Page 14 - link magazine

14 The Link Magazine • August 2003
Science college to benefit community
Ridgeway School is celebrating being a designated school specialising in science and the environment which will see £600,000 of
Government money being introduced over the next four years, for refurbishing laboratories and developing links with primary schools and
local colleges.
Headteacher Elizabeth Cooper I L , our pupils for the future. The extra
said the successful bid creates a resources opens up so many possi-
wide range of educational oppor- -- bilities of working with other edu-
tunities. "This enables us to make 1k I I cational bodies and to involve peo-
a significant difference to learning ple of all ages and interests in our
by pupils of all abilities at both ; school."
Ridgeway and our partner primary
schools. We will also be working Bradon get together
on science and environmental SueWaller(neePotter)andTeena
projects with Headlands and (Ellis) are organising a school re-
Churchfields Schools and a union for pupils who left Bradon
Crowdys Hill Special School. We — Forest Secondary Modern School
will also be developing our links L from 1970 to 1975.
with Swindon and Lackham Col- I It takes place on Friday 22 Au-
leges and New College, as well as gust in the function room at The
the University of Bath in Swin- Angel, High Street, Purton. The cost
don." is £5; partners will be welcome.
At the beginning of the year only Getting down to science, Ridgeway pupils, from left, Ben Reade, Amy Shayler, For details call Sue on 334950 or
£3,000 had been raised towards Faye Lloyd, James McGowan, Carl Byworth, Hayleigh Gilbert with back row, Teena on 878392.
the £50,000 which had to be pro- business manager Astrid Morris, Elizabeth Cooper, head of sciencePhil Bevan,
vided by the school. However over science teacher Lorna Lear
200 sponsors have helped - from ingactivitiesbystudentsand staff Science Museum Wroughton. Six terms from 2004
parents who contributed £35 to at the school raised £15,000. Mrs Cooper said specialist sta- Swindon Council's cabinet has
Swindon businesses, such as the Two science laboratories are to tus would not detract from other agreed that schools will convert
Dick Lovett Group, Pebley Beach be renovated and a third will be aspects of the curriculum. "Focus- to a six term year from September
Suzuki and Johnson Mathey Fuel built to be called the Creative ing on science allows us to offer a 2004.
Cells who have each contributed Planet Centre. This will be an in- wider range of courses at all levels, The summer holiday will be at
£5,000. formation resource centre corn- and to develop important links least five weeks long, but the Easter
The largest single amount of plete with a computer suite and with primary schools and higher break will no longer be linked to
£15,000 came from the Bristol based video conferencing facilities, as education. Science and a greater thecrucifictionofJesusChrist.This
Medlock Trust, which supports the well as an environmental garden, awareness of the environment are major adjustment means that terms
development of science and links to be developed as a community becoming even more important in will be broadly of equal length
with primary schools. Fund rais- resource in conjunction with the society and we will be preparing throughout the year.