Kentish Express Ashford & District
Stour trust to open first school at Chilmington development
Pupils may use buildings at Jemmett Road until new classrooms are ready
Plans to build the first of four new primary schools on the town’s biggest-ever housing estate will be discussed at consultation events.
The Stour Academy Trust will be responsible for opening the school at the Chilmington Green development in Ashford.
It could set up as a satellite school by using buildings at the former Ashford South School in Jemmett Road before moving into a new premises by 2019.
The school could also provide education for children with special educational needs and those on the autism spectrum by working with the Wyvern School in Ashford.
Stour Academy Trust chief executive Simon O’Keefe said: “We are very honoured to have been selected to run Chilmington Green Primary School.
“Our collaborative model of schools working together for the benefit of all children has proved highly successful and we look forward to working with the community as the school grows and develops.”
The trust runs the recently opened Finberry Primary School with a similar model of using the old school buildings in Jemmett Road first.
This led to Kent County Council selecting the trust as the sponsor for the Chilmington school.
KCC education officer David Adams said: “We are delighted that the Stour Academy Trust has been approved to sponsor the first primary school in Chilmington Green.
“We are absolutely confident in their ability to create a school for Chilmington Green which provides high-quality education, and is a centre point for the newly forming community.
“We aim to open the school in September 2018, initially off-site in building on Jemmett Road, while we work to build the permanent school buildings.”
There are to be two open evenings at Finberry Primary School, on Monday, October 11 and on Tuesday, November 7, with residents being invited to share their thoughts and ideas.
The formal consultation has started and will run until Friday, November 10.
To take part or find out more about the scheme visit www. stouracademytrust.org.uk/ Forthcoming-Academies