As part of our continuing search for the Best School Community Project, Simon Ashberry highlights a new initiative that has been launched at Hanson Upper School to build better community links

SCHOOLS ARE a focal point in any community.

But what actually goes on inside can be a mystery to some of the people who are not involved in their day-to-day running.

Now Hanson Upper School has begun a new series of community lunches with the aim of changing all that.

Head teacher Tony Thorne hopes the regular, informal events will not only build bridges but show members of the community that his school is a valuable resource which can be used by the public.

"Without being too arrogant, clearly Hanson is the biggest institution in the community here. It's an institution that everybody knows and one which most people send their children to. In that sense it's a focus already."

But Mr Thorne hopes the community lunches will open new lines of communication.

"What we've done is to invite people from feeder schools, the police, local churches and local industrialists to come and see what the school is about," he said.

The lunches are an opportunity to show that the school is a potentially valuable resource which is there for the benefit of the whole community.

"It also ties in with the message from the Government at the moment, which I agree with, which is to say that schools are an expensive resource and they should be open for more than eight hours a day," said Mr Thorne.

"Homework clubs, study clubs, summer schools are all vital."

The first community lunch was held yesterday in the school's sixth form and was attended by about 50 people as well as staff and pupils.

Mr Thorne is particularly keen for the wider community to be able to make use of the school's hi-tech facilities.

"We are about to install a computer network and the idea is that it's not just for Hanson but for the wider community."

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