REDDITCH MP Chris Bloore visited Ridgeway Secondary School with senior officials from the Department for Education (DfE) to celebrate the school’s extraordinary progress.
The visit was hosted by headteacher Matt Ball and leaders from the Shires Multi Academy Trust, including CEO Lee Gray, COO Kirsty Anthony and deputy headteacher Jack Worton.
Ridgeway Secondary School has seen a turnaround in the past year, improving its Progress 8 score from -0.62 to +0.43, placing it in the top 18 per cent of schools nationally.
It is now ranked top in Worcestershire for progress in the EBacc, maths and science and second for English — earning it the distinction of being one of the most improved state secondary schools in England.
Mr Bloore said: “I wanted to bring Department of Education officials to Ridgeway to see first-hand the progress being made and to meet with staff and children.
‘It was important they heard directly about the challenges we face to sustain and build on this success.
“From the leadership to the dedicated teachers and hardworking pupils, Ridgeway has become a beacon of ambition and progress in our community.
“This visit was about how we harness this success and ensure the school has the tools and facilities it needs to take that next step.”
Joining the visit from the DfE were Parminder Garcha, deputy director for the West Midlands and Emma Cooper, executive officer for Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
The agenda included a full tour of the school and its facilities, live classroom visits and a presentation from the leadership team on Ridgeway’s progress and recent Ofsted inspection.
