Tigers off to roaring start
MAIDSTONE’S newest primary school, Tiger Primary in Loose, opened its doors onWednesday, September 5. Run by Future Schools Trust, it
is the first primary school in Kent to be set up under the Govern- ment’s Free Schools initiative. The school will cater for chil-
dren aged four to 11, and opened with 76 pupils in two reception classes and a year 1 class. Based at the New Line Learn-
ing (NLL) Academy site, in Boughton Lane, the school plans to offer a “creative” curriculum, including Mandarin, music, gym, dance and games, as well as the core subjects. Pupils will also have access to a school farm and ecology woodland. HeadEmmaBryant said: “Tiger Primary gives parents an alterna- tive choice of education, which aims to engage and inspire all pupils to develop and achieve.” Kelly Knight, whose child started in reception at the school, said: “Tiger Primary promises everything you look for in a school; great teaching, great facilities and a great cur- riculum. We feel this is the school of the future.” As a free school, the manage-
ment team can set its own open- ing hours and term dates. Tiger Primary will be open from 7.30am to 6pm, although lessons
Tiger Primary’s first pupils show off their uniform and get down to some fun learning
take place from 9am to 3.15pm. There will be a programme of ac- tivities outside those hours. The school can also provide up to three meals a day. However, John Walder, divi-
sional secretary of the National Union of Teachers, was less en- thusiastic, saying the school did not offer anything that was not offered by other local schools. He also feared that other schools – and teachers’ jobs - might be put at risk if parents were persuaded to move their children to the new school. He suggested that the enthusi-
asm surrounding the new school might not last, and there was no guarantee the school would survive long-term. Free schools are funded by the Government, according to
the number of pupils, but have more control over their curricu- lum. Like all other schools, they are subject to Ofsted inspec- tions and will have their results published in league tables. All schools must go through the allocation process, which gives priority to familieswho live close to the school, to children with special needs and to those with a sibling in the school. For more information about
Tiger Primary School, go to
www.futureschoolstrust.com
Volunteers trained to
help debtors Continued from page one
support vulnerable people is greater than ever.” Guidance tutor Maurice Burlem said: “The growing numbers of clients with in- creasingly complex problems and issues makes it more es- sential than ever that our vol- unteers receive the best training to enable them to continue to provide a first class service to our clients.” In addition to debt prob-
lems, in 2011/12 the bureau’s housing advice team saw 318 clients, of whom 142 were homeless or facing homeless- ness; The employment adviser
dealt with 108 clients, 27 of whom received out of court financial settlements and six more a financial award through the courts; and two were reinstated in their jobs. The welfare benefits ad-
viser helped 292 clients, of whom 43 received new or in- creased benefits and 72 re- ceived a lump sum and continued periodical pay- ments. More than £573,800 in benefits was obtained on behalf of clients.
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