Ricards Lodge High School
Year 6 Transition Newsletter
June 2020
Welcome to the class of 2025
Dear Year 6,
Welcome to the first edition of our transition newsletter. We were thrilled to find out that you had gained a place in Year 7 at Ricards Lodge High School for September 2020 and we warmly welcome you to the class of 2025. Why 2025 I hear you ask? Well that is because in 2025 you will graduate from Year 11 into the Sixth Form and what a send off that will be!
We are so sad that we cannot meet you in person yet but hope the newsletters and other information we are going to be sending out will at least get you ready for when we can meet you. From this day forward I want you to consider yourself as one of our students in all that you do.
You will have heard about our four school values of TRUST, EQUALITY, RESILIENCE and ASPIRATION. Spend time researching these four key words so that you can make sure that your actions will reflect them now and into the future. That way you can start the work to ensure your place as a successful woman of the future.
So for now keep up your hard work, either in school or at home but most importantly take care, look after yourself and your family and stay safe and well.
Mrs Jerrard and Priya Patel (Head Girl)
Head of Year
Mrs Hayward
Meet your Heads of Year
We are really looking forward to meeting you all in September and imagine you must be very excited too. The good news is you don’t need to wait until September to learn about the amazing subjects and opportunities here at Ricards Lodge High School, you can start right now! We hope you enjoy reading the newsletter and your digital introduction to our subject teachers and life at Ricards Lodge.
Head of Year
Ms Kirk
Hi we are 'POP'
Peer Outreach Programme
We are a group of trained Year 10 and Year 11 students who are here to support all of you. At anytime you are welcome to come and talk to us about friendship problems, stress, homework, revision and any other worries you may have. We aim to help resolve any problems constructively and provide you with practical advice. Each lunchtime students can also come and play board games with us and make friends.
We play a vital role in making the transition from primary to secondary school as smooth and easy as possible. One easy way in which we do this is through the buddy system. Buddies are a section of POP that go into Year 7 tutor times once a week. The same two buddies go into the same Tutor group every week so that students are able to form a trusting relationship with their buddy and feel comfortable talking to them. We all wear POP badges so you will be able to find any of us easily.
Weekly Assemblies
Assemblies are key part of life at Ricards Lodge. Once a week you will have a Key Stage Assembly usually with Year 8. The other Assembly will be just with Year 7, your Tutors, Deputy Head of Year and Heads of Year. Ms Kirk and Ms Hayward will take the Assemblies but this is also the time when Tutor Groups can also take the Assembly. The students at Ricards Lodge love taking Assemblies and it helps to build your confidence so that you become that successful woman of the future. During lock down we've been having virtual Assemblies twice a week. One of the Assemblies was to celebrate the Launch of Space X. All of Year 7 and Year 8 were challenged to create their own riddles and poems on space. Can you work out Maddies' riddle?
I can kill people yet they rely on me to survive.
You can’t look at me during the day and you can never see me at night.
I am big compared to some, yet small compared to others.
Although I help your crops grow, too much of me will kill them.
Water is my friend and also my enemy.
Mercury is the closest planet to me.
Who am I?
By Maddie 8R
(Please find the answer at the bottom of the news letter)
Fun facts about Ricards Lodge, did you know......
Casey Stoney MBE
Ex- England and Arsenal football Captain went to school at Ricards Lodge High.
In October Casey published her first book called ''Changing the Game' all about amazing women in football, including those who defied and fought for equal rights for women. As well as women who have brought football into the lime light and made it the amazing game it is today.
Ella Mai
Is a singer song writer who used to attend Ricards Lodge. Her singing career began at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute in London in 2014, during which time she auditioned as part of a trio on the 11th season of The X Factor. In 2019, Mai won the Billboard Music Awards for Top R&B Artist and Top Female R&B Artist. In 2020, Mai received her third nomination for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album for her self-titled debut.
Our School Colours
That our school colours are purple, green and white to represent the Suffragette movement that helped to gain the right to vote for women. So in September wear your school colours with pride knowing that you are wearing a symbol of the fight for equal rights for women.
Frank Lampard
As part of 'Girls Go Gold' initiative Chelsea Manager and ex England and Chelsea player Frank Lampard came to Ricards Lodge to do some football coaching! Miss Dukes was delighted to be his assistant coach for the afternoon.
English Department
The English Department at Ricards Lodge are so excited for you to join us, here is us on World Book Day!
We are big readers here at Ricards Lodge and have even been awarded 'Beacon School Status' due to the exceptional progress of our students in the Accelerated Reader programme. Student enthusiasm and engagement can also be seen through the staggering number of words and books read. 📚
In September, we will be able to give you your very own Accelerated Reader log in so that you can begin your Ricards Reading Journey, but until then why not use https://readon.myon.co.uk/ to access over 7000 books and articles for free!
English Challenge
We would love you to take inspiration from the poet below and write your very own poem called 'I Come From'. ✍️
You can include things such as your heritage, childhood memories, hobbies, interests, family, likes and dislikes - anything that makes you, you!
The deadline for you to submit your entry is Monday 22nd June and the winning poem will be published in the following newsletter! 😃 Click here to access the google form
Art Department
My name is Mr Rainsford and I’m the Head of Art here at Ricards Lodge. I’m really looking forward to meeting you all In September.
We really enjoy Art here at the school and are very lucky to have such creative students. You can see some of their recent art work on our Art Department Website - http://ricardslodgeart.weebly.com/ .
During Year 7 you will learn new drawing, painting, and print making techniques and look at some of the extraordinary methods of the great artists.
In the mean time I’d like to give you a fun challenge to complete over the summer – when someone makes a film they usually start by creating a storyboard. It usually includes a series of boxes with pictures inside that tell a story.
Your task:
To create a story board for a film titled The Greatest Day
•You can do it in black and white or use colour
•You can write at the bottom of each box or let your pictures do the talking.
•Most importantly Have Fun!!
PE Department
The PE Department are super excited to meet you all and start your inspiring PE and extra curricular journey at Ricards Lodge. Here is our awesome PE TEAM and some interesting facts about your new PE Teachers
⚽ Miss Gillespie: British Gaelic Football Winner and World Games 2019 finalist
🎾 Mrs Blake: LTA Tennis Coach, represented her University team and Club
🏊♀️ Miss Dukes: Ironman Triathlete
🛶 Mr Wing: Holds a course record at the Royal Canadian Henley
🤸♀️ Miss Finnegan: Level 4 Flyer Crowned Royal Champions 2019 at the ICC Battle of Champions Cheerleading competition.
🥇🥈🥉
We would like you to take part in one of our PE Teacher Challenges we have set for our current students.
Can you beat Miss Gillespie's score of 65?
🥇🥈🥉
Next newsletter - Friday 3rd July
Meet your Deputy Headteachers
More fun facts about Ricards Lodge
Introductions and Challenges from the Humanities (Geography, History and RE), Performing Arts (Dance, Drama and Music) and Science departments
Learn about the JLT - our fabulous Junior Leadership Team
Riddle answer: The Sun