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Education round-up | News


Bigger Jubileewillmake parking problemsworse


RESIDENTS fear that problems with parking close to a primary school will get evenworse if it is allowed to double in size.


People living on Ridgway and


Pictured are Cornwallis Academy students GeorgeWatts, Tayla Barry, StaceyWright andMason Dadson


Best year yet forAcademy sixth formers


A RECORD number of Cornwallis Academy students have applied to universities in 2018. A total of 62 applications have


been made to universities, around half of the total year group. The news comes hard on the


heels of the school’s latest Ofsted report, which declared the acad- emy ‘good’ in all areas, but made specific reference to the sixth form. The inspection report said cur-


rent pupils were doing well across the whole school but singled out the upper years, where students are now making more progress than other schools nationally. This means greater numbers go


on to higher education, employ- ment or apprenticeships. Joe Sutton, director of sixth form


said: “I amdelighted that the hard work and dedication of our sixth formstudents and staff was recog- nised in our recent Ofsted report.” The report states: “Students


speak highly of the careers infor- mation, advice and guidance they receive.” Students are coached through


the application process and guided by the sixth form management team, form tutors, external speak- ers and the academy’s partners from Kent University and Canter- bury Christ Church University. Some notable successes include


head boy George Watts, who has received a conditional offer to study physiotherapy at Southamp- ton. Stacey Wright has an inter- view at the Royal Veterinary College while Loughborough Uni- versity has offered places to Brad Smith on its sports and exercise de- gree course and ReeceWinter on its electrical engineering programme. Aby Gibbins has a conditional place at the University of Kent to study English and history.


CowdreyClose, near to Jubilee Pri- mary School, are already finding themselves inconvenienced – and it is not just by parents dropping off children. Last month,Maidstone Borough


Council and Kent County Coun- cil’s Joint Transportation Board agreed to put single yellowlines in place near to the school to cover drop-off and pick-up times for par- ents. While Cllr Paul Harper, who represents Fant ward, backed that plan, there are still issues for resi- dents because of teacher parking. “There are regular problems in


Ridgway and Cowdrey Close,” he said. “One residentwho lives there needs regular visits from a carer and often they are unable to park anywhere near his house. “Once, he needed an ambulance


and it was a real struggle for them to get down the road to treat him. “This is an area which suffers


chronically froma lack of parking. There are spaces in the school for the teachers but they park on the street instead.” The school, which opened in


2014, had a planning application to extend to a two-formentry rejected byMBC, but has appealed that de-


Concerned residents and local councillors fear an extended primary school will cause further parking problems in local roads. Fromleft, Gareth Owen, Cllr Paul Harper, Cllr Keith Adkinson, Brian Skinner and Barbara Skinner


cision to the Planning Inspectorate. Cllr Harper believes it is vital


that the plans stay off the agenda. “No-one has an issuewith a one-


formentry on that site,” he added. “But it’s a very small site and I don’t think it’s doable to have twice asmany pupils there.” School trust member Neil Patti-


son insists that the school is always willing toworkwith local residents to iron out any issues. “We have worked very closely


with residents on parking outside the school,” he said. “If residents do have any problems, they should come and talk to us – we have an open-door policy for local residents


who may have concerns. It was al- ways our aim within the trust for Jubilee School to be a two-form entry. We have plans to expand and become amulti-academy trust – the government doesn’t want people to just have one school, they prefer trusts to run multiple schools. “When we set up this school we


went through 30 different locations but of them this site was the only one deemed suitable for a school. We are thrilledwith howthings are going at the school – people want their children to go to a school which is performingwell and so far we’re doing that.”


ShernoldmottomirrorsMP’s advice to pupils


MAIDSTONE MP Helen Grant en- joyed a grilling fromyoungsters at a local school. Mrs Grant met 17 year five stu-


dents at Shernold School in Queen’s Avenue, and was faced with ques- tions including: had she met the Queen, how did she become anMP, which cabinet role would she like and what does she do each day? She then turned the tables on the


class and asked each of them what they wanted to do when they got older, with responses including play- ing football for Spurs and Barcelona, becoming a lawyer, a doctor, an ac- tress,adancerandanOlympic runner. Mrs Grant, MP for Maidstone and


theWeald, said: “My advice to them was believe in yourself and don’t let other people put you off. “Set your goals, work hard and you will achieve. They


then toldmewhat their schoolmottowas: ‘Believe and you will achieve’. Perfect, I thought.” Head teacher Sandra Dinsmore added: “To meet a


real- life MP was an amazing opportunity for our chil- dren. They were really inspired and asked Mrs Grant


Year 5 pupils at Shernold School quizzed Helen Grant about life as anMP when she paid thema visit


many questions which ultimately furthered their un- derstanding of British values and rules of law.” The visit was also enjoyed by deputy head Gemma


Myers, who said it was a treat to haveMrs Grant visit. She added: “It really brought the subject alive and


helped themunderstand the role of our localMP. “MrsGrantwaswarmand really interested in the chil- dren themselves, which they thoroughly appreciated.”


Maidstone March 2018 19


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