You are welcome to your opinion, but I am telling the truth. Take a bit of trouble to look at the source document rather than the NWN's interpretation. It's on the Ofsted website for everyone to look at. I shouldn't be accused of being a liar just because I'm the only person on this thread to have bothered to do that.

No, I don't have anything to do with the school. But what I have done is read the Ofsted report itself rather than just the NWN. What I said was in the very first paragraph.

If you read the report, achievement of pupils reviving pupil premium (free school meals or military families in that incarnation of the grant) do not reach average levels of attainment or exceeding attainment, nor do some children on school action (children receiving additional support for learning). It's not even to do with a whole year group, it's to do with a small group within a single year group.

I don't have any vested interest in Kennet school but please remember that this is more of a case of Ofsted moving the goal posts rather than the school getting worse. The last goal post shifting was in January 2014 and it's now not possible for a school to be "good" if data in any subset is less than the average for England. Our esteemed Secretary of State for Education expects all schools to be above average and his poor grasp of maths has been noted by the Education Select Committee. In the circumstances, I think Mr **** has been quite gracious.

I think the main thing that puts people off local politics is that there are political parties involved. That sounds like a contradiction in terms, but even at this local level, it all seems to be about the Tories slagging off the Lib Dems and vice versa. I too have been to planning meetings and watched cllrs vote on party political lines, ingoring totally the views presented by the parish councillors that they represent.

There are probably plenty of people who want to "get things done", but they don't want to belong to a political party, or they don't identify with the major parties, or they are just so disillusioned with politics generally that they couldn't bear to put their name to one of the established parties. If there was a proper network for independent candidates, you would probably see many more well qualified and interesting people getting involved.

Given the other thread about the pay of West Berks Officers ... and the above headline (from the Sun!) do they deserve that pay? Actually, seeing as most of the secondary schools are Academies, is the fault of this actually the DfE rather than West Berks LA?

Apologies if this has been discussed here before, but I have noticed (on the flyer inside the NWN about how most excellent Newbury's parking is) that cars aren't going to be allowed to use Parkway bridge once the building works have finished. So unless we travel before 10 or after 5, all the traffic will be going via the marvellous light sequence on the Sainsbury's roundabout. I wonder if this traffic flow advice was obtained from the same people who have installed the new 1-way system at the retail park? I love internet shopping.

I too think the service at Tesco's is getting worse. I actually walked out a couple of weeks ago because the queues were longer than you get at Christmas.

To go back to the OP, I'd welcome a John Lewis in Newbury. I think the ethos of John Lewis creates a superior level of service. Witness Waitrose! We always go to Camps when we are looking to replace furniture, and always, always come away disappointed by what is on offer there. The design of the stock in the furniture store seems to me to be very dated, and the way it is displayed makes it look like a discount store! I tend to go to the John Lewis in Wycombe. I don't mind travelling for a pleasant shopping experience, plus parking is free for as long as you want.

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article...articleID=14945

Now I have no particular qualifications or expertise in town planning, but is this not rather shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted? Ever since I have lived in the area, new housing and retail developments have been given the go-ahead with seemingly no strategic thinking whatsoever about roads or other infrastructure.

Perhaps you have hit on the problem here and one that is interesting given the forthcoming budget cuts. The LA appears to employ advisory teachers and specialists who go around from school to school but are not generally school based themselves. In fact, if I recall right, it was someone from the LA (and not Ofsted) who declared there to be problems at Fir Tree Primary. Can someone who is NOT based in a school be the best person to offer advice? Is there a better and more productive way of organising this? As for incompetence ... schools are monitored by Ofsted and the LA. Teachers are regularly monitored by their Headteachers. So competency is beng dealt with there. So who were the advisors to all these schools that are not satisfactory? And who is monitoring the advisors' performance?

I think the LA has made a good call seconding Mr D to Trinity. There is a national shortage of headteachers - many jobs are readvertised and some very inexperienced people have been given headships. And let's face it, locally there seem to have been some poor appointments (look at how many schools have been in special measures). Better to have an excellent HT in charge (albeit part time) than appoint another who is incapable of changing things.

A couple of members of my family would like H&M please. I think that it would be nice (although unlikely) for the owners to keep a number of units for low rent for independent local businesses. Or put all the big chains in Parkway and get some proper shops in Northbrook Street. A greengrocer, fishmonger and deli would be nice.

My advice would be to appeal and then hang on if you can. Your child doesn't have to be in school til the term after they are 5. In my experience, most people drop off the waiting list by the start of September, as they want their child in school somewhere. If you are patient and pick your moment, you could be lucky. However, you need to remember that St Nic's won't be your catchment either and attendance at St John's doesn't guarantee a place at St Nic's, so this whole thing may be repeated in 3 years' time. Good luck!

The Crab is good, but last time we went, the service VERY slow. We also like The Sun in the Wood and the Swan at Newtown where the food has always been good, despite the OTT presentation. If you want something more pub-like and cheaper, the Craven Arms or the Furze Bush are good value.

how much does West Berks pay Reading and other neighbouring authorities for the maintenance of schools used by West Berks residents? How do local authorities charge each other for educating each other's kids?


No idea, but a lot of folk in south Newbury send their children to Hampshire primary schools. Falkland is full to busting and there are no satisfactory alternatives within easy reach.

This should be on the other forum ... it is a important Newbury issue rather than a random rant!

We are thrilled with the cinema in our house. It's so lovely for our young teenagers to have somewhere to go with their friends. It will be getting a lot of business from Ziggy Towers.

Am I being cynical when I start wondering is this is all part of a grander plan to get the buses off Bartholomew Street?

The window frames are back to white again this morning. Not sure how they are going to get rid of the lavender walls though.

This morning (for the second time this week) I saw a Newbury bus trying to negotiate the new mini roundabout to come onto Northbrook Street. To get round the corner, the buses have to come across both lanes almost to the opposite pavement. If there had been a line of cars waiting to turn left, the bus would not have been able to move. Clearly nobody thought to consult Newbury buses about this junction. I've seen this lack of thought before. We're in South Newbury, and some time ago improvements were made to the Andover Road junction with Wash Water. No consideration was given to the fact that the junction is used by lorries at this time of year to transport Christmas trees. The lorries could not get round the new, smaller space that had been made. After a year or so of churned up kerbs, workmen came back and added a number of rows of brick pavers. There is evidence everywhere that the road planners in Newbury are not competent. Who is being held to account?