Pupils at academy face longer hours


A SECONDARY school has asked pupils and parents for their views on a proposal to ex- tend the school day. St Augustine Academy has suggested that from September, pupils should be in school from 8.40am to 4pm Monday to Thursday, and 8.40am to 3pm on Fridays, giving an additional four hours study time a week. Principal Jason Feldwick said


the hours would be dedicated to supervised independent study, which would be flexibly appor- tioned to different year groups. Mr Feldwick said the extra


time would be split between three main areas – supervised completion of homework with computer access; academy in- tervention programmes such as GCSE enhancement sessions; and other activities that cur- rently take students out of les- son time. A statement in the Academy’s


May newsletter read: “The key word is ‘flexibility’. The ability to timetable staff to work with smaller groups of students would provide an ideal oppor- tunity to increase their literacy and numeracy skills in targeting sessions.” The academy is aiming to


teach pupils skills that equip them for further education and the world of work. In addition to the extended hours, academy staff are working with an Amer- ican school,which was recently visited and praised by President Barack Obama, to introduce “challenged-based learning” into the curriculum that will produce “highly-skilled and confident young people”. The school is gradually being rebuilt, which is expected to take about a year. Eventually the old buildings will be demol- ished and a multi-use games area created in their place.


Plea to preserve signal box A SIGNAL box at MaidstoneWest that will no longer be needed after 2015 should become a tourist attraction, according to one resident. Geoff Parr, of Honywood Road, Lenham,would like to see the signal


box turned intoanhistorical education centre thatwouldpreservesome of the town’s railway heritage. MrParr,whosefatherwasa signalman on the Maidstone to Ashford line for 38 years, said: “Avast number of signal boxes are being demolished. Youcannotkeep themall,but some should be saved for fu- turegenerationsandfrom the historical point of view. “Saving the Maidstone


West signal box as a tourist attraction and telling the story of the Medway Valley railway line, an historical edu- cation centre would benefit not only the town,but the her- itage railway sector aswell.” The three-storey signal box


contains 115 levers and is one of the largest surviving signal boxes in Kent. AspokesmanforNetwork Rail revealed the companywould consider helping topreservesignalboxes thatwerehistorically or architecturally significant. He said: “As part of our work, which will modernise sig- nalling across Britain, the signal box at Maidstone West will not be needed when its operations are transferred to the newsignalling cen- tre in Gillingham in 2015.We areworking with English Heritage to as- sess all signal boxes so those with historical or architectural importance are listed and protected.Whereboxes aren’t listed,we will consider proposals by local groups regarding their future.” A Maidstone Council spokesman added that its conservation officer


had spoken to English Heritage about the signal box. The spokesman said: “Our conservation officer said English Heritage is actively consid- ering it for listing as part of a national thematic survey of signal boxes. He anticipates a decision shortly.”


Question mark over future of pub A PLANNING application has been submitted to turn the Saxon Chief pub at 250 Queens Road,Maidstone into office use. The Chartway Group, currently based in Church Street, Tovil,


says it wants to use the pub as its new headquarters. However, the company, which builds social housing properties, was earlier this year given permission to occupy the former Beds Direct site in Upper Stone Street for its headquarters. Maidstone Council will determine the change of use application.


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