There are no new Kent or Medway applications this month.

On its website the Department of Education claims that over half of Kent secondary schools are now academies. With 49 academies from a total of 101 Kent secondary schools, this claim appears dubious.

The proposal to found a new Wye Free School (Wye near Ashford) has been resurrected. The proposal is for a small, comprehensive (non-selective) secondary school in the village of Wye. You will find full details here. At present it sounds very idealistic, seeking to attract all abilities across the polarised grammar/non selective system in Kent. Private schools in East Kent mainly cater for children who have not been found selective under the Kent Eleven plus, and similarly one sees very few parents of able children being attracted such a small comprehensive school. The proposal to focus on the academic curriculum curriculum of the English Baccalaureate indicates the philosophy of the proposers, although their press release paints a highly ambitious programme, apparently catering for all interests and aptitudes (nothing wrong with that) which may be difficult to achieve in such a small school. 

Part of the thinking behind the proposal may be for children to avoid the large and socially diverse non selective schools in Ashford and Kennington, and again, there is nothing wrong with self interest - its just that it would be paid for out of the shrinking funds available for state schools nationally. There is more information and opinion on Free Schools here.