Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Coastal grammar still on cards despite setback
MP retains hopes for satellite site after funding snub
A head teacher and MP are refusing to give up hope of building a grammar school site on the coast – despite failing to secure funding.
Barton Court in Canterbury and Queen Elizabeth’s (QEGS) in Faversham launched bids last year to open a satellite serving Herne Bay and Whitstable. A plot along the bends in between the towns was understood to be the favoured choice for the annex.
But the schools’ plans are now in limbo as their competing applications for the cash needed to bankroll the scheme were snubbed by the Department for Education. Barton Court executive head teacher Kirstin Cardus said: “Until money is available to bid for again, the project is on hold. “Barton Court remains very interested in this project and if the funding was made available again with criteria that allow for satellites to grammar schools then we most certainly would be very interested in submitting a bid again.” In October 2017, figures showed Barton Court had 167 pupils from Whitstable and 226 from Herne Bay - accounting for 43% of its roll.
This compared to almost 30% at QEGSS, which had 272 pupils from Whitstable and 14 from Herne Bay. A satellite on the coast would allow pupils to use facilities closer to home, as well as in Canterbury or Faversham. The plans were bolstered last year when Kent County Council revealed such a move was its “preferred option” to provide the 150 more selective places across the district. Despite insisting he would still be interested in pursuing the scheme, QEQGS head teacher David Anderson admits he now “cannot see how it is viable”. “Just a fraction of the Satellite School Expansion Fund was granted when the results were announced,” he explained. “Therefore, we appear to be at a dead end through this funding route and the project is looking more and more unlikely.” A long-time supporter of the plans, Herne Bay MP Sir Roger Gale says he remains “absolutely wedded” to the idea of building the facility.
“It’s all gone quiet because at the moment the secretary of state isn’t particularly enthusi
‘There’ll be a change of secretary of state, as there always is, and then I shall have another go’
astic about satellite grammars,” he added. “There’ll be a change of secretary of state – as there always is – and then I shall have another go.”
However, anti-grammar school activist Joanne Bartley is calling on education bosses to give up on plans to build the annex. The campaigner said: “They should focus on local schools. “Parents are voting with their feet by going to high schools, rather than grammars – both Herne Bay High and The Whitstable School were oversubscribed this year. It would be a shame to wreck those schools’ efforts by building a grammar.”