Town Talk


ALLAN Adams, head teacher of St Katherine’s Primary School, Snod- land for25years,istoretireatthe end of this term. When he came to Snodland the school was on a split site with four classrooms on one side of the play- ing field and nine on the other. He told Town Talk in an earlier interview: “I spent most of my time running across the field between the two sites.We had two staff rooms. It was like trying to run two schools.” The buildings “on the other side”


were sold to Holmesdale Technology College and the school was rebuilt. A nursery was added in 2006. In Mr Adams’ view the biggest change in education was introduced in 1988 when St Katherine’s was one of six schools chosen for a trial of local financial management. “Before that we had to go to the au-


thority for everything, including win- dow cleaners,” he said. “I had a £6,000 budget and a staff of about 18. Now it is £1.5m and a staff of 78. “We were very successful because


Local news for Snodland and Halling Retiring school head a ‘difficult’ act to follow


Mr Adams believes his successor is inheriting a school with a good reputation, good attain- ments and good staff


I was able to adjust the budget to meet the needs of the school.” He had hoped to retire last Sep- tember and then at Christmas but as his successor had not been found he agreed to continue part-time, sharing the position with his deputy, Gerry Cadwallader, who has been at the school since 1984. Mr Adams believes that his suc- cessor, Sharon Alexander, is inherit- ing a school with a good reputation, good attainments and good staff. “She has some lovely people to


work with – Gerry Cadwallader, who was here before I arrived, and Cora [Hitchcock] my PA for 22 years.” His wife, Margaret, worked at the school, played the organ in her local church and has been involved with choirs in Snodland. The head teacher at West Malling


CE Primary School for five years pre- viously, Mr Adams lives in Bearsted, and has two sons and a daughter and one granddaughter. Bob Kingsbury, chairman of the school governors, said under Mr


Adams the school had progressed from its split site to a modern, pur- pose-built school, complete with nursery and swimming pool. “The high academic standards he


set, and achieved, mean he will be a very difficult act to follow,” he added. “However, things have to move on and we look forward to Sharon Alexander meeting the challenge of raising us to excellence.” Mr Kingsbury pointed out that in December 2010 a letter from Schools Minister Nick Gibb praised Mr Adams’ leadership in achieving ex- cellent results in English and maths, placing St Katherine’s in the top 100 performing primary schools. Mr Adams is uncertain of his retire-


ment plans but will perhaps do vol- untary work and might become a school governor. “I hope I will still have something to


offer but I don’t know where or how,” he said. Sharon Alexander is currently head


of Applegarth Nursery and Infant School, Croydon.


Local neighbourhood police presence


THERE are now five Neighbourhood Police Constables and two Police Community Support Officers operating out of the police office at theWolfe Centre, Holmesdale Technology College. PCs John Fordham, Julie Michel and Richard McIlroy have joined PCs


Mark Stubberfield and Mark Eastgate and PCSOs Kim Bashford and Char- lie Culshaw. The area they cover is Snodland, Birling, Ryarsh, Addington, Offham, Trot- tiscliffe, Stansted and Fairseat. Sgt Kevin Brigden said: “They are obviously not all working at the same


Enthusiastic quizzers turned out on a snowy even- ing to help raise funds for the community centre


Quiz provides answers for roof problems THE Snodland Community Association quiz held on Sat- urday, February 4, was a huge success. More than 130 people joined in and, in spite of the snow falling, most stayed right to the end. The evening raised over £1,000 for the community centre, and will help with the cost of renewing the roof which develops the odd leak from time to time. The community centre has its 25th anniversary this


year and after all that time, it is not surprising that some work on repairs is needed. Very many thanks to all the people who helped to make the evening such a suc- cess, especially Graham Morecraft and his wife for preparing the questions and acting as quizmaster, and to Dilys Crook for preparing all the food.


VOLUNTEERS are needed to maintain the churchyard at Christ Church, Snodland, after four people who cleared it and brought it up to the present standard have retired. Keith and Pat Chapman of Queens Av-


enue, Snodland, read an article in Town Talk in summer 2005 headed “An unholy mess”, describing the dreadful state of the church- yard. “Pat and I went there in September armed


with two pairs of shears and secateurs,” said Keith. “We were overwhelmed with the height of the grass, stinging nettles and brambles. It was a task we thought we would never complete.” They were joined by friends Dave and Ruth Chapman (not related) of Godden Road, Snodland, and strimmers and a mower were provided by the Snodland Partnership. In the December 2007 issue of Town Talk


time but cover the period between 7am and 1am. If life is in danger or a crime is in progress continue to phone 999. “For other calls, such as reporting non-urgent crime, to speak to a local


officer or to make an inquiry, call 101. This number is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and costs 15p, even from mobiles.” Sgt Brigden added that from April to January, compared with the same period the previous year, crime in Snodland East was down 24% and in Snodland West down 7%. There had been a spate of burglaries starting in October last year, mainly from unoccupied houses, but aman had been ar- rested and charged and was on remand in prison.


Holmesdale pupils to join twinning visit


MEMBERS of Snodland Twinning As- sociation will be visiting their twin town, Moyeuvre-Grande in north east France, from March 31 to April 3. They will stay in the homes of their counterparts and, for the first time, six pupils at Holmesdale Technology


we described the progress that had been achieved by the Chapmans. “After we had cleared the graveyard, when mowing was not required we did any other work that needed doing, including the re- moval of shrubs and wind-blown trees,” Keith said. “But at the end of last year we de- cided we would not carry on. “The results that you see today has given


us all a lot of satisfaction, allowed our friend- ship to grow and hopefully given back some- thing to the community.We hope that future volunteers get as much pleasure from work- ing in the graveyard as we all did.” The Rector of Snodland, the Rev Hugh Broadbent, said the two families have en- joyed what they did and found it immensely satisfying but after six years they feel it is time to lay aside the mower and strimmers and gracefully retire.


College, along with Angela Riley, head of modern languages at the school, are making the trip. Students from France visited Snod-


land last year on the 25th anniversary of the twinning and it was considered a great success.


Helpers needed to keep churchyard looking spick and span


“On behalf of all who use or have used the churchyard, I would like to say a big, big ‘thank you’ to Keith, Pat, Ruth and Dave for their work in this important public area of our town.” Hugh added that as an active churchyard


it was not maintained by the council in the way the town’s cemetery is. “We need volunteers to maintain it and fi- nancial donations to pay for the equipment, tree surgery and other costs. To this end, one of our congregation, Jonathan Overell, is seeking to form a new team of volunteers. If you can help in any way, we would be de- lighted to hear from you.” Said Jonathan: “The more people we can


get the less onerous it will be for each. We would welcome volunteers from the wider community, who can contact me on 01634 244872.”


Town Talk 7


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