Page 11 - link magazine

ABBEY MEADS 11
Where should the next new school be built? Get your

Swindon Council's education department is looking to residents of the northern development to advise
them where further primary school provision should be made and is holding a public meeting on garden fit
Wednesday 4 February, 7pm, in the Haydon Centre, Thames Avenue.
Central government has author- 1. to build a brand new school on dren would allow more flexible
ised expenditure of £1.5 million on Elstree Way, where the temporary management of pupil numbers so Mr Rotavator
school places for the area and the community centre and police post that children will be with others of Creative Gardens
education committee has two op- are located. This would have 210 the same age.
tions before it: children, thirty per year between The size of school may be con- Landscaping, Patios,
ages four and 11 years. The school sidered a disadvantage, and the Paths & Ponds, Fencing,
would be small and self contained, location is further away which Clearance &
Name the and closer to home thus reducing means more use of cars. General Maintenance
the number of car journeys and The education department will
north: your traffic congestion. be circulating a consultation form
The disadvantage would be the
views wanted limit on common resources such during January which can be re- Tel: 01793-702076
turned with views, in addition to
About 1,000 houses are occupied as the library and a fluctuating finding out more at the public
in Swindon's northern develop- pupil roll which might mean mixed
ment. But what are we to call the age group classes.
area? We asked this question in 2. to expand Haydonleigh
the August 1996 Link, but nobody School, adjacent to Safeways in
responded. Things have changed Haydon Wick, from the current
rapidly and we at The Link would 210 places to 420 places. A greater
like to put the question again. range of resources will be avail- NURSERY & PRE-PREP
The first 'urban village' at Ab- able and the larger number of chil-
bey Meads has now been joined by Individual Care
other housing areas such as St Council can't Individual learning at
Andrew's Ridge, Ash Brake and Prior Park Preparatory School
Red House. Over on the west side pay for safety Cricklade, Wiltshire
of the development, off Moredon f
Road, 30 houses are occupied at The November Link highlighted For children aged 6 months to 7 years (out of school r
Taw Hill. the plight of children living at
and holiday provision 7.45am - 6.30pm)
The Link has called this page Blunsdon Ridge who attend
Abbey Meads since 1995, but we Warnford School, Highworth. Please contact Shelagh Hanbury B.Ed (Hons)
need to reflect the sense of identity Rajvindar Kular B.A (Hons)
being developed as the whole area
grows. In the early days of West TELEPHONE (01793) 752600 __
Swindon, the area was known as
Toothill, until people in Fresh-
brook and Westlea demanded rec-
ognition.
SwinDon BOROUGH COUnCIL
For many years the overall term
used was the 'western expansion.'
The Link can claim responsibility
for the area now being known as EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
'West Swindon.'
By continually using this name
in the magazine, people took it on i' ary school provision.
as they put their roots down into
the growing community. Gradu- The council blocked a footpath North Swindon
ally references in other papers, next to the main road to stop trav-
council documents, maps and road ellers invading building land The Council intends to consult with the community
signs followed. nearly two years ago and twice a on two options for the future provision of
As Abbey Meads is within the day in the dark, Lisa Pickburn and primary education in North Swindon. The options are:
boundaries of Haydon Wick Par- Charlotte Dungay, pictured above
ish Council, and St Andrews Ridge with mother Chris Dungay, walk a i. to expand Haydonleigh School, or
is to found within Blunsdon Par- mile along busy Thames-down ii. to build a new school at Elstree Way.
ish Council, we need to be sensi- Drive to the bus stop on Cricklade
tive to local opinion on promoting Road.
community names. The 'northern After complaints by parents, A public: eeting has been arranged a ,.
development area' or the 'Haydon Swindon Council have checked the he Haydon Centre
Sector' are hardly names to gener- route and deemed it unsafe. How- m on 4 February 1998
ate a sense of community spirit. ever they cannot afford to divert
Swindon Council appears to the bus to Blunsdon Ridge and at which representatives from the
have concluded on a name for the have suggested alternatives to the Education Department will be present
expansion area. Spokesman John parents. to answer any questions you may wish to raise.
Roche said the council now refers Parent Chris Dungay said she
it as 'North Swindon.' was not happy with the decision. Further information will be delivered to homes in
What do you think? Give us "It's taken months to get an answer North Swindon before the meeting, and will be
some guidance on the name to to our complaints. We don't un- available in local libraries. We look forward to
appear at the top of this page, and derstand why it would cost a lot to
in future stories. ensure safety for the girls." receiving your comments on the proposed options.
Send your suggestions to The Local councillor Doreen Dart is For more details, please contact Eileen Roberts
Link, 13 Castle Dore, Freshbrook, taking up the problem with coun-
Swindon SN5 SPQ. cil departments. on Swindon 463126.