News | Education


downsmail.co.uk School blow for single mum


A SINGLE mother might have to give up work simply so that she can get her four-year-old daughter to and from school in September. Laura Procter (28) lives inVinters


Park and had hoped her daughter Amelia would go to nearby East Borough Primary School. However, when the primary


school places were allocated, not only did Amelia miss out on her first choice school – but on all three of her choices. The pair now face a 5.3 mile trek


each way to a new school at Lang- ley Park, on the other side of town. Laura put down East Borough, Sandling and St Paul’s as her three preferred options, as they are less than 1.5 miles away from her home. She works part-time at a call cen-


tre in Maidstone and would have been able to drop her daughter at school and still get to work on time. She had even considered returning to full-time work, with the support of her childminder. According to our research, Laura


and Amelia’s bus journey would involve catching the 06.34 333 serv- ice fromVinters (EmsworthGrove) to Maidstone bus station. The Ar- riva No 12 service to Sutton Va- lence and Tenterden departs at


Laura Procter and Amelia


07.17, arriving at Langley at 07.41. There is then a 15-minute walk from Sutton Road down Edmett Way to the school at the lower end of the new 615-house Taylor-Wim- pey estate. Laura has to make the return journey home – and then set off again to catch the 14.17 bus to Langley and the bus back to Maid- stone finally arriving home via the 333 bus at about 5pm, assuming no major congestion, severe weather or Arriva problems. Arriva bus company says the


daily fares are £6 each per day and the most economic way would be


to buy an annual Maidstone Plus Zone pass, costing £800 each. Although Laura has lodged an appeal with Kent County Council and put Amelia’s name down on the waiting list for East Borough, she is not hopeful that the situation will change. She said: “The admissions team


has been very helpful, but unless Amelia was to be in foster care or have special needs, the process is pretty pointless. “As it is, she is a normal, healthy


child, who just wants to go to her nearest school, along with her friends from the pre-school.” Laura has worked out there are


at least eight schools between her home and Langley Park, and many more which are closer. Out of the 60 places available there, only nine people actually selected it – partly because the building isn’t yet fin- ished, along with many of the houses on the Langley Park estate. Laura said: “I had hoped my childminder would be able to col- lect Amelia from one of the three schools. Now, I have no idea what I amgoing to do. “Amelia was so settled before,


this is going to be a real upheaval. I am still in shock.”


Still room at


new primary EAST Borough Primary had 90 places available for September’s in- take, Sandling Primary had 60, and St Paul’s Primary had 90, but none of them have unfilled places. The Langley Park Primary Acad-


emy, next to the large housing de- velopment being built on the Sutton Road, opens in September as part of the Leigh Academies Trust.


Although there are 60 places in


its first full year, only nine “offered preferences” were received from parents. The local authority allo- cated 13 places, leaving 38 unfilled. This prompted fears it will be-


comean “overflow” school for other primaries which cannot meet the demand of their local residents.


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