I am very pleased to send you this latest edition of our newsletter written by our staff in these challenging times.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for all that they are doing. Although we are all so used to completing our marking and planning at home it is an entirely new experience for us all to be doing the whole lot from home where we face just as many distractions and challenges as you are all doing. We have really just all had to learn so much so quickly but we are all doing our very best.

Just before we closed for the majority of our students,  we applied for an SSAT award on behalf of our children with special educational needs in recognition of their exceptional outcomes from 2019 and I am delighted to announce today that we have been successful.

I would like to thank Mrs Bloom, Ms Albert, Mrs Holt, Mrs Amiaka and the teaching assistants (Gina, Anita, Ismat, Melissa and Minoo) who together with all the staff have contributed to this success. Given this is the first of this award series it just shows what high standards we have at Ricards right across the board.

I am aware that many of our families will be preparing for Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, which starts toward the end of the week. It is likely to be like no other previous Ramadan with the lockdown affecting many of the usual traditions associated with this period.  I have attached a document here from the Muslim Council of Great Britain which offers some support which you may find useful.   ​​​​​​

We were notified yesterday that the government has temporarily extended free school meal eligibility to certain NRPF groups. These are groups of people who have no recourse to public funds (NRPF). We are advised that this may apply to a small number of families in Merton but please do check the coronavirus updates on our website to see if it applies to you and get in touch if we can help at info@ricardslodge.merton.sch.uk.

I hope you find the rest of this newsletter of interest and in the meantime thank you for all you are doing to help your children manage their learning at home. We really do understand how challenging it can be. 

Mrs Jerrard


School News

25 Mar 2020
CORONAVIRUS UPDATES
We have launched a dedicated Coronavirus updates page on our website. This can be accessed using the link below, or by navigating to News and Events > Coronavirus updates. 
Read more
14 Apr 2020
Centre Court picture gallery shows support for the NHS
Centre Court Shopping Centre, in Wimbledon, has partnered with Ricards Lodge High School to show their support for the National Health Service. 
Read more
07 Apr 2020
No Challenge Too High For Students
Last month Ricards Lodge and RR6 teams competed against a wide range of other schools at the 2020 SATRO Problem Solving Challenge hosted at St. Philomena’s School.
Read more

Resources for Home Learning 

Please find some useful links to resources and guidance that can be used at home to compliment the online curriculum being set through Frog.

School Platforms / Apps

Frog

Google for Education

Mathswatch

Kerboodle

Active Learn

Applied Digital Skills

CS First

Music First

BBC Bitesize Daily

DFE Recommended 

The DfE have brought together an initial list of online educational resources to help children to learn at home.

These websites have been identified by some of the country’s leading educational experts and offer a wide range of support and resources for pupils of all ages.

Access the full list, including resources for SEND below: 

DfE list of approved online education resources for home education

Online Safety

National Online Safety (NOS) is an online safety portal design specifically for schools. NOS provides high quality training for staff, governors and parents. 

Relevant courses are regularly added containing advice and guidance on remote learning.

If you previously had an account please make sure you have activated your access to the new platform. 

If you would like to set up an account to access the resources for free please use this link.

NOS Parent guide is available here. 

Further Guidance

UK Safer Internet Centre

Internet Matters

Think You Know

CEOP

Parent Info

Parent Zone

Net Aware

Sport at Ricards 

Students have been challenged by the PE department to take part in a daily challenge. 

So far these challenges have included: 

- How many wall tosses can you do in one minute,

- How Many step ups can you do in one minute

- How many calf raises you can do in 30 seconds and many more. 

Check out the noticeboards on frog and @RicardsPE on Twitter for more challenges. 

We would also recommend joining in with the following programmes to help you stay fit and active:

9 AM - PE With Joe Wicks

11:30 AM Dance with Oti Mabuse

PE dept Follow
Good morning ☀ Blue skies again this morning and the sun is out ☀ Our next teacher challenge was from Miss Dukes with "how many calf raises can you do in 30 seconds?"Here is your strength and conditioning video to help you with your calf raises https://t.co/VXtY8KhDul
5 hours ago
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Staying Connected

Parent Frog: https://frog.ricardslodge.merton.sch.uk/app/os#

Follow us on Twitter @RicardsTweets

Follow us on Instagram ricardslodgehsinsta

General Enquiries: info@ricardslodge.merton.sch.uk

School Telephone: 020 8946 2208

Please note these are only monitored during term time and business hours 8 am to 3 pm Monday to Friday. 


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Ricards Lodge Follow
Inspiring people in STEM posters by 8SNO & 7y/Ma2 to honor all the STEM workers using their medical degrees in hospitals, the mathematicians graphing the spread of the virus and the scientists working tirelessly on a vaccine!‍ @RicardsTweets @Year8Ricards @Year7Ricards 2/3 https://t.co/5X8d72qnNJ
2 hours ago
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Ricards Lodge Follow
Inspiring people in STEM posters by 8SNO & 7y/Ma2 to honor all the STEM workers using their medical degrees in hospitals, the mathematicians graphing the spread of the virus and the scientists working tirelessly on a vaccine!‍ @RicardsTweets @Year8Ricards @Year7Ricards 1/3 https://t.co/vOMdcQrZu9
3 hours ago
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Ricards Lodge Follow
On Thurs at 8pm, amongst the clapping, you may hear We'll Meet Again played by local musicians in the streets of #Merton. It's our way of honouring the #NHSHeroes & keyworkers with a nod to @captaintommoore for his heroic fundraising efforts. Join us! #MertonMakingMusic https://t.co/9kM2TZvAIf
3 hours ago
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Governor's message

We currently find ourselves in extremely challenging times and with no timetable for re-opening schools at the moment, Ricards Lodge is still opening for students of critical workers and the most vulnerable children.

I have been impressed to follow the initiatives that the students and members of staff have been involved in each week, many of which have been mentioned in the local Wimbledon Times. These have ranged from goody bags filled with sweets and notes of kindness delivered to The Royal Marsden Hospital, to producing face visors from the 3D printers for frontline NHS staff. I know further projects are in the pipeline, including sewing kit wash-bags for the keyworker community.

On behalf of all the governors, I would like to thank Mrs Jerrard and all the staff, including all those behind the scenes, that have had to cope in recent weeks. The build-up before the closure was difficult, and it was no easy task at that time to keep the school open. We appreciate your dedication and commitment as ever, but particularly in the current time.

Thank you.

Edward Foley

(Chair of Governors)

on behalf of the Ricards Lodge Board of Governors

Friends of Ricards

To help raise funds for the school please download the easy fundraising app or visit the site easyfundraising.org.uk and search for 'Friends of Ricards Lodge'

Please e-mail us at FriendsofRicards@hotmail.com if you wish to attend meetings in the future. 

 

Friends of Ricards Follow
This an appeal for tinned tomatoes, pasta sauce or Passata by the Hammersmith & Fulham food bank. Anyone suggest where they can buy a large quantity (at an affordable price please)? The need is urgent. Anyone in food industry got any suggestions?
6 days ago
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Dear Parents and Carers

I hope that you and your families are keeping safe and well.  It has been a very different way of working for all of us and I am incredibly proud of how the Sixth Form community has adapted over this period.

As we now head into a new term I hope our students have adjusted to remote learning and are making best use of the resources and support available to them so far. We are writing a weekly RR6 bulletin for the students which is uploaded on Frog and Fronter, continuing with Assemblies, providing up-to-date information, ideas on planning their day and signposting online opportunities for learning and relaxing.  The PSHE programme for this term will continue to support students in both year groups with Post 18 applications and choices. 

Of course, education is important, however the development of a young person academically, developing their resilience, working independently and supporting others will be essential when they reflect on this time in the future.  This could well be something they are asked to explain in an interview when applying for jobs, university, apprenticeships. ‘Tell us about your experience of the Covid 19 crisis in 2020’.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Best wishes

Mrs Day

GCE A level & BTEC results day
All Day
13
August
05 Mar 2020
RR6 Go Stargazing
In January, RR6 A-Level Physics students went on a trip to the Royal Greenwich Observatory.
Read more
03 Feb 2020
Boldly Going Where No Student Has Gone Before
Over the past term, Year 12 A-Level Physics students have been working together on the ORBYTS project with Wimbledon High School.
Read more