RIDGEWAY HOUSE – House Colour Red
Who’s Who?
Head of Ridgeway House – Mr J Vann
Ridgeway Tutors 2023-24
Year 7 - Rev M Luff
Year 8 - Mrs H McLoughlin
Year 9 - Mr T Godfray
Year 10 - Mrs M Wilburn / Mrs K Pegg
Year 11 - Mrs F Hyland
Year 12 - Mr R Gilliland
Year 13 - Mrs H Williams
Ridgeway House was one of the first four houses in the early days of the school and is named after Bishop Charles John Ridgeway who was Bishop of Chichester from 1908 to 1919. After becoming Bishop of Chichester he restored the chapel in the Bishop’s Palace which is marked by a brass inscription on its West Wall.
What is Ridgeway House like?
We pride ourselves on our individuality and celebrate each person in our form as a unique identity. We are inclusive and will always support each other. We are resilient and resourceful and mindful of those less fortunate than ourselves.
Regular finalists in House Drama, keen academics, dancers, writers and musicians, as well as sailors, rugby, biking, hockey, netball, air cadets etc.
We support charities such as Diabetes UK, Spirit FM Xmas Appeal, Chichester Foodbanks with Chestnut Tree Hospice being our house charity.
Ridgeway House 2022-2023
Wow, what another busy year it has been for all of us in Ridgeway House. We have seen our Year 7s settle well into school life here and have said goodbye to our Year 11s too through their leavers’ assembly (with embarrassing photos) and then climaxing in the much-anticipated prom on Friday 30th June. The students were exemplary in the way they conducted themselves during the exam period and we wish them good luck for results day in August. We hope to see many of our Ridgeway students back in Sixth Form in September.
October meant the traditional Isle of Wight residential from Monday 17th to Wednesday 19th October. As ever, this was a hugely rewarding experience for our new Year 7s giving them the chance to make new friends and bond with each other whether this was running around in the words or darting through LaserQuest. The students were impeccably behaved throughout.
This year I have been ably supported by Amelie McGurk and Alice Pendry our Y12 Ridgeway House Captains, following in the footsteps of Eva Buckler and Charlotte Alger last year. These two have been a continuous support, from running charity events and assemblies, to House Drama and keeping the display board up-to-date. My job is made an awful lot easier – thanks Amelie and Alice and good luck in Year 13.
Friday 9th December saw us undertake our annual Reindeer Run raising money for Chestnut Tree House, our House Charity. Students donned the usual red noses and antlers and completed laps of the playground; we actually managed to get outside this year! I managed to crawl/wheeze my way through approximately 6 laps whilst being lapped regularly by Alex Solly (again!). Thanks to everyone who took part.
In total we raised in excess of £250 for which the students deserve all the credit. Special mention must also go to the parents and carers for providing such generous sponsorship to this wonderful cause.
December ended with our other annual event – the Rotary Club Shoebox Appeal which collates much needed gifts for disadvantaged children in places such as Albania, Moldova, Montenegro and Romania plus children stranded in Refugee Camps. Along with other local schools, more than 250 shoeboxes were filled and delivered in time for Christmas. Again, many thanks to the generosity of our students and their families; it is very humbling and epitomizes our Christian ethos.
Sports Day is due to take place on Friday 14th July and we look to gain some much needed House Points; currently we sit 5th out of 8 with (yet again) Andrewes and Burrows contesting top spot – stewards enquiry please!
As part of long-standing Luffa tradition, we announced our House Colours for Year 10s in our final House assembly and awarded them with some commemorative certificates and colourful badges which they will wear with pride. We also awarded Subject Colours which were also humbly received – well done to those for that. This is very well deserved and is a significant achievement for any Luffa student.
On Tuesday 4th July, the newest members of the Luffa family joined us for Induction Day. Year 6 spent a day getting to know their new peers in their allocated Houses. We very much look forward to welcoming the new Year 7s to Ridgeway in September.
Finally, I would like to say a huge thank you to the Ridgeway tutors – Mr May (7Ri), Mr Godfray (8Ri), Mrs Wilburn and Mrs Pegg (9Ri), Mrs Hyland (10Ri), Mr Gilliland (11Ri) and Mrs Williams (12 & 13Ri) – they have been an ever-present positive influence in the lives of Ridgeway students and they deserve much of the credit for the successes of Ridgeway House. I genuinely could not do my job without them.
A goodbye to Mr May (7Ri) who is moving on to a promotion at another school; we wish him all the very best of luck. He has been an essential part of the tutor team this year and has helped 7 Ridgeway with the transition from primary. He even survived (I mean enjoyed) his first experience of the Isle of Wight residential!
I am already eagerly anticipating September in what will undoubtedly be another fantastic year at the helm of this fantastic House.
Mr James Vann, Head of Ridgeway House