Schoolboys in court

The pair, who are aged 14 and 15, are alleged to have pointed out the victim Henry Webster to members of a hammer-wielding gang before the attack.

The prosecution claim the two boys then kicked 15-year-old Henry and stamped on his head, while another youth hit him with a claw hammer at least six times as he lay helpless on the ground.

The Swindon teenagers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were arrested on Friday and charged shortly before 2am on Saturday.

They appeared at Swindon Magistrates' Court on Saturday charged with grievous bodily harm with intent.

They have not yet entered a plea to charges.

Prosecuting, Dennis Scully, said: "This case is all about the infamous hammer attack that took place at The Ridgeway School on January 11, where a young pupil was subjected to a very serious assault.

"The prosecution's case is that a large number of people were involved in that assault.

"As a result of the attack the boy sustained severe fractures to the skull and has sustained a permanent brain injury.

"It is said this was an orchestrated incident. The prosecution say a large group of Asian males consisting of youths and adults met and carried out this assault."

Mr Scully said the alleged attack had stirred up a lot of tension in Wroughton.

"As I understand it the BNP have become involved quite heavily there," he said.

"White supremacy groups have contacted the school and extreme Muslim groups have also become involved in this incident."

A 17-year-old had already appeared at Swindon Magistrates' Court in connection with the attack where he was remanded in custody until today.

Both boys were released on bail until today when they will join the older defendant at Swindon Youth Court.

As conditions of their bail they were both ordered to surrender their passports and have been electronically tagged.

They must abide by a curfew between 7pm and 7am and have been told not to go to Wroughton or contact anyone involved in the case.

Don't lose faith in our school - governor

A LONG-STANDING governor has insisted parents should not lose faith in The Ridgeway School.

Chris Gale was a governor there for 10 years, and chairman of the governors for eight of those.

She stepped down in 2002 and has also had extensive experience on national education bodies such as the National Governors' Council.

Now Mrs Gale sits on the governing body at Catherine Wayte Primary School, in Swindon, and is clerk to the governors at Churchfields School.

She says she sent her children to The Ridgeway, and wouldn't hesitate to do so again - and that parents ought to look at the league tables published earlier this month, which showed the school to be top of the borough in the "value added" category. This means that it improves standards the most while youngsters are studying there.

She says that recent allegations that the school has gone downhill in the last few years - as articulated by several parents - are unfounded.

"The Ridgeway has always had problems," she said. "But there's not a secondary school in the country that has not had problems.

"I think you have got to look at the results Ridgeway has had. If you look at this year's results in comparison to the year before why are people not shouting it from the rooftops? It's going to go on being a good school.

"I think it has got a very good headteacher in Steven Colledge, and I have total faith in him."

Mrs Gale said she thought the school had gone through a turbulent period since former headteacher Tom Axon, stood down in 2001, after 22 years at the Ridgeway.

The next headteacher, Elizabeth Cooper, went on sick leave in May 2005 and resigned two months later.

For last academic year there were two acting heads, Chris Walton and Sue Norman.

Mrs Gale said she thought a security fence would not be an answer for The Ridgeway.

"At 33 acres it's going to be extremely expensive and possibly out of the school budget," she said.

"Ridgeway has always had a problem with transport because about half the children are bussed in. It means there is a lot of waiting around at the end of the school day and it's always been a major logistics job."

However, she is adamant that the school is on the up and will not be tainted by the attack in the long run.

"Parents are mad if they want to keep their children away," said Mrs Gale.

"It was the most horrible attack and you can understand the anxiety, but there is a lot to be thankful for. It has always been a good school and remains one."