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A Newsletter from West Swindon's Local School • November 1998
See us @ www.swindonlink.com

GCSE results confirm rising Winner earns

award
trend of success Paula Brooks, one of Green-

down's most happy and coura-
In line with - but comfortably above - the national trend of an
increase in 5+A-C grades at GCSE, Greendown celebrates another geous students, died of Cystic
Fibrosis in 1993.
successful set of public exam results. National Curriculum Test Results
In her memory, the school set
at 14 (SATS) were also particularly good in Science and Maths.
up the Paula Brooks Award to be
As usual there were some excellent performances by exceptional
given each year to the student,
students, including one year 9 student who obtained an A* in GSCE
who, by popular acclaim, has
Maths, and also those who obtained Maths at AS level. Our Maths early
shown the most spirit and deter-
entry policy, where some students take GCSE exams in year 10 or even
mination in the face of adversity.
as early as year 9, continues to be as successful as in previous years.
This year, the cup went to
We are particularly concerned at Greendown to help all our
Andrew Dutton. Andrew made
students improve their expectations of final performance. The staff
great efforts to overcome signifi-
work intensively with students and parents offering additional ses-
cant personal difficulties and find
sions, after school homestudy clubs, helping with personal time
a new and improved attitude to
planning and setting individual targets.
his work and social life in school.
Headteacher In addition, students' grades are regularlychecked against standard- Andrew Dutton received the
Ian ised tests of verbal, numeric and visual ability, and against grades in award from chair of Governors
Matthews other subjects. Students are regularly told how well they are doing and Andrew Basson at a special
what they need to improve further.
whole school assembly on the
last day of the summer term
Intake keeps on rising
New buildings planned for September 99
The year 6 intake in September, at 255, was our 1999 and by next September, the school will have
largest ever and takes the total school roll to 1,037. anew library and Resources Centre, eight teaching
We expect to grow to over 1,300 in the next two areas and computer rooms. A new music suite is
years. also to be built.
We have taken steps to cope with the increased In keeping with the school philosophy, these
demand on the school by appointing more staff facilities will be available to the wider community.
and reorganising the timetable so that there is less We are also in active discussion with both Swin-
contact between upper and lower school to ease don and New Colleges and the University of
congestion in corridors and at break times. Swindon about how Greendown can provide
An £800,000 building programme starts in April education beyond secondary school on our site.

Oxbridge entrants for third year running High art for Polly

Following out-
We are pleased that, for the third year running, graduates from
standing GCSE re-
Greendown have started degrees at Oxford University.
sults in 1996,
Eran Palti, who formerly at- Emma Kingston left Greendown former Green-
tended Shaw Ridge primary two years ago with 7 A* and 3 As down student
school, left Greendown with 6 and achieved three A grades at A Polly Benford
A*, 2 As, 2 Bs, and 1 C grade at level in Geography, French and achieved A grades
GCSE. At New College, he Spanish. The ex-Oliver Tomkins in Art and Art His-
achieved a clean sweep of top primary pupil has started a BA tory at Swindon College this sum-
grades at A level in Maths, Fur- degree at Pembroke College, mer. Her work in Art History was
ther Maths, Physics and Comput- Oxford. adjudged as one of the top five by
ing. A keen hockey player, Emma the examining board.
He has just started a four year played in the West of England Polly has started a one year
Physics degree at Wadham Col- under 21 team last season and is pre-degree Foundation Year at
lege, Oxford and has already set looking forward to gaining an Swindon Art College and is ap-
his sights on a Ph.D. in Physics Oxford Blue. plying to University to study Fine
Another New College student Emma and Eran Art.