Primary school pupils
“above national average”
by John Hendon
PUPILS at Warrington?s primary schools are continuing to perform well above the national average in the Key Stage 2 tests.
This year’s results reveal that 84 per cent of pupils achieved Level 4 or above in the English tests, compared to 80 per cent nationally.
In mathematics, 82 per cent achieved Level 4 or above compared to 77 per cent nationally.
In science, 92 per cent achieved this level compared to 88 per cent nationally.
The success of the most able pupils in English and science continues to improve. The percentage of pupils achieving the higher Level 5 in English has increased from 36 per cent last year to 38 per cent this year. In science, the Level 5+ improvement is from 50 to 53 per cent.
Coun Sheila Woodyatt, the council?s executive board member for children’s services said: “Warrington has maintained its position as a high performing local education authority.
“We are especially pleased that outcomes for children in English continue to improve as it so important for pupils to move on to secondary schools with strong reading and writing skills. We are very proud of the success of our primary schools and all officers within the council who support schools and their pupils.”
Overall, 53 of Warrington?s primary schools scored above the national average and only 15 were below.
Those above the national average were Twiss Green, St Monica?s RC, Cherry Tree, Grappenhall Heys, Croft, St Elphin?s, Woolston CE, Statham, Stretton St Matthew?s, Oughtrington, Locking Stumps, Westbrook Old Hall, Latchford CE, Appleton Thorn, Bradshaw, Broomfields, St Lewis RC, St Albans RC, Sycamore Lane, Grappenhall St Wilfrid?s, Cinnamon Brow, Barrow Hall, Ravenbank, St Joseph?s RC, Christ Church CE, Newchurch, Gorse Covert, St Benedict?s RC, Callands, St Stephen?s RC, Glazebury CE, Sacred Heart RC, Our Lady?s RC, St Vincent?s RC, St Peter?s RC, St Philip Westbrook CE, Penketh, Park Road, Penketh South, St Ann?s CE, Culcheth Primary, St Oswald?s RC, Warrinton St Barnabas CE, Longbarn, Great Sankey, Winwick CE, Burtonwood, St Thomas?s CE, Stockton Heath Primary, Thelwall Junior, Woolston, Alderman Bolton and St Paul of the Cross RC.
Below the national average were St Bridget?s RC, Bruche Primary, Sankey Valley, St Andrew?s CE, Birchwood CE, Evelyn Street, St Margaret?s CE, Oakwood Avenue, Hollins Green St Helens CE, St Augustine?s RC, Bewsey Lodge, Dallam, Brook Acre, Meadowside and Beamont.
Adam honoured by
industry peers
by James Parr
A LANDSCAPE architect from Warrington has been honoured with a prestigious industry award for his revolutionary ideas on children’s play areas.
Adam White, who is born and bred in Appleton Thorn, scooped the National Institute Design Award’s first prize in the Design Communication and Presentation category.
Adam’s award winning design is to change the way traditional playgrounds are designed and has come up with a revolutionary idea known as “Playscape.?
Playscape emphasises that the total environment can have play value – not just an area fenced off in the corner of a park.
It combines natural materials with imaginative play equipment to create a space for all ages, which encourages engagement with natural surroundings and taking acceptable levels of risk.
The idea first started off in the high tech surroundings of the Rope and Anchor pub in Woolston – scribbled on the back of a beer mat! Since then, the idea has grown massively and has taken the industry by storm with its fresh thinking and innovation.
Adam is no stranger to success however, as he was awarded the BBC’s People’s Choice Award at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and also won an award at the RHS Tatton Flower Show this year. Adam said: “Landscape architecture is a great profession and something often overlooked by school leavers. I hope this project shows that designing playful landscapes can be just as exciting, challenging and fun as it is for the end user themselves.? “Winning the RHS Gold Medal and BBC Peoples Choice Award over the summer was fantastic and to now be recognised by the UK’s Professional Landscape Institute for the quality of our design and commitment to campaigning for natural play is a real career high.?
Landscape Institute President Nigel Thorne added: “These awards illustrate that landscape architecture is currently on a crest of a wave. This has been the best ever year in terms of the quality of the awards. It reflects the fact that we are the profession best able to meet the early 21st century challenges and to create places where people want to live and work both now and in the future.?
Adam has dedicated his latest award to his dad, local businessman Paul White, who sadly died earlier in the year.
He added: “Dad was one of my key inspirations.
He encouraged me to keep going with my Playscape vision when everyone around me said it wouldn’t take off.?
Election hopeful’s petition
over baby disease
by staff reporter
ELECTION hopeful David Mowat has written to the Health Secretary Alan Johnson expressing his concern about the increase in GBS disease in Warrington.
The Prospective Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Warrington South has submitted a petition, signed by residents in Warrington over the last three months.
GBS disease is a bacterial infection of babies and is the most common cause of blood disease and meningitis in newborns.
Each year in the UK, around 100 babies die as a result of the infection and in more recent years the disease has hit a number of Warrington families.
Mr Mowat said: “We are the only country in Western Europe that does not routinely screen for GBS…the test is quite simple and only costs around ?30…it is a further example of how our health system falls further behind the rest of the world as money is wasted on bureaucracy and central targets…”
Zebra crossing
to be moved
by Lesley Wilkinson
A ZEBRA crossing on Knutsford Road, Latchford, Warrington is to be closed and replaced with another one nearby.
Warrington Borough Council proposes to revoke the crossing on the A5061 Knutsford Road adjacent to its junction with Beatrice Street.
A new crossing is proposed on the same road located approximately 32 metres south east of its junction with Beatrice Street, which will be a staggered crossing facility.
Details and a map of the proposals and the council’s reasons for the proposals may be examined at the Legal Services Section, Quattro Building, New Town House, Buttermarket Street, Warrington during office hours Monday to Friday.
Representations both in support or objecting to the proposals must be made in writing and sent to John Holmes of the Legal Services Section at the above address below by December 27. Names and details of those making representations could be available for public inspection.
Home still wanted
for Forge machinery
by Lesley Wilkinson
CAMPAIGNERS eager to protect machinery that has featured prominently in the history of Stockton Heath are still searching for a site for it to be display. Two machines – originally used by Caldwell’s engineering company at Stockton Heath Forge, were put on permanent display in the Forge shopping centre which now occupies the site of the old works.
But they were moved when the shopping centre was re-developed and no alternative site has yet been found for them.
One of the machines is currently being restored by Caldwell – now at Dallam Lane, Warrington – and the other is being stored by Manchester Ship Canal owners Peel Holdings.
But enthusiasts want them back on show in Stockton Heath.
Stephen Taylor, chairman of Stockton Heath Alternative Residents’ Council, said members hoped to find a prominent site in the village.
He said members were negotiating with Peel Holdings to find a
site along the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal at the entrance to the village. But he added that the company was also considering locating them on the banks of the Bridgewater Canal.
