Page 17 - link magazine

The virtual Link Magazine now online @ www.swindonlink.com 17

Heading into the good life
Retiring after 21 years at Greendown, Head Teacher Steve O’Sullivan is leaving the school on a high after it achieved its best ever GCSE
results last summer and is now ranked in the top 25 per cent of schools in the country for added value.
“Hopefully, we’ll achieve specialist status before I leave: that would more animals and polytunnels for growing vegetables and pursuing a
be the icing on the cake,” he said. An HMI inspection is booked and this pastoral lifestyle.
will be the final hurdle before the school learns whether it will become Mr O’Sullivan, who was deputy head when the school opened in
a specialist maths, computing and sport college. September 1986, has seen it grow from a single year group to its current
Mr O’Sullivan, 57, decided to retire early following the birth of two capacity of 1,300. “One thing that hasn’t changed over the years is the
grandchildren in the summer. “For 35 years, I’ve put work first but I feel passion of the staff here to do their best for youngsters and to keep the
now it is time to put family first.” He and his wife Sue will be moving child at the centre of everything. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my 21 years
north to be nearer to family, and to fulfil their dream of owning a at Greendown. There’s never been a day when I didn’t want to come to
smallholding. They’ll be taking their growing menagerie of ducks, work.”
geese and hens with them and hope to buy a property with space for He said that knowing that there is a very strong, dynamic leadership
team in place at the school made the decision to leave easier. Deputy
head Clive Zimmerman, will be acting head until the end of this school
Greendown finds junior gourmets year and the governors are about to begin the process of making a
“There are some excellent cooks in West Swindon,” said Greendown permanent appointment.
headteacher Steve O’Sullivan, having watched five youngsters from
West Swindon primary schools take over the school’s food technol-
ogy room in early December to prepare a dish before serving it for
judges to try out.

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Competitive cooks, left to right, Kerrie Carrington, Daniel Loyden, Robyn George,
Sanjidah Ali, Hannah Green, with Greendown helpers and staff, from left, Char-
lotte Spooner, Danielle Black, Alison Bagnell, Debbie Sheehan, Steve O’Sullivan,
Nicola Rooke, Mike Rule, Katrina Thomas, Angela Proctor
The school decided to continue Carrington, now at Shaw Ridge,
a competition for young cooks in was very inventive and amended
West Swindon, after Nationwide an existing recipe to cook stuffed
cut funding for a town wide com- pork with green beans and a spicy
petition. And because the stand- sauce. “My mum said try out a
ard of entries was so high five fi- chicken dish but I changed it to
nalists were chosen instead of the pork because I thought it would be
original four. nicer,” she said.
Organising teacher Angela Proc- That little bit of extra effort won
tor said participants had so much Kerri the shield and £50 worth of
fun in the last two competitions food technology equipment for her
that Greendown decided to offer a school.
Junior Gourmet @ Greendown “The entries were all of a high
shield, plus prizes for individuals standard,” said Mr O’Sullivan.
and their primary schools. “The youngsters showed a lot of
Most of the youngsters had only flair and the final dishes were re-
watched parents cook; this was ally tasty.”
their chance to get involved. Dan- Sponsor needed for next year
iel Loyden from Tregoze Primary Greendown is looking to business
introduced a regional flavour to to support next year’s Gourmet @
the competition. “I asked my nan Greendown competition. For de-
in Liverpool for a recipe and she tails contact Angela Proctor, Pri-
showed me how to cook Scouse, mary Liaison Coordinator, on
which has mince, carrots and po- 874224.
tatoes.”
Robyn George from Brook Field
liked her dad’s barbecued kebabs Women & debt
and her mum agreed they would New College student Rebekah
be quick, tasty and healthy. Bowen is researching the issue
Sandjideh Ali from Freshbrook for her Communications A level
picked up tips from her mother on and would like to hear from
how to make Brinjal delights and females aged 15 to 25. To help
Hannah Green was encouraged by her with a survey mail her by
her mum to try a favourite dish, 10 January to receive ten key
spaghetti bolognese. questions on spending patterns:
Former Salt Way pupil Kerri [email protected]
www.newcollege.ac.uk

1 January 07 17 14/12/06, 12:15 pm