Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Thame Planning Applications

    PLANNING Applications to be considered by Thame Town Council?s Planning Committee on Tuesday, March 6.

    8063
    P06/E0265 PEARCE COURT, WINDMILL ROAD
    Demolition of bungalow and existing T.A. facility. Erection of new
    two-storey block comprising of 14 no. new dwellings and replacement
    T.A. facility.
    Amendment No. 1 incorporates 13 additional car spaces.

    8231
    P07/E0090/RET WATERLOO COTTAGE, OXFORD ROAD
    Retention of fencing to Oxford Road boundary (retrospective).

    8232
    P07/E0165 16 WHITTLE ROAD
    Erection of a single storey side extension

    8233
    P07/E0168/LB 19 HIGH STREET
    Erection of new porch and access ramp to front elevation

    8234
    P07/E0144 19 HIGH STREET
    Erection of new porch and access ramp to front elevation

    8235
    P07/E0194 10 HOPTON ROAD
    Single storey rear extension

  • Award For Thame Education Charity

    THAME based charity, Efficient Learning has been awarded

  • Absurd Person Singular

    THAME Players’ next production is Alan Ayckbourn?s comic comment on the English Class System.
    Three successive Christmas Eves, three kitchens and three couples.
    This dark comedy tells the story of the advance of one little man to prosperity and the stagnation and decline of his upper middle class neighbours. Bound together in unexpected ways the three couples often find themselves in hilarious conflict and companionship in equal measure. This is Ayckbourn at his best, ascerbic, witty and very very funny.

    Directed by Yvonne Maxwell, the play runs from Tuesday 6th March to Saturday 10th March, at 7.45pm, at The Players Theatre, Nelson Street, Thame. Tickets are available from Tickets Anywhere, Greyhound Walk, Thame. Telephone 0871 2227232.

  • Lord Bill’s, Thame Amongst Best In Oxfordshire!

    LORD WILLIAMS’s, Thame, is one of Oxfordshire’s top performing schools at Key stage three, according to school performance tables published today.
    Lord Williams?s and Matthew Arnold School in Oxford were among the best performers with more than 75 per cent of pupils achieving the higher level in maths.
    Both schools scored 90 per cent or more in English, maths or science at the expected level as did Bartholomew School in Eynsham, Chiltern Edge School in Sonning Common and Gillotts School in Henley.

    Oxfordshire pupils in general it seems are performing better than the national average at the most challenging level in Key Stage 3 tests.

    According to the school performance tables, the biggest improvement was in maths with 61 per cent of 14-year-olds achieving the most challenging level 6 in 2006 – four per cent above last year?s result and the national average.

    The number of pupils reaching the expected standard (Level 5) in maths and science has also increased and is better than the national picture.

    Oxfordshire County Council?s Cabinet Member for School Improvement, Councillor Michael Waine, said: ?The results are very encouraging and it is good to see that pupils are performing well at the top level. Most schools are making year-on-year improvements in maths and science and this is a reflection of the hard work and commitment of teachers and pupils.
    ?In English, despite a small decline as has been the case nationally, the overall standard remains high but we are not complacent and shall continue to work, together with schools, to help more pupils reach their full potential.
    ?These results give us a good base on which to build further. We?re sure that heads and staff in Oxfordshire?s secondary schools will be working hard to translate these results into good GCSE grades in two years? time.?

    Breakdown of Oxfordshire Key Stage 3 results

    Percentage of 14-year-olds achieving the higher level (Level 6)

    Mathematics results increased by 4 percentage points from 57 per cent in 2005 to 61 per cent in 2006. Oxfordshire is 4 percentage points above the national average.

    English results increased by 1 percentage point from 37 per cent in 2005 to 38 per cent in 2006. Oxfordshire is 4 points above the national average.

    Science results increased by 3 percentage points from 43 per cent in 2005 to 46 per cent in 2006. Oxfordshire is 5 percentage points above the national average.

    Percentage of 14-year-olds achieving the expected standard (Level 5)

    Mathematics results increased by 2 percentage points from 77 per cent in 2005 to 79 in 2006. Oxfordshire is 2 percentage points above the national average.

    English results decreased by 1 percentage point from 76 per cent in 2005 to 75 per cent in 2006. Oxfordshire is 2 percentage points above the national average.

    Science results increased by 2 percentage points from 74 per cent in 2005 to 76 per cent in 2006. Oxfordshire is 4 percentage points above the national average.

    Photo: Courtesy of Lord Williams’s school.

  • Get Your Antiquities Assessed At Thame Museum

    THAME residents have another opportunity to have their archaeological curios professionally assessed at the town’s new museum.
    The third in a series of Portable Antiquities surgeries is to be held at the Thame Museum on Saturday, March 10, from 10am till 1pm.
    It will be an opportunity for anyone with anything archaeological, or they think is archaeological, to have it assessed by an expert free of charge with no obligation to donate the objects to the museum.

    The museum is also interested in hearing from local metal detectorists who might be interested in setting up a local club based at the museum.

    Anyone interested should contact museum@Thamehistory.net.

  • Mobile Phone Driver Jailed

    A DRIVER caught on camera driving while using a hand-held mobile phone and who denied the offence, has been sentenced to 28 days imprisonment and disqualified from driving for six months.
    Andrew Jonathan Millward, 40, of North Littleton in Evesham, was driving a van at 36 mph in a 30 mph speed limit last along the A418 in Tiddington, was caught on a mobile speed camera using his mobile phone.
    A Notice of Intended Prosecution was sent to the driver and Andrew Millward returned the form nominating his wife as the driver. Documents were sent to Lisa Gay Millward and she admitted the offence.
    Andrew and Lisa Millward were arrested on in February on suspicion of Perjury and appeared at Banbury Magistrates? Court on Monday (26/02).
    Andrew Millward was found guilty of perjury and driving in excess of the speed limit and using his hand-held mobile phone at the time, and was sentenced to 28 days imprisonment and disqualified from driving for six months.
    Lisa Millward was sentenced to 28 days imprisonment, suspended for 12 months and ordered to carry out 80 hours unpaid work in the community.

  • Spate Of Distraction Burglaries

    THE Police are warning residents across Oxfordshire to be on their guard after a spate of distraction burglaries yesterday throughout Monday (26/2).
    Incidents happened in Chinnor, Islip, Cowley, Wallingford, Benson and Chazey Heath. There were also incidents in Reading, Bracknell, Langley and Windsor which police believe could be linked.

    At midday a man came to the door of an elderly woman on Glimbers Grove, in Chinnor. He told the 84-year-old woman that he was from the Water Board. He was allowed into the kitchen and turned on the taps. He asked for some change and after he left the woman discovered a substantial amount of cash was missing. The man is white, 20-30 years old, well built, and was wearing a black jacket.

    Police believe the incidents could be linked. Det Sgt Alan Clements, investigating the crimes, said: ?We think this is a group which may have travelled in from another area.

    ?If they have called at your door and you turned them away then please contact us. If you have seen a group of young men acting suspiciously and knocking on doors in your area this could also be vital to our investigation.

    ?It is very likely they are using a vehicle so again, if you see something suspicious then report it.

    ?My advice to people in the area is not to open the door to anyone you don?t know who turns up unannounced.

    ?If you have elderly friends or relatives please ensure they are aware of this advice and stress how important it is not to open the door to anyone they don?t know. Please encourage them not to keep large amounts of cash at home.

    ?There is no such thing as the Water Board and any utility company will not turn up unannounced.

    ?We are investigating these incidents and looking at other distraction burglaries in Oxfordshire and the rest of the force to see if they are linked. Please help us catch these cowardly criminals.?

  • Thame School’s Gambia Link Inspires Special week (Contributed)

    LORD Williams?s School?s partnership with a school in The Gambia, West Africa, will take a big step forward soon with the school?s first ever Gambia Week.
    In the week beginning 12th March there will be a wide range of activities both in and out of lessons on the theme of life in The Gambia.

    Lord Williams?s School is linked with Brikama Upper Basic School in The Gambia. Every year for the last five years, Sixth Form students have taken part in a study tour supporting studies in A level Sociology and Geography. On the first visit, Lord Williams?s students visited a secondary school and the partnership has grown from that initial contact.

    Lord Williams?s School has also been working on ways to help all our students understand life in an African country; for example, all Year 7 students now study life in the Gambia as part of their global citizenship education.

    The school also wants to help its partner school in the Gambia to develop, and one of the aims is to build an Assembly Hall in the grounds of Brikama School which will be invaluable for both the students of the school and the local community. At the moment the school cannot hold assemblies in the rainy season. The hall will also be used for drama, dance and other activities.

    To achieve both the aims ? education and fundraising – plans are under way to hold a Gambia Week in school. This will be Monday 12th March to Saturday 17th March. Many activities are being planned in school such as assemblies, tutor group activities, Gambian food tasting, a Walk to The Gambia, Gambia Poetry sessions, video, slides and photographs, African Art displays finishing the week with a concert on Friday evening and a jumble sale on Saturday.

    If you have any jumble you would like to donate, please bring it to Lower School at 9.30pm Saturday 17th March. The sale will start at 1.00pm. We will also be serving refreshments. Please contact Carol Kendall on 01844 210510 for more details.

  • Fatal Collision ? Tetsworth

    THAME Police are appealing for witnesses following the death of an elderly pedestrian on the A40 London Road between Tetsworth and Milton Common.
    A blue Vauxhall Astra was in collision with a pedestrian at around 6.30pm yesterday (26/2). The pedestrian, a man in his 80s, was taken to the JR2 hospital but died from his injuries later that evening.

    PC Eddie Hulme from Abingdon Roads Policing, said: “Please contact us if you saw what happened. I particularly need to speak to anyone who saw a man walking along the road before the collision. He was wearing a dark blue anorak and light grey trousers.”

    If you have information please contact PC Hulme via 0845 8 505 505.

  • Workshop Offer To Driving Mobile Phone Offenders

    DRIVERS caught using hand-held mobile phones are to be offered ?Call Divert? workshops by Thames Valley Police.
    From today the penalty for being caught driving or supervising a learner while using a hand-held mobile phone or failing to have proper control of a vehicle will increase from a