Page 14 - link magazine

14 The Link Magazine • July 2004
North Swindon schools to set national example
for education delivery and design
After years of discussions within the council and central government, consultations with the community, and not a few delays and setbacks,
the building of seven new schools in Swindon is about to start.
Swindon Council announced on Finance Initiative contract worth 25 years. A planning application existing schools.
24 May that Equiion, a division of £98 million to design, build and was lodged in late June with a Director of Swindon Education,
John Laing plc, had won a Private maintain the schools over the next decision to proceed expected in Hilary Pitts, welcomed the part-
August. A completion date is pro- nership with Equiion. "Council
Places on offer at West secondary school grammed for mid-2006 with the members and officers have worked
schools, apart from the Priory Vale hard to bring the project to this
Greendown School has about 35 However, because Bradon Forest
places available from September School has increased its usual nine
and is inviting parents and year 6 form intake to 10 forms of entry for
children to make a visit to see next year only, many West Swin-
what it can offer. don parents have chosen to bus
The school opened a £3 million their children out of the area.
extension last September to allow Greendown headteacher Steve
it to accept up to 180 pupils a year. O'Sullivan said he would welcome
enquiries from parents in other
par s o own. e r y
-,-- -1
-,1
"W
t
f the t

O have a contingent of children from
North Swindon, for example,
GORSE
whose parents share car journeys.
HILL "Visitors will be impressed with
1 979 - 2004 the facilities we offer and we won] d
be pleased to show parents and
SPECIALISTS IN WEDDING HIRE
children round the school."
SENIOR SCHOOL NIFORM U
Earlier this year the school was
KING SIZE MENSWEAR
officially recognised as a Microsoft
AND IN-HOUSE ALTERATION/ Academy to provide industry
TAILORING DEPARTMENT standard IT training and is plan-
ning to bid for maths and comput- Swindon Council's education citing and will provide children
124 Cricklade Road
ing specialist status. department will be showing off with imaginative, bright, modern
Gorse Hill, Swindon
For a Greendown prospectus call the proposals in a roadshow and places to learn.”
Tel: 642211 pre-planning committee exhibi- Hreod Parkway headteacher
L 874224 or to make an appointment,
Open: 9am - 5.30pm call Mr O'Sullivan or primary tions during July (see below). Andrew Fleet said his staff and
Wed & Sat 9am - 5pm
liasion coordinator Angela Procter. The project encompasses a vari- children had met with all the PFI
Free car park
ety of architectural styles, but us- bidding companies to state their
ing similar finishes across all the requirements for a new school. "It
schools. has been really good how different
Hreod Parkway upper and council departments have cooper-
lower schools will be combined ated and coordinated the whole
next to the existing south site. Built project. Equiiori s design will cre-
in a circular form on three floors, ate excellent education opportuni-
0
five arms will radiate from a cov- ties to enhance what we are striv-
ered central courtyard big enough ing for."
for all 1,260 pupils and staff. An He added that he was looking
amphitheatre will hold the same forward to working with Equiion
number for outdoor events. on the detailed design features.
The other major feature of the The planning application for
project is the 32 acre North Swin- building the North Schools was
don Learning Campus which will lodged on 17 June and can be ex-
be accessed from Priory Vale vil- amined at Swindon Council's plan-
lage centre off Redhouse Way. ning department, Premier House,
The site will be comprised of a Station Road.
fublectt available at Higher secondary school with extensive
Education level area facilities for community use, a pri- Planning roadshow
• Computing mary school and replacements for Meet representatives from Swin-
• Early Years Brimble Hill and Uplands Special don Education and Equiion, and
• Health Studies Schools. see the plans and some of the
• Management Although the community facili- models at:
• Modern English ties will be open for use in 2006, the 28/29 June: Brimble Hill Special
• Photography secondary school will not accept School;
its first children in Year 7 until
• Psychology 30 June/1 July: Uplands Special
• Sociology September 2007. The June Link re- School;
• Sport & Exercise ported the dismay of North Swin- 5/6 July: Moredon Junior School;
don parents of children now in
Year 4 who will be denied a place 7/8 July: Hreod Parkway School;
because of the later opening. From 12 July at the North Swin-
A new primary school will be don Library at North Swindon
built at Haydon End village, where Centre.
j house building has yet to start.
Call for details Pictures of the models and
New college 0808172 7720 Schools are to be amalgamated and aerial photos of the sites
Moredon Infants and Junior
a new school will open on the can be seen at
^ present site, to the north of the
1 AH ^, .._Ig,,,e„ev P ! !, ,-d^... www.swindonlink.com