Greendown School will become an academy

Greendown Community School will, from September next year, be known as the Lydiard Park Academy, after a consultation with staff and parents of pupils ended with a vote to go for the new status.

As part of the transition, pupils will be wearing new uniforms and sports kits with the new name and logo.

The school is also starting a bus service in North Swindon, which will make stops in Oakhurst, Sparcells, Peatmoor, Shaw and Westlea.

The board of governors at the school, in Grange Park, took the decision in January to begin a process of consultation with parents and staff about becoming an academy.

The move will see the new academy obtain greater budgetary freedom from Swindon Council, which takes a 10 per cent slice of the school’s budget for education services.

Its headteacher Clive Zimmerman said: “We would want to use this to take the best bits of Greendown and also look at the bits that we want to change – it would be a reboot of the system, almost a launch of a new school.

“Being an academy would give us more freedom of the budget, but there are services provided by the local authority that you might want and some you might not.

Mr Zimmerman added: “It would also mean taking a weaker school under our wing and supporting them. And we would need to sort out what school that would be.”

One of the biggest developments to be established when the school changes will be the Lydiard Park Sports Academy.

It will be a centre of excellence for pupils with a keen interest in sports and fitness.

Mr Zimmerman said: “There are many exciting changes going on at Greendown.

“Lydiard Park Sports Academy will be one of two initiatives for the school’s change in status, with the other being a second special academy programme for high-achieving pupils.

“Enhancing sporting and academic achievement is going to have positive impacts on every pupil who comes to the academy.”