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New Warwick principal `firm believer in discipline'

Warwick Academy's new principal plans to ensure that the school continues to meet the demands of parents, staff, and ultimately the community.

No stranger to such a challenge, Robert Lennox turned the 1,300-pupil Bulmershe comprehensive school in Reading, Berkshire into a popular school in five years.

Mr. Lennox recalled that when he arrived at the school there were only 135 applicants for 246 spaces available.

"It did not have a very good reputation for discipline,'' he said. "Parents are much more concerned about that than anything else. They want a safe and secure environment for their children.'' However, when Mr. Lennox left the school there were 424 "bids'' for 246 spaces.

"People literally moved house to get in,'' he noted.

"It was a great climate right up to the time I left. GSCE and A Levels doubled.'' And the school's student population is expected to increase by some 500 over the next few years.

As a result of this, some 1.5 million will be spent on a building expansion programme.

While admitting that Warwick Academy did not share the same problems with discipline and popularity that Bulmershe had, Mr. Lennox said: "That's not to say that one cannot see areas of making it better.'' A "firm believer in discipline'', Mr. Lennox said he planned to enforce "positive discipline'' at Warwick.

"Bulmershe was famous for positive discipline or rewarding students for good behaviour and administering very clear sanctions for bad behaviour,'' he said.

"I don't know if Warwick needs it. But students need to be rewarded regularly for their achievements.

"I want the students to be proud of the school. I don't know how strong that is right now.'' Mr. Lennox said he was also very interested in staff development.

Noting that former principal Bernard Beacroft had established a "good quality of teacher learning'', he said: "I want to make sure that continues and make sure some of the developments in the UK such as inspecting teaching in classrooms is done.'' However, Mr. Lennox added that he did not intend to impose his ideas on Warwick.

"My job is to give Warwick what it needs,'' he said, pointing out that Warwick and Bulmershe shared similar developmental goals.

Warwick plans to raise millions of dollars during the next three years to build a new primary school wing, gymnasium, music suite, and improved library for an estimated 750 students.

Its board also aims to have information technology integrated throughout the entire school curriculum.

As one of Britain's first specialist schools, Bulmershe had 20 specialist workshops and state-of-the-art equipment, Mr. Lennox said. And as a result of that the school received several awards for its expertise in integrating technology into its curriculum.

"I'm able to draw on experience I've had as the head teacher there and other developments in the UK,'' he added. "But I want to keep the best of the academics at Warwick Academy and strengthen that through some more developments.'' A former apprentice football player for Derby County, Mr. Lennox also plans to be a team player at Warwick.

"I will do some teaching, probably English,'' he said, noting that he taught A Level sociology and French while the principal at Bulmershe.

"By doing that you better discover what children are like and what the demands are for teachers,'' Mr. Lennox added. "I tend to make myself available in the day and save the paper work for the twilight hours.'' Among his students may be his 12-year-old son Paul who will be entering year one in Warwick's secondary level. Mr. Lennox' nine-year-old daughter Katie will start in Primary Five.

"I have confidence it will be a good school for them,'' he said. "They will be treated just like every other student. But God help them if they step out of line.''