Schools/colleges

Award-winning bhangra artist H Dhami is among the performers lined up for this summer's Heston Community Arts Festival.

He will be joined on stage at Heston Community School by Team:Dhips and hosts LyonDaPoet and MC Mac among others on Saturday, July 4.

Youngsters at Berkeley Primary School were finally put out of their suspense yesterday when not one, but two playgrounds opened.

Pupils at the school in Cranford Lane, Heston, had been waiting three weeks to try out the new facilities, which they designed themselves.

Council leader Peter Thompson has followed in the footsteps of pop stars like Sting and Suggs by donating his guitar to youngsters as part of a musical amnesty.

He visited Andrew Ewing Primary School, in Westbrook Road, Heston, last Thursday to hand over the instrument as part of Time Out's 'No Strings Attached Initiative'.

More than 120 youngsters braved sub-zero temperatures on Sunday to compete for a place at the Adidas Mini London Marathon.

Eleven to 17-year-olds from across the borough ran two circuits of Hounslow's Lampton Park, covering a total of 5km, as they sought one of 48 places up for grabs for the big event in April.

Andrew Ewing Primary School is set to take on extra classes of 30 pupils as education chiefs attempt to cope with an explosion in birth rates.

The school in Westbrook Road, Heston, is among 10 across the borough which could accept more pupils as part of proposals to create up to 285 new places.

A former broker from Heston who spent four years behind bars after being discovered with a huge stash of cocaine visited his old school last week to warn youngsters about the dangers of carrying weapons.

Syd Syed, who was born and raised on Heston's Convent Way estate, told pupils at West Thames College last Thursday about the horrors of jail in a bid to prevent them slipping into a life of crime.

Best-selling R&B artist Jay Sean returned to his roots this week to perform a surprise concert for nearly 400 youngsters in Heston.

The doctor-turned-chart-topper stunned pupils at Springwell Junior School when he rocked up on Tuesday to perform songs from his latest album My Own Way.

A former teacher has been honoured for his efforts to inspire the business leaders of the future.

Garth Buckle, of Hounslow, was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to young people.

Across Heston, schools have spent the last few weeks rehearsing for their Christmas plays.

As you can see from our photo gallery at http://www.hounslowchronicle.co.uk/west-london-videos-pics/ some have gone down the traditional route of featuring Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, while others have taken a new, modern approach.

However, they all have one thing in common - cute performers, like these youngsters at Springwell Junior School.

For more adorable snaps pick up your copy of the Hounslow & Heston Chronicle, where we bring you festive scenes from some of the best school yuletide shows in your area.

Work to rebuild three Heston schools has finally begun, six years after the scheme was first announced.

Pupils at Heston Community School wielded shovels last Wednesday as they took part in a traditional ground-breaking ceremony.