Page 15 - link magazine

Lydiard Park named one of the country’s most improved schools n Gaining their best ever GCSE
results in the summer - the fourth
time in five years - and delivering
LYDIARD Park Academy received a
super surprise just before Christmas results nine per cent higher than
when it was included in a list of the the national level, even though this
top 18 most improved schools in year’s cohort of pupils were slightly
England by Ofsted. below the national average when
For the first time in his annual they left primary schools.
report on the state of education in n Opening a sixth form in
England, head of Ofsted Sir Michael September, giving pupils the
Wilshaw has named specific schools opportunity to continue their
worthy of recognition for their effort education.
to do better. n In the government’s national
LPA principal Clive Zimmerman End of term gift for academy analysis, Lydiard Park’s rating
admitted a sense of trepidation suggests the academy is now firmly
when told that there was a call Clive Zimmerman with students and last January’s good Ofsted report in the top 20 per cent of schools in
for him from the cabinet office England.
on 8 December. He said: “On Mr Zimmerman concluded: “All
this occasion it was a very nice Some of the achievements of the out an inspection at only 12 hours’ in all, it was a great reward for
conversation, asking if I had any last year include: notice, the first school in the area to all concerned with Lydiard Park
n Retaining the ‘good school’ rating be inspected under a new, tougher
objection to the academy being after an Ofsted team arrived to carry regime. Academy.”
included in Sir Michael’s report.
Needless to say, my response was Royal opening for UTC
one of pleasure.
“To be identified in such positive HRH the Duke of York visited the town on
terms is a tremendous boost for our 11 December to unveil a commemorative
hardworking and talented staff after plaque to officially open UTC Swindon.
a very demanding but successful In an address to those gathered, he
year. It’s also a recognition of the said: “If we want to grow the companies
extremely positive work ethic that in this country, the most important thing
we have fostered in our student is providing the skills they need. I’m led to
body and it reinforces the positive believe that this is holding us back. If we
message to our community that can provide you (UTC students) with these
Lydiard Park Academy is an Ofsted skills, our economy will be vibrant.”
rated good school.“ Find out more at utcswindon.co.uk

swindonlink.com n January 2015 15