm House, Boy Court Lane, near Headcorn. But disabled Philip Easton (70), was told that he stood a better chance if a fresh application described it as a conversion into an an- nexe. Livestock farmer Mr Easton wants tomove into a wheelchair- friendly barn conversion, enabling his son Andrew to operate the business from the main house. Maidstone Council’s planning committee refused the scheme be-


cause it has a policy of no new homes in the countryside unless there are exceptional circumstances. But Cllr Clive English said: “If we had an application for an an-


nexe we might have been able to condition it in a way to ensure that it would not be a new dwelling in the countryside. While we can have sympathy for the individual circumstances, planning law is about the land use.” Development control manager Rob Jarman told the applicant:


“You heard what councillors have had to say. We are not saying that the principle of any kind of development is unacceptable. “I would advise you to put in a planning application for an an- nexe.”  As DownsMailwent to press, Mr Easton had submitted an ap- plication to convert the barn into an annexe.


Thanks for your vision, Nick


FORMER chairman Nick Osborne has retired from Lenham Parish Council after 20 years of service. Nick, who also chaired the planning committee,


was a driving force behind the successful project to create a new community centre, local needs hous- ing and medical centre on a single site in Groom Way. All parish council and other committee meetings


are now held in the Osborne Room – named after him – within the community centre. Alan Reading, chairman of Lenham Valley Busi-


ness Association, said: “We are very lucky to have a centre such as this, especially for a village of 3,000 population. Many of the village’s societies and groups meet here for very reasonable rates, and it is frequently used for conferences and training days because of its excellent facilities and position in the county. “We can be proud of what has been achieved, and


a lot of the vision and hard work was carried out by Nick Osborne.” Nick will continue in his role as chairman of the community centre management committee.


Nick Osborne (centre) and wife Gillian re- ceive farewell gifts from parish council vice- chairman Andrew Barr (far left) and chairman Nigel Godfrey


To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330 (pic: LVBA) Bus cuts will


‘trap’ villagers HOLLINGBOURNE Parish Council is objecting to bus cutbacks which, it says, will result in elderly and infirm residents without cars being trapped in the village over weekends. The cancellation of the number 13 service to and from Hollingbourne on Sat- urdays is high on the list of Kent County Council’s pro- posals to save £600,000 a year in bus subsidies from next April. The village already has no Sunday service. The possibility of a re-


duced number 13 Nu Ven- ture Saturday service as far as the Tudor Park Hotel out- side the village is being con- sidered.


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