We hope you have a wonderful half-term. Click on the image below to access our latest Newsletter.
On Tuesday 17th December, millions of people up and down the country will come together – at their workplace, school or with friends – to ‘make the world better with a Christmas sweater’. At Ridgewood, we are inviting all staff and students to wear a Christmas Jumper and/or Christmas accessory (hat, headband etc) to school, in return for a donation to Save the Children. There is no expectation for students/parents to go out and buy something specially for this day, an alternative would be to simply wear something green, or red.
Save the Children are a charity that operate in the UK and globally to make sure that children are safe, healthy, and learning. You can find out more about how your support helps the charity here:
https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/christmas-jumper-day/how-you-help
A minimum donation of £1 can be made via Parent Pay on or before Tuesday 17th December 2024.
Students will wear their normal school uniform skirt or trousers with something Christmas themed on the top half. As always, no crop-tops, shoulders or tummies on show, no offensive language, or inappropriate pictures on tops. No all-in ones such as: jumpsuits and unitards.
A non-school uniform day is a very small act of charity. Anything that we can contribute in what is likely to be another difficult year for many families, will help these valuable projects keep going.
The Dudley Special Educational Needs and Disabilities e- bulletin’s aim is to keep parent carers, education settings and stakeholders informed about Dudley’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Improvement Programme as well as news and events.
To access the latest bulletin, click the link below:-
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKDUDLEYMBC/bulletins/3c3c866
To sign up to regular bulletins, click the link below:
https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKDUDLEYMBC/signup/31736
On Thursday 28th November, Jenny Valentine, author of Us in the Before and After, visited Ridgewood to work with years 9, 10 & 11. Each year group took part in a creative writing workshop, where they created a character, the character's world, a setting and the afterlife, using lists - a simple, but fantastic way to start the creative process.
Jenny talked to students about the inspiration for her novels, and the process she has for planning and writing, revealing that she never knows the ending until she has ten pages to go. That's why there is always a twist that the reader never sees coming!
Each session finished with Jenny reading a passage from her latest book, which has been shortlisted for the Dudley Children's Book Awards 2024.
Jenny Valentine is an English children's novelist. For her first novel and best-known work, Finding Violet Park, she won the annual Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, a once-in-a-lifetime book award judged by a panel of British children's writers.
Us in the Before and After by Jenny Valentine -
A tear-jerking, heart-breakingly beautiful novel from the award-winning Jenny Valentine, perfect for fans of Adam Silvera, Kathleen Glasgow and Laura Nowlin.
There is one side of that moment, and the other
Before
After
I have dreamed about it ever since
An intensely emotional story that raises questions about love, ghosts, and the unshakeable bonds of friendship…
The final session was held in the school library with a small group of students from The Earls High School and Redhill High School. We had a wonderful day getting to know Jenny and thank her for all her efforts in inspiring our young people. We wish her every success with her new book.
📚✨ Exciting News for Ridgewood Students! ✨📚
The Dudley Children’s Book Group is thrilled to present Jenny Valentine (Author) in an exclusive event!
🗓 When? Thursday 28th November 2024
📍 Where? Ridgewood High School
All Year 9, 10, & 11 students will have the amazing opportunity to meet Jenny Valentine and get a signed copy of her latest book for just £6.50 📖✍️
Some students have already pre-ordered their copies via Parent Pay, but don’t worry— you can still purchase a copy on the day! Cash only (no card payments). 💵
Don't miss this chance to meet an incredible author and get your hands on a signed book! 🎉📚
School will be open today but will not open until 10am due to the recent snowfall. If students need to leave home and be in school before 10, we have staff onsite who will look after them. Students should go to form at 10am.
2024 Leavers are invited to Ridgewood to collect their GCSE Certificates, on Thursday 12 December, from 3.15pm-5.30pm. Certificates will be available for collection from the School Library in H Block. We look forward to seeing you again, and can’t wait to hear about how you are getting on in your post-16 studies! Any questions? Please email exams@ridgewood.dudley.sch.uk.
Please note - your certificates are important documents, you have to sign for them when you pick them up, and we are unable to release them to anyone other than yourself, unless you provide your written consent, naming the person who will be collecting on your behalf. Written consent must be in the form of a written note or an email - we can't accept text/WhatsApp messages, or photo's of notes on the collector's phone.
This week in assembly Year 10 students have presented a moving and informative assembly about how Stourbridge is linked to WW1 and the importance of remembrance.
Our student audience responded superbly to the assembly and got involved in answering the questions posed by Evie, Ellie, Eman, Sam, Jacob and Alfie.
Several teachers have commented on how fantastically presented the assembly was and how it made them reflect.
We hope you have a wonderful half-term. Click on the image below to access our latest Newsletter.