Referral unit ‘helps pupils re-integrate’


OFSTED inspectors who went to The Cedars pupil referral unit in Bower Mount Road, Maidstone, found it was a good school that helped to “rekindle students’ appetite for learning” and improve their behaviour and personal development The unit caters for students


who have been excluded from their mainstream school orwho are at risk of permanent exclu- sion. It is a short-stay provision, usually for up to 12 weeks. Students’ achievement was


good, and mostmade significant gains in the basic skills of liter- acy and numeracy, which made it easier for them to re-integrate into mainstream schools. Good teaching was found to


be underpinned by effective be- haviour management and the setting of interesting activities. However, marking was found to be inconsistent. The unit was said to be a safe


place in which to learn, and students’ self-esteem improved, along with their behaviour. Ofsted said greater use of new technologies would help the unit to improve teaching and enliven learning, and closer tracking of independent learn- ing should be implemented.


Claire’s Indian adventure


A MAIDSTONE woman is tak- ing a 12-month career break to spend a year working with a charity in India. Claire Boxall, PR and market-


ing manager withMaidstone so- cial housing provider Golding Homes, has been given a year out by her employers to fulfil her long-term ambition. Claire (35) has always worked


for not-for-profit organisations, and said: “I have been used to working with low resources, but not to the extent I will be doing over there. I’m hoping it will make me more creative in my approach to work.” Claire, from Leybourne, com- pleted her Voluntary Service Overseas application in April 2011, and passed her assess- ment six months later. In August this year, she was offered a place as a strategic communications


support


A MAIDSTONE care home, which was panned by critics for its quality of cleanliness and care, has passed its latest inspectionwith flying colours. The Care Quality Commis-


sion (CQC) rebuked The Oast. in Plains Avenue, after inspec- tors found residents were neg- lected and unkempt and


“I’m going to remind myself


worker for a local charity in Odisha, north east India. As well as taking part in a rig-


orous training course organised by VSO, Claire has decided to learn how to ride a motorbike – and also a smattering of Hindi. She said: “Obviously over the


next fewmonths I’m going to be doing lots of things for the first time.


served unhealthy and unap- petising meals. The home was ordered to


make major changes following the inspection at the beginning of the year or face closure. A new manager was put in


place in March, since which time staff have been recruited and given training, care plans


to enjoy every new experience – however it turns out.” As Claire will be potentially working with tribal people in regions where the water quality is unknown, she has had jabs against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, tetanus, typhoid, rabies and meningitis, plus anti-cholera medication and will need to take malaria tablets daily for 13 months. The intrepid adventurer leaves the UK in mid-Novem- ber, for three weeks training in Delhi before heading out to Odisha, a rural township with about 60,000 inhabitants, where she fully expects to be the only westerner. The nearest large town is the


state capital of Bhubaneshwar, about 10 hours drive away, while the journey to Calcutta would take about a day.


Inspectors praise care home for turnaround


have been put in place and kept up to date and cleanliness has been improved. The officer who carried out


the latest inspection found all standards were now being met, including staffing, man- agement, caring for people and their safety, and that people were treated with respect.


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