SWINDON’S first multicultural Saturday school was launched this weekend with a celebration of the town’s diverse cultures.

Drove Primary School is running the Saturday morning classes to help foreign pupils learn English and to promote integration.

The classes run for 15 weeks, between 9.30am and 12.30am, and will be supervised by teachers fluent in a number of different languages.

The scheme is the brainchild of head teacher Dr Nick Capstick, who was asked by Swindon Council to do something to help pupils who speak English as their second language.

Dr Capstick said: “The idea behind the Saturday school is to bring in children from schools across Swindon who speak English as their second language.

“The aim is to improve their literacy and numeracy skills and encourage interaction between different cultures.

“It creates a sense of being in a community and reflects the multicultural nature of Swindon.

“We have Turkish children, Polish, Goan, French and more, and this is about bringing them together to improve their English at an accelerated rate and to encourage them to learn about each other’s cultures.”

The school was launched with a morning of dancing, performance and food inspired by the range of cultures Swindon has to offer.

Silvia Sampaio and Paula Pinto, both from Portugal, said they were delighted to send their children to the Saturday school.

Silvia, 30, who has a seven year-old son, said: “It’s a good way for them to socialise and to learn at the same time.

“This is a great school and I am pleased to support this idea.”

Paula, 30, who has an eight-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy, said: “Swindon is a multicultural place and this school reflects that. There is a good mixture of cultures and it is a friendly place.

“I think the Saturday school is a fantastic idea and the opening has been a lot of fun. I enjoyed the dances and we have brought along some typical Portuguese food.

South Swindon MP Anne Snelgrove said: “I am delighted this has attracted such a lot of people.

“It’s fantastic to see children from all nationalities and cultures joining in together.”

To find out more call 01793 529 009 or go to www.drove-pri.swindon.sch.uk.