Ringmer Review

Term 2 Issue 2
December 2016
Ringmer Review
Update from Mr Gibson, Acting Principal
It’s been an eventful year… Many thanks to you all for
your continued support as we work hard to raise
standards and rebuild confidence in the College and, on a
personal note, thank you for the support that you have
given me in recent months in my role as Acting Principal. I
hope that you will agree that the College is now moving
forwards and that, particularly in the light of our
partnership with King’s Group, the appointment of Matt
Hillier as our new Principal and Denise Kong as our new
Chair of Governors, we can look forward to 2017 with
confidence.
Over the past term, we have worked with pace and
purpose on a number of initiatives to promote student
progress, improve learning and teaching and strengthen
the climate of aspiration at the College. These include:
1. The launch of new Rewards and Attendance policies.
2. An extensive Curriculum Review, informed by
consultation with key stakeholders.
3. An in depth focus on the quality of teaching and
learning in Year 11.
4. In depth Departmental Reviews in Science and
English.
5. The formation of a Raising Achievement Group with a
particular focus on targeted intervention to
accelerate progress in Year 11.
6. The appointment of Year Progress Leaders to drive
progress.
7. The establishment of a Teaching and Learning
Coaching Team to support and develop excellent
practice across the College.
Our students remain a great credit to themselves and the
College. A number of events are highlighted in this edition
of the Ringmer Review. In addition, in just the past week
we have raised in the region of £400 for Save the Children
with a Christmas Jumper day, hosted a very well attended
community carol concert and an enjoyable Year 7 drama
production and interviewed an impressive total of 35 Year
10 students who have applied for leadership roles within
the College.
Sadly, at the end of term, we need to bid a fond farewell
to colleagues who are leaving us for pastures new:
Jim Hastings - Teacher of History
Mike Sankey - 2 i/c English
Anthony Frost - Director of Technical Services and
Premises Management
Monica Alfred - Ranson – Science Technician
Wendy Pomfret - Teaching Assistant
Lauren Moss will be joining us in January as our new 2 i/c
English
We look forward to welcoming our students back on
Wednesday 4 th January. I would like to ensure a
purposeful and businesslike start to the year and would be
grateful for your support in ensuring that all students
return in the correct uniform and footwear. Our uniform
expectations can be found on the College website.
Finally, I hope that Christmas brings you everything that
you are hoping for and that you have a restful and
enjoyable break.
With best wishes
Robert Gibson
Acting Principal

Page 2
Ringmer Community College officially joins King's Group
Academies Trust
The King's Group Academies Trust has now been
officially appointed as the new Academy sponsor for
Ringmer Community College.
KGA Chairman, Sir Roger Fry, who began his teaching
career in South East England, expressed his delight to
the students and staff of Ringmer through a special
video he sent to the school shown in a launch
assembly:
"This news is very exciting for us, and I hope you too
will share in our enthusiasm when you understand all
of the opportunities that this will open up for you as
students, as well as those for your teachers and your
school. Being a King’s Academy, means you form part
of a wider network of other schools abroad.
Therefore, your school, and you as students, will have
the opportunity to make connections through your
learning, with other students internationally. This
partnership is also equally exciting for the students in
our other schools”, (Sir Roger Fry)
Rosemary Lewis, Chair of Governors at Ringmer
Community College, has also expressed her enthusiasm
in regards to this new project.
“The trustees of KGA include a number of very
experienced educationalists who are, or have been,
very successful Headteachers of UK state schools
themselves. All of them have very impressive track
records of rapidly achieving excellent results for
their students and an Ofsted grade of Outstanding
for their schools. It is KGA’s intention to ensure that,
as soon as possible, Ringmer College also becomes
one of their outstanding schools, at the same time
as retaining the school’s ethos for being a very
caring, safe and happy place in which young people
are encouraged to achieve their potential in
every way.” (Rosemary Lewis)

Page 3
Inspirational Women’s Conference
On Monday 14 November 12 year 11 girls from Ringmer Community College attended the Inspirational
Women’s Conference hosted by American Express at their Head Office in Brighton. Not really knowing what to
expect the students were given a brief history of the company and how it evolved and took part in a network
ice breaker. The second part of the conference gave the students chance to find out more about the types of
jobs the company offered in a ‘speed networking’ round. Students were encouraged to find out as much as
possible in 7 minute sections about the individual roles as well as the background of the individuals who work
for the company and what inspires them.
Ms Natalie Moorhouse, the college’s Careers Education
Information Advice and Guidance Lead, said: “It was a good
opportunity for the students to find out exactly what types
of jobs are out there and gave them experience of
networking, which is important in many roles. Even just
being in a corporate building gave them an idea of the
world outside of school – I even found the view
inspiring! Thank you to American Express for having us.”
England V Argentina Rugby Visit
On Saturday 26 November a coach full of
Ringmer Students and Staff, went up to
Twickenham to watch the England V
Argentina game in the Autumn
internationals. What a game they were
treated to! There was plenty of action and
excitement, seeing England win quite
comfortably even after they had someone
sent off after 5 minutes.
Mr Coulthard, Learning Leader for PE, said:
"Everyone who went represented the college
impeccably, with a few students hoping that
one day they will be able to represent England.
We are hoping that this will be a
regular outing for our students."

Page 4
Ringmer students support social enterprising share offering
A Level Business students Georgina Mason, Charliegh
Sallis and Jamie Smith were involved in planning and
delivering a launch evening for potential investors in
a local Community Benefit Society: Ovesco Ltd.
Ovesco recently installed 114 additional solar panels
at the college and the students learnt about the
unique funding arrangement where shares in the
panels are offered to the local community at an
estimated return of approximately 4% per annum.
“We have been learning about shareholders in large
multinational corporations. It was great to learn how
this way of investing can be used by social
enterprises to help promote sustainability,”
commented Georgina.
Charliegh liked the fact that the funding model
allowed people to make a return whilst also
supporting the environment. “We found in our
research that a number of the investors were
grandparents who signed up for the shares on behalf
of their grandchildren hoping to ensure that they
have a healthy future but also to make a small return
to get them set up for the future!”
Jamie spent the evening recording the presentations
and helped produce the prospectus materials with
Charleigh and Georgina. “It is interesting to produce
materials and presentations for an actual business as
part of our course. I certainly feel more confident
that I can take on a role in a business in the future.”
Paul Burchett, Acting Vice Principal said, “Business
subjects can really come alive when students get the
chance to see it in action. As a college we continue to
be committed to sustainability and the environment.
If I had the money to invest I certainly would”.
The local community of Ringmer and Lewes is now
invited to invest. You have until 22 nd December to
invest for a return of 4% over 20 years – much better
than a savings account. More details can be found on
the Ovesco website.

Page 5
Children In Need
On Friday 18th December, Ringmer Community
College took on a variety of fundraising challenges and
activities in aid of Children In Need. This was a
fantastic opportunity for the students to become
more socially aware and to understand the issues that
others face. Students had the chance to run their own
fundraising stalls and activities including: Sponge the
teachers, selling cakes, running a disco, selling
popcorn, a bottle flipping challenge, running a tuck
shop, selling banana splits and much more.
It was a fundraising success and the total raised was:
£1000
Hayley Cripps, Head of The ONESIES, said:
“I am extremely proud of the funds raised for Children
in Need 2016, it is great that we are helping children
across the UK and showing our support. Most of the
events were ran by ONESIE members who are
committed to raising money for those less fortunate
than them. The ONESIE group have now picked the
Chailey Heritage Foundation as their chosen charity to
fundraise for this year and they have also been given
the task of creating their own community event to
bring people together, supported by the WE – Free
the Children Charity - helping to empower young
people.”

Page 6
Evolve Cascade Dance
On Saturday 3 rd December, Ringmer Dance Company, Rapture took part in
the Evolve Cascade Dance Platform at West Kent College. This particular
platform provides dancers of all ages and abilities from schools, youth
companies, adult and community dance groups, an opportunity to perform.
Rapture premiered their new dance piece, ‘Being’ with the inspiration for this
dance coming from the human life cycle, which progresses through: fertilisation,
birth, infancy, childhood, adulthood and aging. Every stage is unique
and encompasses changes in the human body.
After a successful technical rehearsal, the students explored the grounds and
then waited patiently for the evening performance.
Ms Hayley Cripps, Lead Teacher for Dance, said, ‘Yet again the girls did me
proud, each time they perform they astound me with their level of
professionalism. Performing a new piece is always difficult but they gave a
polished performance!’
Year 8 Design Technology Work
These are some examples of the fantastic pieces of pewter jewellery cast by year 8 over the past term.
Their brief was to design and make a piece of jewellery in an Egyptian, Celtic or Chinese theme.
Moulds were designed, made and then molten pewter was poured in and allowed to set.
The finished pieces were then filed, sanded and polished before a hole being drilled for the cord.

Page 7
Year 7 Church Visit and Grandparents Tea Party
On Thursday 8 th December, Year 7 spent the morning at
Ringmer’s church, St Mary the Virgin. The year group sang carols
and students: Alfie, Cian, Fred, George, Harvey and Alysiya read
parts of the Nativity. As an extra treat the Year 7's Grandparents
and relatives were also invited to attend the service and were
invited back to the college afterwards to enjoy a Christmas Tea
Party, hosted by The ONESIE Organisation. The school hall was
feeling festive and decked out for the party with decorations
provided by the students and refreshments and tea and coffee
organised by Chartwells and the school.
Laura, a Year 8 ONESIE Rep, said: “We wanted to bring everyone
together at Christmas and to raise money and
awareness of our chosen charity, Chailey Heritage
Foundation. The event was fun to organise and a great
opportunity for the Grandparents, relatives and year 7
students to celebrate and have a go at our Christmas
quiz!’’
Dates for your diary
Ms Hayley Cripps, Head of the ONESIE group said: ‘’The
party was organised by The ONESIES; they decorated,
wrote their speech and created the quiz! I was thoroughly
impressed with their efforts and they really wanted to
make the morning as enjoyable as possible for the year 7
students and members of our community’’
STPE/Options Evenings 2017
Thursday 26th January - Year 9 Options Evening
Thursday 2nd February - Year 9 STPE
Thursday 9th February - Year 11/13 mock exam results STPE
Thursday 20th April - Year 10 STPE
Thursday 27th April - Year 8 STPE

Page 8
Beauty Salon
We are very excited to announce that our Year 11 Beauty Therapy students will
We Offer
now be offering a commercial salon every Friday between 11.35- 1.35pm.
Facial Treatments
Mini Facial: 30 minutes - £5.00
Manicure and Pedicure Treatments
Simply Polish Fingers or Toes: 15 minutes - £2.00
Ideal for those on the go, your skin is cleansed, lightly exfoliated and gently
massaged. A mask is then applied, while receiving a hand and arm massage,
followed by a light moisturiser.
Includes filing and polish application, Choose from our range of finishes for the nails:
Buffered, clear shiny top coat, colour application or French manicure finish.
Pedicure: 60 minutes - £5.00
This transformational foot treatment will restore very dry skin and will penetrate down to the dermis to make the skin
grow soft and healthy. Your feet will be soaked in warm water with our with our foot cleanser, softening hard skin. Once
thoroughly dried, your feet are rasped. Rasping will now take off all your dry, scaly hard skin and turn your feet into
comfort and luxury! This pedicure also includes thorough cuticle treatment, nails shortened and a tension relief lower leg
and foot massage! Your choice of polish is then applied and your heavenly pedicure is
Manicure: 45 minutes - £4.00
complete!
This moisturising manicure includes a tension releasing hand massage with our nourishing cream, cuticle tidy up and nail
shape. Your choice of polish is then applied.
Please contact Nina or Emma at the college on
01273 812220 ext 247 to book your appointment