Page 15 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • April 2004 15
Making noise frees the spirits during art week

Youngsters at Catherine Wayte Pri-
mary School in Abbey Meads had a
crashing time during an art week in
mid-March when the Kaya Drum-
ming School ran a day of workshops.
During the week themed 'Our won-
derful world,' the children also cre-
ated paintings, pottery and visited the
library to research the cultures and
creatures of the planet.
The Jam Tart Company will be in
school on 1 April to help children make
a giant mosaic and parents are being
invited to see displays of the work
during the afternoon.
Right, Year 1 children making lots of noise
with Kaya

School joins mass poetry recitation ^n: an edut tion for life
r your child wants to achieve in life,
The children at Oliver Tomkins Infant School took part in a world
record attempt on 19 March by joining other schools across Britain in undation in maths and English
a mass simultaneous rendition of William Wordsworth's famous al. With the year-round Kumon
daffodil poem I wandered lonely as a cloud to raise money for Marie nes, children develop confidence,
Curie Cancer Care. and study skills that last them a lifetime
The event formed part of the charity's daffodil campaign and also Nest Swindon Centre
marked the bi-centenary of the poem written in 1804.
Millicent Parish Hall
Full of the joys of spring. Practicing the 200 year old words of Wordsworth,
lard Bell on 01285 711170
from left, Georgia Savin, Benjamin White, Bethany Taylor, Sam Prictor,
Georgia Forde, Angelica Koppoe, Lauren Gaff, Katie Scott, Gemma Lucas pen 4.00pm to 6.00pm
3 and Thursdays
'or almost 50 years. children around the world have benefited
row studying the Kumon maths and language programmes.
45,000 children of all ages and abilities are currently enrolled
it study centres throughout the UK.

School set challenge for greater improvement
An Ofsted report on Greendown Community School in Grange Park
identified 88 per cent of lessons seen as satisfactory or better with 54
per cent being good, very good or excellent.
History, geography, engineering, ICT, art, drama, PE, business stud-
ies and work related courses all receive positive comments for high
standards of achievement and good or excellent teaching.
The school closely monitors pupils' academic performance and per-
sonal development and has an excellent system for tracking and moni-
toring individuals' progress.
The accommodation has been improved and is now excellent in
maths and very good in PE. The improved resources and the consider-
able investment in ICT is having a positive impact on standards.
The report recognises the school's very good links with the commu-
nity, in particular its feeder primary schools, and the relationship with
local businesses is having a positive effect on achievement.
Eighteen out of the 148 lessons observed were rated unsatisfactory or
poor and the report comments on the poor behaviour of some pupils,
particularly in Years 7, 8 and 9. These issues are described as serious
weaknesses which need to be addressed by improving the quality and
consistency of teaching and learning in order to raise pupils' achieve-
ments further. There also needs to be improvement in the consistency,
rigour, and accuracy of monitoring and evaluation.
Headteacher Steve O'Sullivan commented, "with 88 per cent of
lessons judged to be satisfactory or better, the inspectors have provided
a clear focus for the school to build on the strengths identified. We see
this as an opportunity to raise standards still further."