Church move MAIDSTONE International Community Church has been given the go-ahead to establish a base at 44 Wheeler Street, Maidstone. A marketing company is leas-


ing the building, butMaidstone Council has granted planning permission to change the use. Since June 2010, the church, which began as a small fellow- ship almost two decades ago, has been hiring a hall and leas- ing an office atMaidstone Com- munity Centre in Marsham Street. The church says a growth in attendance – the weekly aver- age has risen to 50 – led to the desire for a permanent site.


Moorings plan THE Environment Agency has applied to construct 50m of riverbankmoorings at Allington Lock, Castle Road, Allington. A supporting statement said:


“The riverbank along this sec- tion is sufficiently stable. We have ensured that asmuch of the natural riverbank remains ex- posed to the river as possible.” Maidstone Council will de- termine the application.


Trees to be removed PEVEREL Retirement has been given planning permission to fell four protected Lawson cy- press trees at Barden Court, St Luke’s Avenue, Maidstone, on condition that they are replaced.


Roger Phipps with apprentices Karen Gregory (left) andMegan Haysom, who made the bench in memory of Janice Phipps


Academy vows to improve


NEW Line Learning Academy has been told it must improve after receiving a grade 3 in its latest Ofsted report. Inspectors said the school, in Boughton Lane, must improve its teaching, the managing of the school and the achievement of pupils. Only the behaviour and safety of pupils was rated as good. The report revealed not enough pupils make or exceed the progress they should in Eng- lish and maths, and those who risk underachieving are not identified quickly enough and offered support. Teaching and


the leadership of teachers by senior staff were also criticised. Strengths identified by the in- spectors included progress in the performing and visual arts and vocational subjects, where standards were above average; significant improvements in the behaviour and attendance of students; and theway governors hold the school to account and have taken strong action to ad- dress previous shortcomings in leadership and present teaching weaknesses. Principal David Elliot said the


new Ofsted framework intro- duced in September was far


more stringent than that used in previous inspections. He said inspectors were complimentary about many aspects of the acad- emy and its students, and gave pointers on how to improve. Mr Elliot said: “The staff and leadership team are taking the Ofsted comments on board and have already implemented im- provements. With the lead in- spector’s assertion that this is an academy ‘on the cusp of being a good school’, we are working hard to ensure that future in- spections will struggle to grade us as anything other than an outstanding school.”


Students unveil memorial bench


A MEMORIAL bench made in honour of a much-loved secre- tary at MidKent College has been unveiled. Janice Phipps, from Tovil,


who spent almost 30 years at the college untilher retirement in 2011, died last year, follow- ing a lengthy battle with can- cer.


Her husband Roger visited


theMaidstone campus for the presentation of the bench, made by college apprentices Karen Gregory and Megan Haysom. Mr Phipps said: “I think it’s a


wonderful gesture, Janice would have loved it.” Mrs Phippsworked as a sec-


retary for what is now the con- struction and engineering department. The memorial bench will


form part of an improved cen- tral courtyard for staff and stu- dents at the Oakwood Park complex. Head of faculty, Simon Foot,


said: “Weare still very sad tobe without Janice and many of us have extremely fond memories of her time at the college. She made a lot of friends here.”


22 Town


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