Page 16 - link magazine

This is Greendown • 2

More Popular Than Ever

Greendown is celebrating its tenth birthday with two
excellent presents - our highest roll and our largest ever
intake. 230 children and their parents made Greendown
their first choice this year, and we are delighted to
welcome them. Although our 'standard number is 210,
we have been able to accommodate all our first choice
students.
We have the classrooms and facilities to give them the
high quality education they have chosen.
Our numbers have topped 900 for the first time, and we
are making good progress towards capacity. Our building
maintenance team have been busy getting new rooms
ready to meet the demands of the larger numbers and our
teaching staff have spent months planning the curriculum
to ensure every individual fulfils their potential.
Library clerkJenny Eagle explaining in September
how new year 7 students can make best use of
Greendown's excellent resource centre

Working closely with primary schools

Greendown has always The English department once School came up to Greendown
tried to build upon the again asked year 8 students to where other groups read their
work done at primary write for a real audience by creat- stories and set up linked activities.
school. We have featured ing books for primary children. As the National Curriculum
a number of joint projects One group went to Windmill Hill places greater emphasis on conti-
in previous years: the Pri- School and met year 2 children. nuity, so Greendown gives pri-
mary Science Laboratory, They returned with their books, mary liaison still greater impor-
P.E. links and Education which included requests from the tance. Mr Noble is setting up a
2000 continue to prosper. year 2 readers. All the reception team of teachers to ensure our
In the summer, Primary children from Tregoze Primary close work continues.
Liaison Coordinator Tim
Noble and our Art teach-
ers worked with Oliver Poets perform in public
Tomkins Junior School
and Brook Field School. Greendown students were ac- gathering in Old Town Gardens.
Mr Noble is currently tive in last June's Swindon Litera- The quality of some of the po-
ture Festival. In the past, we have ems was exceptional - a mixture
working with Brook Field
had visits and readings from pub- of humour and power, with clear
School and Lydiard Park
lished poets. This year, students personal voices evident in the
on a play about the golden
Carla Laney reading her work to a cavalier in St Mary's went into Swindon and read their writing.
Windmill Hill pupil Church. own poems in public. Other interesting activities in
Year 7 students visited the Link English included a visit by Brian
Centre library, below, to read Glover and the Canterbury Tales
Awards for high acheivers their own compositions and fa- cast as part of our lower school
vourite poems. Year 9 and 10 work on Chaucer and mediaeval
Our end of year assembly in July had much to celebrate. The final
students, who had written poetry English. Year 9 enjoyed work-
award was, as for the past two years, the Paula Brooks award for
at our residential weekend at shops on Romeo andJuliet as part
outstanding and consistent endeavour. Two students tied for the
Braeside, read aloud at a festival of their study of Shakespeare.
honour: Emma Kingstone, of year 11 and Charon Goindi of year 9.
Emma always made time for
schoolwork even when her hockey
demanded high commitment, and
her impressive GCSE results reflect
her excellent attitude as well as her
ability. Emma has gone on to New
College; she hopes to reach the
England under 18 hockey team.

Charon, left, has worked con-
sistently throughout the year, and
has impressed all staff with his
attitude and good humour. His ef-
fort has been reflected in clear
progress in lessons, and he also
gained a place in the school cricket
team.