The end of term is approaching at breakneck speed and as ever, it is a very busy time in school. In recent weeks we have been involved in a number of sporting and musical events, including the Stourbridge Learning Partnership Dell Sports, the Music Festival and Drum Love workshop and performance. We have also seen a number of classes out on visits and our Amble Ramble.

Great thanks go to everyone who helped in any way with the Summer Fayre on Saturday. It was lovely to see so many of you able to join us on a beautiful summer afternoon. Not only is the occasion very welcome in terms of much needed fund raising, it is always an event to bring the whole school community together. Special thanks go to Rachel Jones and Lucy Maskell who organised and co-ordinated the Fayre but also to the army of other helpers - parents, staff and children - who all played a part running it. We will let you know the grand total raised as soon as we can.

When the children return on Tuesday, we will be holding one of our two transition mornings when the children visit their new classes and meet their new teachers.

End of year reports will be issued on Wednesday and we look forward to seeing you at Open Evening on Thursday. Please drop in at any time between 3.45 and 7.00 p.m. Although this is not the time for an in depth discussion with teachers, the children will be very proud to share their work over the year with you. Year 6 reports will be issued at the end of next week, once we have their SATs results.

On Wednesday 18th July we will be having our annual Shorts and Shade picnic. We all enjoy coming together for a lovely picnic together on the field but Shorts and Shade was established as a fund raising event to raise funds for Mary Stevens Hospice. Over the past year this local charity has taken on a deeper significance for our school, as they have supported a number of our families. We would really like to show our appreciation for the work that they do and so this year we will be asking for a donation of £1.00 for everyone who attends but also selling ice creams. We are conscious that there are a number of things that we have asked you to support financially over recent weeks but hope that you will feel able to support this very worthwhile cause.

Other events to look forward to are the Key Stage 2 Performances of What A Knight and Ridge Has Got Talent. There are also the end of year disco and leavers events.

Thinking about next year, the term dates can now be found on the website. In school we will continue with our focus on improving the children's writing and will be working with a Talk for Writing' consultant. Because of this, some of the INSET days we have set are not on the usual Monday or Friday as we are governed by the trainer's availability. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause but hope to minimise this by letting you have these dates as early as possible.

Look forward to seeing you at one of the many events over the coming weeks.

Kind regards,

Mrs. D. Hudson

There are some changes to the teaching staff in September and class organisation for next year will be as follows:

Teacher Mrs. D. Tilley

Teaching Assistant Mrs. K. Mangan

Teacher Miss. R. Legha

Teaching Assistant. Mrs. C. Fereday

Teacher Mrs. L. Ryder

Teaching Assistant. Mrs. K. Warren

Teacher - Mrs Dipple & Mrs Hemus

Teaching Assistant Mrs. H. Turner

Teacher Miss S. Carrington

Teaching Assistant Mrs J Evans

Teacher Miss R. Beddoes

Teaching Assistant Mrs H Smith

Teacher Miss K Ball

Teaching Assistant Mrs E Kirby

Mr. Longmore, Mrs. Saunders and Miss. Ware will continue to teach various classes and support groups and individuals, along with specialist PE teacher Mrs. Adams.

We will be welcoming Mrs Lianne Ryder to the team in September. Lianne is well known to many of you as a parent and former pupil of The Ridge. She recently completed a very successful teaching practice with us and we are delighted to welcome her now as a member of staff. For new Year 2 and 3, they will not be able to have their induction sessions at the same time as the rest of the school but we will make sure that the children have the same opportunity to meet their new teachers.

Mrs. Clare Burley will be joining us in September to the newly created post of Kindergarten Teacher. We wish her every happiness working with our fabulous pre-school team. We are also delighted to tell you that Miss Legha has been appointed as a permanent member of staff after Mrs. Bayley decided not to return to teaching after the birth of her baby last year. We shall miss Mrs. Bayley but know that she will be very happy enjoying motherhood with little Daisy.

We will be saying a sad goodbye to Miss Collins who is leaving us to take up a post at Mount Pleasant Primary School in Brierley Hill and Miss Ciasullo, who will be leaving us to go to Rufford Primary School. We will say a proper good bye at the end of term.

Thank you for your support with the Amble Ramble. The total raised currently stands at a whopping £660!!!

Our Tennis team represented Dudley in the final of the Tennis Competition - and won!!! Well done to our Awesome Tennis champs, we are super proud of you!!

If there are any more budding tennis champs out there, check out the flyer below for summer camps!!

As part of our ambition to promote leadership within P.E, Year 5 were trained to become 'Playmakers' as part of the 'Playmaker award' (an accredited award for the sports leaders associated).

The group of 18 children from year 5 were trained by Miss Collins and we are delighted that all children achieved the award.

Since then they our Play Makers have lead games for Year 1 and 2 pupils. They have organised, set up, instructed and modelled. What great mini-teachers they are!

The outgoing School Council recently visited the Black Country Foodbank Distribution Centre in Brierley Hill. They were given a tour of the Centre and found out about how the Foodbank operates and who they help with food parcels, in many cases families in crisis.