Justin Tomlinson MP has paid a visit to Swindon Academy to meet with students and hear about the progress of the new Grammar Stream which was introduced in September this year.
The initiative is an Academic Stream which will educate the most academically able students across Swindon. The Academy has partnered with top independent school Marlborough College to provide places for 30 students each year to enjoy a highly academic based in, and part of, Swindon Academy. The aim of the scheme is to:
- Be a joint working partnership between Swindon Academy and Marlborough College, hosted at Swindon Academy;
- Provide places for up to 30 highly able year 7 pupils each year and continue throughout their secondary schooling;
- Be open to children from across Swindon via the annual Swindon Schools Admissions process and an additional aptitude test held at the end of March/beginning of April each year;
- Provide a highly academic and rigorous curriculum to stretch and challenge the most academically able children in Swindon;
- Be free of charge;
- Be aimed at pupils who consistently achieve at Level 5 or higher in Primary School and who are hardworking and committed to the additional homework and prep need to achieve outstanding academic results.
Ruth Robinson, Principal of Swindon Academy said: “Each year across the country, there are a number of highly able students within primary schools who do not fulfill their potential when they transfer to secondary school. We want to address this and, in partnership with Marlborough College, believe the Academic Stream is the way to do so in Swindon. Each year, 30 pupils will begin a different year 7 to other students and be taught a specifically, highly academic curriculum that will meet and challenge their potential as learners. Other than in the curriculum they study, Academic Stream students will be exactly the same as everyone else at Swindon Academy and will wear the same uniform, be part of the same tutor groups and enjoy the same enrichment activities. But what it will do is give these students the opportunity to maximise their potential in their secondary education and receive the support they need to go on to the very best world universities”.
Last week Justin was back to speak to both the pupils and parents experiencing the first year of the Grammar Stream and was overwhelmed with positive feedback. He commented “the common theme from parents was that their child had been bored at primary school because they had found that the work wasn’t challenging enough. Therefore they wanted to ensure that their child was given a rigorous academic education which would allow them to reach their full potential, without having to pay fees for a top independent school, which many would not be able to afford.
I firmly believe that the education system in this country should provide opportunities for EVERY child. Whether they are creative, sporty or academic – every child should be given the opportunity to succeed and the Grammar Stream is providing that opportunity to some of the more academically minded children here in Swindon. What’s more, the stream is integrated into the Academy so every child in the school is given a chance to join the programme at whatever age, so it isn’t completely dependent on a child being able to pass an 11+. It was also very encouraging to see that children all over Swindon, from Highworth to Pinehurst, were joining the Academy to take part in the Stream.”
For more information on Swindon Academy’s Grammar Stream, please go to their website: http://www.swindon-academy.org/About-Us/Grammar-Stream
