News > July 19, 2009

Intel backs St John’s

July 19, 2009

Intel is the latest company to show its support for St John’s School in Marlborough. The Swindon-based company has donated five laptops & docking stations for use by students taking the CoPE course. The course is an alternative to GCSEs, aimed at a group of students who might otherwise be at risk of leaving school without basic qualifications, giving them training in a wide range of basic skills.

Over the course of the year students have learnt a wide range of useful skills including gardening, cookery, car maintenance & valeting, painting, tiling & plastering, digital photography, and have also improved their IT skills. The students have also developed their presentation & interview skills and also have their own allotment site up & running.

The course has now been running for one year at St John’s and course tutor Charlie Paul feels it has been a great success.

“The course has not only improved students attendance and behaviour in school but is also equipping them with more “employer friendly” skills” said Mr Paul. “We have had a great deal of support from local businesses that have provided a range of tools & equipment for our students to use, and we are now extremely grateful for the addition of Intel’s support”.

The laptops donated by Intel will be taken to various locations outside school, including their allotment site, and will enable tutor Charlie Paul to improve the quality of the lessons and allow students to record information on location.

The students are also doing their bit to help fund the new school building that opens in December. The students have taken out an Enterprise Loan, offered by local businesses, to buy paper log makers, and are using the school’s supply of waste paper to make “bricks” for use on domestic fires. These will be on sale in the Autumn.