Page 25 - link magazine

Doing the business at GNVQ

Greendown was one of only two Swindon schools advancement in communication skills with both his
ulu dancers set allowed to pilot these new vocational courses in peers and outside agencies.
Business and Engineering in 1997 - and they are Other successes at GNVQ include a team of
• chool jumping proving popular with our students. Greendown students who, earlier this year, won the
The GNVQ is already taken by a large number of Burmah Castrol Challenge after an intensive day's
Greendown had the privilege
post-16 college students as a route to employment, competition with other teams during an Economic
o host 'Alive Kids' from South
modern apprenticeships or Higher Education. The and Industrial Understanding Conference.
rica last November.
qualification has been adapted for schools so that 14 Issued with £3 million pounds in tokens, our team
The 30 strong dancers and mu-
to 16 year olds can benefit from the distinctive had to construct a marketing strategy for an oil
.icians, touring with the Boys Bri-
approach to the world of work. company which had launched two new lubricants.
:ade 'Streetwise' project, put stu-
We are delighted by the support Midland Bank Mrs Elaine Ford, Greendown Head of Business
ents through a fast paced work-
.hop before going on to perform has given us, sponsoring an award for the student Studies commented, "the case study represented an
who has achieved the most during the course. actual situation, so it was highly gratifying to see our
or the Queen in the town centre. Daniel Collict received the sheild for remarkable students performing so effectively in 'the real world".
Many of the performers had
seen street children and talked to
lklrinah (asln
lasses about the harshness of life
n the townships and what it was (.onlcrencc
ike to live under Apartheid.

Students hear of GNVQ award
winner
life in Ethiopia Oil executMs ot ht I iiture? Business Studies teachers Evci Daniel
- Challenge w
We welcomed a return visit of (1c ft) .,ntl I1.m I rd %N ith the Burmah Collict
church development worker Theo
Tesfaye, from Ethiopia, in October.
He was in Britain for the tenth Broad engineering day puts
anniversary of the 'Send A Cow'
project and was able to fit in a students through their paces
slide show and talk to year 11
GCSE geography students. Our annual engineering day in day at the Army careers centre
Head of Humanities PeterGould July, organised by the Neighbour- whilst others visited Didcot Power
said Theo's visit gave a tremen- hood Engineers, gave year 10 stu- Station. Another group visited a
dous boost to student learning. dents the chance to see the appli- water works to look at how mi-
"He speaks with such conviction cation of engineering in the real crobes are used in sewage treat-
about how Christianity has brought world. GNVQ students worked at ment.
real spiritual and physical devel- the Rover Design Centre, testing In school, students made kites,
opment to a troubled country. He quad-bikes and considering de- had a go at welding and made
exploded many stereotypes about sign issues for the next generation radios.
the environment, aid to poorer of these vehicles.
countries and cultural differences. Fifty students had a fascinating
"The students were absolutely
amazed by what Theo had to sa
Science challenges
In October, fourteen year 9 stu-
dents had a challenging experi-
ence, arranged and supported by
The Institute of Mechanical Engi-
neers and Dyson Manufacturing,
and hosted by 'Think ofA Number'
Testing time on the
presenter, Johnny Ball. After vari-
year 10 Engineering
ous testing activities and thinking Day in July. Jamie
problems, James Turner won a Mead, left, and Paul
prize of a book all about the Weeks
successful Dyson vacuum cleaner.