Page 19 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • April 2001 19
Numbers problem closer to resolution

A looming crisis in finding places for the booming numbers of secondary age children in West Swindon is to be sorted out by Bradon Forest
and Greendown schools.
The Link exclusively reported in In mid-March there Council education Swindon in order to maintain our
March the desperation of West were sixty-six appeals spokesman Norrie Por- positive relationship with local pri-
Swindon parents who had been for places to the Bradon ter said discussions be- mary schools.
turned down by Bradon Forest Forest governors who tween the council and "Clearly Greendown cannot take
because it is obliged to give first are responsible for de- Bradon Forest gover- over three hundred children; both
priority to the large number of chil- termining its own admis- nors had established an schools have the same problem, a
dren from its Wiltshire village sion policy. Greendown agreement in principle lack of space."
feeder primary schools. School was faced with that the school would Greendown will have to increase
Swindon Council has known the prospect of having to increase its intake from its intake from 240 to 270. But places
about the problem for several years take up to 311 children 220 to 252. will still have to be found for
but has failed to plan for the extra in September. Bradon headteacher around seventeen children.
numbers. However Swindon Chris Montacute, left, Both schools will have to over-
confirmed that another come the teacher shortage crisis to
year 7 class would be opened. "The staff the extra classes being accom-
All change at the top governing body made an offer to modated.
The Governors at Greendown
Welcome to School have announced that deputy
Greendown headteacher Steve O'Sullivan, left, oo SWIM
n—i Matthews who leaves in August * No waiting lists SCHOOL
has been appointed to replace Ian
Community School
after 16 years.
Mr 'O as he has been known by
pupils for many years, was the * Quality lessons
third teacher to be appointed at * Experienced teachers
Greendown in 1985.
In March, Bradon Forest * Small classes
headteacher Chris Montacute was
appointed to become the new head * Everybody catered for
at Wootton Bassett School from - beginners, improvers
September.
Earlier in the year Mr Tom Axon, and serious swimmers
head at The Ridgeway announced
he would be retiring at the end of
the school year.

T REET raining r

Desktop Publishing FOR EVERYONE
Word Processing
Electronic Mail • Free training ♦ Free course notes
Spreadsheets
Nationally recognised qualifications
Multimedia
Everyone except benefit recipients
Databases must pay towards qualification costs
Graphics
Accounts
Internet

New centre in

WEST SWINDON

FOR DETAILS RING NOW
01305 - 755830