New classrooms add school places
THE Discovery School at Kings Hill will be able to take an extra 30 pupils in September after getting the go-ahead for six new classrooms on its playing field. Kent County Council pro-
posed the modular classrooms, which cost £978,000, to meet pressure on places at the Dis- covery Drive school. The scheme was initially de-
layed by objections from gov- ernment agency Sport England. These were overturned by the Secretary of State for Communi- ties and Local Government on July 10. But frustrated parents, an-
gered by the chronic oversub- scription at the Discovery and the estate’s other primary, Kings Hill School in Crispin Way, have started a petition. They feel there is still an urgent need for a third school in the area. Some 17 children who applied failed to get a place at either The
Long lease for
holiday home GRAHAM Campbell has been granted temporary approval to lease a converted holiday prop- erty at Forge Lane, West Peck- ham, on a long let. The oast roundel and garage at Clements Cottage had been let to a young family on a 12-month lease, but Tonbridge andMalling Council said this was in breach of planning permission. The en- forcement officer suggested the owner apply to temporarily amend the condition, and West Peckham Parish Council raised no objection providing it re- mained temporary.
Garden buildings NIKKI Dennington has applied for planning permission for a timber-framed artist studio in the back garden of 184 Butchers Lane, Mereworth. Proposals have also been submitted to Tonbridge andMalling Council by Michael O’Gorman for a log cabin in the rear of the garden of 180 Butchers Lane.
Classic car show KENT’S Classic Car Show and auto jumble takes place at Aylesford Priory from 10am to 4pm on September 23. Anyone wishing to exhibit should call 01732 840787 for details, or email kentsclassic-
carshow@hotmail.co.uk.
Bigger classroom HADLOW Primary School, in School Lane, has applied to Tonbridge andMalling Council for planning permission to ex- tend a single-storey classroom.
Extension plans PLANS for a two-storey side ex- tension at 25 Elm Crescent, East Malling, have been submitted to Tonbridge and Malling Coun- cil for approval.
12 Malling
Discovery or Kings Hill School this year. A working group has been formed to highlight what they feel is a severe shortage of pri- mary school places. They want to hear from parentswhose chil- dren will need places in the fu- ture, those who have not been offered a place at either school and those who sent their chil- dren to other schools because they assumed they would not get a place. The group can be contacted
on
www.facebook.com/King- sHillPrimarySchoolProblems or on the blog workingpartyking-
shill.blogspot.co.uk Concern is growing because
about 400 houses are still to be built on the estate. KCC initially failed to predict
the numbers of people moving to Kings Hill to start a family and the subsequent high birth rate. The Discovery was
planned to take two reception classes with a total of 60 pupils. For the past two years the school has taken an extra class of 30, but this year it was full. Around 18 months ago a
group of parents applied to the Department of Education to set up a free school, but their appli- cation was turned down. KCC has offered children places at nearby schools like Wateringbury, but parents say this is isolating them from their own communities where they have been to pre-school and have friends. Mother-of-two Angela Vin-
cent, of Niagara Close, who was involved with the free school bid said: “There may be new classrooms but the point is that the infrastructure of the school has not been upgraded. “The extra numbers put pres-
sure on the school. If you com- pare it to other areas with
overcrowded schools, it may sound precious, but the school wasn’t designed to be that size. Mrs Vincent pointed out that
the funding arrangements for schools at Kings Hill had led to wrangling between the develop- ers and KCC about projected numbers. “I feel that Kings Hill is being
sold as a family-friendly envi- ronment, but it’s masking the bigger issue,” she said. “People are paying a big pre-
mium to live here. There is an assumption that your children will go to the local school. “The only option is a third school. It doesn’t have to be a free school, the developer has to have some responsibility. “Or what will they do next?
They may try to cram more classrooms into Kings Hill School, but from a health and safety perspective it is not suit- able, and it won’t be cheap.”
Pupils raising cash for Moroccan adventure
FOURTEEN pupils from The Malling School are taking part inaWorld Chal- lenge Expedition, trekking in the SierraNevada mountains in Spain and carrying out projectwork in Morocco. The Year10to12students will have
to raise £1,400 for the trip next July. They are looking for donations and sponsorship from local people and businesses. They have already organised boot
fairs and raffles and provided refresh- ments at school functions to raise money and held a fun day including a basketball match, cake sales and hair braiding. There are plans for more events. Anyone who can help schould email
Some of the pupils of The Malling Schoolwho are off toMorocco
Tribute to bike crash dad THE WIFE of a father-of-three- who was killed in a motorcycle crash near the centre of Snodland said he will be sorely missed. Jason Randall (39) died
when his motorbike was in a collision with a car as he was travelling along Malling Road on July 14. His wife Nicola said: “Jason was a much loved husband and father and will be sorely missed by his family and friends. “I would like to thank
the emergency services, air ambulance crew and special thanks to the lady who arrived on the scene to help before the emer- gency services arrived. I would also like to thank friends and family for their continued support.” The accident happened at about 6pm, close to
the Home and Hobby DIY shop, as Mr Randall, of Mary Last Court, was travelling towards the town centre. Flowers were later placed at the scene. The driver of the car, a blue Vauxhall Corsa,was
taken to hospital, but later discharged. The road was closed for about five hours. The air ambulance also landed nearby. Police asked anyone with information to call
the Serious Collision Investigation Unit appeal line on 01622 798538.
charlottebaker@themallingschool.ken
t.sch.uk or call the school office on 01732 840995
Farewell to ‘gifted leader’ LOCAL Government Minister Eric Pickles was among hundreds who paid tribute to Mark Wor- rall as one of the most gifted local authority lead- ers of his generation. The packed congregation
at St Peter’s and St Paul’s Church, Tonbridge heard how, under his leadership, Tonbridge and Malling was officially ranked the top council in the country. Cllr Worrall, who was 58,
had battled against multiple sclerosis for several years.He died in April. The father of three, who lived inWest Malling, had been leader of Tonbridge and Malling Council since the Conserva- tives gainedpower in 2003.He was awarded anOBE in 2008. Tonbridge and Malling MP Sir John Stanley
paid tribute to the way he had fought his illness without complaint, and the council’s current and former chief executives, David Hughes and Tim Tompson, spoke of his service to the community. Mr Tompson recalled how he never went on holi-
day and there was rarely an evening when he was notworking for the council.Healways put theneeds of other, especially the disabled, before his own. His successor, David Hughes, said his legacy was a well-run authority in a sound financial position.
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