Excellence and high standards

Maria Romanski, Health Coordinator at Plympton's Ridgeway school has received a Healthy School Award

Staff and students at Ridgeway School are delighted to have achieved Healthy Schools Status once again. The school had to prove excellence and high standards in four main areas, Personal, Social and Health Education, Healthy Eating, Physical Activity and Emotional Health and Well-being.

In the recent OFSTED inspection [517 KB PDF], the inspectors reported that the school’s health promotion work is outstanding. It stated that ‘the students have an excellent attitude towards healthy lifestyles and their participation in the wide range of sporting activities is high’. The report also high lighted ‘an impressive range of sports and activities on offer for the students’. Students participate in activities such as cheerleading, street surfing, ten tors, basketball, snooker, orienteering and many more.

The Health Co-ordinator, Maria Romanski commented, ‘We are very proud of what our school is achieving at present. We have looked closely at the government’s ‘Every Child Matters’ agenda and we are working hard to ensure all students are enjoying and achieving, staying healthy and safe, making a positive contribution and achieving economic well being.

The school’s canteen provides exciting, healthy and nutritious menus. Many changes have been implemented over the past couple of years and the feedback from students is extremely positive. Last year the school introduced a new lesson on the curriculum, Information, Advice and Guidance, for all students from Years 7 -11. We are extremely pleased with how the students have responded to this subject. They understand that they need knowledge and support to help them in to adulthood. Areas covered include, drug and alcohol education, healthy lifestyles, sex and relationship, careers, citizenship and financial education.

This story appears by kind permission of 'The Plymouth Post'; a newly launched on-line newspaper