News


New schools due to be open by autumn 2018


MAIDSTONE is to get a new pri- mary school – with an intake of 60 pupils – at the Kent Medical Cam- pus near theM20at junction seven. There will also be a special school


on the same site and both will open in September next year. The Leigh Academies Trust,


which looks after 10,000 pupils at 15 academy schools in Kent and south east London, will run both, beating competition from the Valley Invicta Academies Trust. The free schools are to be called:


 Maidstone Primary Academy, with 60 pupils each year to share a site at J7 of the M20 with Bearsted Academy.  Bearsted Academy, a secondary special school. For Maidstone MP Helen Whately, it is the successful culmi- nation of pressure she has applied to the Education Funding Agency (EFA) to get new primary places for Bearsted and relieve pressure on families who need special schools. Mrs Whately said: “We badly need these schools, and this an-


have to have an 80-mile round trip, as happened in one case.” But Maidstone borough councillor


nouncement will give parents peace of mind that their child will have a good school place to go to. “Together with Kent County Council, I’ve been urging the gov- ernment to commit the necessary funding, and I’m pleased that they have listened. “Nowit is critical that everyone in-


volved moves quickly to get the schools built and opened in time for pupils to start in September 2018.” County councillor Jenny Whittle


said: “I’m delighted the residents of Bearsted and Thurnham have access to a new primary school and that children with special needs do not


Val Springett said in a statement to Bearsted Parish Council: “You may have seen in the Downs Mail that there are plans for a primary school on the Kent Medical Campus by junction seven. “Unfortunately, no one thought to consult Maidstone Borough Council on the site proposed and this has been a major oversight. “Iamhoping to be involved in dis- cussions regarding this in the next fewweeks to find a solution.” Education secretary Justine Green-


ing said: “We need schools that can bring out the best in every child, no matter where they're growing up, howmuchtheir parents earn orhow different their talents are.” “That'swhythesenewschools are


so important – they give us the school placeswe need for the future, and they also give parents more choices to find a great school place in their area that's right for their child.”


downsmail.co.uk


Cabbies’ view of silent trial


A TRIAL introducing a taxi service where small talk is forbidden is causing rather a lot of chatter in Maidstone. As one of “the most lonely soci-


eties yet” according to the Mental Health Foundation, we are seeing an increasing number of campaigns to reach out to the elderly and youngsters feeling isolated. The trial by Miyako Taxi, in


Kyoto, Japan, forbids drivers from initiating small talk. A company statement suggests: “This service is in a trial stage, with the goal of cre- ating an in-car atmosphere that pro- vides the most comfortable ride for passengers through limiting the dri- ver’s speaking.” Ben Veitch at Apollo Taxis, oppo-


site Maidstone East train station, says some passengers indicate they don’twant to chat early on in a taxi journey, but he believes the art of conversation and maintaining human contact is good for society. He said: “I’ve just been in Aus-


tralia where if you’re on a bus or a train, everyone is keen to start a con- versation. In this countrywe tend to be so focused, with our heads down, on the phone. While I appreciate some people may like this Japanese idea, it is clear that others enjoy hav- ing a chat with someone new.”


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