Page 14 - link magazine

14 The Link Magazine • October 2003
Drop in family size delays North secondary school build
Lack of children moving into North Swindon and fewer than expected babies being born in the area were two of the reasons given by
Swindon's director of education, Hilary Pitts, for yet another delay in the start on a secondary school in the area, at a meeting arranged by
Blunsdon and Haydon Wick Parish Councils on 19 September.
The £58 million private finance Ms Pitts said the build pro- the top 100 most improved schools the successful PFI company will
initiative project to rebuild Hreod gramme is on course to start in in England and Wales. build the school and it will be
Parkway, create an education cam- mid-2004, and the opening date After the meeting parent Ian mothballed by the Local Educa-
pus including a new secondary for Hreod had been agreed. How- Dallow from Abbey Meads said he tion Authority until the money is
school, a primary school and two ever the independent School Or- was angry about the situation and available to run it."
special schools at Priory Vale and ganisation Committee would ex- felt powerless. "We moved here Three private companies are cur-
rebuild Moredon Primary School press its preference at the end of six years ago on the understand- rently assembling proposals for
on Akers Way, is to start by the the year on the Si opening date, ing a secondary school would be building and managing the pack-
middle of 2004. based on a wide range of consid- built in 2003. My son is due to age of North Swindon schools for
The new Hreod, combined as erations. After further consulta- move up in September 2004 and the next 25 years, within the PFI
one 11 to 16 school is planned to tion, the final decision would not we feel we cannot get the best for scheme, and the preferred bidder
open by December 2005. be made until March next year. him." will be announced at the end of the
The main contention at the pub- The financial issues are a major One local primary headteacher year.
lic meeting was the opening date problem. Funding of schools is said many parents had the same Abbey Meads councillor Justin
of the North Swindon school at based on the number of children in feelings and at least six had moved Tomlinson said Swindon Council
Priory Vale, known as S1. attendance, but at secondary level house to areas where there is had made it clear that they want Si
Parents pressed for a September all subjects have to be staffed ad- greater choice of school. to open in 2006 but now that edu-
2006 opening date, which is three equately. If Si were to open in 2006 Parent Helen Miah said she was cation is run by separate organisa-
years later than many were led to with too few children it would extremely frustrated by the lack of tions, the decision will be made by
believe when they bought their mean considerable subsidy from answers to the basic questions an independent body.
houses at Abbey Meads. the education budget and other about choosing a school. "I don't Chair of the Si governing body
However Ms Pitts said the latest schools in the town could lose out. want to wait until next March for a Neil Askins said he was surprised
survey of children in the area re- Also present was Hreod decision on S1 so that I can work by the lack of passion or anger at
quiring secondary education does Parkway headteacher Andrew out what is best for my children in the meeting, but recognised many
not make the school financially Fleet who said he and his staff are either September 2006 or 2007. people were resigned to having
viable until September 2007 when impatient to relaunch the school in "A secondary school in North little say in the decisions.
there will be around another 100 new buildings on one site. Swindon will be a major corner- "We want to see Si opening soon
children leaving primary school. He acknowledged the frustra- stone in the development of our after Hreod in 2006. It would re-
National and local data shows tions of parents whilst pointing community and we need it as soon duce the potential for chaos as a
that the average number of chil- out that pupils at Hreod had re- as possible. result of some parents transferring
dren in a family has dropped from cently exceeded the national aver- "My two major worries are that children to a school nearer their
2.5, which was used for school age in SAT tests and the rise in North Swindon is losing intelli- homes and would help Hreod plan
planning in the past, to about 1.7. GCSE passes had put the school in gent parents who are sending their for the future. Swindon has to find
children out of the area, and that a way to underwrite Sl from 2006."

Flight to Farmors School continues
When Julie Little from St Andrew's Ridge decided in late 2000 that
she would not accept the offer of a place at Hreod Parkway or
Headlands for her son, she did not realise how many other parents
would join her in a search for alternatives outside Swindon.
Luckily for them
Farmors School at
Fairford had capacity
to expand and take on
another 86 children ;
from September 2001.
The number travel-
ling from North Swin-
don rose to around 130
this September.
However parents
who decide that their
children should make
the twelve mile trip to
the Gloucestershire
school also have to Start of a new term for the third intake from North
find £435 per year to Swindon. Youngsters waiting for the bus at Ash Brake
cover transport costs.
"It is very disappointing and Janjuha from Ash Brake, said she
frustrating that the North Swin- and her family had moved to the
don school is delayed yet again," area five years ago when her
paid Julie. "Parents are committed daughter Sonica started in Year 1
to getting the best for their chil- at primary school and was told
dren and despite the dedication of that a secondary school would be
the teachers at Hreod, our desig- built within three years.
nated secondary school, the exam Her son has just started at
results and other aspects of the Haydonleigh School and Anaya is
school do not meet our expecta- not convinced that he will get the
tions." chance to attend the proposed new
Another Farmors' parent, Anaya school in another five years time.