THE colour purple is at the heart of a new learning culture at a Swindon school – which held a special day of events to celebrate the initiative.

Staff and pupils at the Hazelwood Academy, in Stokesay Drive, Toothill, wore purple clothing and took part in a range of themed activites as part of the event, on Tuesday.

Teacher Abby Rayner, who organised the initiative alongside headteacher Suzanne Lloyd, said the scheme was intended as a culture of learning which pupils could understand.

She explained: “We have introduced purple learning, which helps the children become more confident, successful and independent learners.

“They have a target, the outside is red because it is too hard, while the inside is blue, because it is too easy.

“Mix them together and we get the purple, the challenging zone, where they want to be.

“We launched it this term and had a fun day to highlight it.”

On the day, pupils took part in various, purple-themed activites, including writing a purple rap song, before launching purple balloons into the sky, each with a target attached from the child who released it.

Targets released into the sky ranged from an intention to become a better learner, to studying to become an environmental lawyer.

“It (the purple learning initiative) is to help them aim high, like the balloons,” Abby said.

“Every pupil released a balloon, from our nursery class to year 6.”

She said more purple-themed events were planned throughout the year to emphasise the philosophy.

“We want it to become a culture,” she added.