Friday 3 November 2023
Dear parent/carer,
We have had a fantastic week at KAR. Year 11 have been working hard in their mock GCSE exams, and I have been impressed by their focus and hard work. I am pleased to advise that attendance remains high, and we have sent out a large number of celebration postcards for those students above 96% and our most improved thus far. Well done to all.
Assemblies this week have focussed on our after school clubs and activities. This is an area of the school which I would like to grow in the next year, and thank you to parents who have offered suggestions via our parent survey as to how you could support or be involved. In the first part of the year it has been fantastic to see students get involved in the various clubs and teams, so all ideas welcome as to how we move this forward. See the link here to view our current clubs offering: https://www.kgaringmer.uk/page/?title=Extra+Curricular+Clubs&pid=144
I would also like to mention reading, and our commitment to ensuring students have the widest possible exposure to high quality texts and opportunities to read. It has been a pleasure to see students' commitment to reading within our morning personal development sessions, with tutors reading to their classes at the beginning of the day. Our reading programme has certainly set the tone for the day, and ensures that we build in regular exposure to books. As a school, we put reading at the heart of our culture and will continue to do so.
And finally - farewell to Ms Dormer
I know you will join me in wishing Ms Dormer ‘good luck’ as she returns to her native Australia after joining the school in 2018. Ms Dormer has worked tirelessly for our students and has been a true leader within the school. Ms Dormer will be missed by the school community, and we wish her well in her future endeavours.
I hope you all have a good week.
Best wishes,
Mr Harvey, Principal
King’s Group Academies (KGA) – Important News
As you know, King’s Academy Ringmer is part of King’s Group Academies (KGA), a multi-academy trust.
For some time, our colleagues in the central team have been talking to and working with Gosport and Fareham Multi-Academy Trust (GFM). GFM is a 5 school multi-academy trust. It comprises two junior schools, two secondary schools and one special school. The Department for Education has given formal approval for GFM to join King's Group Academies. This is a very important and exciting development. We look forward to working together to build a larger more mature multi-academy trust.
Whilst you may see little immediate change, there will be long term benefits. The sharing of expertise and the benefits of educational and financial economies of scale will mean that the quality of education will further improve over time. This will have a positive impact on all children in the new, larger KGA.
It is expected that GFM will formally join KGA in April 2024.
Remembrance Poppies on sale next week
Students will be bringing Poppies into PDT next week. We encourage students to bring some coins in next week to purchase a poppy as a donation. Poppies will be at reception all week for you to purchase if you miss the chance to in PDT. Thanks in advance for your generosity.
Ardeche Half Term 2024 Adventure!
We are organising another fantastic opportunity for students in Years 8, 9 and 10 to visit the Ardeche in the South of France, kayaking through the beautiful Ardeche gorge. Please see the Edulink letter sent on Tuesday 31st October for further details on how to secure a place on this exciting opportunity.
Reminder: this is a visit taking place during the Half Term holiday - departing 26th May and returning Saturday 1st June.
Enrichment Week 2024 is 8th - 12th July: more details will be available at the start of December. Year 7 and 9 will make two choices for the week; Year 8 will be enjoying 4 days of activities at Blackland Farm (with options of experiences). You can start putting funds away in preparation by adding to your child's ParentPay account and leaving the funds unallocated for now. As in previous years, financial assistance will be available for students who are entitled to support: this will be through written request in the usual way.
College Application deadlines and Upcoming Open Events
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Bhasvic College Application Deadline and Upcoming Open Events
The deadline for College Applications to Bhasvic is Friday 1st December
Upcoming open events at Bhasvic are 8th and 9th November 4pm -8pm -
Varndean College Application Deadline and Upcoming Open Events
The Deadline for College Applications to Varndean is Friday 1st December
Upcoming open events at Varndean are 1st and 2nd November 5pm -8pm -
Pilot Careers Live London 4th November 2023
https://www.pilotcareernews.com/live/london-nov-2023/
Merry Christmas Festive Feast 2023 - 6th December 2023
The traditional Christmas lunch will return this year and will be available on Wednesday 6th December 2023. The price of this 2 course roast turkey meal, or vegetarian alternative, will be £3.00. The dining room is accepting bookings which will close on Friday 24th November 2023.
Tickets will go on sale in the dining room on Monday 6th November 2023. All students must book directly with the dining room staff; payment will be deducted from students’ accounts at the time of booking, so please ensure accounts are topped up.
Students will be provided with a ticket at the time of purchase. Students on Free School Meals must also book directly with the dining room staff and payment will be taken on 6th December 2023 so as not to affect their daily allowance. There will also be hot roast meat baguettes, pizza and sandwiches available on this day.
Thank you, Debbie Duckworth, Business Manager
New Autumn Term Menu from Chartwells
Please see posters attached at the bottom of the newsletter. The menu runs on a three-week cycle and the dates for each week are on the top of each page. Please also note the current tariff.
Ringmer Youth Cafe
Ringmer Youth Café will be open from 6-8pm on Fridays during this term in the Alan West Room of the Village Hall. Pop in for a warm, dry space, hot and cold drinks and snacks, and free wifi. Admission is £2.
We are open to all in Yr 8 and above.
Don’t forget we cannot operate without volunteers and we would welcome additional support for one Friday a month / term. Roles are subject to a DBS check in line with our safeguarding policies. Get in touch at ringmeryp@outlook.com for more information. See the poster
Immunisations Update
The Sussex Immunisations service will be offering the Influenza Nasal Spray Vaccinations to ALL students at King's Academy Ringmer on Monday 11th December 2023.
An email will be sent out next week with all information and instructions on how to give your consent preference online.
ECO News
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Eco Extravaganza event.
On Saturday 28 October 2023, King's Academy Ringmer students helped to support the village Eco Extravaganza event. The village hall was busy all day, with over 300 people coming to look around and see the various organisations at the event, or listen to one of the talks in the afternoon. The students helped with the preparation before the day, by creating small eco signs that people could take home to remind them to turn off the light, or turn down the thermostat. They had also created some feedback charts to ask people what they found most interesting as they were leaving. Thank you to everyone who brought in donations for the teenage clothes swap. It went down really well and lots of new homes were found for the donations that were given
The Eco Reps Finley, Kalisa, Daniel and Nathan all did amazingly well. They were polite and welcoming to people as they arrived, they engaged and spoke with so many members of the public about our eco work here at school, and they even used a clicker to count how many people were arriving. I am very proud of them and they are a credit to the school. Thank you, Mrs Teague
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Free Orangutan T-shirts:
We have been donated some t-shirts relating back to a school trip to Borneo to see the orangutans, back when King's Academy Ringmer was Ringmer Community College.
One of the local residents Mr Allison (who was head of Science at Bedes) helped organise the event with one of Ringmer Community College's then Assistant Heads. The trip took the students to see the orangutans in their natural habitat and the t-shirts were from the trip.
Mr Allison was at the Eco Extravaganza on Saturday and sold some of the leftover t-shirts to fundraise for the WWF, however they still had some left which he's kindly donated to us, for the students.
Below are some photos, please contact Mrs Teague if your child would like one, or they can come and ask for a t-shirt at Eco Club on Monday lunchtimes. Thank you, Mrs Teague.
Holiday activities and food (HAF) - bookings now open for December holidays
You can find out what’s available and book a place on the HAF booking website.
Get ready for the winter holiday. The Government’s Holiday activities and food (HAF) programme funds a range of exciting activities for young people. The activity sessions are free to children who receive benefits-related free school meals. Parents can check if they qualify by reading the East Sussex County Council website Free school meals page.
Sessions are free to those on benefit-related free school meals. There is a great range of clubs spread across multiple venues in East Sussex. They all offer a free healthy meal, engaging activities and a safe space to make new friends. There are clubs offering sport, animation, theatre, art and crafts, forest school, music, and lots more.
You will find more information about the programme on the ESCC Holiday Food and Fun webpage.
A smaller number of places will also be available to children and young people in the groups below:
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Referred to Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
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Disabled or special educational needs, including those with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
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Young Carers
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Have a disabled sibling
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Referred to the School Mental Health Teams
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Gypsy, Roma & Traveller
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Children in Need (CiN), children on a Child Protection Plan (CP) and Looked After Children (LAC)
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LGBTQ+
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Refugees
Best regards, The HAF team, Children’s Services