Page 14 - link magazine

14 The Link Magazine • August 2004
Children meet staff at newest school
O m
Youngsters who will start at the still to be completed St Francis Church Aided School in Taw Hill met
r m
T their teachers at a series of induction days in early July.
m The youngest children who will built on the adjacent site. Unfortu- each other and contribute to the
z
Effl m be joining the nursery and recep- tember,sothefourclasseswillstart building of our school community.
nately it will not be ready for Sep-
He added that a social evening
tion classes brought their teddy
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¢ bears to join in with teddy bear in two large mobiles next to the in July for parents, governors and
O picnics. Part of the afternoon at the worship centre and medical prac- teachers, held at and hosted by the
I T O Taw Hill Worship Centre, which tice. These are due for delivery on Tawny Owl pub, had also been
a i was also attended by parents, was 16 August. excellent.
~
tn • • ' a chance to look at the school being Headteacher Clive Westall said The reception class is full, but
the four induction sessions had there are places in the nursery,
from been very successful. "The chil- Key Stages 1 and 2. Pick up an
Y BLAYLOCKS 25ear had a positive experience in applicationformattheNorthSwin-
years s on
Bath Road Corner > Youngsters, staff, parents and preparation for joining St Francis don Library, Taw Hill Medical
Old Town, Swindon m7 friends of Toothill School took Centre or call Rev Ruth Cram,
0 and the aftenoons were a good
Tel: 534271 `n part in its 25th year summer fete opportunity for parents to meet 701333.
on 3 July with stalls, games and a St Francis reception children hold up their teddies, with parents and headteacher
football tournament. Clive Westall, standin, ri'ht; teacher Stephanie Mundin, front right
,
Adding a dash of colour to the fete,
OF Joseph Fields,AnacTeixeira,JordanTate L f I 1 I'
GORSE
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, .79 - 2004
SPECIALISTS IN WEDDING HIRE
SENIOR SCHOOL UNIFORM
KING SIZE MENSWEAR
AND IN-HOUSE ALTERATION/
TAILORING DEPARTMENT
% 124 Cricklade Road
Gorse Hill, Swindo
i Tel:642211
Open: gam - 5.30pm
Wed&Sat 9am-5pm
Free car park
North school catchments
cause grief for parents
A Swindon Council plan to change North Swindon primary school
intakes is creating a rising tide of anger amongst parents who are
faced with having to send siblings to schools in opposite directions.
The catchment areas have been
altered so that families living in
parts of Abbey Meads, St Andrew's +t+ .
Ridge, Ash Brake and Groundwell
West will no longer be able to go to
Abbey Meads Primary but instead
will have to send their children to
Penhill Primary which for some is
a long walk or drive away.
Several have now put their
houses up for sale in order to move
to the catchment of their preferred
school. A Lisa and Alison
Alison Carr from Groundwell is
furious with the situation. She has Meads and a second who will have
one child already at Abbey Meads, to go to Penhill. Additionally, as a
just a few hundred yards from her childminder, she picks up two chil-
home, but her two pre-school chil- dren from Abbey Meads but
dren will be directed to Penhill. would have to give them up and
She said, "we moved to Ground- will probably have to move both
well West in 2002 so that we would her children to Penhill
live within the Abbey Meads catch- Alison and Lisa are organising a
ment. We're now trying to move campaign group to argue the case
but are struggling to sell because for siblings to be given places at
of the council's new policy. Abbey Meads School.
"There are many parents in the They hope to put a question to
samesituation.Itisridiculousthat Swindon Council on 22 July call-
we are being expected to send our ing for the policy to be reconsid-
children to schools in different di- ered.
rections." Concerned parents should call
Lisa Hume, from Groundwell, 703197 or mail: alison.hcarr
has a daughter in Year 1 at Abbey @btinternet.com