Page 14 - link magazine

14 The Link Magazine • April 2003
Greendown welcomes excellence cluster Gunged for
Over the next three years, Greendown Hreod, Headlands, Churchfields and Dorcan will be working science
together as an 'Excellence Cluster to improve the quality of education on offer, funded by a £2.5 million
grant from the Department for Education and Skills. Ridgeway School headteacher
Elizabeth Cooper suffered the in-
The Swindon cluster is one of Department as the 'touchstone' will be collaborating on four
forty across Britain supported by school so that good practice can be strands of work to develop: dignity of being liberally sloshed
the DfES and Greendown has been disseminated within the grouping. • gifted and talented programmes; with jelly and custard on 7 March
identified by Swindon's Education Last year Greendown delivered • learning mentoring schemes; - all in the interests of education.
Swindon's • learning support units;
highest level of • programmes to recruit and re-
value added in tain high quality teachers.
the exam He said, "I feel honoured that
league tables. the LEA has identified Greendown
This measures as the high achieving school within
the gains made the cluster and also by the wel-
by children as come we have had from the other
they progress headteachers who will be involved.
from primary "The best practice from each
school to school within the cluster will be
GCSE. shared with other schools across
Headteacher the borough. This will be done
Steve U SUllin'an in front of the lunhbni work currently Steve O'Sulli- through meetings between teach-
going on in Grange Park, which will pro ovide an extra 150 van said the ers, visits by teachers to schools to
for West Swindon children five schools observe and learn from each other,
as well as training and develop-
ment sessions on good practice."
Celebrating a centenary of the WEA He added that involvement in
The Workers Educational Association is planning a series of events the excellence cluster was an in- The school is bidding for Spe-
this summer to celebrate 100 years of adult learning. centive for Greendown to continu- cialist Science School status and
• An exhibition during Adult Learners week in May. Do you have any ally examine good practice and has to raise £50,000 from business
photos or memories of WEA classes you'd like to share in the display? drive for higher standards. support and community fund rais-
• An essay competition with several age groups. Look out for entry The extra funding will be spent ing in order to receive a further
forms in libraries and community centres. on improving the management of £400,000 government funding over
• A ramble around Coate Water on Sunday 18 May, with a quiz for the information sharing, materials to four years.
young and not so young. Bring the family or come alone to meet old boost high quality teaching, such Staff paid for the privilege of
friends and make new ones. There's a shared picnic afterwards. as schemes to develop the abilities gunging the head, whilst pupils
For details of the centenary events, call 618238. of gifted and talented children. paid to watch.

SWINDON ACADEMY OF

Ballet, Tap, Modern
& Jazz classes held
for boys and girls
from two and a half
years upwards at:

Haydon Centre

Abbey Meads
Community School

Stratton Community
Centre

Blunsdon Village Hall

For more details and enquiries,
call 01793 524112

Established for over 12 years. All staff fully qualified