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Winter 2023
This is a bumper edition of Ribston Roar as we finish the year. This term is busy, but always full of fantastic trips, performances and activities that really allow our students to shine and show Ribston at it's finest.
After the half-term break we were really pleased to welcome some of our Alumni for a visit - Sheila Fowler and Margaret Houldey attended the school during the 1950's and Sheila told us 'Margaret and I have been school friends since we were 11 years old and met on the first day of school at Ribston Hall. We were so nervous that we sat together and were then placed in the same 1st form at Friars Orchard. Now we are both 80 years old and see each other regularly'. Lucy Fowler, Sheila's granddaughter also attended Ribston and came on the visit, Lucy was Head Girl in 2019/20. Mrs Ruth Jones attended Ribston in 1947, at Grey Friars behind what was then Brunswick College.
They have very fond memories of the school and had been in touch to offer us some old school uniform and memorabilia, so it was really lovely to welcome them, and along with some of our students, spend the morning talking to them about their memories of the school.
Our Year 11 students and Year 12 students braved the rain and headed off to Devon on residential trips in November. The trips are a great opportunity for students to challenge themselves and try a whole range of different activities, from water sports to sand glass blasting. They gained new skills as well as strengthening team bonds and friendships.
At the end of November, many of our students were involved in the Ribston Dance Show, which was a fantastic display of the talent we have within the school. Students performed a wide range of dances, from ballet to Bollywood, Hip-hop and Lyrical.
We also held our Sixth Form Open Evening this term - this was focused on our exceptional Sixth Form experience and included the official launch of our new, nationally accredited Ribston Baccalaureate. Our Sixth Formers were involved in every aspect of the evening and were absolutely outstanding. We had really positive feedback about them from many of our visitors - they really are a credit to the school.
The last few weeks of term is a blur for everyone with our Christmas Dinner, Jumper Day, Christmas Concerts and Charity Giving activities all happening before we wrap-up the year. Thank you to all our staff right across the school and all our students, for getting involved in all the activities and making this such a special time in the school calendar.
I hope you have a restful and enjoyable festive holiday and look forward to welcoming students back to school in 2024 refreshed and ready for the new year!
Mr Alec Waters
Headteacher
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History
The Great Debate
This year, our History Department decided to take part in the Historical Association’s annual competition, The Great Debate.
This is a national competition that poses a question for students to research and argue for. This year, the question is: ‘Which historical place or person from your local area deserves greater recognition?’
Students from across Key Stage 4 and 5 competed in internal heats to decide which person from Ribston Hall would represent us at the regional heat. We had a vast range of subjects discussed, from a disused airfield, to the inspiration for Ebeneezer Scrooge. After a very difficult deliberation process, the successful candidate was Ciara Dods in Year 13, with her articulate and passionate argument for Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians.
Ciara and Mrs Derbyshire travelled to Gloucestershire Heritage Hub for the regional heat; joined by other local schools including Denmark Road, The Cotswold School and Cheltenham Ladies College. The competition was fierce, and the other candidates were exemplary in their presentation of argument. There was a panel of 3 judges who had the very difficult decision of deciding a winner, including the outreach officer from Gloucestershire Archives and a representative from Historic England.
It is with great pleasure that we are able to announce that Ciara was victorious, following a unanimous decision from the judging panel. She will now move forward to the next round, representing Gloucestershire in the South West heat. Well done Ciara!
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History Society
History Society is now in its 3rd year at Ribston Hall and is continuing to move from strength to strength. Every Thursday lunchtime, Week B, students gather together in H6 to explore parts of History that move beyond the curriculum. Students have the opportunity to request topics and then our History Captain, Ciara Dods, puts an enjoyable session together, complete with activities to try.
Since September, topics have included Ancient Egypt, Greek Mythology and the French Revolution (complete with cake decorating to mark Marie Antoinette’s famous mis-quote!).
Students from all years are invited to attend.
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English
Recently, students in 8en1 and 8en3 visited Linden Primary School as part of their Extended English Project, which requires them to write a children's book. They were paired with a student from Y1 and interviewed them in preparation for writing them a personalised story. They also had the opportunity to read to them, and hear them read. They'll be back in the Summer term to deliver their books!
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Music
It is always exciting to share students’ achievements in music examinations. In addition to the DISTINCTION in Music Theory just a couple of months back, Patricia in Yr 11, reached another benchmark in her piano study, receiving DISTINCTION in ABRSM Grade 6 Piano exam. In the ABRSM system, Grade 6 is regarded as the beginning of the Advanced Level in the exam syllabus, and the standard of judging is accordingly higher. Patricia’s performance of four contrasting pieces was highly praised with just 2-3 marks off from the perfect mark on each piece, the highest scored piece earning 29 marks out of 30 marks. A huge Congratulations on the continuous improvement in wonderful musicality and steadfast commitment to work hard!
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Food and Nutrition
Our Yr 10 Food and Nutrition students recently carried out a mini assessment about Street food, and visited Stroud 5 Valleys food court as primary research. The students then researched different countries, made the dishes and carried out a nutritional analysis and costing.
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Science
Junior Astro Challenge
In November, Year 9 and 10 students took part in the ‘Junior Astro Challenge Competition’. Nearly 1646 students from 62 schools across UK took part in the Junior Astro Challenge organized by the British Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad. Congratulations to our Year 9 and 10 students who took part in the competition and achieved fantastic results of 16 Gold, 66 Silver and 195 Bronze awards!
This competition was specifically designed to engage and challenge students by offering them a range of astronomy associated problems to solve.
According to the organisers, ‘the students who took part in this competition should be praised not only for their success in using their imagination to come up with ideas to answer some quite tricky questions, but also for their sense of adventure and purpose in being willing to give it a go when it may not be a subject they are currently studying’
Well done to all our students who took part!
Gold Certificate: Shona, Tanya, Sherin, Diyana, Tana, Ashriya, Chloe, Nelundi, Stefi, Zoe, Suwena, Megan, Matilda, Francesca, Tilly and Stephanie.
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Year 13 Chemistry Lab Day
Well done to all Year 13 Chemistry students for completing a successful lab day earlier in November.
Prior to the session students had to plan three experiments investigating Acid Base titration curves using a pH probe and Buffer solutions. To do this they researched valid procedures.
On the day they applied their procedures to the investigation and made adjustments to their plans as the need arose. Adjustments were made to improve accuracy and ensure valid measurements of accurate volumes.
Following the collection of valid results, students were then tasked with completing in depth analysis and needed to use multistep calculations involving pH and the weak acid equilibrium expression.
We are very proud of their work!
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Stem Roadshow
In November BAE Systems in partnership with the RAF and the Royal Navy ran a Stem Roadshow for our Yr 7 and Yr 8 students. Our students broke the challenge record for the year in a very impressive show of communication skills!
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PE
A massive well done to the Yr 7 Cross country team who won the District competition in November
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Congratulations to the Year 8 Netball Team (& 1 Year 9) who played in an U14 Netball Tournament at CLC in November. Despite being up against opponents a school year older, they won their pool. Their incredible skills, team work and determination saw them crowned champions, beating Wycliffe in the semi-final and Cleeve in the final - INCREDIBLE!
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Art
This term a number of students submitted work to the international Owl Art Competition.. This art contest started in 2004 as a colouring contest to involve local young people in the Festival of Owls. Over the years, it has grown into a highly competitive international art competition with over 2,000 entries from 34 countries each year.
Our students demonstrated some fantastic artistic talent, including Evie in Yr 7 using digital art and ProCreate and Hattie in Yr 10 using pencil with amazing textural details carved into the surface for her drawing.
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Computing
EmPower Cyber
A group of 30 of our students went to EmPower Cyber along with other Gloucestershire schools. They took part in hands-on cybersecurity and computing including how to code, crack passwords, experience a real live cyber-attack and solvws a cryptography murder mystery. The students got to meet and talk to industry partners who were running the events to encourage them to consider a career in cyber. The final keynote speaker was Anne Keast-Butler, Director of GCHQ, who gave a stirring talk on the importance of diversity and teamwork in the computing industry.
You can read more here: Record number of schoolgirls and cyber specialists to gather amid UK digital skills crisis - IT Security Guru
CyberFirst Girls competition
The CyberFirst girls competition took place between 20th and 29th November. We had 3 teams of year 8 girls competing this year who spent time solving the puzzles, both in their own time and during the sessions we provided for them to take part during the school day and lunchtimes. One of the girls described it as ‘hard but fun’. Very well done to all the girls for giving it their best - Tamzin, Ana, Ella, Lily, Sophie, Grace, Lara, Florence, Alexandra, Evie, Sophie and Rijja.
Bebras
All Yr 7 – 9 students took part in the Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge just after half-term. Congratulations to Iulia and Rose (jointly) in Yr 9 and Millie in Yr 7, who were Best in School for their age groups.
We had 45 students who were in the Gold category and hese students scored in the top 10% for their age category! Almost 400,400 students in the country took part in all categories.
Also Well done to our computing teacher Kaeren Coverdale who has been nominated to represent teachers in the South West at the National Cyber Security Centre’s annual Cyber Security Education Ecosystem Conference in March 2024.
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Primary Partnership
Primary Computing Day
A Primary School Computer Day took place at the end of November. We welcomed over 50 primary students from 8 Primary Schools (Tredworth, Heron, Calton, Finlay, St Paul's, St James, Robinswood and Meadowside) to Ribston who took part in a fantastic day of activities ranging from Indy Cars to Turing Tumbles and Spheros. Both staff and pupils thoroughly enjoyed the day, put together and delivered by Mrs Coverdale and supported by staff from Cyber first and our own sixth form students. A huge thank you to everyone involved.
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Mrs Graves-Smith kindly gave up her time to teach Year 5 pupils from Linden Primary School how to cook Spaghetti Bolognaise this term. They have thoroughly enjoyed their time in the food room, benefiting from expert teaching and specialist equipment.
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Gloucester School Sports Network
At the end of November we took our Yr 10 Sports Leaders to Barnwood Park School where the Gloucester School Sports Network (GSSN) were hosting their annual KS1 Christmas Multi-Skills event. Over 50 Yr 10’s volunteered to lead at this event. Approximately 500 Primary School pupils benefitted from their energy and motivation over the course of the day which included lots of fun Christmas themed activities.
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Christmas Concert
Over 100 Primary School pupils visited Ribston to watch the matinee performance of the Christmas Concert earlier this month. Staff and pupils were in awe of our performers who put on quite a show for our feeder Primary Schools. Our visitors were able to watch the show whilst enjoying their lunch in an informal setting designed to inspire future performers!
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Swimming Excellence: In early November, Georgia who is in Yr 9, was chosen to represent Gloucestershire Army Cadets at the Regional Swimming Competition being held HMS Heron, Somerset. It was a large field of approximately 200 cadets from Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire, Bristol and Gloucestershire.
Georgia swam in 3 races, Freestyle (50m), Backstroke (50m) and Individual Medley (100m). and she won all three races! She was selected to represent the South West Army Cadets in the national swim meet.
In the National swim meet in Liverpool, where 600 cadets took part from England, Scotland and Wales. Georgia was entered in 3 events (backstroke, IM and relays). She came second in all 3 events and returned home with 3 silver medals.
Georgia has also gone on to swim at Hengrove Pool in Bristol this month and achieved personal best times in all six of her events.
Georgia has qualified to swim in the Regional Competition which will take place in April 2024. Well done to Georgia - this is amazing!
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Well done to Beth in Yr 9 who danced beautifully at the dance festival she recently took part in. She performed a range of dances and placed in:
- Ballet duet en pointe- First place
- Contemporary solo - third place
- Contemporary duet (with Olivia in Yr 10) - third place.
- Lyrical group dance - third place
- Dear Evan Hansen group dance - second place
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Well done to Izzy in Yr 9 who had a fabulous week dancing at The Gloucester Dance Festival over the October half-term. She was awarded
Bronze medals for her modern and national solos, and Gold medals for her ballet solo and cabaret duet.
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Congratulations to Niamh in Yr 9, who attended the IDTA south-west area dance competition at the end of November and had some great results:
5x 1st place
1x 2nd
1x 3rd
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During half term Coco in Yr 8 attended Malvern Dance Festival, she had a great time with her friends in group dances and was placed 1st in the solo competition own Chorography, 3rd in Ballet, 3rd in Lyrical, 2nd in Contemporary and 2nd in Improvisation. Congratulations Coco!
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Congratulations to the Romans who are top of the House Points table
as we end 2023!
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Our staff were getting in the festive spirit earlier this month when we had a Wreath Making workshop after school. Thanks to Eve from Daisy Belle Floral Design who came in to school to share her Wreath Making expertise with us.
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