Building work got underway this week to deliver our leading-edge science facility. Six new laboratories, alongside preparation rooms and offices, will be developed to the south of the existing school buildings and will enable us to cement our place as a leading regional centre of STEM education.
The new laboratories are due to open in March 2022 and will bring another dimension to our already strong science offering. Students can study Biology, Chemistry and Physics from entry in year 7, with qualifications at GCSE level in year 11 and A-level in year 13.
Kier Construction are managing the build onsite, working collaboratively with the school, Gloucestershire County Council and the Department for Education. Headteacher Mrs Sarah Colombini, Science Curriculum Lead Mr Jonathan Cole, Science Technician Miss Julie Bishop, Sixth Form pupils Evelyn de Gruyther and Jessie Irvine, and Kier Construction Site Manager Lisa Denby broke ground for the new science block before the heavy machinery moved in.
Headteacher Mrs Sarah Colombini commented “As a Medical Biologist who began my career teaching science and biology, I am delighted to take another step in confirming Ribston Hall’s place as a leader in STEM education. Our new science facility will enable us to continue to encourage young women into STEM subjects, helping to reduce the still prevalent gender gap in these areas. In our centenary year, this is such an exciting time for Ribston Hall and we look forward to sharing our new science block with our students next Spring.”
Having originally opened as a girls’ school on Spa Road in 1921, Ribston Hall has grown into a celebrated girls’ grammar school, moving to our current site in 1961. We take 150 year 7 students each year from a wide geographical area, including Gloucester, Cheltenham, Stroud and the Forest of Dean. Our mixed sixth form also welcomes boys to the school for A-level study. Our new science facility enables Ribston Hall to enter its second century in prime shape for further success.