RIDGEWAY STUDENTS REACH FOR THE TOP!

Ridgeway Reader January—February 2016

All the latest news from Ridgeway High School

2

In this issue...

Ridgeway Reader Noctorum Avenue Prenton Wirral CH43 9EB

www.ridgewayhighschool.co.uk

email: schooloffice@ridgeway.wirral.sch.uk

Tel: 0151 678 3322 Fax: 0151 678 6571

3 Headteacher’s Welcome

4 Year 7 English

5 Science Club

6 Mathematics Mastery

8 Where are they now?

9 The journey into higher education

11 MFL trip to Manchester Metropolitan University

12 Modelling challenge

13 Jaguar Land Rover

14 Christmas round-up

16 Independent learning

17 Trip to London

18 Remembering the Holocaust

19 Sue Taylor

20 Creativity and Enterprise update

22 Out and about with Travel and Tourism

23 Tomorrow’s engineers

24 PE news and updates

28 Upcoming events

Attendance Form %

7BL 96.1

7BA 92.8

7RE 92.5

7YL 95.8

7GR 94.5

7BA1 95.5

8BL 95.4

8BA 93.8

8RE 95.1

8YL 92.7

8GR 95.5

8BL1 93.1

9YL 94

9RE 92.1

9GR 91.7

9BL 95.2

9BA 95.4

10BL 94.6

10BA 91

10GR 92.1

10RE 89.3

10YL 96.2

10GR1 92.6

10RE1 88.1

11BL 96.5

11YL 97.3

11BA 89.5

11GR 90.8

11RE 83.5

Total 93.5

3

Reading through this edition of the

Ridgeway Reader, my first thoughts were

‘If I could turn back time’ and take part in

all the amazing opportunities our

students are offered here at Ridgeway.

This term I have delivered an assembly,

asking the students how much they value

their education and making comparisons

with a school in Africa where the

classroom was outside and another

school in China with a class size of 250.

Sometimes in life, it is only when

something is taken away from us that we

realise how lucky we are. I am

exceptionally proud of the all-round

educational experiences that Ridgeway

offers to its students to develop skills,

knowledge and understanding and

ultimately to enable the fulfilment of

aspirations. I firmly believe that a school

is, of course, a place to study but also a

place that prepares students for adult life

and the world of work.

In January, performance tables for school

results were published. As I have

explained in previous editions, Ridgeway

always puts the needs of the students

first, offering a personalised curriculum

and also the opportunity of early entry.

This has proved successful in the past,

with students achieving good GCSE

grades and continuing onto a further

Headteacher’s Update

qualification, for example GCSE Statistics or A Level Maths.

Equally, other students have been able to learn from their

early-entry results and receive targeted intervention to

address areas for development. Sadly, this option has been

taken away because performance tables now only show the

results of first entry and some colleges and universities are

now only accepting first-entry results. If we compare like with

like, Ridgeway’s results in 2015 were 76% five or more GCSEs

at grade A* to C.

On a positive note, as a school, we took the decision to

further support 14 ex-students, who just missed their GCSE

English grade C in June as a result of a change to the grade

boundary by the examination board. In November, 11 of the

students achieved a grade C or higher and have now been

able to pursue their chosen courses post-16.

Moving forward, how students approach school – their

attitude to learning and their commitment to get involved in

the many exciting activities we offer – will make a significant

impact on their future. So will the development of resilience,

the ability to work in a team, to complete tasks

independently and to meet deadlines. All of these apply to

lessons in school, homework and the place of work. I

encourage parents to use our VLE to monitor your child’s

progress in each of these areas and to contact the school

should you have any concerns.

4

This is a piece of extended writing in English, written by Naomi Bista. In Years 7 and 8, the English curriculum

develops students’ writing skills and their use of language so that they are able to write for different purposes

and audiences. This is a piece of descriptive writing on the theme of circuses.

M iserably, the rain dripped down like maple syrup on pancakes. It was another one of those

off-putting days where the clouds were angry elephants blowing their trunks off at you.

However, I was still in the happiest of moods – no matter what the weather

threw at me.

I stood outside the 12-metre-tall faded tent, impatiently waiting for the curtains to open. The wind was wrestling

my small umbrella, disabling me from hearing the ticket seller painfully trying to speak to us before we went in.

Freakishly, the door of the ticket man’s stall creaked whilst we all shoved to get the best seats. As we sat down,

the big bright lights were switched off and the smell of the cheaply made popcorn danced in the sweaty, humid

air. I fussed and fidgeted in my seat trying to act comfortable (when really I wasn’t). I heard motor bikes roaring

from backstage as a crowd of clowns ran like gorillas, attacking each other with cream-filled pies.

Uncontrollably, the music crashed into my eardrums whilst the 4-foot-tall ringmaster stomped into the ring. He

was wearing a black and white suit (a bit too small for his size). Plump as a tomato, he held the microphone. His

voice croaked through our ears and contrasted with the excitement in the air.

There was performance after performance, act after act and amazement, lots of

amazement. The acrobats flew through the air like monkeys and the tightrope

walkers ran across ropes and ropes, as if it were solid ground. The best had to be the

Death Globe, a massive sphere in which motorbikes ride riskily around the inside.

Naomi Bista, 7BL

A focus on writing...

LITERACY

5

Investigating the fascinating world of science

Science Club Opportunities for enrichment in the subjects you love

Science Club is all about allowing students to dig deeper in their understanding of science, to follow their

enthusiasms and to explore aspects of science they find particularly interesting. The emphasis is very much on

practical experimentation, which lies at the heart of good science work. Last term, the group finished by

investigating the world of fire. This term, the focus is on forensic science and its practical uses.

A love of learning...

INVESTIGATION

6

The application of mathematics in the real world

Thirty Year 7 and Year 8 students

recently took part in a Maths Activity

Day – and great fun was had by all!

The focus was on the use of

mathematical skills to solve real-life

problems. The day itself was arranged

in two halves. During the morning,

students rotated around three

activities.

The first activity was ‘Lego Memory’.

The students split into sub-teams to

develop their organisational and

communication skills as well as using

mathematics skills, including nets,

elevations and finance.

The second activity was ‘Let’s Go

Shopping’, in which students had to

work together to find the missing items

from a mystery shopping list. This

activity

emphasised trial

and error and

calculating costs.

The third activity

was ‘New York,

New York’, in

which

students had

to organise a

journey from

Wirral to New

York, using

information

provided,

including journey prices and timetables. This developed

knowledge and understanding of planning a schedule and

costing a journey, as well as speed, distance and time.

The afternoon was ‘Breakout Ridgeway’. In this activity the students, again in

teams, had to prevent a missile from going off by solving puzzles to unlock

codes and reveal new puzzles. The competitive side of the students really

shone during this activity and it was a close race to the finish line.

Kelsie Eccles, who took part in the day, said: “It was a really fun day and it has

helped me improve my maths. It will help me in the future and I can’t wait for

the next Maths Activity Day.”

Theory into practice...

PROBLEM SOLVING

7

Mastering subjects...

ACADEMIC RIGOUR

What is ‘Mathematics Mastery’?

‘Mastery’ is deep understanding of a particular subject. ‘Mathematics

Mastery’ is an innovative approach to teaching mathematics, spending

more time on fewer topics but studied in greater depth. Problem

solving is an important part of this approach to learning. It promises to

make mathematics fun and relevant, allowing every young person the

opportunity to excel in this crucial subject area.

Meanwhile, mastery in Year 11 separate

sciences involves students in their chemistry

lessons [above] carrying out acid base

titrations using phenolphthalein.

These are common A-Level experiments so

we teach students how to use the apparatus

accurately in preparation for future studies.

8

Jess Owen: ambitions for a career in medicine

Jess was a Ridgeway High School

student from 2007 to 2012. At the

time she joined Ridgeway aged 11, she

dreamt of becoming a doctor or a vet—

an ambition that many young children

have.

Her favourite subjects in school were

Maths and Art. She also enjoyed

Spanish and Textiles and remembers

fondly trips to Spain in Year 8 and Year

10.

After successfully completing her

GCSEs, Jess moved on to Calday Grange

Grammar School to study Biology,

Chemistry, Art and Maths at A Level.

Seven years on, now aged 18, Jess was

still determined to go down the route of

a career in some form of medicine and

so opted to study Biomedical Sciences

at Leeds Beckett University.

After a year of study, Jess was

unfortunately forced to postpone her

medical dreams, due to illness. Having

missed a great deal of work, she was

unable to continue with her course.

Happily, Jess is now back at university in

Where are they now…?

ASPIRATION

Where are they now?

This is a new feature for the Ridgeway Reader, an update on ex-students

of Ridgeway High School—where they are now and what career choice

they have made.

If you would like to be featured in our “Where are they now” updates, or if

you know someone who has a particularly interesting story to tell, please

email: warbrickj@ridgeway.wirral.sch.uk

Leeds, studying Sports

and Exercise Therapy

but her dreams of

becoming a doctor are

still at the forefront of

her mind and she says

that it is probably

something she will

pursue when she has

completed her current

course.

During university

holidays, Jess regularly

comes back to Ridgeway

to work in ‘Admin’, a role she thoroughly enjoys. When she is next back at

Ridgeway, she will also be working with the Science department to gain

invaluable experience for her future career.

9

The road to ‘Oxbridge’ starts here...

Year 10 and Year 11 students and their

families were invited to a talk in school

on university applications. The speaker

was Lucy Dixon of St Peter’s College,

Oxford University.

The audience was given information

from Lucy on how university

applications work, with advice on how

different A level choices can either

‘open up’ university courses or ‘close

them down’. Lucy’s message is that

our students need to begin now to

consider what subject area(s) they

might be interested in studying at

degree level in order to ensure that

they choose appropriate A level

courses.

The myths of student finance were also

discussed. Parents were relieved to

hear of the support that is available

from Oxford University and also from

other universities, as well as the

government loans that are on offer.

Lucy explained how this money is

shared out and what it can be used for.

She explained how loans are repaid,

Amazing opportunities...

AMBITION

Dispelling myths about university ‘elitism’

There are no barriers of class or educational background stopping people

from winning a place at one of our top universities. It may have been the

case in the past but it certainly is no longer so. Universities—including

Oxford and Cambridge—are not interested in where you come from, what

you look and sound like or how wealthy your family is. They are interested

in four things: merit, promise, enthusiasm and motivation.

which certainly

assuaged fears

that only wealthy

people can afford

to go to university.

There are loans,

grants and

bursaries open to

all, based on

parental income.

Overall, the talk

was very

informative, with students and parents having their questions answered by

Lucy. She helped to dispel myths, offered sound advice and gave important

information, which will help students as they begin the process of making

critical decisions that will shape their future.

Opening—not closing—doors

10

Punting on the Cam in January

The final university fact-finding visit

for Year 11 took us to Cambridge

University, reports Mr Heayns.

Liverpool and Lancaster gave us

experiences of a city and then a

campus setting; Cambridge offers

both – at one of the world’s top

universities.

We were treated to a chauffeured

punt down the River Cam and a

historical tour of the colleges that

make up Cambridge University. On

a crisp January day, we were

relieved that Scudamore Punts

were giving us blankets and hot

water bottles.

We also took in a tour of the city,

seeing some of the centuries-old

architecture of the colleges with the

modern city built neatly in the gaps.

By the time we arrived back at the

A world of opportunities...

AMBITION

hostel after tea, students and

teachers alike were ready for a sit-

down and a rest after walking seven

miles around the city.

Our second day involved a visit to

Magdalene College. The morning

consisted of a tour around the college buildings provided by two student

helpers, both from the North West. They described what university life at

Cambridge is like, the facilities on offer and the accommodation. After

visiting the quirky pet cemetery, the former Archbishop of Canterbury’s

house, the Fellows’ Garden and the main hall, we had exhausted our guides

with question after question. It was time for lunch!

The afternoon was filled with touring Christ College and St John’s College.

The magnificent architecture and facilities certainly turned a few heads, not

least the ‘random section’ of St John’s College library with gifts such as a

fossilised snake and a papier-mâché mask of William Wilberforce. The day

concluded with an informative talk on university funding, which helped to

dispel any lingering myths around Cambridge University.

Our adventure ended with me reading an extremely rare first-edition French

Revolution book in the last library of our tour…whilst everyone else was

waiting on the minibus so that the long journey

home could begin.

Our aim is that the combination of trips to Liverpool,

Lancaster and Cambridge have helped open the

eyes of our students to the opportunities and

possibilities that await them after Ridgeway.

11

Enrichment at Manchester Metropolitan University A group of 27 Year 8 students were chosen to attend

a language enrichment event held at Manchester

Metropolitan University in January, reports Mrs

Cooper. The event was organised by The Routes into

Languages North West Consortium, who work with

young people across the region to encourage them to

study languages, with the aim of increasing the take-

up of languages from school to university.

Students

began the day

by listening to

a talk by guest

speaker

Carmen Herrero in which she explained how

important and useful studying a foreign language can

be. Some of the facts and figures shocked our

students. For example, only 33% of British people can

speak a second language. At Ridgeway High School,

all of our students study either French or Spanish.

Another eye-opening statistic is that 75% of the

world’s population speaks no English whatsoever.

This definitely puts an end to the common

misconception that everyone around the world

speaks English! In fact, there are over 5,000 different

languages in the world. Business leaders say that, in

the future, the three world languages which will be

most in demand are French, Spanish and Mandarin.

A love of languages...

ENRICHMENT

Our Year 8s

loved

experiencing

a taste of

university

life for the

day, and

were especially fascinated by the lecture theatre. Did you know

that celebrities including JK Rowling, Jonathan Ross, Lucy Liu,

Rory Bremner, Fiona Bruce, Chris Martin and Nigella Lawson all

studied languages at university?

We began with traditional Arabic dancing, which we know better

as ‘belly dancing’. As you can see from the above photo, our

students found it hilarious. Next up, they tried their hand at

Chinese calligraphy – much more difficult than it looks!

After lunch, we

attended both an

Arabic and a Farsi

taster lesson.

Students quickly

mastered the

basics and before

long they were

having a short conversation!

Mrs Cooper, who organised the trip, said: “Students had a hugely

enjoyable and successful day. In fact, the only difficulty they had

was how to use a revolving door…”

12

House challenges promote a spirit of competition

ENTERPRISE

A competitive ethos...

Early in December, teams of students from

each House spent a day off timetable to

compete in an exciting Design Technology

competition. The challenge was to build a

model bridge that would hold as much

weight as possible, span a distance of a

scaled river without disturbing any of the

natural river life, and look aesthetically

pleasing to its users!

Each team prepared for the event during

Academic Review time earlier that week

and many students came with ideas and

possible designs to discuss.

They worked extremely hard throughout

the day and each team created a

presentation board of research and design

work and a completed bridge. The teams

all participated in the presentation and

then tested their bridges

against each other in a nail

-biting competition in

which many of the bridges

were destroyed. Large

weights were placed on

the bridges to see what they could sustain.

All of the bridges collapsed except for the final two – Wellington and

Madrid – who built exceptionally strong structures. The teams

demonstrated excellent team work and enthusiasm, creating

dynamic and convincing sales pitches for their bridges. Their

research was well-developed and evident in their designs.

Mr Golding, our judge, said: “I have been involved in this kind

of competition before but these designs are fantastic, some

of the best I have ever seen!” Huge congratulations to the

winning team, ‘Wellington’, who managed to nudge in front

of Madrid with an excellent presentation, and to all the

participants for an excellent event.

13

An amazing day at Jaguar Land Rover

Year 10 Product Design students recently

enjoyed an amazing day at the Jaguar Land

Rover factory in Halewood. Here they learnt

first-hand about a range of topics such as

mass production, flexible manufacturing,

‘just in time’ production and lean

manufacturing. They gained a valuable

insight into different quality control and

quality assurance procedures, which they

can now use in their Product Design work.

Students were taken to the factory and

given a tour around different manufacturing

stations. They saw cars at different stages of

manufacture and witnessed the amazingly

well-organised procedure that allows high-

quality cars to be produced quickly and with

little wasted time and money.

We saw the press

forming of car doors

and spot welding of

body parts, as well as

assembly and finishing

techniques. They

were also able to see the new James Bond car during its visit to

the factory.

Part of the day was also dedicated to challenging the students.

They were asked to create a vehicle of their own design and race

it along a track to see which car travelled furthest. Teams worked

hard to develop strong, aerodynamic cars and tracks that would

allow the vehicles to travel along them smoothly and without

collision.

This was an excellent day out of school, seeing theory put into

practice and the application of Product Design learning in the

workplace.

Learning from the experts...

INDUSTRY

14

Christmas round-up...

TRADITION

As the last edition of the Ridgeway Reader went to print early in December, Ridgeway was busy entering into

the spirit of Christmas. Here is a snapshot of activities from the season of goodwill.

This year’s Christmas Showcase featured the musical and

theatrical talents of students from across the year groups,

including performances from GCSE Year 11 students, Year

7 dancers, Grade 2 and Grade 5 music students and

members of Singing Club.

Miss Bonsall says: “A particular highlight for me as

producer was the Year 9 boys doing ‘Bouncers’. Their

comic timing was genius. A special mention should also go

to Connor Styring, who stepped in to cover an absent

colleague as well as delivering his own GCSE monologue

immaculately!”

Another proud Ridgeway tradition is the senior citizens’

Christmas meal, which is planned, prepared and hosted by

staff and students. Once again, Miss Grady and her team

did an amazing job and it was evident from the response

of our guests how much they enjoyed the occasion.

Steve Morris, from Age UK Wirral, who supported at the

event, sent Miss Grady the following email:

“I attended this afternoon’s lunch at your school and would

like to thank you for a lovely time. I was the escort on our

Age UK Wirral Transport Bus and everyone we brought to

the venue all commented how much they loved and

enjoyed the day out. They all had smiles on their

faces and commented how lovely the staff and

children were towards them.”

15

Another Christmas highlight for Miss Bonsall was singing in

the community [see above]. “We sang at Arrowe Park

twice where we raised money for Ronald McDonald

House. We also sang at Dundoran Nursing Home. The

children also raised money for RNIB in Tesco Bidston.”

The students were a delight to take into the community,

says Miss Bonsall. One member of the public, passing

through the hospital, commented: “You have put a smile

on my face this Christmas, even though it’s a very difficult

time for our family.”

The patients really appreciated and enjoyed the singing,

which was recorded and played over the hospital radio on

Christmas Day.

COMMUNITY

On the Wednesday before school closed for Christmas, a

group of Year 11 students took twelve rucksacks [see

below] down to the YMCA in Birkenhead, along with five

more holdalls of warm clothing to donate towards helping

the homeless.

In addition to preparing for their mock examinations,

students in Miss Lawrie’s form were busy fundraising. Staff

and students donated clothes, blankets and other

essentials – as well as money – to the appeal. Leftover

money was used to buy food for Charles Thompson’s

Mission in Birkenhead, which is providing Christmas dinner

for the homeless and elderly.

Miss Lawrie said: “I must say a massive ‘well done’ to

Lauren Barnes, Olivia Gartland, Jasmine Luton and

Shauna Clarke for their efforts. They have been a credit to

the school. When the students went by minibus to drop off

their collection of rucksacks at Birkenhead YMCA, the

welcome they received was overwhelming.”

Mr Taylor added: “Moments like these are truly special

and cannot be taught; they have to be experienced.”

16

Mr Heayns runs an Independent Learning Challenge programme with students in Years 7 and 8 who show a particular

aptitude for academic learning. This Year 7 challenge focused on the infamous King Richard III, whose remains were

recently discovered and re-buried in Leicester. This is an outstanding piece of work from Iftikhar Haque in Year 7.

R ichard III was king between 1483 and 1485. After King Edward IV died in April 1483,

the elder of his two sons was heir to the throne and became Edward V. The boy’s

uncle was Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who was supposed to help Edward until he

was old enough to rule alone, but instead Richard made himself King Richard III in the

month of June 1483 until he was defeated at the Battle of Bosworth by his rival Henry Tudor who

became King Henry VII.

There is evidence that Richard was physically horrible. For example, John Rous said, “…born with

teeth….hair down to his shoulders,” while in William Shakespeare’s play, Richard is described as, “born only half finished…so

ugly that dogs bark at him as he walked by”. Sir Thomas More and John Paynter described him as “hunchback”.

However, there is also evidence that there was nothing physically unusual or horrible about Richard. Nicholas von Poppelau

described Richard as “….three fingers taller than me and much slimmer. He had thin arms and legs and a great heart”. As

well as John Stowe, who said, “Fairly pleasing to look at….small in height”. Polydor Vergil said, “….took on John

Cheney….wrestled him to the ground…killed fighting bravely”.

I have looked at several different sources of evidence about Richard. For example, there is the evidence of Nicholas von

Poppelau, who was friends with Richard, which I think was true. Another piece of evidence, which I think might be true, is

by John Stowe who talked to people who were alive before Richard died. The evidence of Thomas More, who was Henry

VII’s worker, I think was unreliable.

In the beginning my opinion about Richard III was that he was a greedy and ruthless person, who got rid of his nephews so

he could become King, and that he was a deformed hunchback. However, after reading further sources by Nicholas von

Poppelau, John Stowe and Polydore Vergil, my opinion changed. For me the most convincing account was by Polydore

Vergil who actually worked for Henry VII but said lots of good things about Richard. Also, historians now say that this

portrayal of Richard as an evil, deformed hunchback is incorrect. I don’t find other evidence convincing. For example, I

don’t trust accounts by William Shakespeare as he often altered what really happened in his history plays to make them

more exciting for the audience.

Iftikhar Haque, 7YL

Learning to learn...

INDEPENDENCE

17

Respecting democracy, respecting our heritage In early December, 35 students made the long

journey to London to visit the Houses of Parliament

and learn about the history of our democracy,

reports Mr Worthington. On the way, we stopped off

at Oxford Ice Rink and spent an afternoon on the ice,

learning new skills. Star performers included Megan

Edwards, who discovered that she could in fact ice

skate, despite telling all the staff that she could not!

Arriving in London, we enjoyed a Chinese banquet in

the heart of London’s Chinatown. The staff at Wong

Kei’s made us feel very welcome and ensured that we

left with full stomachs after a huge amount of tasty

Chinese food.

After our meal, we were taken for a trip on the

London Eye, the famous London landmark. As it was

night-time, London was ablaze with lights and it was

thrilling to see the capital laid out

before us. We spotted famous

landmarks such as Canary Wharf, the

Palace of Westminster and the

Wembley Stadium arch. Despite

some students (and staff!) being

afraid of heights, everyone loved this

part of the trip.

We spent the night in a youth hostel

near St Paul’s Cathedral. The sound

A capital adventure...

BRITISH VALUES

of chiming bells from the famous cathedral kept many of us

awake deep into the night.

The next day, we were woken early and, after a hearty breakfast,

made our way to the Palace of Westminster for a tour of the

Houses of Parliament. We ventured inside the House of

Commons to stand where famous names from the past, such as

Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, once stood.

We learned about the history of parliament from its beginnings in

the thirteenth century to modern-day stories of campaigners

such as the Suffragettes. We also visited the Great Hall and stood

on the same spot where statesmen such as Barack Obama and

Nelson Mandela have addressed Britain’s parliamentarians.

Below: The students’ spectacular view of London from the top of

the London Eye.

18

Pledging to make the world a better place On 27 January, which is Holocaust

Memorial Day, two Ridgeway students -

Phoebe Clarke and Kieron McMahon -

delivered a presentation to Wirral

schoolchildren, along with important

local leaders, including the deputy

mayor, about their trip to Auschwitz and

Krakow, which took place in June 2015.

Both Phoebe and Kieron were able to explain what

they learnt about their time in Poland and how it had

changed how they see the world now. Also in the

audience was Joanna Millan, herself a Holocaust

survivor, who was taking part in Wirral’s annual

A sense of history...

RESPECT

Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration. At the end of the

event, Phoebe and Kieron were presented with signed copies of

Joanna’s book, Orphaned and Alone: The Story of One Holocaust

Survivor.

Meanwhile, a few days earlier, reports Mr Worthington, 19

students attended a special event in Liverpool, as part of their

preparations for their forthcoming Poland visit in June.

They spent some time in school learning about the work of Sir

Nicholas Winton, who organised the rescue of 669 mainly Jewish

children from Czechoslovakia in 1939. At the FACT media arts

centre in Liverpool, they watched a moving film about this rescue

and were able to hear the testimony of one of those survivors,

Lady Milena Grenfell-Baines. Students listened to Lady Milena’s

story and were moved by seeing the objects she had brought

with her, which helped illustrate her story. The message that she

left us was simply to “be a decent person”.

Left: Kieron and Phoebe with Joanna Millan, a survivor of the

Holocaust

19

Students past and present pay their respects Over the Christmas period, our Facebook page showed a photograph of Sue Taylor, our long-serving midday assistant,

who was retiring after twenty-eight years with us. The response was incredible. The post ‘reached’ thirty thousand

people, there were five hundred ‘likes’ and over one hundred people posted affectionate, heart-warming comments

about Sue, including ex-students from as far back as the 1980s and 1990s.

A Ridgeway community…

RESPECT

Below: Sue Taylor with Jayne Lloyd on the day of Sue’s

retirement after twenty-eight years’ service to the school

My favourite dinner lady. Such a lovely person who

made my day with her smile every lunch. Can't believe

she's leaving—hope she has a good retirement.

Awwww I left Ridgeway in 1998 and I remember

Sue. Good luck Sue xxxx

Wow happy retirement! Sue was there when I was

there from 1988 to 1993 and she was lovely back

then too xx

Enjoy your retirement. You were there when I was

‘92-’97. Didn't realise you still were a dinner lady.

Much love xx

AWWW little miss. She was my Dinner lady xxxxx

20

Application of skills to make worthwhile products

INNOVATION

Creativity and enterprise...

Over the last term, Year 7 students have been designing and

making a "Pod Dock", a cushioned dock to hold their phone.

In making their product, students have practised a number of

skills, such as the use of applique, a sewing technique that

involves stitching a small piece of fabric onto a larger one to

make a pattern or design. The docks are sewn together on a

sewing machine before being stuffed and weighted down.

Meanwhile, Year 8 students have been hard at work making

an LED lamp, using specialist software (in this case, 2D

Design) and equipment such as a laser-cutter. They use a

process called sublimation printing to print pictures or

colours to their fabric lamp before they are laser-cut.

Students have also been using techniques such as soldering

circuits together and sewing to make their lamps. Above: In Food lessons, Year 7 students have designed a

healthy scone-based pizza, using an interesting and

original design. Leo [above] created a ‘face’ design.

21

The exhilaration of live performance

CONFIDENCE

Building self-assurance...

In Year 7, music students have been developing their

understanding of samba through various performance

opportunities. Students thoroughly enjoy performing as a

class on the school samba kit, says Miss Morgan. This

helps them to improve their understanding of musical

fusion and to practise different

performance techniques.

In Year 11, Performing Arts students have been working

hard to perfect their assessment performances for the

GCSE examination. Many of them have worked in

collaboration to

demonstrate their

complementary skills. An

example of this is Adeana

Traynor and Jessica

Preston. Adeana has

worked hard to develop

her dancing, while Jessica

enhanced her performance through her understanding

of costume and make-up. The overall effect of this

collaboration was astounding, says Miss Bonsall.

22

Investigating the world around us

Year 9 Travel and Tourism students have

got off to a flying start with opportunities

to carry out fieldwork for their coursework

units. On two consecutive weeks they

have been lucky enough to visit the

Museum of Liverpool on the Albert Dock

and its many exhibitions, including the

football-focused 'Are You Red or Blue?' and

the History of The Beatles show. Students

are expected to look at all exhibitions with

a critical eye and to consider how they

would be suited to different types of

tourist, such as a school party, a young

family or a group of OAPs.

The students will also be visiting the

Liverpool World Museum. This will

enable them to compare and contrast

the two attractions and to weigh up the

strengths and weaknesses of each.

The group have also found time to look

around the ‘Stavros S Niarchos’, which

has been berthed in the Canning Dock

over the winter, predominantly for

maintenance but also for the benefit of

local young people, who are able to go

on board and see for themselves how

Tall Ships Experiences

Opportunities of a lifetime...

The ‘Stavros S Niarchos’ is a British brig-rigged tall ship owned and

operated by a charity called the Tall Ships Youth Trust. She is primarily

designed to provide young people with the opportunity to undertake

voyages as character-building exercises.

Through the energy and commitment of PC Parry, our embedded police

liaison officer, Ridgeway High School has a proud tradition of offering

students life-changing experiences around the British coastline.

Outside the classroom...

ACTIVE LEARNING

the ship functions. We were welcomed aboard by the captain and

second mate and given an insight into day-to-day life during a voyage

and the workings of the ship.

23

Ridgeway students prepare for lift-off!

In the Computing department, Mr Cross

has been working hard with students to

choose a Ridgeway team to compete in

this year’s Tomorrow’s Engineers EEP

Robotics Challenge. Ridgeway High

School is one of only 100 regional schools

selected for entry this year in a robotics

challenge that will involve them in ‘space

missions’!

Teamwork,

robots, design,

discovery, fun

and loads of

LEGO are all part

of an incredible mix. This school-based

competition encourages students to

solve real-world engineering, technology

and computing challenges.

The team of 20-30 KS3 students will be

expected to build a robot, to present

research ideas to a panel of judges and

to compete in a set of space-based

challenges against other schools.

Twenty of the 100 schools competing in

the regional event will be selected to

take part in a national final in July at the

Ricoh arena in Coventry.

What is ‘STEM Learning’? Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics...

STEM Learning is an approach to education that aims to bring together

teaching and learning in these four closely-related curriculum areas.

Preparing young people for the economic and technological challenges of

the twenty-first century is a key element of a high-quality education.

Engineering the future...

CHALLENGE

As well as team accolades and prizes, there will be individual prizes

awarded to team members for specific contributions.

This is the second year the event has taken place. As part of the support

package, LEGO Education have provided £1800 in the form of educational

robotics kits free to each school. Mr Cross says: “Regardless of the

outcome of the competition, the school keeps all of the kit so there is a

fantastic opportunity to further develop ‘STEM’ learning in the

classroom.”

Above: Attendance and enthusiasm levels are through the roof at Mr

Cross’s Computing Club

24

Boys’ basketball

Mr Beattie reports: “The Year 7 basketball team

were involved in a hard-fought contest against

Calday in the Wirral Cup. Calday eventually came

out on top, winning narrowly by 3 baskets. This

unfortunately spells the end of the road in this

competition for our lads this year but there is

plenty to build on. Several of the players are also

involved in the Year 8 team, who are doing

phenomenally well.”

In fact, the Year 8 basketball team beat Bluecoat

Grammar School in the National League. Mr

Charles adds: “The boys have done amazingly well.

They have won their regional league and are now

playing at the county finals stage. This is, without

doubt, the best result we have ever achieved in

basketball.”

The Year 9 team have made great progress again

this year. This is the first year the boys have played

in the national competition and they have come up

against tough opponents, who regularly reach

national finals. The knock-on effect of this success

is that they have reached the Wirral finals for the

second consecutive year, after comfortably beating

Woodchurch. Mr Murphy says: “The boys have

made excellent progress due to their hard work in

training. They have raised their standards as a

result of competing at a higher level. Oliver Hobson has been a

real leader. Hopefully we can celebrate with some trophies.”

Mr Charles reports on Year 11: “The boys have also been

successful. They beat Woodchurch 32-30 in a highly competitive

game. They are training hard and, if they win their next game,

they have qualified for the Wirral final.”

PARTICIPATION

From strength to strength...

25

More on boys’ PE

“The standard of basketball in the school at the

moment reminds me of the glory years of the

‘80s and ‘90s, when Ridgeway was something of

a basketball powerhouse. We have packed

squads in all year groups, enthusiastically

attending training and up for competition.

In the past, players might leave Ridgeway and

possibly never pick up a ball again. We now have

current and ex-students competing in local

basketball leagues. A local team now trains at

Ridgeway on Wednesday evenings, offering

training for students not just from Ridgeway but

for anyone local with an interest in the game.

This all fired me with the belief that my Year 10

team would perform at a high level. They did not

disappoint. I said from the start that I didn’t care

if they won or lost. What mattered to me was

how they handled the pressure and the attitude

they showed on the court. From an overtime

thriller in Birchwood to a hard-fought encounter

against Ellesmere Port, they showed an

impressive hunger to compete.

Josh Hughes has trained tirelessly to make

himself into a talented ball player and doesn’t

lack the confidence to showcase his skills against

any opponent. David Gravett has grown into a

defensive colossus. Kieran McKay’s movement

shows a court awareness he has worked hard to

attain. I could go on about the whole team at an

individual level (Ryan McCabe, Jack Harris and

Matthew Lidgate were superb in the dismantling

of Woodchurch), but, in truth, they have all made

me immensely proud as coach.”

COMMITMENT

Building on tradition...

Mr Barney—ex-student—on basketball over the years

The Year 9 table tennis team won the area finals against Birkenhead

Park and Woodchurch. As a result, they have now qualified for the

regional finals. Mr Charles says: “Well done to everyone and

particularly William Burkhill, Jonty Hughes and Dylan Roden.”

The Year 10/11 table tennis team finished third overall. William

Burkhill again stepped up and demonstrated why he is seeded

Number 1 on the Wirral, winning every game, even against students

older than him!

Mr Beattie says: “Due to poor weather, the Year 7 boys’ football

fixtures this half-term have been hit hard and we have been unable

to play any competitive fixtures. I am pleased that the boys have

shown a commitment to training each week and we are due to start

our assault on the Merseyside and Wirral cups in the coming weeks.

A tough fixture against St Hilda’s in the first round of the Merseyside

Cup will provide a stern test but we are confident we can cause

them problems, especially with Billy Rainbow leading the way in

goals for the team this season.”

Mr Murphy adds: “The weather has limited the number of fixtures

this term. However the Year 11 team finished second in the Wirral

‘futsal’ competition at Tranmere Rovers, with captain Ellis Byrne the

stand-out player.

26

Miss Campbell’s report

Football

The Year 7/8 girls have been training

really hard to improve their game.

They played a highly competitive

match against Plessington. Paige

Kearney created a number of chances

to put Ridgeway into the lead, scoring

in the second-half before Jade

Williams added a second shortly after.

The game eventually finished 2-1. I

was thrilled with the performance and

the girls too were happy with how they

played. A special mention goes to

Player of the Match Paige Kearney,

who was outstanding.

The Year 9/10 girls also played their

first match of the half-term against

Plessington. Having been beaten last

term, they were determined to win this time around. Jayde Renner got

Ridgeway off to a great start with a super goal. Shortly afterwards, she

scored again – and then again! The final score was 3-1 to Ridgeway. Our hat-

trick hero Jayde Renner was deservedly Player of the Match.

Year 7 Badminton Club

I am delighted that some of the Year 7 girls have taken on a new sporting

challenge this term. They asked if I would set up a badminton club and train

them so that they can play competitively against other schools. So we agreed

that, every Friday night, they come to Badminton Club to learn the rules and

the skills of the game.

I must say that I have been highly impressed with how quickly they have

developed their skills. I feel that the girls are now ready to face some tough

competition against Upton, Wirral

Grammar and St Mary’s in the next few

weeks. A special mention goes to Naomi

Bista and Abby Barron, who have

trained particularly hard and improved

immensely in a short space of time.

Look out for further news in the next

issue!

RESILIENCE

Opportunities to excel...

27

Regional gymnastics championships

I am currently taking my GCSE Year 11 students to ‘Awesome Walls’ to

complete their climbing assessment, part of their GCSE PE course. All

students are enjoying the experience and are on target to achieve high

grades. The coaching staff at Awesome Walls have noted the positive

attitude and the climbing ability of our students, commenting on the

“exceptional” work that the girls have been doing.

last minute, said that she was too nervous to perform and yet achieved the

highest score out of all our entrants—a magnificent 8.2 out of 10.

Also, I should like to thank to Ciara Q’Quigley and Helen Zhen for giving up

their Sunday to come and help out. We’re all looking forward to next

year’s competition and will be busy in Trampoline Club between now and

then.

ENDEAVOUR

Competing against the best...

‘Awesome Walls’: GCSE Climbing

Miss Campbell reports: “Six students were

chosen to represent Ridgeway in the

Regional Schools Trampoline

Championships in December. Schools from

all over the North West were taking part.

Scoring was out of 10 for each

performance of the set routine and the

voluntary routine. Jay Boden,

Jake Stafford and Daniel Skillen

all entered the U-14 boys’ section,

Emily Davin and Ellie Whelan the

U-14 girls’ section and Elisha

Davin the U-19s. All of them

performed exceptionally. They

gave it their all and thoroughly

enjoyed the competition.

Jay Boden was placed second out

of the Wirral schools in his

category, which is an amazing

achievement, considering it is his

first ever competitive trampoline

competition. A special mention

goes to Elisha Davin who, until the

28

Ridgeway Reader January—February 2016

All the latest news from Ridgeway High School

Many thanks to Mrs Warbrick for her help and support in the production of this issue of the Ridgeway Reader.

Special thanks to...

School closes for the spring break. The construction of the New Build will begin over the holiday period.

Please note that Friday 25 March and Monday 28 March are Bank Holidays.

Friday 1 April

The PE sporting tour to Amsterdam leaves Ridgeway. It promises to be a fabulous experience, offering

exciting opportunities for high-level sport, for team building and for experiencing the local Dutch culture.

Wednesday 30 March

School re-opens for all students after the half-term break.

Monday 22 February

Upcoming Events