Education – RUDDINGTON.info

Educational Gifts for All Ruddington Eleven Year Olds

10th June 202410th June 2024 Graham Wright

Do you live in Ruddington and have a son or daughter with a birthday between 1st September 2012 and 31st August 2013 who attends a school outside the village? If so, they’re still eligible for some special gifts! It’s all thanks to James Peacock – who was born in Ruddington in 1585 before leaving for London when he was 14 years old as an apprentice to leather merchant Thomas Smith. James became a very successful businessman but, when he died in 1641, he had no children to leave his fortune…

School Celebrates New Ofsted Report!

21st May 202422nd May 2024 Graham Wright

Staff, children and parents say they’re delighted that a Ruddington school judged to ‘Require Improvement’ two years’ ago has now been rated ‘Good’ in all areas. Pupils and staff gathered in the playing field at James Peacock Infant and Nursery School with balloons and banners {top photo} to celebrate the achievement. The very welcome report, just released by Ofsted, follows a two-day visit to the Manor Park based school by three inspectors in April, during which they assessed numerous aspects of its day-to-day running and curriculum. The school’s performance in the quality of…

Further School Places Disappointment for Village Families

3rd March 20245th March 2024 Graham Wright

Once again a significant number of Ruddington children have learned they will be separated from their life-long friends – as the shortage of school places for our village continues. Following this year’s ‘National Offer Day’ for Year 6 Pupils (which is at the start of March) Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) has confirmed that nine St Peter’s Junior School children who put Rushcliffe Spencer Academy (Ruddington’s traditional ‘feeder’ school in West Bridgford) as their first choice, and live in the catchment, had to be offered an alternative Secondary School place elsewhere. Most of these disappointed…

£336k of Ruddington Schools’ Cash to Expand Edwalton Academy!

17th February 202419th February 2024 Graham Wright

Late last year we reported how Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) had indicated the expansion of Rosecliffe Spencer Academy in Edwalton (top photo) would be the focus of its efforts to accommodate an increasing population of Ruddington children, rather than creating more school places here. This has now been confirmed in a ‘response’ from NCC to last summer’s petition by village resident Katie Santana on behalf of aggrieved parents in Ruddington. To their surprise and dismay at the time, a number of families living here found their children couldn’t get a place…

Church’s Fundraising Milestone for Ugandan School

15th February 202415th February 2024 Graham Wright

St Peter’s Church in Ruddington is celebrating raising £6000 to allow the completion of a four-classroom block for a school in an impoverished area of Uganda. The target was achieved by a mixture of donations and fundraising events over a ten-month period, culminating in a Beetle Drive event in the church at the end of January 2024 which raised £763. As RUDDINGTON.info has previously reported, St Peter’s has been supporting the Aminit High School in Teso since 2019, aiming to establish secondary education in an area in which none was…

Our ‘Outstanding’ New School

2nd January 20242nd January 2024 Graham Wright

Staff, pupils and parents at a new Ruddington school, which only opened its doors just over a year ago, are celebrating the highest possible ratings following its first Ofsted inspection. Operated by Polaris Children’s Services at 165, Loughborough Road (formerly known as ‘Easthorpe House’ and the home of NHS Rushcliffe Clinical Commissioning Group up until June 2020), the Grade 2 listed building has been sympathetically modified to create ‘Easthorpe School’ – which is specifically for pupils aged 7 to 16 with special educational needs. Two Ofsted inspectors visited its premises from November 14th to 16th…

No More School Places in Ruddington?

21st December 202321st December 2023 Graham Wright

Nottinghamshire County Council has indicated that the expansion of a new school in Edwalton will be the focus of its efforts to accommodate future generations of Ruddington children, rather than creating more school places here. This is despite a summer petition by village resident Katie Santana on behalf of aggrieved parents in Ruddington whose children were unable to secure a place at James Peacock Nursery and Infants School in September. It’s the first time this has ever happened, and was blamed on the hundreds of new homes currently being built…

Applications Open for Infant & Junior School Places

6th November 20238th November 2023 Graham Wright

Whilst the official deadline for parents of village youngsters to apply for their Secondary School places outside Ruddington in 2024/2025 has now passed, the process for Infant and Primary children hoping they’ll be schooled here is only just beginning. Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) has announced that from today (Monday 6th November 2023) applications are open for kids starting in reception and children due to transfer from an infant school to junior education (Year 3) in September 2024. For children who will turn five years old between 1st September 2024 and 31st August 2025, and…

New Secondary School Applications Warning

8th August 202313th August 2023 Graham Wright

Parents of Ruddington children who will be starting Year Six this September are being told they can now apply for their secondary school place. Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) is once again urging families to utilise all FOUR preferences to avoid losing out on their preferred school or academy in September 2024. An NCC spokesperson says: “Parents sometimes think that selecting just one school will ensure that a place is allocated, but that is not the case. It is important that you make use of all four preferences for a better chance of being…

Laura’s Leap for Ruddington School

10th June 202311th June 2023 Graham Wright

An intrepid Ruddington mum is jumping out of a plane this summer – in a tandem skydive to help raise funds for a village charity close to her heart. Laura Ratcliffe is not only the founder of Ruddington Mums but also now the Chair of The Friends of St Peter’s Junior School – the group she has chosen to receive the cash. As she reaches three quarters of the way towards her £1000 fundraising target, she’s hoping RUDDINGTON.info readers can provide a final boost to get her there. “For my…