A new independent school aiming to turn around the lives of challenging children is ready to open - all it needs is the green light from Ofsted.

Teacher Paul Thompson first came up with the idea to set up the Vocational Training Centre (VTC), opposite Aldi in St Michael’s Road, Sittingbourne in 2012.

The school will offer mechanical engineering courses for those interested in the motor industry, linked to subjects including English and maths.

He said: “This is my dream and it always has been.

“We want to work with children who have been excluded or are at risk of being excluded from schools in the area.

“I’ve worked in schools for the past 14 years and have seen lots of children be excluded for a variety of reasons. I would like to give these students the opportunity to come here, learn new skills, achieve their grades and then go back to their schools and do really well for themselves. I want to give them a second chance.”

Mr Thompson, who is from Sittingbourne and has taught at Sheppey’s Oasis Academy and its forerunners, as well as Medway UTC, added: “Here, we’ll have the time to go through everything with the children, one-to-one, make sure they know they can do things and they can be successful. The main aim is to get them back into education – it’s the most important thing any child can have.”

VTC has a workshop, three classrooms, a research room, changing rooms, toilets, showers, a kitchen area and offices. In total there will be 36 youngsters, with a maximum of 12 per class, aged from 11 to 18.

To begin with, it will employ four members of staff.

Pupils will be referred by schools in the South East struggling with poorly behaved students.

Mr Thompson is hoping to have an Ofsted inspection before the October half-term so the school can open after the break. He added: “We will not open until we meet independent school standards.”

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