News | Education round-up


downsmail.co.uk Students’ trip


a capital idea THIS group of year 11 art and pho- tography students from Invicta Grammar School were certainly in- spired by their trip to London on February 6, if this picture is any- thing to go by. The students were in the capital to visit the TateModern.


Make a splash for school pool


A SPECIAL school in Maidstone is hoping peoplewill ‘create a rip- ple andmake a splash’ as it looks to raise funds for a vital hy- drotherapy pool. The pool at Five Acre Wood


School will cost £850,000, and the school has managed to raise £600,000 through applications to trusts and charitable foundations. And rather than one large


fundraising event, it is hoped that lots of smaller endeavours will bring in the £250,000 to finish fund- ing the project. School fundraiser Alex Meaders


said: “I am seeking support from local businesses, schools, societies, organisations and individuals to dowhat they can. “Whether you throw a small


pebble or a large stone into a pool ofwater, the ripple effect created is felt onwards and outwards. Simi- larly, whether someone raises £50 or £5,000, the effectwill be felt.” The school, on the same campus


as New Line Learning, has more than 390 pupils aged from two to 19, all with a variety of special ed- ucational needs. The costs for the school are phe-


nomenal, with more than 270 staff needed to provide the right educa- tion for the children, who attend


fromall around the county. Staff themselves are helping the


initiative – they were all given a tube of Smarties, courtesy of Sains- bury’s, and once they have eaten the treats, they have been charged with filling the tube with 20p pieces. Mrs Meaders added: “The staff


costs are all funded as they would be in any school, but for all of the extra things we need, we have to find the funds. “This is things like the sensory


room and iPads for children who are unable to speak but can use technology to communicate, as well as toys for themto playwith. “Every penny really does count –


our needs are endless.” Among the initiatives planned for


2018 are a London to Paris bike ride, with a teamof 15 riders – including staff, parents and supporters – set to undertake the trip in July. But although the riders them-


selves are all committed to raising at least £300 each, the school is seeking a corporate sponsor to cover costs. Anyonewho can help the school,


either with the London to Paris jaunt orwith any other idea to help raise funds is asked to email ameaders@five-acre.kent.sch.uk.


Pupils lesson in democracy as they head to the polls to vote


MAIDSTONE primary pupils got the vote when they elected mem- bers to their new school council. Youngsters at Tiger Primary


School did it completely by the book, thanks to the team from Maidstone Borough Council’s electoral services’ officers,who set up polling booths and posters in the school sports hall – just like a real election. MBC’sNicolaRussell andCaro-


line Matthews explained the vot- ing system to the children in assembly before they each chose two from the eight candidates who had put their names forward. The results were announced by


18 Maidstone East March 2018


local councillors Brian Clark, Derek Mortimer and Marion Ring, and the successful candi- dates (pictured) will enjoy a trip to the town hall, where they will hold ameeting, talk to councillors and have a tour. Tiger teacher Sarah Newman


said: “The aim of the day was to show children at an early age the importance of voting and howthe electoral systemworks. “They all entered into the spirit


with enthusiasm– and some even had the chance to be poll clerks!” Head teacher Hayley Liddon


said: “Democracy is a fundamental British value and somethingwe’ve


been teaching the children in class. Today, they had the chance to see democracy in action.” Tiger Primary School,


in


Boughton Lane, Loose, is part of Future Schools Trust, which also manages New Line Learning and CornwallisAcademies.


Five Acre Wood School is looking to find the final funds for their much-needed hydrotherapy pool


Invicta Grammar is top inMaidstone


MAIDSTONE has the best and the worst performing schools in Kent, says new data released by the Department for Education. The newleaguesmeasure performance on different criteria,with class-


roomstandards ranked against new indicators. These are called progress 8 and attainment 8, and are considered a better assessment of pupil per- formance across ability ranges. Invicta Grammar School is rated sixth, Maidstone Girls’ Grammar


School ninth and St Simon Stock 14th in the top 14 best-performing schools. These are rated “well above average”. The top two are Tonbridge Grammar School and TunbridgeWells Grammar School. Those falling short of expectations and which could receive special at-


tention from Oftsed are The Holmesdale School, Snodland, Aylesford School – Sports College and Cornwallis Academy.


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.


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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


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


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


then toldmewhat the schoolmotto is: ‘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


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 East March 2018 19


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