News

The Duke of Kent will officially open Katesgrove Primary’s new Huntley and Palmer building on Tuesday 18th March.

The new building, completed in September 2013, was needed to enable the school to take 90 new pupils each year, and is part of Reading Borough Council’s school expansion programme which will deliver another 2520 places in the next few years.

Incorporating a studio for dance, gym and drama classes and a topic room for music lessons, lunch time clubs and well-being classes for parents, the new building has allowed the school to free up much needed space elsewhere. This has lead to the creation of a ‘Nurture’ room for children who find social times difficult to cope with in addition to a location for Emotional Literacy group work and for parent coffee mornings.

A detailed survey of the 120-year-old retaining wall in 2011 showed that some sections of the timber piles and wall had decayed. Whilst localised maintenance works have been carried out over the last few years, some sections are in need of repair and strengthening. The first phase of works – between Patriot Place and Weirside Court – took place in December 2011.

On Monday March 10th work begins on the second phase of the rolling project. This involves ground investigation works along a section of the Kennet Side path, between Arthur Place and Fisherman’s Cottage Public House. The investigation will assist in the planning of minor repairs and the preparation for possible replacement of the next section of the retaining wall, depending on what the investigations find.

The latest phase of works will mean the temporary closure of the Kennet Side footway between 4-8 Arthur Place and 308 Kennet Side. Work will last for two weeks, with working hours 8.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday. No work will take place at weekends, which means the footpath will be reopened at that time. (weekend of March 15 / 16).

For the periods the footpath is closed, a signed diversion will be in place to direct pedestrian and cycle traffic around the closure.

Reading will be commemorating Commonwealth Day on Monday 10th March with the unveiling of memorial plaques at three locations of Commonwealth war graves.

The plaques are being unveiled after Reading resident Liz Tait suggested that in this, the centenary of the start of the First World War, we should also remember the many soldiers from the Commonwealth who gave up their lives.

There is thought to be over 300 Commonwealth burials in Reading, and Henley Road Cemetery, Hemdean Road Cemetery and Reading Old Cemetery at Cemetery Junction will all have their own memorial plaques.

90% of Reading families applying for a secondary school place have been offered their first or second choice, with almost 75% being allocated a place in their preferred school.

A total of 1496 applications – not including children with statements of special educational needs – were received for the September 2014 intake. In common with the national picture, Reading is reporting a lower preference outcome due to the higher number of applicants. This year, 74.6% out of 1496 applications were allocated their first choice compared to 79.4% out of 1411 applications in 2013.

Any parent who receives an offer and has any concerns, or wants to discuss the offer further, are being urged to phone Reading Borough Council’s dedicated Schools Admissions Team on 0118 937 3777 in the first instance. The Admissions Team will be on hand between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday to discuss in detail any alternative options which may be available.

Reading Museum announce that Trooper Fred Potts’ Victoria Cross medal will be on display as part of its forthcoming “Reading at War” exhibition on view 5 April – 14 September 2014.

The medal has been on loan to Lord Ashcroft VC’s collection at the Imperial War Museum. Its owner – a descendant of Trooper Potts – has now agreed to relocate it to Reading in time for the exhibition’s opening in April. All thanks to arrangements made between Reading Museum and Imperial War Museum to support a temporary loan.

Marking the centenary of the First World War’s outbreak, ‘Reading at War’ will be a focal point for our town to explore how war throughout history has shaped Reading’s character.

One of the items featured will be the story of Fred Potts VC and Trooper Arthur Andrews, both of whom hailed from Reading and lived in Reading for most their lives. They were both shot in Gallipoli, Turkey, when advancing on Turkish lines, Scimitar Hill – Hill 70, at 18:15hrs on August 21st 1915.

This advance was the largest single-day attack ever mounted by the Allies at Gallipoli, involving three divisions. Over a period of 48 hours a severely injured Arthur was tended to by Fred, who was also wounded. Eventually Fred found a shovel, tied Arthur to it and dragged him back to the British lines – just 600 yards – reaching the lines of the 6th Regiment Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 31st Infantry Brigade at 21:30hrs on August 23rd.

Fred was awarded the VC for his deed. It was the first VC awarded to a man from the Yeomanry in the war.

The exhibition draws extensively from the Museum’s collections of artefacts and images to explore the impact of war though the ages. Earlier conflicts represented include the 9th century Viking raids and the English Civil War siege of 1643. The more recent account of the Second World War will focus on the devastating air raid on Reading town centre in 1943, in which 41 people lost their lives.

Displays will highlight the impact of the First World War when thousands of local men and boys joined the armed forces, leaving behind their loved ones. Reading’s workforce – particularly women – were mobilised to support the war effort and to care for wounded soldiers in the town’s hastily-organised war hospitals.

By setting our First World War collections within a wider history of how conflicts in our own time have impacted on Reading people, ‘Reading at War’ will also provoke thought and ask visitors to consider questions of why we remember and how war affects our lives today.

The exhibition will be complemented with a program of events for all ages. Look out for full details on Reading Museum’s website http://www.readingmuseum.org.uk