Heads of Spalding’s grammar schools say new-style GCSEs may hurt comprehensive schools and pupils who are less able academically.

High School head Tim Clark is about to switch top jobs from Spalding to a comprehensive in Hackney – and says his old school and its pupils will be better suited to Education Secretary Michael Gove’s 
GCSEs than his new school.

He wants to see more vocational, technical and practical courses included in the curriculum rather than a narrow band of traditional academic subjects that are the normal “diet” of grammar schools.

Mr Clark says he gets angry when people talk of “dumbing down” with the current GCSEs because they are supposed to encourage debate, research and discussion.

Spalding Grammar School head Nigel Ryan said exams should test a range of skills and aptitudes which are relevant not just to education but to employability.

He said: “Being able to remember knowledge and being able to regurgitate it is an important skill, but it’s not the only skill you need in today’s world.

“Our boys are bright boys and they will adapt and our staff will work hard to ensure they do the best they possibly can.”

The new GCSEs will be taught from September 2015 and pupils in the current Year 9 will be the first guinea pigs.

Reforms apply to nine subjects – English language and literature, maths, physics, chemistry, biology, combined science, history and geography.

Government changes announced on Tuesday include:

l Scrapping of modular courses with full exams taken at the end of two years

l Scrapping of course work done under exam conditions

l Exams to be based on a tougher, essay system

l Pass marks to be pushed higher

l Grading to be from 8-1 (with 8 top) rather than A*-G

Top: Stevie Goodwin bangs the drum for the Transported arts project that provided two events for the fun day, the Nerdy Birdies and the Life Boat, a six-metre long timber keel with canvas hammocks where people could play the drums. Photo: SG090613-158TW.

Below: Donington First Responders promote their own fun day on Saturday June 22 at Donington Community Centre. Photo: SG090613-157TW.

Visitors to this year’s Fun Day in Flinders Park were well and truly transported to a whole new level of excitement in Donington on Sunday.

The annual event organised by IDEA (Improving the Donington Environment for All) was given an extra dimension with two events as part of the Transported arts project.

A group of enthusiastic birdwatchers, the Nerdy Birdies, and an interactive Life Boat drew large crowds alongside fun day regulars such as Holbeach Town Band and Flinders Founders youth group serving refreshments (pictured above).

Spalding Flower Queen Inca Honnor officially opened the event which was rounded off with a Battle of Britain memorial flypast by a Dakota aircraft.

IDEA committee member Karen Major said: “It was a fantastic day and there were lots of people in the park enjoying the environment.

“Inca came along to open it which was really nice, especially with her being the last ever Spalding Flower Queen, and Transported came along with their Life Boat chillout zone which was such a draw.

“Flinders Founders did a roaring trade at their refreshments tent, the memorial flight added something else to the mix and it was also nice that local businesses supported the day as well.” Photo: SG090613-151TW.

If your child is starting preschool, you may be approaching this major milestone with conflicting emotions.

You’re probably excited about the fun he’ll have and the friends he’ll make. But you may feel a little sad that your baby is venturing into the world without you. These emotions are normal.

Your child will also have a range of reactions – feeling proud to be a big kid but worried about saying goodbye to you. There’s a lot you can do to get ready for the big day.

Keep your efforts low key; if you make too big a deal of this milestone, your child may feel more worried than excited.

Here are some ideas to keep the focus on fun:

l Start by reading stories about preschool.

l Help your child picture what preschool will be like with some role playing.

l Schedule a visit to the school.

l Answer your child’s questions, even if they’re difficult and remember that it’s important to answer honestly.

All the talk in the high tech press at the moment is about wearable computing. There is already the Pebble watch, which allows you to monitor your online activity on your wrist.

Apple are rumoured to be working on a similar device.

Then there are fitness and health devices like the Nike Fuelband which monitors how much exercise you are doing, and how effective it is.

The Memoto is a wearable camera that is constantly taking pictures – the aim being that you’ll never miss the opportunity to relive a moment.

Perhaps the most sophisticated of the emerging wearable technologies is Google’s Glass – a headset that allows the wearer to pull up information, maps, social networks and take photos through a mixture of spoken instructions and a touchpad on the side of the device.

I must admit that, even as a fan of new technology, the thought of walking around covered in internet enabled wristbands, watches and headsets, or with a camera attached to my chest is not one that I find alluring.

All these devices generate huge amounts of data about their wearers, what they do, and the people around them. This makes possible the concept of the “quantified self” where individuals can record and analyse data about their lives with a view to improving them.

All the content can be instantly uploaded to the internet, so it can be shared on Facebook, for instance – or stored online for later retrieval.

Privacy campaigners, however, are concerned about the potential impact of these devices, especially on those who choose not to wear them, but nonetheless get recorded on others’.

Also, who owns the data recorded and stored in “the cloud”?

There will certainly need to be some ethics and etiquette in place.

We are still a few years away from having wearable computing devices available to consumers in large numbers. However, with the amount of investment going into their development, we shouldn’t be surprised if they soon become as ubiquitous as smartphones – bringing with them opportunity and concern in equal measure.

Perhaps though the biggest issue with these devices is just how silly they make the wearer look.

In the future of wearable computing, will everyone look like a dork?

A group of Holbeach youngsters are making a renewed effort to have a new skate park built in the town.

At least £1,000 has been raised through a number of events towards the skate park, although an affordable design for the project has not yet been finalised.

Parents, businessmen and councillors are supporting the project and Holbeach Parish Council has agreed to discuss the youngsters’ campaign at its next meeting in July.

Marie Billings, of Battlefields Lane, whose son Daniel (14) is one of the youngsters behind the campaign, said: “The youth want a skate park because they are into BMX games, skateboarding and scooter racing.

“At the moment, they’ve got to do it in either Spalding or King’s Lynn and it’s worrying for parents when they think about how their children are going to get there.

“The youth have got a few ideas of events that they are mulling over and we want people to give them a chance because they were once youths themselves.”

A skate park was originally built in Carter’s Park about ten years ago but after a spate of arson and vandalism incidents, it was removed in 2008.

Richard Rickerby, owner of The Mansion House Hotel in High Street, said: “Every town in the area with a reasonably sized population, and some with a smaller population, has secured quite decent funding for skate parks.

“The project to get one built in Holbeach is coming to a bit of a crunch but at the end of the day, it’s in everybody’s interests that new facilities are put in the area.”

The youngsters held talks recently with Holbeach county councillor Nick Worth who said: “I think it’s great they’ve come forward and it’s a good effort from them to say ‘this is what we want – can you help us?’

“I’m very supportive of them but we need the parish council on board.”

Coun Terry Harrington, parish council chairman, said: “The skate park idea came as a bit of a surprise but we’ll look at it and try to help the youngsters as much as we can.”

Thank you to everybody who continues to email me with their questions.

I’m pleased people continue to read this column and they take the time to send me their comments or queries.

This month I would like to talk to about what we do with the donations our patients and friends give to us.

Lincolnshire Community Health Services (LCHS) has a charitable funds office which helps us to collate and respond to any donations that we receive.

We are given donations from a variety of sources, including patients who have received care from us and would like to express their gratitude, or relatives and friends of patients both past and present who like to make services aware of the positive impact they have had on their loved one’s life.

All those who donate received a letter in return, acknowledging their contribution.

Donors can specify how they would like their donations to be used, however, the most useful donations do not have any restrictions so patient’s needs now, or in the future, can influence how to put the funds to best use.

Funds are spent in many different areas and are used to improve patient environments, keep staff updated on medical advances and to enhance available medical equipment.

Nothing that is essential for patient care is purchased from these charitable funds – it provides things which make hospital stays or visits more pleasant at what is often a difficult time.

The Johnson Community Hospital has a very active League of Friends who raise money on behalf of the hospital, which is spent in the same way as our other donations.

A group of staff from the Johnson Community Hospital also raise money through various events throughout the year, the headline event being the annual Johnson Community Hospital Charity Ball.

I am honoured to say I am the chairman of this committee and over the last four years we have raised more than £4,000 for charitable funds, which we split equally between LCHS and the League of Friends.

Our ball this year is being held on July 13 and anybody wanting to donate prizes, provide sponsorship or attend the ball is more than welcome to contact me for more information.

If there is something you’d like to know about the community hospital or nursing services, you can send me your questions to spaldingeditor@jpress.co.uk

Police seized cannabis plants with a potential cash yield of more than £20,000 when they raided an address in Gosberton.

Thirty-two female plants were in an annexe behind a house in Cheal Road and there was a “mother plant” – used for cuttings – in an adjoining room.

Darren Patrick (42) pleaded guilty to cultivating the cannabis plants at his home address when he appeared before Spalding magistrates today (Thursday).

He was committed to Lincoln Crown Court for sentence on July 11.

Magistrates extended his unconditional bail.

Presiding magistrate Sarah Jennings told Patrick: “This offence is so serious you need greater punishment than we can give you.”

Marie Stace, prosecuting, said Patrick had previous convictions for cultivation of cannabis and possession of cannabis with intent to supply dating back to 2007.

Miss Stace said police executed a search warrant at Patrick’s home on January 24 this year under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

She said it was a very sophisticated growing set-up with equipment including artificial lighting and humidity and temperature gauges.

“The amount of cannabis grown is indicative of supply,” Miss Stace added.

Pupils from the Gleed and High schools have worked together on The Terrible Tale of Nipper Towers and that has put the focus on their similarities, rather than their differences.

For instance, Sir John Gleed School pupil Katie Murray (15) says she thought Spalding High School pupils talked about them as being “stupid” and the school “bad” and they in turn thought pupils at the other school were snobs. In fact, she has discovered: “We are not that different.”

Lucy Peters (14) agrees that working with pupils from the high school has broken down the stereotypical ideas that had been passed on to her when she first went to the Gleed school.

At 16, Beth Martin – who will be playing her ukulele in the production – is the oldest member of the theatre company, but the high school pupil says it is good to interact with young people from a different school, and that they have come together to produce a really great show.

To get involved in the next Summer Challenge contact South Holland Centre or visit www.zesttheatre.com.

If you or a loved one requires more care than can be offered in your own home, moving into a care home could provide a solution.

The decision to enter a care home should not be taken lightly and all options should be considered. It is the role of a Social Worker to help you consider those options.

Social Services will carry out a Community Care Assessment (CCA) to ascertain where the care should be provided.

There are two types of care home: one offers accommodation with support such as washing and dressing (residential care); and the other offers accommodation and nursing care in additional to the residential care services (nursing care).

If your total assessable assets are in excess of £23,250 then you will be classed as a ‘self-funder’ and will be responsible for paying for your own care, unless you are assessed to qualify for NHS Continuing Care funding where the NHS pay for all of your care.

Whilst a ‘self-funder’ is not responsible for arranging their own care, the practical reality is that a self-funder is unlikely to have the support of a Social Worker to assist in locating an appropriate care home, and ensuring that all appropriate benefits are received.

If you feel you require more help than that being offered by Social Services, an Independent Social Worker could offer you invaluable support.

At Bingham-Woods, we can put you in contact with an Independent Social Worker on request.

Magistrates today (Thursday) banned a man from driving after he had been drinking and was found asleep in the driver’s seat in a car park in Bourne.

Police spoke to Stephen Murphy (61), who was “slumped at the wheel”, in the Burghley Street car park at 12.30am on May 27.

Marie Stace, prosecuting, told Spalding magistrates the vehicle was stationary but the engine was running and the headlights were on.

Murphy was holding the bottom of the steering wheel.

He woke up and told police “I am going home” and turned the steering wheel and changed gear.

A test showed he had 69 microgrammes of alcohol in breath.

Murphy (61), of Main Road, Dyke, admitted being in charge of a motor vehicle when his alcohol level was above the legal limit.

Magistrates have discretion on disqualification – unlike a drink-drive case where it is mandatory – and imposed a 12 month ban in Murphy’s case.

Presiding magistrate Sarah Jennings told Murphy: “We are going to disqualify you, Mr Murphy. We do feel that you were intending to drive. Police found you with the ignition on and the engine on.” He can cut the ban by three months if he completes a rehabilitation course.

Murphy was also fined £100 and must pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

He told magistrates he runs a theatre company with his wife and they have helped a school set up a performing arts programme.

His wife teaches for a training organisation and he does all of the driving for that as well as visiting aged family.

Murphy said a ban would cause an “awful lot” of hardship.

Police spotted a drunken man pushing a ride-on lawn mower along the A16 at Deeping St Nicholas at 2.20am.

Officers spoke to Daniel Hill and a check showed no mowers stolen at that time, but a report of a garage burglary at a local farm was made later that morning.

Marie Stace, prosecuting, said police visited Hill who directed them to his back garden where they found both the lawn mower and a rotavator taken in the same raid.

Hill’s solicitor Anita Toal said he took possession of the lawn mower when he was drunk at a friend’s house where there was a party.

She said the friend told Hill some Travellers had left the lawn mower at his house after trying to sell it to him and asked Hill to take it to his home.

Mrs Toal said the Travellers called at Hill’s house the next day and left the rotavator with him.

“He had a pretty good idea that the things were stolen,” she said.

Mrs Toal said Hill had stayed out of trouble for some four years and this offence was “a blip in his otherwise good progress”.

Hill, of Harrow Road, Deeping St Nicholas, pleaded guilty to possession of criminal property on May 8 when he appeared at Spalding Magistrates’ Court on Thursday. He was fined £110 and must pay £40 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

A man breached a court order when angry about his wife changing locks on their former marital home.

Samantha Harris had a missed call from Vernon Harris and then a message with swear words asking her to get to the house or he would go in through the windows.

He admitted breaching a restraining order when he appeared in court on Thursday.

Harris (47), of Chamomile Way, Spalding, was conditionally discharged for six months and must pay £40 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Marie Stace, prosecuting, said Ms Harris had a further message via a third party asking for the house keys – the order was also designed to prevent indirect contact.

Solicitor Andrew Goldsborough said Ms Harris did not live at the address concerned. His client accepted the “abusive nature” of the call.

A 26-year-old from West Sussex is due in court today in connection with a burglary at a Spalding home.

Daniel Osbourne of Stephenson Way, Crawley, is set to appear before Grantham magistrates concerning a burglary at Cathedral Drive that took place beteen March 29th and 31st.

He was remanded in custody ahead of today’s court hearing.

Police broke into a Spalding man’s flat and found eight small bags of cannabis.

Darren Osborne (29), of Pinchbeck Road, was out at the time police executed the search warrant.

His solicitor Mike Alexander told magistrates: “He is going to be homeless very soon because his landlord says it was his fault that the door was broken into.”

Osborne pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to possession of the drug.

At Thursday’s resumed hearing, Spalding magistrates sentenced him to a year’s probation.

He must pay a £60 victim surcharge, but no costs because of his limited means.

Marie Stace, prosecuting, said Osborne told police he was not sure the cannabis was his – as others had access to the flat – but admitted smoking the drug daily.

Mr Alexander said Osborne uses the drug to help combat a drink problem.

Presiding magistrate Ian McDonnell told Osborne he could approach “excellent agencies” Addaction or DART.

He said: “If they don’t want to give you any help, see your GP.”

The outlook appears brighter for Whaplode St Catherine Memorial Hall after a new management committee was chosen to safeguard its future.

A group of villagers, including Spalding Flower Queen Inca Honnor, have taken on the task of turning around the seventy-year-old hall’s fortunes which looked doomed a month ago.

Trustees voted to close the hall at the end of June, blaming their decision on a lack of usage by villagers and spiralling repair costs.

But at a meeting on Wednesday, a new committee of trustees was elected to manage the hall and lift the cloud hanging over its future.

David Blaxter, one of the new trustees, said: “I’m a fairly new arrival to the village but having read stories about the hall in the newspaper, I went along to the meeting not necessarily with a view to getting involved but to see there was fair play.

“However, it was obvious that the outgoing committee had made its decision to close the hall unless anyone wanted to take it on.

“I’m a semi-retired chartered accountant so I thought I’d throw my lot in being experienced in looking after money.”

The new committee faces several major challenges, including a roof that urgently need repairs and an annual income against expenses deficit of about £1,200.

Former management committee chairman Ray Rye said: “We’re pleased there’s another committee in place to carry but obviously there’s a lot of work to be done to get themselves established.

“We hope they get on well because, in my opinion, a change of committee could be what the hall needs.”

Coun Malcolm Chandler, district and parish councillor for Whaplode, said: “I think it’s positive news that there are some people who look eminently suitable to be on the new management committee and with support from the village, it has to be a major step forward.”

An elderly Holbeach couple were shocked to find an intruder in their bedroom after they were woken from their sleep.

The suspect got into the couple’s home in Netherfield after breaking in through a conservatory window before going into the bedroom and shining a torch.

Police said the incident happened at about 3.15am on Tuesday and a neighbour’s CCTV system showed two men acting suspiciously in the area an hour earlier.

Anyone with information should call DC Debra Charlesworth on 101, quoting incident number 26 of June 11.

Plans for next year’s Spalding People’s Parade are marching ahead after a team of supporters met for the second time.

Passions ran high on Tuesday night as 22 enthusiasts eager to be part of a new organising committee put forward their ideas of what they would like to see in the new parade.

Supporters included members of Spalding and district Chamber of Commerce, Lions and Rotary groups, and representatives of the Scouts and the High School.

Phil Scarlett, Chamber president, said: “It was a very positive meeting. Everyone put forward what they would like to see and afterwards we were able to highlight some common factors.”

The discussion followed a public meeting last month about what people would like to see replace Spalding Flower Parade,

Chaired by MP John Hayes, there was a call for a People’s Parade during the same May Bank Holiday as the flower parade and for it to start and finish in Spalding.

Mr Scarlett said: “There was a lot of support for the current flower floats to be given to villages for use in their own carnivals and perhaps for them to be used as static displays in places like Ayscoughfee Hall during ours.

“Another common ground is that it should be a walking parade and include schools and young people to secure its future.

“We are also looking at it being over a shorter distance so that the market in the town centre can continue to operate and to include the river bank in the route, which is an iconic part of Spalding.”

A steering group to take plans forward is due to meet in the next three weeks, but it is unlikely the final plans will be revealed until September.

Working on a fraction of the flower parade’s £250,000 budget, the group is hoping then to attract backers.

Mr Scarlett said: “Additional events are being discussed – such as a beer festival or a concert – where an entry fee can be charged which will help the event become sustainable. Funding for these things doesn’t grow on trees, but in September we are hoping to have a plan in place to attract backers.”

While most South Holland youngsters settle into a new school term, Thomas Dawson (9) and his mum Phillida (39) will be hiking up Africa’s highest mountain.

In September, the pair will be joined by experiencing climbing partner Chris Weeks for a two-week trek up the 19,336ft Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

The Moulton Chapel Primary School pupil has been inspired by American Jordan Romero (15), who became the youngest person ever to reach the summit of the highest mountains on each of the seven continents, including Kilimanjaro, Everest and Mount McKinley in the USA.

Phillida said: “It all started about 18 months ago when Thomas just announced that he was going to climb Kilimanjaro.

“Thomas is very internet savvy and he has spent some time on Youtube watching mountaineering, Bear Grylls and Jordan Romero who is the real inspiration behind this climb.

“He has also known Chris Weeks for a long time and he asks him lots of questions about climbing mountains.”

Phillida has been granted special dispensation by the school to take Thomas to Kilimanjaro after already climbing Yorkshire’s Three Peaks, Scafell Pike and Mount Snowdon – all before his tenth birthday.

“I encourage my children to achieve what they are 
capable of and not hold them back from anything,” Phillida said.

“Mountaineering is about risk management and while there are some things you can’t control, there are other things that you can control.

“Thomas is very excited about Kilimanjaro but for him it’s still a long way off.”

A man head-butted his then partner in a supermarket after she commented he was using cocaine.

CCTV footage was played to Thomas Page by his lawyer Anita Toal, who said he had little or no recollection of the attack.

Mrs Toal told magistrates: “He could not believe it was him.”

Page (24), of Burton Road, Spalding, admitted assaulting Debra Trevey at Sainsbury’s on May 25.

Magistrates on Thursday adjourned sentence to July 4 for a report and extended Page’s bail.

Prosecutor Marie Stace said Ms Trevey walked towards the Spalding store toilets but, after her comment about cocaine, Page stood in front of her to block her path, hit her face with a shopping bag in his hand and head-butted her.