News on planning application for Sevenoaks grammar annex etc

[mystery]

Oh sorry. I meant I would not be concerned if it was co-ed. It has to include boys or the whole thing is completely pointless. Like you I think trying to run two separate boys and girls 3 form extensions in that building might not be great and it is all very contrived - you chose the perfect adjective.

[mystery]

Decision notice is on there now.

[chimera-ma]

I've only just seen a June posting on Kent Online that KKC is currently exploring having two schools sharing the site with boys and girls taught separately but overseen by a joint governing body. I don't see how that conforms with Department of Education requirements...

Only WoK is mentioned as a possible sponsor.

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/n ... ent-18712/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[chimera-ma]

Sorry - have just seen that the Kent Online link is already on here.

[mystery]

I've only just seen a June posting on Kent Online that KKC is currently exploring having two schools sharing the site with boys and girls taught separately but overseen by a joint governing body. I don't see how that conforms with Department of Education requirements...

Only WoK is mentioned as a possible sponsor.

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/n ... ent-18712/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

No, it doesn't meet dfe requirements at all. But it will fool the majority who don't read the detail for a long time to come. It seems to have kept mrs shilling happy if the quote is accurate.

If Weald and twgsb each separately got agreement that expanding by three forms into that building was an expansion and not a new school it could be a goer I guess. But some new joint governing body notion would surely foul it up. It would have to run as two single sex expansions that just so happen too be housed in the same building. As it's not designed for segregation of the two sexes during the school day I am not sure if the by would get it past the dfe's nose. And running a three form annex at that distance does not sound financially attractive. But I wait to be amazed.

In the meantime,what are they going to do with that empty building if they build it? Indoor tennis?
.

[chimera-ma]

Well, it certainly looks like they are going for the 'empty building' at least: there are workmen on site. (I've started a new topic on that.)

I wonder what the status is re: greenbelt sign-off from Eric Pickles? And is it a conspiracy of silence or can KCC and others not be bothered to keep the public informed? With a new Education Secretary appointed last week...will we hear something official soon or will it remain quiet over the Summer?

[mystery]

It got sign off from Eric Pickles. Yes, if it is being built right now they are certainly not making a glorious fanfair. I suppose building a potentially empty school is somewhat embarrassing, if that is what is going on.

It's amazing how secretive public organisations can be when they choose to be so.

[chimera-ma]

At their 23rd July mtg, KCC's Education [etc] Cabinet Committee gave short consideration to a tabled 'Review of the Kent Commissioning Plan for Education 2013-2018'. I've watched part of the webcast (the most obviously relevant bits) but could find no direct reference to secondary provision in Sevenoaks.

The Review document advises that actual Year 7 numbers in Kent (Jan 2014) were 2.2% up on estimates, attributable primarily to an underestimate of inward migration to Kent. Sevenoaks was 19.8% above estimate - skewed by the opening of Trinity School; Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge & Malling numbers were slightly above predictions.

Projected figures will also be updated and feed into a revised 'forward plan for school expansions and building new schools' to be presented to the Committee in draft form at its next meeting in September 2014.

The plan must surely account for plans in connection with the Wildernesse site.

[mystery]

You would think so wouldn't you. But I couldn't make head or tail of how the previous year's document demonstrated the need for 4 new forms of non-selective and 6 forms of selective in sevenoaks town, and whether it took the higher number of forms at some of the other grammars into account or not,

It surely needs to include some different potential scenarios to hang together as a planning document?

Chimera-ma's sleuthing skills have been noted in the local press - see the last paragraph of this recent article:

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent-busine ... ove-21526/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Why is it about the grammar school but not about the free school, and yet it doesn't really have any news about whether the grammar building is actually being constructed at the moment, nor when it will be ready? I guess these journalists just read the press releases from Kent County Council and don't do much more than get a few quotes from the only councillor that is allowed to speak about it and so everything is one-sided and highly uninformative. So much for open government.

[chimera-ma]

It seems the kentonline journalists also read forum posts, doesn't it?
We can only hope some KCC politicians do so too, and will decide less harm will be done to the Council's reputation by an upbeat press release about the building timetable for the next year (or two...) than by unmanaged press - and forum - reports of building-by-stealth.

I remain positive that two new-build schools providing for 10 forms of entry represents good forward planning for secondary educational provision in Kent - even if the Trinity free school initiative was independent of Council.

It may well be that the early years for Trinity and the new grammar "annexe" will entail them taking more out-of-district entrants to fill places, but that number will reduce as local demand increases through inward migration and (hopefully) the reputation of the schools for quality teaching and facilities.

Building new schools on land already designated for school use and of a size generous enough to allow for sports and recreation space is far better than piecemeal classroom additions to existing schools in Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells.