Long-serving teacher leaves

8:20pm Friday 18th July 2008

THE dawn of a new age, and the end of another, was marked at Wroughton's Ridgeway School.

Teachers, councillors and governors took part in a special event yesterday, which included teenagers taking part in a mock-up smash-up' of mobile classrooms built in the 1970s.

During the day pupils at the school also said farewell to retiring geography teacher Greville Crooks.

He was stepping down after 33 years at the school.

However for many pupils the focus was on the future and the looming destruction of 16 mobile classrooms at the school.

They will be torn down this summer in the lead up to the new school year in a multi-million pound project.

Beside the old site of the mobile classrooms a new education block will be built for children studying maths and English and will include facilities such as toilets and teacher lounge rooms.

Peter Lay, chairman of governors said the mobile classrooms have been around since he went to the school as a pupil.

He said: "This will enable children to learn in a healthier environment - modern and purpose built."

The event was also intended to mark the 40th anniversary of the school. And as a send off for six teachers who between them have almost 200 years of teaching experience - the teachers include Christine Barr, Brian Britton, Greville Crooks, Paul Deacon, Mary Haines and Barbara Mitchell.

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