North Swindon children waiting for their bus to Farmors in front of Abbey Meads primary school which many of them attended

North Swindon parents, unhappy with the quality of the secondary education available to them at their designated school, Hreod Parkway, have signed up in large numbers for Farmors School, Fairford, in neighbouring Gloucestershire, and are willing to pay Ł400 a year to bus their children there.

Despite claims of an exclusive story in the Swindon Evening Advertiser on 6 September, Swindon's Link magazine firsthighlighted the concerns of Abbey Meads families who had already secured places at Farmors last May. Applications swelled as a result and 35 children transferred from North Swindon primary schools on 5 September. They joined 12 children who transferred from Swindon to Farmors in year 7 last May, ten children in year 8 and 11 in year 9.

The August Link pictured the year 7 children due to join Farmors, and they appeared here at www.swindonlink.com at the end of July.

In the May Link parent Julie Little explained that the lack of choice of schools in Swindon had forced parents to look further afield. She said that with the promised new North Swindon secondary school not due until 2004 at the earliest, and Hreod Parkway failing its Ofsted report, their concerns had been re-inforced.

Farmors headteacher Ann Stokes said children had travelled from the Cricklade area for many years and she welcomed the intake from North Swindon. "It's very flattering to be seen as a successful school by parents who have made a positive choice to send their children here. Many are attracted by our performance in public examinations and also our sixth form provision. As a school serving rural areas and small towns, we are a true comprehensive; the children from Swindon will add another dimension to the make-up of Farmors."

Last year the school achieved 65% A to C grades at GCSE and a 96% pass rate at A level.

North Swindon parents with younger children are also understood to have registered them at primary schools outside the area - some at other Swindon schools, others within the catchment area of Farmors - so that they can move on to preferred secondary schools.

Swindon education officer Norrie Porter commented, "ideally the education authority would like to see all pupils being taught in schools in their local community. When a significant number of parents living in a particular area send their children elsewhere it can adversely affect the social mix of the school concerned."

Hreod Parkway headteacher, Andrew Fleet, said that only 35 pupil out of Hreod's total roll of 1,335 had not chosen his school. He said: "It is regrettable that parents have decided to change schools but I recognise they have the right of parental preference. I feel very upbeat about the school and we are determined to provide the best quality of education we can."


Mr Fleet describes how Hreod is tackling its problems and pursuing in effective change. Click here