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swindonlink.com • January 2012 13
Academy takes on formal look Aim to boost Ethnic Minority Achievement

The Ethnic Minority Achievement Support Service (EMASS), which
Pupils at Greendown School in Grange Park have decided how they
will dress from next September when the transformation to Lydiard aims to improve opportunities and outcomes for the Black and Minor-
Park Academy is completed. ity Ethnic community and pupils who have English as an additional
language (EAL), has been re-launched.
The school has been operating as or a gold tie with blue stripes. Mr
an academy since September but Zimmerman said: “The school has It is currently deliv-
governors decided to spend a year committed to providing a blazer ering high quality free
making the transition and getting free to pupils in current Years 7, 8, 9 services in thirty schools
used to the new responsibilities that and 10, with the aim that everyone ensuring that needs of
academy status brings, particularly is wearing the new uniform for the children and families in
admissions and budgetary inde- launch of Lydiard Park Academy in Swindon are being met.
pendence from Swindon Council. September 2012.” Working in partner-
ship with early years
practitioners, teachers,
classroom assistants and
managers, EMASS aims
to raise the standards of EMASS staff, from left, Lorraine Jeffrey, Jatinder
attainment and narrow Lambert, Jonathan Skevington, Abigail Jolliffe
the achievement gap for minority class supporting children in their
ethnic groups through the bespoke home language as well as working
support they provide. in a hugely successful Saturday
The services offered by EMASS school, based at Drove Primary
include: School, where teachers are fluent
consultancy and advice; in a number of different languages.
training for all staff strategies to Attending Saturday school helps
support development of EAL; children build confidence which, in
bilingual support for new EAL turn, improves English and Maths
learners; skills. Children also benefit from
translation of school letters and help with preparation for SATs.
displays; If you think your children may
partnership/collaborative teaching benefit from receiving support in
in the classroom; school or by attending the Saturday
parent workshops in numeracy school, contact your child’s school
Clive Zimmerman with academy models Nadia Osman and Daniel Watt and literacy. for a referral.
In addition EMASS provides an EMASS can be contacted on
The December Link featured In January parents will receive outreach service which provides 818600 ext. 217 or mail: ajolliffe@
three options for a new uniform for letters from Swindon Council bi-lingual assistants who work in drove-pri.swindon.sch.uk
pupils and parents to vote on. The education department, which is
result was a complete swing away handling admissions for September
from the informal sweatshirt and 2012, advising them to which school
polo shirt look that Greendown has their children have been allocated.
had since the first children arrived in Lydiard Park Academy governors
September 1986. Over 61 per cent of have limited future intakes to 180
the votes were for a formal shirt, tie per year group to ensure classes are
and blazer sporting the new school no larger than 25 pupils and cur-
logo based on the family crest of riculum planning is more effective.
the St John family of Lydiard Park. From September the school will
Thirty per cent supported a sweater be running buses for children from
and tie uniform, with only 7 per North Swindon, also picking up
cent to continue with a sweatshirt. pupils in the areas of West Swindon
Headteacher Clive Zimmerman furthest from the school.
said: “Pupils, staff and parents at During 2012 a large scale redeco-
the school took part in a consulta- rating programme will take place to
tion and the choice was endorsed replace Greendown’s maroon and
by the governing body. They were sky blue with LPAs dark blue and
clearly delighted with the uniform gold colours.
that projects the strongest academic
image for the school.”
The Year 10 pupil models pic- Mast plans for the West
tured also fully supported the deci- Swindon Council’s planning com-
sion to have a more formal appear- mittee has rejected proposals by
ance. Daniel Watt said: “Most of my Vodaphone/02 for a much taller
year group were keen on the blazer more powerful phone mast over-
and tie option. It’s really smart and looking houses in Westlea, next
comfortable and it tells everybody to the footbridge to Toothill over
that we’re setting a standard; I think Tewkesbury Way.
it will encourage better behaviour.” However the company has
Nadia Osman said: “The uniform resubmitted plans for a mast on
is a massive difference to what we Whitehill Way, close to Freshbrook
currently wear. It gives a new feel to and Grange Park homes, after
our school and I think it will attract residents made strong objections
pupils with the right attitude to the to local councillors.
new academy.” Mobile phone masts are being
The upper school will wear a blue upgraded across West Swindon
tie with gold stripes and the lower to cope with demand for internet
school will have either a gold tie access via smartphones.

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