News
downsmail.co.uk Good news for school applicants
MOST Maidstone children have secured their first choice of second- ary school – and almost all of them one of their four preferences. This year, more children than ever applied for a place in a Kent second- ary school, with 18,797 applications received – an increase of more than 600 on last year. Despite the increase in applica-
tions, 363 more Kent children will get their first preference of second- ary school for September compared with last year, and more than 97% will receive anoffer from one of their four preferences.
Racial offence
AMARDENman has been ordered to do 175 hours of work in the com- munity after making racial threats and attacking two men in Maid- stone. Ross Purland (25), of the Cockpit,
was sentenced by Mid Kent magis- trates after he admitted the assaults at Market Buildings on November 15 in which one man suffered ac- tual bodily harm, and for using racially aggravated threatening or abusive words and behaviour. Purland must also pay a £25 fine,
£325 compensation, £85 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.
Loose Primary School pupils whoworked on the film project However, 428 will still have their
school allocated by Kent County Council – but the figure is a third less than the 641 last year. Roger Gough, KCC’s cabinet member for education, said: “Offi- cers have been hard at work to en- sure that there is enough capacity in Kent schools to cope with another year of increased applications. In spite of the challenge, 13,159 families will receive their first preference school and 1,840 their second. “The excellent work in Kent schools coupled with KCC deliver- ing on its school place planning pro-
vision, has meant 2016 will see the highest number of children securing their first preference school to date.” Cllr Gough commiserated with
those who did not receive their pre- ferred school but said therewas still time for things to change. “This is the very first stage of the
school allocation process and I would like to reassure parents that a specialist KCC team is on hand to help with any
queries.Betweennow and September there will be consid- erable movement through waiting lists and the appeals process." Parents have until March 17 to ac-
cept or refuse their offer and must lodge appeals by April 13. KCC will send out a second round of offers on April 29. The charity ChildLine has opened
its helplines to children worried about their allotted place. An NSPCC spokesman said: “Finding out that you haven’t got into the school of your choice means starting again in anewenvironment and having to make new friends. “ChildLine is there to support children 24/7. Call and speak to a counsellor on 0800 1111 or go to
www.childline.org.uk.”
Pupils put their pride in school on film
PUPILS from Loose Primary School Council have been working with A-level media students from In- victa Grammar School on a video to promote their school. Pupils and parents attended the premiere to see
the results of the 12-week project. Three videos showing learning throughout the curriculum created by year 1 pupils were shown as well as a film of a day in the life of a pupil at Loose. MissWatts, assistant headteacher at Invicta,
thanked all staff and pupils at Loose, saying she had seen such pride and excellence at the school during their visits and that this had made the filming of a video easy for her students.
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Maidstone South March 2016
FEED THE BIRDS FOR LESS
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