News


downsmail.co.uk Invicta topping schools’ league


the Real School Guide has used 51 measures to come to its conclusions. IGS is number one in Kent and


seventh across the country, with a five star, 86%rating. Headteacher andjointCEOof the


Valley Invicta Academies Trust (VIAT), Julie Derrick said: “It is tes- tament to the hard work of all our students, staff and parents. “I believe that the achievements


we have aredown to the fact thatwe all have a collaborative drive for the same thing: outstanding care, out- standing education andoutstanding opportunities. “If our students are happy, they


will thrive; we also work very hard to ensure that there is a balance of academia and opportunities. “I want every student to have


great memories of their time at school and this can only happen with passionate and inspirational teachers, aswell as lots of incredible trips andopportunities - bothwithin subjects and outside of the curricu- lum.” MaidstoneGirls’Grammar School


also makes it into the Kent top 10 and is 60th nationally, with a five star and 76%rating. St Simon Stock Catholic School was the highest-ranked non-selec-


Garden safari


to help trust TEN home-owners opened their gardens to the public to raise an impressive £1,500 for the Kenward Trust in Yalding. Childrenwere able to seek safari


animals in the gardens in exchange for a small prize as their parents ex- plored, and a raffle added to the total raised. The garden safari was organised


by Francis Fish, from Seal, to raise money for Yalding’s residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation unit. LynnHyder,Kenward’s director


of community services, said: “Events of this kind are incredibly important to us in terms of raising vital funds, but also awareness of the amazing help and support our teams deliver every day of the year. “Wewould like to thank all those


involved with the organisation of the Garden Safari, and everyone who attended and took part in fund raising to support the Ken- ward Trust.” The trust celebrates its 15th an- niversary this year.


18 Maidstone August 2018 Head Julie Derrick with successful GCSE students at Invicta Grammar School


tive school in the Maidstone area with a near 60% ranking and a five star rating. It is rated 25th in Kent and was the only non-selective school to achieve five stars. VIAT school Valley Park was an-


other strong performer,with a three star rating and above mid-table na- tionally. It is 39th in the Kent statis- tics. Maplesden Noakes also takes a


three star rating, a mid-table na- tional placement and 44th in Kent. Other local secondary schools, such as New Line Learning and


Cornwallis academies, fare lesswell in the rankings both locally and na- tionally. Neither New Line nor Cornwallis were prepared to com- ment. The Real Schools Guide uses four


categories – attainment, teaching, at- tendance andoutcomes – to come to its ratings. Attainment is worth 30% of the


total score and is based on howwell pupils do in comparison with the national average, aswell as teachers' average salaries. The attendance score,worth 15%,


Flying flag with Pride


FORMER Invicta Grammar School pupil Cllr Emily Fermor has been burst- ing with pride after the rainbow flag was flown over the town hall. Now the borough councillor is hoping to engage with the LGBT com-


munity for PrideWeek in 2019. TheOxford graduate (pictured)


said: “We're looking into putting on more of a celebration next year for PrideWeek inMaidstone. I'd really like to reach out to the LGBT community inMaidstone to try and make this happen, so hopefully this will help. “I was over the moon that


Maidstone Borough Council is fly- ing the Pride flag above the town hall for the first time this year. The flag celebrates our LGBT commu- nity and sends the message loud and clear that love is love. If it brightens just one person's day, then we have succeeded.” The flag-flying received cross-


party support, although there were some “grumbles” fromthe Tory ranks, she claimed. Cllr Fermor, who lives in Coxheath, added: “This was a great demon-


stration of councillors putting their political differences aside in the inter- ests of residents of the borough. “It was very disappointing to hear some opposing grumbles from the


Conservative benches, but I don't like to think that the fewwhowere neg- ative about Pride spoke for their group as a whole.”


is based on absence rates, looking at both overall levels of sessions missed aswell as unauthorised and persistent absence at school. Outcomes is also worth 15% and


is based on what proportion of pupils continue with education, or training within three months in comparison to the national average. Scores are worked out by giving


the best performing school in each category top marks, with all other schools receivingpoints adjustedac- cording to their comparative per- formance.


Deathmystery


AN 82-year-old woman’s cause of deathmight never be known, an in- quest heard. Gloria Stringer, ofHollingbourne,


went missing on January 2 but her bodywas not found until the end of March. Shewas discovered in a gar- den in Downswood, and may have died on the day she vanished. Mrs Stringer’s disappearance


sparkedamajor hunt byKentPolice and Kent Rescue Service. Therewere seriousworries for her


welfare as she hadstartedtowander off and on one occasion, had been found 17miles fromhome. The coroner recorded an “open


conclusion”. Aldi re-opens


ALDI inWell Road,Maidstone, has re-opened after amajor refit. The store hadbeen shut since June


18 but opened again in early July with a newlayout. Changes include a freezer and


chilled sectionwith increased space for fresh meat. There are five new jobs, bringing the total at the shopto 40. Storemanager Stuart Callaghan said: “The store is looking fantastic.”


INVICTAGrammar School (IGS) is in the top 10 secondaries in the country, according to a survey. TOP 10 KENT SCHOOLS


Based on available official data,


Invicta Grammar School, Maidstone The Rochester Grammar School TunbridgeWells Girls' Grammar School Dartford Grammar School Tonbridge Grammar School Dartford Grammar School for Girls Sir JosephWilliamson's Mathematical School, Rochester Highworth Grammar School, Ashford Maidstone Grammar School for Girls BennettMemorial Diocesan School, TunbridgeWells


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