Ridgeway
House Colour: Red
Who’s Who?
Head of Ridgeway House – Mr J Vann
Ridgeway Tutors 2024-2025
Year 7 - Ms C Parr
Year 8 - Mr M Luff
Year 9 - Mrs F Hyland
Year 10 - Mr T Godfray
Year 11 - Mrs M Wilburn & Mrs K Pegg
Year 12 - Mrs H Williams
Year 13 - Mr D Pilgrim
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 2023-2024
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 in 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.
Likewise, we wish all of Year 13 Ridgeway luck with their A-level results and in their next steps and to embrace life in all its fullness. They have been a credit to our House and school and will forever be a part of the Bishop Luffa alumni.
Isle of Wight October 2023
As ever, October meant the traditional Isle of Wight residential from Monday 16th to Wednesday 18th 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 woods, darting through LaserQuest or tenpin bowling. The students were impeccably behaved throughout our time away.
Shoebox Appeal
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. Below is a link I received from the Rotary Club, filmed in Ukraine of children receiving their donated gifts. It is a moving experience:
Reindeer Run
Friday 8th December saw us undertake our annual Reindeer Run raising money for Chestnut Tree House. Students donned the usual red noses and antlers and completed laps of the playground. I managed to crawl/wheeze my way through approximately six laps ably supported (lapped) by the students and the inimitable Mrs Hyland! 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.
Charity Update
In conjunction with Chestnut Tree House and our lovely Art Department, we have been involved with decorating an owl as part of a summer treasure hunt organised by the charity. Along with other local schools, our owl will be part of art trail throughout the area which parents and students can complete during the holidays. The Luffa owl will be located at Penny Plain, East Street, Chichester between 2nd July and 2nd September. Please do go and take a look if you can. All of the credit for this must go to Miss Thorpe, Miss Cahill and the students involved for designing our owl and getting it ready for collection. It will be returned to us by Monday 16th September ready to take up permanent residence here at our school. This is a timely coincidence with our school’s 60th anniversary celebrations. The finished design is fantastic.
Thank you must also go to the generosity of the parents who donated via our JustGiving page. This is still live for donations by clicking on this link.
As a children’s hospice they do a tremendous amount of incredible work for the children in their care and in supporting their families. All monies raised from this event will go directly to the charity.
House Colours and Subject Colours
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.
Year 6 Induction
On Wednesday 3rd 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.
House Captain
This year I have been ably supported by Ayotola Beckley our Year 12 Ridgeway House Captain. Ayotola has been a huge support, from running charity events and assemblies, to writing and directing the House Drama and keeping the display board up-to-date. My job has been made an awful lot easier – thanks Ayotola and good luck in Year 13. You will be a tough act to follow.
Thank you!
Finally, I would like to say a huge thank you to the Ridgeway tutors – Mr Luff (7Ri), Mrs McLoughlin (8Ri), Mr Godfray (9Ri), Mrs Wilburn and Mrs Pegg (10Ri), Mrs Hyland (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. In September we welcome Miss Parr who will be joining us as the new tutor for 7 Ridgeway and has the Isle of Wight experience to brace herself for; what an induction!
I am already eagerly anticipating September for what will undoubtedly be another successful year at the helm of this fantastic House.
Mr James Vann, Head of Ridgeway House