Page 14 - link magazine

14 The Link Magazine • February 200 3
Schools review will give true picture of primary capacity
There are too many surplus places in Swindon's primary schools, but how many exactly has still to be decided.
Publicity in the local media be- Richard Jackson at Toothill "Our supposed surplus will The review of places across the
fore Christmas highlighted figures School said that although the largely be removed by a recalcula- borough was due to be published
in a leaked Swindon Education school is listed as having the third tion of the space and if the bor- in December 2002 but will now
department document suggesting highest number of surplus places, ough removes three mobiles." take place later this year.
that a few are nearly half empty the calculations were based on
and are in line for closure. Parents space before Swindon Council Gar-
in some areas will have been ried out major alterations in 2001 Rapid build in Grange Park
alarmed that their school is under when eight cramped double class- Contractors arrived at Greendown School in late January with the
threat. rooms were turned into single aim of constructing nine new classrooms, a multi-purpose hall and
The Government expects local units. He also pointed out that sev- offices, linked to the existing buildings, to be ready for the start of the
authorities to have eight to ten per eral mobile units are used for stor new school year in September.
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redesignated for computer suites, originally designated to have a don's planning committee in early He pointed out that Greendown
music rooms, libraries and re- second permanent building where January. The work will be carried willbeapplyingforspecialistbusi-
source areas. the mobiles are. out by Bideem Construction. ness college status in April and the
Up to another £1 million will be improved facilities will enhance
spent on rebuilding parts of the the opportunities created by the
existing structure so that depart- extra £400,000 that Government
ments and facilities can work in will invest if the bid is successful.
National
conjunction with the new building. Mr O'Sullivan thanked parents
Headteacher Steve O'Sullivan for respecting the ban on driving
hl^71P Schoolwearc^L Zt-L ^^ P PP ES
said having a major construction cars on site since the beginning of
A wide range of schoolwear for ages 4 to 18 project taking place in the middle term, as announced in the January
Official stockists of Brownies. Cubs. Scouts and Guides uniforms of the school site was a challenge, Link. "We are trying to achieve an
but everything was being done to orderly departure of well over
Unit 39 Brunel Arcade Swindon Tel: 01793 520843 minimise disruption. The long 1,000 young people each day, with
term educational benefits to fami- staff supervising the entrance to
lies in West Swindon from this
the school.
RENTS! investment by Swindon Council portant that we all strive for safety."
"With builders on site it is im-
are going to be immense. The
^ VI % school is at last going to get facili- He also thanked residents living
ties it has been lacking after sev- close to Sudeley Way for tolerat-
Would you like these eral phases of expansion over the ing the extra traffic that the ar-
benefits for your last ten years." rangements had generated.
child?
Respect Self- Hot start for new headteacher
Discipline Defence To say the least Steven Luke's first days as head of Freshbrook School
Temper Focus were a test. The heating system failed on the first day of term on 6
Control Confidence January and worked intermittantly for the next few days. By the end
of the week it had packed up completely and the children had to be
Allow the Leigh Childs
` qp _ N sent home from freezing classrooms.
Black-Belt Academy to
ses= "It wasn't the most auspicious
1 4-12 yrs°r„ show you first hand, start, but hopefully the repairs will
o ^
how empowering the have sorted out the problems," he
Martial Arts can be for said.
your Child. Mr Luke was headteacher at
Hilmarten primary school near
Lyneham which he joined in 1999
after several years as a teacher in
the South East.
A son of Cornwall, he has passed
through Wiltshire many times, but
is now discovering Swindon in
detail. "I was very impressed by
Freshbrook School when I visited
for the interview. There's a orderly
feel about the school, the children Mr Luke with Thomas Carpenter, the
are polite and interested in their only pupil in school after the heating
education; I think this reflects the system failed
kind of community it is in. of parents in their children's edu-
"I'm a great believer in the school cation. All the parents I've met have
being the central focus of a com- been very positive about the
Call 0800 0191 585 to book your place munity, as well as the involvement school."