1. Achieving Excellence Together
The Ripley Academy
A member of the East Midlands Education Trust
Achieving Excellence Together

2. Mr Endacott, Assistant Principal
Tuesday 17th May Welcome
Mrs Ayres, Principal
Mr Endacott, Assistant Principal

3. Tonight’s Items Parent Teacher Association Update Staff List
Student Planners
Buildings Update
Vertical Tutoring
Story - Original story by Loren Eisley (published 1969)
A man was walking along a deserted beach at sunset. As he walked he could see a young boy in the distance, as he drew nearer he noticed that the boy kept bending down, picking something up and throwing it into the water. Time and again he kept hurling things into the ocean.As the man approached even closer, he was able to see that the boy was picking up starfish that had been washed up on the beach and, one at a time he was throwing them back into the water. The man asked the boy what he was doing, the boy replied," I am throwing these washed up starfish back into the ocean, or else they will die through lack of oxygen. "But", said the man, "You can't possibly save them all, there are thousands on this beach, and this must be happening on hundreds of beaches along the coast. You can't possibly make a difference." The boy smiled, bent down and picked up another starfish, and as he threw it back into the sea, he replied
"Made a difference to that one“
At The Ripley Academy we aren’t saving starfish, we aren’t ‘saving’ children and we certainly don’t throw anybody into the sea.
But I can’t help but think if that young boy had been part of a much bigger team, all with the same aim. The difference made would have been much greater.
At The Ripley Academy we have a fantastic staffing body, all making a difference in the education young people, every single day. That makes me immensely proud.

4. PTA – Friends of Ripley Academy
This group has met twice now and a group has been formed called “The Friends of Ripley Academy”.
Next meeting is on Wednesday 15th June 6pm – 7pm in The Hive, new members welcome. At the first meeting the following roles were agreed:
Deena Hill                 Chair Chris Endacott       Vice Chair Treasurer                  Philippa Walters Secretary Jayne Scattergood (temporary basis)
Summer Craft Fair event on Saturday the 2nd July in the school Gym and Sixth Form Block.
36 stall holders coming to sell handmade products alongside refreshments to be served in the Sixth Form Block.
Event will run from 10.00am – 1pm.
A Facebook page has been created for this event with a list of some of the stall holders if you search for “Friends of Ripley Academy” on Facebook. Please share or like this event and help spread the word.  

5. Staff List
As requested at last Parent Forum this will be on the website from September 2016.

6. Student Planners
Following your feedback last Parent Forum smaller planners have been ordered for all students in the main school from September. These can be used for home/school communication.

7. Vertical Tutoring?
Tutor groups are arranged into groups of students from all years Each tutor group has approximately 4,5 or 6 students from each year group ( with a maximum of 30 students per tutor group) A ‘House’ system is used to create groups of forms with a Student Support member linked to each house.

8. Is vertical tutoring a new concept?
No – it’s been around for along time. Many successful schools – locally and nationally already have vertical tutoring systems.

9. Why are we looking to change?
We believe we have existing strengths:
Excellent staff/student relationships
Effective student and learning support
Dedicated teaching staff
And yet we still lack a sense of ‘community’.

10. Why this system?
Schools that currently use vertical tutoring have reported the following benefits:
A greater family environment – everyone is approachable, no year group cultures.
Gives greater variety of leadership opportunities for older students.
Peer mentoring happens naturally as older students talk to younger ones.
Smaller year group clusters mean that tutors have more time to focus on fewer students.

11. How would this system be organised?
The school will be divided into four houses: - Dove - Kinder - Monsal - Riber Each ‘house’ would consist of 5 tutor groups Student leadership opportunities available in each house.

12. How do students of different ages work together?
Students can learn a lot from each other.
New Year 7 students will be welcomed by older students to ease the transition process.
Year 9 students taking making their GCSE guided option choices can speak to current Year 10/11 students who have already experienced this.
We are expecting that students will learn to listen to and appreciate the perspectives of other members of the school community.

13. How do students of different ages support each other?
Most problems occur between students of the same age. Vertical tutoring counteracts negative aspects of peer pressure. Older students develop a more caring approach and look out for younger students. Sensible advice given from older to younger students. Peer mentoring is easily organised to take place during form time.

14. What next?
Staff and students have been informed; many staff have used this system in previous schools and so are very positive about the change. Form tutors have gathered information about friendship groups. New groups have been created, with careful consideration given to the classes that will be created as a result of this. New tutor groups shared with students in July as we welcome the new Year 7 cohort. Prefect applications made via form tutors for September 2016.

15. Thank you for making the time to visit us this evening; we really appreciate your continued support.

16. Achieving Excellence Together
The Ripley Academy
A member of the East Midlands Education Trust
Achieving Excellence Together