(updated April 2012)

New Line Learning Academy, Maidstone. OFSTED March 2010 - The Academy was found to be satisfactory and the Inspectors found clear signs of improvement from previous standards. The Academy has been formed from the amalgamation of the former Senacre School and Oldborough Manor School, in West Maidstone, and is now based at Oldborough Manor, the old buildings are being replaced by a brand new school, already under construction, on the Oldborough site costing some £31 million. Both schools have had a very chequered history, but are now under the aegis of the successful Cornwallis School which also became an Academy with a role to support the new combined one. This is, apparently, a recipe for success, despite the fact that Cornwallis School had the same role for over five years in its previous incarnation, without any conspicuous success! Details are here.

For 2009 entry, NLL was half empty before additional pupils were allocated places who never applied there. After successful appeals at other schools, numbers again fell, although there have been 41 casual admissions this school year (possibly because other schools were full).  Is the Academy  viable even before it is built? The Academy was castigated in the national media in January 2010 for having the worst absence figures in the country. Unfortunately the DCSF published wrong figures, although persistent absence is still worrying at 22.4%. The Academy had 25 permanent exclusions in 2008/9 academic year and a further 4 in the Autumn of 2009. This is more than twice as many as any other school in Kent. 113 vacancies before KCC allocations in 2010. First March 2011 - just 110 children were offered places out of a capacity of 210. This number will inevitably fall as waiting lists and appeals to other schools. How can the school remain viable with these numbers even with its new buildings? Intake at the beginning of September 2011 was just 101. March 2012 - 135 places offered. 

North School Ashford. Since being rebuilt under a PFI Scheme, the school has been heavily oversubscribed.96 first choices oversubscribed on 2nd March 2010. A dramatic fall to just 22 first choices rejected on 1st March 2011. OFSTED Mar 2012 - SATISFACTORY. Excerpts from the Report: Information about the school -This is a larger than average non-selective secondary school with a sports and rural dimension specialisms in an area where selection takes place. Most students are White British, and few speak English as an additional language. The proportion of students known to be eligible for free school meals is around 13%, which is just below average. Around one in four students have been identified as having special educational needs, predominantly behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, plus specific and moderate learning difficulties. The school has a specialist unit that provides for a small number of students who have autistic spectrum disorders and it is also recognised for its work with students who have specific learning difficulties. The school meets the current government floor standard. Key findings - This is a satisfactory school that is determined to improve. It is improving rapidly because of good leadership. Disabled students and those with special educational needs make good progress. Attendance is improving and students say that they feel safe. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is typically satisfactory and the school is usually a calm and orderly place. Students’ behaviour is, in the main, managed appropriately, but there are exceptions and some learning time is lost as a result. There are effective arrangements for ensuring students are safe and can recognise and respond to risks. The school is led and managed well. An ambitious vision for the school is shared by all staff. March 2012 - Popularity up again, third most pupular non-selective school in Kent. 61 first choices rejected.  

Northfleet Technology College Ofsted 2010 - Satisfactory. Completely rebuilt under BSF. 8 first choices rejected 1st March 2011, first time oversubscribed for some years -  is this the pull of the new buildings.March 2012, once again oversubscribed. 

Northfleet School for Girls Was oversubscribed even before its capacity was reduced by 30 girls for 2009 entry under the rebuild for BSF. OFSTED Feb 2010 - Satisfactory and Improving with significant strengths. Jan 2011, OFSTED subject inspection for Music - Inadequate. 32 first choices turned down on March first for entry September 2011. Did not fill for entry 2012. 

Norton Knatchbull School Ashford. This grammar school usually fills but is not regularly oversubscribed. The new Headteacher is Ms. Susanne Staab, previously Deputy Head of Folkestone School for Girls, keeping the number of female heads of Kent boys' schools at three, ahead of the number of male heads of girls' schools. 3 qualified first choices oversubscribed on 2nd March 2010, 5 for March 2011. It is reported there were just three successful appeals for September 2011. Two of them were clients of mine. 5 first choices again oversubscribed for September 2012.