Since April 2018, the Tenax Trust and St Andrew’s Church has been working with the Free Schools Capital group at the Department for Education, KCC and Gen2 to complete the feasibility study and outline design for St Andrew’s Primary school. The site identified for construction is at the top of Green Lane where currently the contractors have their site. Gen2 recently conducted a tendering exercise, and received three bids, which have been evaluated, and a preferred contractor has been identified.

Following a recent review of KCC’s data by the DfE, it has been determined that the analysis of Basic Need does not yet support the opening of this two form entry school. This is largely a result of the rate of house building and occupancy locally. The development of the project is therefore to be paused for the time being and the position reviewed regularly in order to assess progress of the housing developments in Paddock Wood and resultant increase in demand for school places. The work done to date in the feasibility study and tendering process will be kept and reactivated once the data on demand for school places allows us to set the opening date for the new school.

The Tenax Trust and St Andrew’s remain wholeheartedly committed to this project and to the delivery of a new Church primary school, when appropriate.