downsmail.co.uk
News Free school hits back at critics
THE Jubilee Church has de- fended itself against criticism of its new free school in Gatland House, Fant. The school, in Gatland Lane, opened its doors in September last year – initially to 30 pupils in one reception class. Under free school legislation planning permission was not re- quired for the first year so only now has the church applied to in- crease its numbers – by two forms of entry every year until September 2020 – to 420 pupils, looked after by 35 full-time members of staff. More than 70 written objections
have been received, with numer- ous comments on the council’s website. While the main concern has been
traffic increases, other responses question the merit of the facility. MrsV. J. Rees wrote: “There is no
local demand for this school at Gatland House or anywhere else in the Fant area. This school is being created to serve the needs of an evangelical Christian sect not local to this area of Maidstone. “Despite being funded by public money the school will not be ac- countable to the local people or the people of Maidstone.
“Parents have the right to raise
their child in accordance with their religious and philosophical convic- tions, but they should not expect to do that via publicly- funded schools.” Pastor Neil
Pattison (left), part of the church’s lead- ership team, countered: “It is not a faith
school: it’s a faith ethos school for the local community. To say other- wise is really harmful to the school because it gives the wrong ideas. It is fully accountable because it is under Ofsted and the Department for Education.
THE planning application has re- ceived support from local people as well as parents of pupils. Claire Boucher wrote: “I am shocked that a community is not in support of a good school in their area, especially when that area is over-subscribed in the schools that they currently have.
“If the school is over-subscribed,
the selection priority will be: chil- dren with a statement of special educational need first, followed by looked-after children in local au- thority care, then siblings, special health reasons and finally, distance from the school. “There is a demand for the school, which is why the DfE agreed to have a free school in the area, and the demand has been documented by KCC.” Stephen Draywas another critic.
He wrote: “There is insufficient need for a 420-place school. Of their current intake, over 30% are not from the Fant area and are coming from as far afield as Bearsted, Loose, Mangravet, Hast- ings Road and the Mote Park and Lower Stone Street area. This
means that they are having to travel across the town causing more traffic on the already con- gested town centre roads.” Barbara Skinner, who lives in Gatland Lane, wrote: “The build- ing is not fit for purpose, there are not enough rooms for the Jubilee School’s plan to have 14 class- rooms to make it a viable business. The playground area and parking are inadequate for the proposed 420 pupils. “There will be insufficient park-
ing for classroom staff and parents and the playground will be inade- quate for 420 pupils. They will use Gatland Park for recreational peri- ods, leaving children in vulnerable surroundings.” Maidstone Council will deter- mine the planning application.
Traffic problems ‘the same with any school’ “Some of the parents car-pool
their children to and from school each day. “Well done Jubilee primary school, you have brought life and the joy of children back to this com- munity.” Shelley Pickles wrote: “As a par- ent of a child starting school in Sep-
tember 2015 I am very excited. I have seen first-hand how commit- ted andhelpful the staff are and the ethos and values of the school are exactly whatwe have been looking for in a school. “The traffic issues raised are no different to those faced by existing schools.”
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