Student Voice
Ridgeway Academy ensures students are at the heart of everything we do. We ensure students are able to voice their opinions, take on leadership roles and become ambassadors for Ridgeway.
“I feel like the role of Head Girl would be a great opportunity for me as it will allow me give back to the school that I have attended from the start of Year 7. Along with this, the experience would certainly help me in later life and allow me to take more responsibility through carrying out important duties.” Head Girl – Abbie Casserley The Ridgeway Academy develops student voice through active focus groups, who meet half termly with members of the school community, including the Senior Leadership Team, Heads of House, Directors of Learning and members of the Sixth Form Leadership Team. They are able to feed back to their peers and bring forward any ideas or concerns which they may have; the aim is to allow students to take ownership of their school and be an integral part of making Ridgeway Academy the best it can be. “I applied for the position of Head Boy because I feel a great sense of pride in being a student at Ridgeway Academy. I have been a student at Ridgeway Academy since Year 7 and have witnessed the huge improvements the school has made in the past 5 years. This makes me feel very proud of Ridgeway Academy, so it is a great honour to be Head Boy. As Head Boy, I will aspire to provide every student with the same resources and opportunities to help them in their own academic journey. In addition, I will also aspire to make every single student at Ridgeway Academy feel a sense of pride in being a part of the school.” Head Boy – Alex Sarkozi Each form group from Years 7 to 10 has four representatives; one from each house. Each house group also appoints a ‘House Captain’. House Captains support the Heads of House to develop opportunities for widening participation and support our school charities and the wider local communities. Students from across the school are also given the opportunity to become ‘Eco Ambassadors’, as part of the ‘Eco-Schools Award’ scheme. Subject areas also offer leadership opportunities within their Departments. These subject ambassadors are awarded throughout the year. There is also a highly prestigious Sports Leadership Programme which has allowed a vast number of students to take on leadership roles both within school and within the local community and primary school network. (See Physical Education curriculum link for more information). “I applied for the position of Deputy Head Boy because I wanted to become a figure for the school in which I can be there for the younger students and guide them on the right path throughout their journey. I want to help in every way possible, as much as the school has helped me to become the best version of myself. I will use my role as Deputy Head Boy by ensuring that each student at Ridgeway Academy feels welcome and safe ensuring their voice is heard by everyone, regardless of who they are and being able to speak with confidence about any issue or improvement they want to make in the school. It is a pleasure to be a part of the Student Leadership Team as I am sure we will be able to do our best for a positive impact on future generations.” Deputy Head Boy – Francisco Morales Our school ethos encourages all students to work together to enhance their learning experience and provides many opportunities for student leadership. Student panels form a key element of our recruitment processes. Students gain valuable skills through involvement in interview panels, conducting visitor tours of the school and meeting and greeting parents at school events. They also play a key role in our Year 6/7 transition programme. Our Sports Leaders run Sports Clubs and sporting events for Primary Schools. New in 2018 was the introduction of ‘Speak Up!’ a new debating society. We hope to see the debating society grow from strength to strength as we hold our termly Inter-House debating competitions. Key Stage 4 students also have the opportunity to apply for a Prefect position which allows them to undertake further leadership roles, including weekly duties and peer reading. These students are outstanding ambassadors for Ridgeway Academy and provide excellent role models for younger students. “I applied for the position of Deputy Head Girl due to my love for Ridgeway Academy. Over the years Ridgeway has helped me build my confidence and I feel like this role is an opportunity for me to help do the same. As Deputy Head Girl, I hope to use my role as an opportunity to amplify the voices of students who feel overlooked and unheard as well as ensuring that students feel they have the resources and support they need to flourish in school It is an absolute privilege to be Deputy Head Girl and I can’t wait to see what the year brings.” Deputy Head Girl – Zara Chimalilo
