downsmail.co.uk ‘Behaviour


maintained’ A GOVERNMENT inspector has ruled that a Maidstone secondary school “takes effective action to maintain high standards of behav- iour” after two complaints to Ofsted made by parents. After making an unannounced


visit toValleyPark School, in Hunts- man Lane, the inspector wrote: “Leaders and managers have taken effective action to maintain the high standards of behaviour and atti- tudes identified at the academy’s previous inspection.” However, there were “pockets of


weaker practice”, particularly where temporary teachers were standing in. Students also said that inappro- priate language was sometimes used, and this was not always picked up on by teachers. However, the school – rated out- standing by Ofsted two years ago – had excellent systems for managing behaviour, the report concluded.


Academy ‘needs further improvement’ - Ofsted


NEW Line Learning Academy in Maidstone has been given a list of areas where it must make im- provements, after an Ofsted in- spection. One of these is in teaching, which


the report describes as inconsistent, with the proportion of students at- taining five or more good GCSE passes, including English and maths, not high enough. The secondary school in Boughton Lane, which converted to academy status in 2007, has been toldweaknesses in teaching in areas including science and geography hadleft theirmarkonstudents, with unmotivated youngsters doing “the bare minimum” in some classes. The inspectors also pulled teach-


TWO bicycleswere taken from outside a premises in The Green, Bearsted. A shed in the garden of a home in Hockers Lane, Detlingwas broken into but nothing appeared to have been taken. A number plate was taken from a car in Oeridge Road, Bearsted but later recovered. Lockswere damaged on sheds at a property in Hockers Lane, Detling. Nothing was taken. Therewas a spate of vehicle-related


crimes in NurseryAvenue, Bearsted. The bonnet and wing mirror of a Citroen C15 vanwere damaged. The front number plate was taken from a Vauxhall Astra and a Ford Fiesta was also damaged, apparently in an aempt to remove the number plate. Three menwere seen behaving suspiciously. A shipping container used as an office at


a commercial premises in Hockers Lane, Detlingwas broken into and searched. Nothing was missing. CCTV footage showed a Land Rover and two men on the site. A home inWare Street, Bearsted was broken into and computer equipment, including a Toshiba laptop, an Xbox and a Sony Playstation, was stolen. Several CDswere stolen from a Land


Rover on a drive in The Street, Bearsted. Hydraulic tools and plant were taken


from a yard in Forstal Road, Sandling. Fishing equipmentwas taken during a break-in at the garage of a property in Weavering Street,Weavering The driver’s window of a vehiclewas smashed in The Street, Boxley. An air pellet was fired at a horse, injuring it, inWestfield Sole Road, Lidsing. Jewellerywas stolen in a break-in at a


home in Spenlow Drive,Walderslade. Cashwas stolen from a Mercedes van in Badger Road, Lordswood. A vehiclewas stolen from PilgrimsWay, Detling. Gas boleswere stolen from a caravan


site in Otham Street, Otham.A white Transit vanwas seen on the site.


ersupfor not setting enough home- work – a point made by some par- ents as well as students – failing to use marking to improve standards and pupils’ learning history to adapt lessons, which meant for some, classeswere toohard, and too easy for others. It added: “Students’ work in les-


sons is not thoroughly checked and so the standard of written work and presentation is not good enough and too often slower workersdonot complete tasks.” Inspectorsacknowledged that the curriculum had improved since the previous inspection and the time given to English and mathematics was now at a good level, as was pupils’ safety and behaviour.


There was also praise for voca-


tional and practical subjects, which inspectors felt were taught “well, sometimes exceptionally so, by staff with good, relevant subject knowl- edge” and pupils respondedwell. Academy principal David Elliott


said: “The inspectors recognised the improvements made since our pre- vious inspection, including initia- tives to improve teaching and achievement that have had a posi- tive impact on standards, particu- larly in English and mathematics. “With high levels of parent sup-


port, recent changes to our govern- ing body and initiatives to further improve teaching and learning, we are confident thatNLLwill continue to progress on a positive trajectory.


NeighbourhoodWatch Working to reduce crime. Call Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 or local police


A signwas damaged on a fence in Chiltern Close, Downswood. Various personal itemswere stolen from


a property in MallardWay, Downswood. A concrete ornament of a girl was stolen


from the garden of a home in Titchfield Road, Otham. It is believed similar items may have also been taken from nearby properties. Four gas boleswere stolen from a storage shed in a commercial premises in Harrietsham. More than 20 chickenswere stolen from


an outbuilding of a property in caring Lane, Leeds. A blue and white Conway trailer tent has


been stolen from a driveway of a property in East Street, Harrietsham. A fence has been damaged by a vehicle


on Hollingbourne Hill, Hollingbourne - enquiries are ongoing. A large election posterwas stolen from Chegworth Lane, Harrietsham. A shed and fencingwere set alight at a


home in Longparish Close, Senacre. An upstairs front windowwas smashed


at a home in Church Crescent, Harrietsham. Two cockerelswere taken from outside a property in Back Street, Leeds. Fuelwas syphoned from a vehicle on a


farm in Scragged Oak Road, Hucking. A shed at a home in PilgrimsWay, Hollingbournewas broken into and garden equipment, including a petrol lawn mower, a diesel generator and a hedge trimmer,were stolen. A van parked in Senacre Lane, Senacre


was damaged due to an aempted break in.


A barn in Frinstedwas broken into and


toolswere stolen. A shed in the back garden of a home in


Maidstone East May 2015 35


Willington Street, Maidstonewas broken into and garden equipment, including a petrol lawn mower and a Flymo hedge trimmer,was stolen. Two lawn mowerswere stolen from a


shed in the back garden of a home in ReculverWalk, Senacre. A Flymo lawnmower and extension lead


was stolen from a shed at a home in Westmorland Road, Shepway. An X-Box and a satellite receiverwere


stolen from a property in Betsham Road, Senacre. A Toyota Corolla parked in Cheshire


Road, Shepwaywas damaged, apparently in an aempt to steal it. People ran off when they were disturbed


in a vehicle that didn’t belong to them in AndoverWalk, Senacre. Nothing was reported stolen. ALand Roverwas stolen from The Street, Bearsted but later recovered – enquiries were ongoing. An industrial digger was stolen from Sit- tingbourne Road, Stockbury. A van was broken into in Hollingbourne


and toolswere stolen. A container on a site in Hermitage Lane, Detling was broken into and tools were stolen. Jewellery was among items stolen during


a break-in at a property in Aldington Lane, Thurnham.


PROTECT YOUR HOME


ALARMS FROM £495


+VAT


Crime reports


ALARMS & SECURITY LTD 01622 880751


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64