Newsletters

Maths

As part of celebrating Pi Day, on the 14th March, we held a maths House Competition that was open to all year groups to take a mathematical photo. We received some great entries, and all participants earned house points. After much debate amongst the maths team, photos from Grace Barrett and Sahana Suresh-Babu in Year 7 were selected as the winners. Well done to the winners and everyone who participated!

Extended English - Children's Book Primary Project

Well done to Year 8, who spent Spring term writing children's books for students at three of our partner primary schools: Widden, Linden and Meadowside. As you can see, the level of work that's gone into these are incredible, and they have been gratefully received by the students. 

This year, the project saw two classes visit Linden Primary School to work with Year 1 children directly. Having visited in December to interview their partner and find out their interests, on Monday 22^nd April, 8en1 and 8en3 returned to be reunited with their Year 1 partners. Enthusiasm levels were high and the Linden pupils were very excited to see their new friends again, with hugs and high-fives greeting Year 8. Our students were impeccable, reading the books they'd written to Year 1, who were incredibly enthusiastic to be allowed to keep the books written for them.

History - World War 1 Projects

The history department has been blown away by the efforts of Year 8. They were tasked with researching a soldier from the local area or a soldier who had a connection to them (either as a relative or a shared surname). As always, this task brought together students and their families as they explored their own connections to World War 1.

The excitement and enthusiasm in each lesson was incredible, with stories being shared of the research and information they had found with the support and help of parents and grandparents. Students produced some empathetic and emotive pieces and went above and beyond. We had trench biscuits, family trees, memorabilia, tea stained paper/s, love letters, postcards and trench poetry.

In the next few weeks there will be a display in Whittaker showing students' work.  Well done Year 8! Your teachers are very proud of your hard work and thank the people at home who have supported you with this extended piece of work. 

Shaping Futures

It has been a busy couple of months for the Shaping Futures Programme. In March, 40 Year 9 students volunteered to lead at the Gloucester School Sports Network KS1 Easter Multi-Skills Event. They led activities ranging from 'What's the time Easter Bunny' to dressing up relays and Easter Dance (with the chickens).

We invited our feeder Primary Schools in for the Spring Concert Matinée. It is a fantastic opportunity for the pupils to watch the huge array of talented Ribston students in an informal setting. The staff and pupils are always in awe of the phenomenal performances. The day was topped of with training for a Capture the Flag tournament and a tuition session led by our Year 12 Shaping Futures Mentors.

Our latest mentoring session was on the Admissions Information Morning on 12^th April. This time, parents were invited to attend the tuition session led by our Year 12 mentors. This enabled parents to gain an insight into what their daughter experiences in their tuition sessions and to seek support from those in the know (Year 12) about how best to support their daughter in preparation for the Entrance Test.

Careers

Visiting Guest Speakers: Visiting Guest Speakers: BBC journalist Steve Knibbs visited the school earlier this month to speak to students interested in journalism and broadcast careers. He talked about the route into his job, his early career, and what his role involves on a daily basis, which includes a car full of various changes of clothes, from wellies to smart suits, as his plans for the day can often change! Students got a chance to examine the kit he uses to film stories and also to watch some archive BBC footage showing students at a memorial assembly for Jo Parrish in the 1990s. His advice to students included sticking with your dream; don’t let anyone tell you otherwise and being tenacious – keep going, be keen, and get noticed.

We were also visited by Old Girl Poppy Woods, who now works as a Business & Project Manager in the NHS. Poppy started as a Business Administration apprentice and has worked her way up to management level and doesn’t intend to stop there! She talked of some of the challenges she’s faced in her life and how her Ribston spirit pushed her to achieve more. One of her key messages was that if you don’t like the way something is organised or running, then get involved and make change happen: BE THE CHANGE.

Thank to our speakers for giving up their time to come in and talk to our students, and thank you to our students for asking brilliant questions.

University Visits: Our Year 10 cohort spent this terms Personal Development Day at the University of Gloucestershire, exploring what life at university is really like. This day is always a highlight in our PD Day calendar, as students find out first-hand that university is perhaps even better than they thought! Students were given a tour by student ambassadors and were lucky enough to see the radiotherapy equipment, dance & drama studios, mock NHS ward, a rather gruesome pretend burns victim dummy (for paramedic students), the practice courtroom law students use, the impressive Olympic-standard sports facilities, and much more. Students also took part in a law debate and attended a uni myth-busting session.

Students had high praise for the event:
"(It) helped me see how many options I have and how to get towards them. Also, how many different degrees there are. Everybody was very nice and answered any questions I had. The workshop things we did were good too."

"(It) shows how important university is and nothing like I thought it would be. When you actually experience it, it's way better than I thought it would be."

"I am definitely going to go to university, but today confirmed that’s the path I want to go down after A-Levels."

Interview Support needed!!

Year 10 will be undertaking their Employer Practice interviews on our next Personal Development Day on Friday 5^th July.  If you or your business would like to get involved, please contact me via email for more information:
lph@ribstonhall.gloucs.sch.uk. 

We are particularly looking for medical, veterinary, accounting and legal  professionals to meet with students.

War Through Children's Eyes - Exhibition 

Congratulations to Aryama Bharti, whose artwork is going to be in an exhibition in London! Aryama took part in a national competition and winners will now be included in an exhibition by award-winning internationally renowned artist and one of Britain's leading portrait artists - Arabella Dorman. 

The competition was set up by Narmina Mammadova and the Azerbaijani community as a tribute to the 30^th anniversary of the Khojaly massacre that took place in Azerbaijan. A wide range of powerfully emotive entries were entered, raising awareness to children about the realities of war and how children can be helped. As Narmina quoted, "I decided to do more to give a voice to voiceless children affected by wars around the world."

The exhibition is taking place at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral, Duke St, London from 22nd May to 9th June 2024.

Jump for Charity: A massive well done to Maisey in yr 12, who did a 15000ft skydive last weekend!! Maisey did the Skydive in aid of Rugby for Heroes, who provide financial and personal support to servicemen and women to help them make the transition from military service back into civilian life. Students clearly chose well in last month's Head Student elections as Maisey will take up her post as the new Deputy Head Student Responsible for Houses and Societies this month. 

Congratulations to the Britons who retained their top spot on the House Points table this month!