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Until next week… have a good week.
Pembury Primary School parents were invited to attend a consultation meeting on Thursday 28th November, regarding the ongoing expansion of the school from 420 pupils to 630 pupils. The expansion is necessary to cope with the well-publicised increased demand for school places within Tunbridge Wells.
Outline plans were discussed involving the addition of a double demountable classroom to temporarily house extra pupils. Mr Simon Webb, Area Education Officer for West Kent, explained the potential for selling the older Victorian parts of the school including relocating the School House Nursery, in order to subsidise the expansion. He was unable to reassure parents and staff about safety, welfare and disruption to pupils’ education where use of the communal areas is concerned. Mr Webb acknowledged that “another thirty pupils in this hall is going to be a logistical difficulty for the school” before permanent facilities are built.
Mr Gary Cooke, Chair of the Education Cabinet Committee for Kent County Council and second member of the consultation panel, stated that the increased demand was due to an increasing birth rate and inward migration to the town. He argued that the proposed expansion was in response to parental choice and both members agreed that Tunbridge Wells parents would want to travel to the school because it is a good school.
At the meeting, concern was raised regarding the safety of schoolchildren due to increasing traffic within the village. Parents were also unhappy that the school- currently graded by Ofsted as good- may be unable to maintain standards and that safety and security would be compromised during the building process. Inadequate parking around the school site was highlighted, as well as the ever-increasing traffic congestion on the Pembury Road and around the North Farm Trading Estate.
When asked about alternative schools for expansion, the panel reported that the majority of Tunbridge Wells primary schools are landlocked and admitted there is no Plan B. Mr Webb stated, “early indications are that Pembury demand [for school places] is increasing.” This has raised concern among some residents given that woodland close to the school site is due to be auctioned on 18th December 2012. This sale coincides with central government recently changing planning laws to allow developers more scope for building on greenbelt land.
Local residents have complained at the lack of publicity for the meeting, which was advertised through the school only. Mr Cooke apologised for the inadequate communication stating, “This has come up on a number of occasions” and that the criticism was “taken on board.” However, no further information regarding the consultation will be offered to residents, who can view the consultation online at www.kent.gov.uk/schoolconsultations . The consultation closes on Monday 21st January 2013.
Get out and about with your local museum and art gallery this summer and discover something special about our rich cultural heritage as well as our local surroundings.
Something for children…
If you have primary school aged children to entertain over the summer then bring them along to one of Tunbridge Wells Museum & Art Gallery’s free Holiday Happenings events every Wednesday and Thursday in August. With detective trails and arts and crafts on a different theme each week, it’s a great way to spend a few hours.
Older children will enjoy the chance to explore their local environment during a Mini Beast Safari with expert Ian Beavis, every Thursday in August at a different local park each week. Younger siblings needn’t miss out either as there are special Young Nature Hunters sessions which are open to all ages.
Something for adults…
There are plenty of events for adults over the summer at the Museum & Art Gallery as well. Join us for a one-off event looking at historic costume on Sunday 19 August. See some examples of costume from the collections, talk to the museum experts and try on some replica pieces.
Or why not join us for a High Weald Walk on Saturday 11 August or Saturday 8 September? These inspiring walks give you a chance to explore the animal and plant life of specific High Weald habitats with expert Ian Beavis.
Remember too that activities up until 9 September are part of Tunbridge Wells Celebrates Sports & Culture Passport. There’s still time to join in the fun! Find out more at www.tunbridgewellscelebrates.co.uk
List of summer events : August – September
AUGUST
Wednesday 8 August 10.30am-12.30pm & 2-4pm
Holiday Happenings : Giant Gardens Thursday
9 August 10.30am-12.30pm & 2-4pm
Holiday Happenings : Giant Gardens
Thursday 9 August 10-11am or 11.30am-12.30pm
Young Nature Hunters
Thursday 9 August 2.30-4pm
Mini Beast Safaris
Saturday 11 August11am – 1pm
High Weald Walk at Broadwater Warren, south of Tun Wells
Wednesday 15 August 10.30am-12.30pm & 2-4pm
Holiday Happenings : Storylab
Thursday 16 August 10.30am-12.30pm & 2-4pm
Holiday Happenings : Storylab
Thursday 16 August 10-11am or 11.30am-12.30pm
Young Nature Hunters
Thursday 16 August 2.30-4pm
Mini Beast Safaris
Sunday 19 August 1.30-3.30pm
Historic Fashion event
Wednesday 22 August 10.30am-12.30pm & 2-4pm
Holiday Happenings : Seashell mania!
Thursday 23 August 10.30am-12.30pm & 2-4pm
Holiday Happenings : Seashell mania!
Thursday 23 August 10-11am or 11.30am-12.30pm
Young Nature Hunters
Thursday 23 August 2.30-4pm
Mini Beast Safaris
Friday 24 August 10.30-11.30am
Friday Fun pre-school session Summer Holiday
Wednesday 29 August 10.30am-12.30pm or 2-4pm
Holiday Happenings : Tall Tales
Thursday 30 August 10.30am-12.30pm or 2-4pm
Holiday Happenings : Tall Tales
Thursday 30 August 10-11am or 11.30am-12.30pm
Young Nature Hunters
Thursday 30 August 2.30-4pm
Mini Beast Safaris
SEPTEMBER
Saturday 1 September 11am-12.30pm
Dunorlan Guided Walk
Saturday 8 September 11am – 1pm
High Weald Walk at Sandhill Farm, Pembury
Tuesday 18 September, 12-1pm
Art Stroll guided gallery tour : Tunbridge Wells in Watercolour
Friday 21 September, 10.30-11.30am
Friday Fun preschool session : Harvest Time
To find out more and book your place for any of these activities please contact Tunbridge Wells Museum & Art Gallery on 01892 554171 or email museum@tunbridgewells.gov.uk
Take a twilight wander and soak up the rich atmosphere of Sissinghurst Castle with its beautiful views of the Kentish landscape. The 10k route will give participants the opportunity to explore the woods, farmland and streams surrounding grand Elizabethan House at sunset. When you arrive back to the reception area you will be welcomed by a themed picnic party, with refreshments, food and entertainment that celebrates the local roots of Sissinghurst Castle. The evening will finish with fireworks at 10pm, as at 10:00pm Marie Curie Nurses across the country arrive at the homes of terminally ill patients in your community to provide professional care through the night and give much-needed support to carers and families.
To honour this as you complete the Walk Ten course we will gather together to remember and celebrate this important time for all our nurses and supporters, marked by a minutes silence and followed with up lifting fireworks. Bring a picnic and enjoy the festival-like atmosphere with entertainment that everyone can enjoy.
Registration fee includes a free t-shirt.
Time of event: Registration opens at 6pm, Walk starts at 7pm.
Venue: Sissinghurst Castle
Address and postcode of venue: Biddenden Road, Sissinghurst, Kent, TN17 2AB
Registration fee or ticket prices: £10 Adult/ Children Free
Register: Online at www.mariecurie.org.uk or by registration form.
Contact:
By E-Mail events@mariecurie.org.uk
By post – The events team
Marie Curie Cancer Care
PO BOX 23897
14 Links Place
Edinburgh
EH6 9AB
By telephone: 08700 340 040
Web address: www.mariecurie.org.uk/events
Wishing you an enjoyable bank holiday weekend and half term break!
After half term we will have just one week before the Kent College Pembury Film Festival 15 – 17 June 2012. If you are yet to book your tickets, please do so by completing and returning the attached booking form to the Film Festival Box Office, or email it to filmfestival@kentcollege.kent.sch.uk
Tickets can be booked during half term by emailing filmfestival@kentcollege.kent.sch.uk or by calling 01892 820237.
Attached is the Festival programme which includes the following listings:
FRIDAY 15TH JUNE
Big Shorts Short Film Competition Finals
Kes – School Theatre
SATURDAY 16TH JUNE
Finding Nemo – Outside screen
The Goonies – Outside screen
Etre et Avoir
The Red Balloon, Music, film, dance & drama gala event
SUNDAY 17TH JUNE
Script to Screen with Film writer Nigel Smith (free event)
Belles of St Trinian’s – Outside screen
Cinema Paradiso
Kent College Film Festival 15th – 17th June 2012
KCC are promoting a petition for quicker broadband in Kent. There is an opportunity to use Government funding, KCC funds and commercial match funding to get a quicker broadband facility.
The campaign aims to secure better broadband for local businesses, education and communities. The aim is for 90% of homes and businesses to have superfast broadband access by 2015, and for everyone to have access to a service of at least 2mb. Kent County Council and the Government are investing over £20m to make this happen.
However to achieve this, broadband providers need to invest. We all need to demonstrate the demand for better broadband. The greater the demand, the more broadband providers will be prepared to invest in Kent.
It only takes five minutes to register your demand and it could make a great difference, so please register now and encourage your friends and neighbours to get involved as well.
Thank you to everyone that has voted so far! We need as many votes as possible by the end of June to tempt broadband providers to invest in Kent.
The website link is www.makekentquicker.com
There is also a Facebook page to keep up to date with the latest news on the campaign
Pembury (2 seats)
Mike Tompsett (Ind) 836 (26 per cent) ELECTED
Paul Barrington-King (Con) 736 (23 per cent) ELECTED
Lynn Hine (Con) 506 (15 per cent)
Colin Nicholson (UKIP) 505 (15 per cent)
Paul Beard (Lib Dems) 312 (10 per cent)
Margaret Morgan (Lab) 229 (seven per cent)
Isobel Kerrigan (Lab) 145 (four per cent)
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council is delighted to announce the visit of Their Royal Highnesses, The Earl and Countess of Wessex to Royal Tunbridge Wells on Thursday 31 May. The visit is being made on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen, in celebration of the Diamond Jubilee.
The public will have the chance to see the Royal couple as they walk along the Pantiles and the council hopes their route will be lined by children from local schools and other well-wishers.
Their Royal Highnesses will arrive at the Pantiles late morning. As they walk along the Pantiles The Earl and Countess will see young people performing on the bandstand, they will meet some local business people and be given a briefing on the history of the Pantiles, its Royal connections and the importance of the site to the town.
On leaving the Pantiles The Earl and Countess will visit King Charles The Martyr Church to meet invited guests before attending a reception for members of the local community, including a good number of voluntary organisations.
At King Charles The Martyr Church, following a performance from the choir from Kent College, Pembury, Their Royal Highnesses will sign the visitors’ book and on the invitation of the Mayor will unveil a plaque commemorating their visit to Royal Tunbridge Wells in 2012, the year of the Diamond Jubilee.
Council Chief Executive William Benson said: ‘It’s a great honour for the town to receive Their Royal Highnesses in this Jubilee year. We’ve invited local schools within walking distance of the Pantiles to come along on the day, and of course, other well-wishers will be very welcome as they will play an important part in making the visit a very memorable occasion during our Year of Celebrations.’
The Kent and Sussex Courier is launching its A21 For 2016 campaign calling for the much-needed dualling project.
Prime Minister David Cameron has revealed that there is funding available for road schemes in the UK sparking fresh hope for the long-awaited widening project.
Plans to dual the busy stretch of road between Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells were shelved last year by the Coalition as part of Goverment budget cuts.
The Prime Minister has now revealed that there is money for road schemes which could go to those communities and councils who shout the loudest. In light of this, The Kent and Sussex Courier is launching its A21 For 2016 campaign
The Kent College Film Festival returns this summer for a weekend of nostalgia and family fun from 15th – 17th June 2012 as part of the school’s 125th Anniversary celebrations.
This year the Festival celebrates ‘childhood’ in film and the event promises to be a spectacular family event with day time viewings on an outside screen and evening viewings in the school’s recently refurbished state of the art professional Theatre.
As well as a celebration of film we are delighted to host a sensational Gala Event which sees a reprisal of film related performances such as the fantastic drama vignettes performed by Kent College drama students, as well as the Children’s Fantasia Ballet and Children’s Corner Music Recital with music by Debussi performed by acclaimed pianist Pam Travis.
The Big Shorts Short Film competition for students in year groups 6 – 13 will also return which encourages a love of film-making at junior and senior levels from pupils at local schools.
Tickets will go on sale from Tuesday 8th May and they are priced at £6 for adults, £3 concessions. There is also a discounted family ticket for families to attend multiple viewings over the weekend.
