Page 8 - link magazine

8 WESTLEA
Race around the school Community life moves into
Shrove Tuesday on 27 February, after the March Link went to press was
marked, at Westlea School by a pancake race. Teams of pupils and staff higher gear
had to sprint across the playground to collect their pancake ingrediants A meeting on Saturday 3 March to attitude from many people willing
then run around the school with an already cooked pancake. Posing with bring Westlea residents together to take on the challenge of organis-
parents Debbie Watson and Mrs Honeysett, rear right, cold pancakes in hand, was attended by over 40 people. ing more activities in Westlea.
front left Daniel Bingham, James Ruddle, Nathan Baines, Neil Towill, Andrew The meeting organised by a 'There's going to be a fundrais-
Smith. Rear left, Sonia Brown, Vicky Hambidge, Robert Cook, Anthony group of residents concerned by ing play day in May and a two day
Cosham,Darren Leighfield, Michelle Payne and Maria Skeffing ton.
the lack of neighbourhood facffi- playscheme in the summer holi-
ties was also attended by local coun- days. Some older peopless ex-
cillors and community workers. pressed interest in a regular get
The issues discussed included together but we need the promised
the need for a community building building soon."
larger than the present room at- Play Development Officer Paul
tached to the primary school and Ryan said the attendance and the
better play facilities and safer play discussions had made it a good
areas. meeting. He thought there was a
Sue Sheikh, one of the organisers danger that expectations might be
said she was very encouraged by raised too high; things needed to
the number of people who at- develop ata pace which would keep
tended. "There was a very positive everybody involved.

Teaching them the British way
Neil Griffiths, Head of Westlea
School, won't be having a break
for Easter this year. The morning
after school finishes on 6 April he
For a short cut, via Downing Street, to a more flies to Florida in the United States
prosperous retirement, cut this out. and returns the day before the
summer term starts on 23 April.
During the two weeks he will
RING S8181 spend in America, Neil will be
or write to the address below. demonstrating how British
"Please contact me to discuss in teachers organise their classes and
detail my pension planning" the way our children receive
instruction. This is the third such
Name trip he has undertaken, having
Address spent time in North Carolina and
Post Code Virginia.
Tel. No. Armed with a box of slides of
RING
work being done at Westlea
John Phillips, Abbey Life, 1st Floor, School, Neil will work with
Beaver House, 147 -150 Victoria Road
Swindon. Tel: 531292 teachers and children at Neil Griffiths
L A member of LAUTRO -J kindergarten, primary and
secondary level through to money available for education
university students and teachers Neil says forward thinking
Maggie and the taxman in training. He will take classes teachers in the United States are
are queuing up to give to demonstrate British methods, desperate to introduce British
run workshop discussions and methods into classroom practice.
you a pension present give lectures. "Everything is prescribed in a
Neil described for The Link National Curriculum with very
No, this is neither a hoax nor an hallucination; it's hard
financial fact. someof the enormous differences little flexibility. Teachers spend
The Government will be giving you a golden handshake of to be found between the most of their time testing and
up to £1600 to help you start a personal pension of your own. education systems in the two grading pupils. If a child doesn't
As if that weren't enough even the Inland Revenue are countries. "Teaching is more pass the test they stay down until
proving outgoing. formal, children rarely leave the they do. So parents have very
They're offering tax relief on all your pension and life desks and they don't have the high demands that their children
assurance contributions to build up in a tax free fund. range of different curriculum make the grade.
At Abbey Life we can help you take full advantage of this areas to explore. On the other "Unfortunately there are lots
unexpected bonus by offering you a pension plan from our hand there seem to be limitless of bored, frustrated children and
range of Leading Edge Pensions. resources, more teachers and poor standards of numeracy and
All in all, what one might call a premier personal pension.
smaller classes. literacy. Teachers there are crying
"Primary schools are usually out for the flexibility to bring out
double the size as they are here the natural curiosity and desire
and every school has separate to learn to be found in every
dining hail, gyms and assembly child."
halls, whereas our hall here is all Neil will be spending his two
three. weeks in and around Orlando,
"Parents have much more Florida. He will have Easter
power and headteachers are weekend free and hopes to visit
totally administrative with no the attractions of Disney World.
teaching responsibilities." He has promised to write an
Abbey Life, the right choice for pensions Although there may be great article on his trip for The Link's
differences in the amount of 'Education Matters' page.