Education – Page 3 – RUDDINGTON.info

Special School Plans Approved

18th July 20221st January 2024 Graham Wright

The wheels are now in motion for a Grade 2 listing building here in Ruddington to begin a new chapter in its history – after planning permission for a ‘special school’ there was granted by Rushcliffe Borough Council (RBC). As RUDDINGTON.info reported in April, an application was submitted by Polaris Children’s Services to turn ‘Easthorpe House’ at 165, Loughborough Road into a school for pupils with special educational needs. The approval means the former offices of NHS Rushcliffe Clinical Commissioning Group will soon be back in use to provide classrooms for around 80 pupils aged…

Ruddington School Head Resigns

4th May 20224th May 2022 Graham Wright

After last week’s disappointing Ofsted results, and uncertainty about the current situation regarding James Peacock Infant and Nursery School’s longstanding Headteacher, Richard Waldron, it’s been revealed he has now left the school. Mr Waldron had been away from his post since October 2021 due to ill health – with Hannah Cutts becoming Acting Head in his absence. Chair of Governors, Charles Raynor, has sent a letter today to update parents on the staffing there – particularly within the school’s “leadership team”. He reveals: “Due to the impact of this (absence) he…

James Peacock Plummets in Ofsted Ratings

29th April 202229th April 2022 RUDDINGTON.info

James Peacock Infant and Nursery School had a two-day inspection last month under Ofsted’s Education Inspection Framework (EIF), introduced in September 2019. It concluded that the Ruddington school has fallen from being ‘Outstanding’ (in 2010) down to ‘Requires improvement’ in every category – as shown below from its Ofsted school report. Ofsted ratings are: (1) Outstanding; (2) Good; (3) Requires Improvement; or (4) Inadequate. The report states that, until recently, there’s been both a lack of leadership at the school and with its Governing Body which led to “a period of…

New School for Ruddington?

27th April 202227th April 2022 Graham Wright

When NHS Rushcliffe Clinical Commissioning Group relocated from Easthorpe House to new premises in June 2020, the future of the Grade 2 listed Ruddington property looked rather uncertain. With the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing by then, for its landlords Carlton Street Trading finding new tenants for this large but attractive building off Loughborough Road was likely to prove more difficult than usual. Thankfully for them, in the interim, the generous and picturesque grounds have enabled both an open-air ‘Castle Rock Brewery Beer Festival’ and a ‘Pop-Up Beer Garden’ run by Annie’s Burger Shack to be…

Still School Disappointment for Some

12th March 202212th March 2022 Graham Wright

At the start of this month we reported the joy of children in their final year at St Peter’s Junior School in Ruddington at securing their places at Rushcliffe Spencer Academy this September. Formerly Rushcliffe School, the West Bridgford secondary school has traditionally been the first choice for Year Six pupils in our village – allowing friends to stay together as they progress to ‘big’ school. In sharp contrast to the year before, and despite continuing pressure on school places, this time ‘National Offer Day’ (March 1st) resulted in every child at St…

‘Offer Day’ Relief For Our Junior School Pupils

2nd March 20225th March 2022 Graham Wright

Children in their final year at St Peter’s in Ruddington are celebrating this week after it was confirmed they will be able to stay with their friends in September. Tuesday was ‘National Offer Day’ – when the parents and guardians of all current Year 6 pupils attending our village junior school were informed whether or not they had been successful in getting their son or daughter a place at their chosen secondary school. In Ruddington this has traditionally been Rushcliffe School in West Bridgford – now known as Rushcliffe Spencer Academy.…

Inspector’s Ruddington School Report Revealed

21st February 202222nd February 2022 Graham Wright

“St Peter’s C of E Junior School continues to be a ‘Good’ school.” That’s the verdict of Ofsted Inspector Jayne Ashman – following her visit to Ruddington on 11th & 12th of January 2022. Receiving its first new rating for five years was a slightly tense time for Head Teacher Michael Bradley who only took up his ‘new’ post in January 2020. Mr Bradley succeeded a much loved predecessor, John Mapperley, who had been Head Teacher at St Peter’s for the previous 12 years. However, despite the most difficult of times during the COVID-19 pandemic,…

Country Park Café Construction Commences

20th January 202213th February 2022 Graham Wright

Rushcliffe Borough Council has announced that work has finally begun on the refurbishment of its Education & Visitor Centre at Rushcliffe Country Park. The upgrade was first mooted in 2015 – and followed by a public consultation two years’ later. Improvements to the building will include the addition of a permanent café, an enhanced visitors’ centre and a bookable conference room, along with improved landscaping and toilet facilities. The authority says it’s also being ‘carbon clever’ at the popular Ruddington tourist attraction by installing solar panels and an air source heat pump…

School Joy for St Peter’s Pupils

12th January 202221st January 2022 Graham Wright

Children attending St Peter’s C of E Junior School are celebrating the news that they should be able to stay with their friends when they move up to ‘big’ school this September.* *Please see the update below. It’s after the Principal of Rushcliffe Spencer Academy (‘Rushcliffe School’) in West Bridgford confirmed that sufficient places for September 2022 have been made available for all Ruddington’s current Year 6 pupils. The announcement comes as music to the ears of families who were anxious that their kids might have to attend other secondary schools further afield…

New School for Ruddington?

12th December 202112th December 2021 Graham Wright

The possibility of building a third school in Ruddington – so that our growing village can cope with an influx of new, young families over the next few years – is being discussed by Councillors this week. Members of Nottinghamshire County Council’s Children and Young People’s Committee are meeting at County Hall this Monday (13th December 2021) to wade through a seventy page document which includes a ‘Basic Need Programme of School Expansion’. Up until now, the focus has been on a lack of secondary school places for village children who’ve previously…