by Graham Tutthill

gtutthill@thekmgroup.co.uk

Students at a Dover school are being given military training in a bid to improve their academic results.

Twice a week, boys and girls from Astor College for the Arts will be putting on the ceremonial uniform of the Duke of York’s Royal Military School for public service lessons.

The elite group will learn to handle weapons, navigate sea-craft, fly planes and take part in drill practice at school and parades in Dover, supervised by a high ranking NCO, advised by the Duke of York’s Regimental Sergeant Major, Steff Dowle.

Fifty students so far have signed up to join the popular military cadre, which launches in September.

The cadre will undertake a BTEC in public service, adventurous training and the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

In 2010, 97 per cent of students at the Duke of York’s passed five or more GCSEs including English and Maths at A* to C grades.

In contrast, 30 per cent of Astor students achieved the same GCSE results and that is expected to increase to 35 per cent this year.

Chris Russell, chief executive of the Dover Federation for the Arts, said: “We’ve worked hard to drive up academic standards and our visual and performing arts programme produces work of outstanding quality.

“But by setting up a professionally-run military cadre, we hope to instill a sense of self-respect, discipline and pride in the students who will then act as role models for their peers.

“We believe this will impact positively in their academic and personal lives.”

Full strory in this week's Dover Mercury.