Franciscan Primary School, located in a quiet road near Tooting Broadway, has a warm and welcoming atmosphere

The 530-pupil school, which has just had a £1million refurbishment funded by Wandsworth Council, mostly takes children from Tooting, but also from further afield including Mitcham, Battersea and Brixton.

As I entered the school I got talking to parent Mark Lawrence, who was dropping off his children, seven-and-a-half year old Kai, and Indiana, five.

He told me the school is multi-cultural and family-orientated and a lot of money had been spent improving it.

He added there was a well-rounded curriculum with many outings and excellent music and sports facilities.

Indiana said she enjoyed taking-away sums while Kai gave me a detailed account of Ramadan.

The entrance hall is lined with photos of parents and children in family groupings with monthly bulletins of event pasted up on the walls.

The word Welcome' is written in different languages and there are colourful and artistic displays all over the school.

The school, in which 40 different languages are spoken, has three buildings which until recently stood separately but are now linked by two new corridors, called the links, which keep the children warm in winter and cool in summer. These are lined with beautiful artworks from many cultures.

A hanging called Cloth of Gold is divided into three panels showing war, refugees escaping and their welcome in a new land.

The school has a popular steel band, which performed Christmas songs at All Saints Church, Tooting, earlier this week.

The refurbishment took 18 months to finish and there is a new computer suite, fixtures and fittings, an enlarged playground with new equipment and a new kitchen.

Deputy head Jolyon Roberts said: "The school serves the community and we aim to provide a happy, inclusive atmosphere for each individual, sympathetic to the needs of different groups from many backgrounds."

The school wants to promote mutual respect and caring between all members of its community and parents and children work together in the life-long-learning project.

Mr Roberts said the school was proud of its music department which gives individual guitar, violin and percussion lessons and standards of artwork are very high.

Franciscan organises the children's stage at the annual Wandsworth Borough Show and has a 60-strong choir, but Mr Roberts was keen to point out that "it doesn't neglect the basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic".

He said: "We try to create a broad and balanced school life and are looking forward to a bright future."

Many classroom assistants speak different languages and the school has an ethnic minority achievement grant (EMAG) to help new arrivals from abroad.

December 7, 2001 13:08