City grammar

A Canterbury grammar school could open a satellite in Herne Bay for up to 500 selective pupils, the Gazette can reveal.

Barton Court says it is “very keen” on the idea of a sister site built to serve youngsters on the coast.

Education chiefs are in talks about further secondary provision on scrubland next to Herne Bay’s former golf club.

Barton Court had initially mooted a possible wholesale move to the golf club site itself but opted instead to expand and improve its current Canterbury campus.

But the Gazette has learned that developer Hollamby Estates, which owns the vacant Herne Bay plot, would be willing to free up its land for coastal grammar provision.

Kirstin Cardus, head teacher at Barton Court, said: “We’d be very keen on a satellite in Herne Bay. We’ve spoken with KCC and told them we’re interested.

“It would be up to them to fund such a scheme but we would be willing to run it.”

The former Herne Bay golf club – which surrounds Hollamby’s plot – is owned by a separate developer, Quinn Estates.

The Bridge-based firm has planning permission to build 572 homes and community sports facilities on the golf club site.

Quinn director Mark Quinn says it could provide access to a new school on the adjacent plot and would consider letting it use its sports facilities.

In 2014 Barton Court was in talks with Quinn to relocate from Canterbury to the former golf club as part of the Quinn development.

However, the plan was eventually dropped and Barton Court has since won planning permission to expand its existing school buildings at Longport, Canterbury.

News that a separate satellite school in Herne Bay could also be in the offing is therefore likely to be welcomed by parents in the coastal towns.

Hollamby Estates says it would offer its land next to the golf club site for education provision “in good faith”.

It is currently proposing an 800-

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From left, Barton Court head teacher Kirstin Cardus; Mark would look; MP Sir Roger Gale