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Ringwood in the News Autumn 2008 2
Outstanding OFSTED continued..
The Headteacher, Miss Edwards, has
paid tribute to staff and students:
“I would like to take this
opportunity to praise my colleagues
for the dedication and commitment
they show on a daily basis, enabling
our students to receive the highest
quality of education. The range of
enrichment activities provided by
staff both within and outside of
school time is exceptional. I would
also like to thank the parents for
their ongoing support. The reason
Governors’ Corner
What a glorious time to
be involved at Ringwood
School – fifty years
young and ‘outstanding’; the school
that is, not me. This is my twentieth
year here and I have been a governor for
more than half that time and part of the
sixth form since its inception in 1996. I
currently serve on both the community
and the staffing and curriculum
committees which have given me the
opportunity to contribute to formulating
policies and forging links with the wider
community and to be involved with
ensuring that students receive the very
best teaching and learning. It has also
afforded me the opportunity to work
with a committed and enthusiastic body
of people from outside of the school
who willingly give up so much of their
time to ensure that Ringwood School is
outstanding.
In the early part of my life I learnt that
Kevin Keegan and Malcolm Mc Donald
are heroes, ‘Howay the lads!’ and The
Blaydon Race were essential war cries,
black and white had to be your favourite
colour and to really belong you had to be
a member of the black and white Toon
Army! I am by birth a southerner, but by
upbringing a Geordie although my awful
girls’ school ensured I never acquired
an accent, or, it has to be said, much
knowledge of the sciences or maths but
I was relatively proficient in needlework,
tennis and deportment by the time I left.
In truth my A- levels were good enough
Mrs J Walder: Staff Governor
students achieve outstanding results
is due to the special partnership
established between the family and
the school.”
She went on to thank families for
returning the Ofsted questionnaire in
such huge numbers. Over 500 were
returned in time for the inspection.
The inspection team were very
impressed with the support provided
by parents.
While also wanting to celebrate the
outstanding designation the school
to gain me a place at Warwick University
to read law – that is until cupid struck
and I changed to English, history and
politics at Newcastle .
Blyth Spartans (also black and white)
were in fact my local team as I was
brought up on the North East coast in a
house which had been a fort in the First
World War. This was the stuff of Enid
Blyton as we lived behind fortified walls,
three foot thick with wired windows
and a gun turret(minus the weaponry)
on the roof. The garden was riddled
with underground rooms and army
huts with rude drawings on the walls
which provided a paradise for childhood
games and a haven for birds blown in by
fiercesome north east gales. My father
in a bid to keep us fit and healthy, made
us swim in the sea every day from May
to September which I am certain is
responsible for my loathing of all things
cold and my failure to make six foot.
After graduating, I moved with my
husband and daughter to Poole where
my second daughter was born and it
is she who is entirely responsible for
my ability to thrive on about five hours
sleep. When she complains about the
unreasonable sleeping habits of her own
children I can only laugh. After my fourth
child went to school I decided it was
time to work and I applied for a PGCE
at Southampton University qualifying as a
teacher of English.
My first classroom at RIngwood, known
as D15, was an old drama hut, painted
black and situated where the Wessex
building now stands. The roof was lightly
attached to the walls which, in strong
winds, rose and allowed the daylight to
show through; my nearest neighbours,
Mrs Bailey and Mrs Buxton, lived in
similar but semi -detached huts; the rest
of the English department were in Avon.
At that time the school had only about
750 students and I probably knew them
all. Ringwood has grown in size and
reputation since I joined and there have
been many, many changes as we have
tried to keep abreast of Government
initiatives. For me the most exciting
change was when we were granted a
sixth form. I was initially asked to set up
and co-ordinate GNVQ courses and two
years later I became Deputy Head, a role
I have so enjoyed that I cannot imagine
not being involved with this vibrant,
exciting part of the school. To teach a
subject that you love to students of this
age is a real privilege. The sixth form has
marvellous community spirit which all
external students comment upon when
they join us. There is also an international
flavour in keeping with our Language
College status as each year we have
students join us from all over the world;
some of whom have gained up to five
and half A grades; no mean feat in your
second or, in some cases, third language!
I have always been interested in sport,
watching my children compete at school,
county, regional and national level and for
years have enjoyed running; completing
the London marathon on two occasions
which was a wonderful experience. But,
gardening is my real love and these days
occupies most of my spare time.
S u b m i t a n a r t i c l e
Do you have an achievement you would like to celebrate, a story to share or an event to advertise?
Please email your story and photos to: faye.wharton@ringwood.hants.sch.uk
Ringwood School, Parsonage Barn Lane, Ringwood, Hants. BH24 1SE Tel: 01425 475000 Fax: 01425 473063
Edited by Faye Wharton
has received, Miss Edwards promises
that Ringwood School will not stand
still and agrees with Ofsted’s view
that “the school is not complacent
and is always striving to improve
further.”
She continues: “We will now move
forward with our exciting plans for
improving the school further, with a
particular focus on the 9 gateways
of ‘personalising learning’, to
include providing a broader range of
learning pathways for all students.”