PUPILS PUT DOUBTS ASIDE FOR BIG DAY
25 July 2005
Staff and pupils at a closure-threatened Swansea school stepped out from the shadow over their future to end the term on a high note. All 550 pupils of Dylan Thomas Community School, Cockett, attended an end-of-term celebration assembly - in the hope there would be many more such occasions in years to come.
Awards were presented, not just to achievers, but to those who had made every effort to excel in different, non-academic ways.
Extracts from the many letters of support the school had received in its fight to stave off a merger with Bishop Gore were read by pupils.
And quotations from its last inspection by Estyn were read out, including reference to it being a "rapidly improving" school.
Assistant head Mark Gibbs said a huge improvement in attendance was testament to pupils' growing appreciation of the strident efforts that were being made to raise the ethos and esteem of the school.
The attendance record of one child, he said, had improved by more than 40 per cent.
A prize for the school's most successful sports performances went to pupils who came through special teaching facilities.
They won 31 gold, 10 silver and five bronze medals in inter-school competitions.
Awards for citizens of the year, as chosen by the respective head of year, went to James Sheils and Natalie Touze (year seven), Dale Tracey and Jonathan Davies (year eight), Annemarie Packington and Francis Salter (year nine) and Bahader Mirzaei and Kenny Chan (year 10).
Komal Chaudry and Ashleigh Jones won awards for exceptional attainment, while Aisyah Bukhari, Alpha Bayoh and Mumtahina Maria won awards for citizenship of distinction.
Townhill councillor Geoff Burtonshaw said: "Despite the fact that the school is facing closure the evening still went ahead and I hear everybody enjoyed it."
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