Friday 7 February 2025

Dear parents and carers,

I hope you have had a good week.

I have been extremely proud of our Year 11's this week as they started their mock exams in preparation for the final GCSE's in summer. They have conducted themselves impeccably, and have shown a brilliant attitude. We had two new exam invigilators, who made a point of seeing me to pass on that their politeness, respect and uniform were the best they had seen in any school they had worked in. Well done Year 11!

You may have noticed that our social feeds have been a little quieter than normal. Please bear with us as we currently have a vacancy for a marketing role. Whilst we wait to appoint, we are making some internal adjustments to accommodate the gap. We will also be advertising for an admissions and transition role. As always, if you know anyone who would be a good fit, please let us know!

We were delighted to welcome Year 9 parents and carers to our options evening to decide on their GCSE courses. I have enjoyed speaking with this year's group about their aspirations recently. Many already have a clear idea as to a desired career! They are working really well, and we were delighted to give them some deserved praise in the assembly this week, given their recent Maths assessments were significantly above the national average.

Finally, an update on the swimming pool. I have continued to ask questions regarding updates, and we are currently being told that it is looking like an April opening! Whilst there is, of course, a long way to go, this is exciting news which will bring significant benefits to our school community, both in lessons, our super curriculum and for the general Ringmer community. I will continue to update you with information as I receive it.

Have a great weekend

Best wishes,

Mr Harvey

Immunisations update:

Almost 120 Yr9 students were immunised against Meningitis, Diphtheria, Polio & Tetanus yesterday and the students were PHENOMENAL!  Please let your year 9 child know how proud we are of them for their attitude and conduct.

Thank you to everyone for their help.

Next vaccinations are for Year 8 students HPV on 25th April.

Change News - January

Super Curriculum students have contributed to the creation of a stumpery in the Eco Hub garden. Using donated logs, they carefully designed a habitat that provides shelter for birds, insects, and other wildlife. With the right conditions, it could even attract small mammals like hedgehogs and shrews, as well as reptiles such as toads and lizards.

We dug some shallow pits to place the base layer of logs into and then carefully placed the other logs across to make sure there were plenty of nooks and crannies for animals to crawl into. We filled some of the crevices with soil and planted some wildflower seeds and hope this will encourage insects and pollinators. We know that woodlouse, slugs, snails, centipedes and worms will soon make their home in the stumpery.  

Preparing the soil for the logs.

 

Our new stumpery!



Bird watch STEM and EcoLab 

Last week, both the STEM Club and EcoLab Club joined in on the RSPB’s Great British Birdwatch, a fun event that helps track bird populations and monitor changes in species numbers. Despite the looming threat of rain (which did dampen our hopes for a massive bird haul), our students were ready with binoculars in hand to do their bit for citizen science – see photos of students in action.

We started at the Eco hub and then moved to the school field. As we scoped out the skies for birds, we got a bonus lesson in identifying ‘seasonal plumage’; while counting gulls, some didn’t quite look like the usual common gull. We spotted some smaller gulls that looked like black headed gulls. However, they were missing their signature black heads, but after using ID guides and the RSPB website, we found out they were actually black-headed gulls in their winter plumage! Check out the pictures below to see the difference!

Black-headed gull winter plumage (left) vs summer plumage (right).


 

To make our count more accurate, we went with student averages—counting 20 pigeons per 40 students would not have been a realistic sample size of the bird population. So, we averaged the student birdwatch numbers across the group to keep things representative. 

The results of our birdwatching were;

Magpies: 6, Black-headed gulls: 6, Wagtails: 1, Wood pigeons: 24, Common herring gulls: 15, Blackbirds: 5, Jackdaws:7

Thanks to all the students and staff from STEM and EcoLab who took part in making this citizen science project a success! We hope to continue this each year, to keep track of our feathered friends 🦜

More exciting EcoLab news

At EcoLab, students have been busy repotting Pelargoniums, generously donated by Mrs. Moore.  While these plants are often referred to as "geraniums," their proper botanical name is Pelargonium.  These versatile plants serve as a key part of our hands-on science experiments, where KS3 and KS4 students explore various concepts, including:

• Starch Testing

• Photosynthesis

• Plant Adaptation

• Plant Cells

• Stomata

• Leaf Variation

• Plant Defences

• Pollen Tubes

• Rooting Hormones

 

In addition to these experiments, we are taking cuttings in an effort to propagate new plants. This is an economical and eco-friendly way to expand the science department’s stock while providing students with valuable experience in plant propagation techniques. It’s a win-win for both our learning environment and the planet!

Stay tuned for more updates from the EcoLab!  Mrs Simon-House and Ms Dickinson

 

REMINDER - Ground Force morning Saturday 8th March – 10am to 12 noon 

I am planning on hosting a ‘Ground Force’ morning to tidy up the outdoor space around the Eco Hub which has become overrun with weeds and brambles. Although we encourage biodiversity, this area has got a bit out of control!

We are asking for volunteers of students with an allocated parent/carer to come and help for 1-2 hours on the morning of Saturday 8th March to help clear and tidy from 10am to 12noon 

The area requires weeding paths and cutting down and digging up brambles. If you have tough gloves and garden tools that you could use, please bring them along. I have some gloves and tools which can also be used. Appropriate clothing and footwear must be worn to protect yourselves. 

To get an idea of uptake please could you fill in the following form: https://forms.gle/37LjjVn6BRzt1Frp9 

Mrs Ruth Simon-House, ECO-Coordinator

 

Ringmer Neighbourhood Plan

We have been asked to share the following with our parents and students by a local group working on the review of the neighbourhood plan:

The Ringmer Neighbourhood Plan is currently being reviewed, and we want to hear from residents about what is important to you about Ringmer now and the place you want Ringmer to be in the future.

What is a Neighbourhood Plan? 

The Neighbourhood Plan is a document that contains planning policies, which are used to determine planning applications locally. It can help to shape the type and location of future development. It can also identify facilities and infrastructure needed alongside housing.

Why get involved?

• This is where you live. It’s your village. 

• What will make it the best place it can be for you and your family?

Please complete this simple survey to play your part in shaping the future of where we live. 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Ringmer1

You don’t have to answer all the questions – answer the ones that really matter to you. Paper copies are available in the Library and Parish Office too.