Courageous Advocacy

It’s official…

Ridgeway Farm CE Academy is an accredited Spread the Happiness school (can we get a woop woop!)

In February 2020, Ridgeway Farm was given a whole school award for completing the Spread the Happiness project with the help from Shonette Bason-Wood.

We spent months collecting evidence to show off our wonderful school for the happy place we know it to be and our evidence was ‘one of the best the STH team had seen’.

As a school, we are dedicated to the well-being, welfare and happiness of our children, parents, staff and wider community. We use lots of different ways to support our family… some of these include:

• Dough disco – where we boogie to music with Play-Doh
• Class anthems – each class decide on an anthem that gets them grooving in the morning
• 100 Things to do before leaving Ridgway – we have compiled a list of 100 experiences we wish our children to have before they leave our care (you can find this further down the page)
• Happiness calendar – we use Shonette’s happiness calendar and choose our top 10 dates every year to celebrate in class
• Random Acts of Kindness – to show our care not only for our family within school but in the wider community too

Charity & Courageous Advocacy

“Love your neighbour as yourself” (Mark12: 29-31 NCV)

Our pupils have an excellent grasp on the meaning of belonging to a local and global community and the sense of responsibility that comes with belonging. Thereby developing their ability to empathise and make a small sacrifice to benefit others. Together we consider the beauty and fragility of our environment, the actions we take, and the impact these actions may have on the well-being of everyone.

Our school community and curriculum actively embraces a responsibility for the world in which we live.

We are incredibly proud that we have achieved the Bronze Award status in Christian Aid's Global Neighbours scheme in recognition of our wide-ranging steps to love our global neighbour. We are now busy working to ensure we continue to look for further opportunities and work towards the Silver Award.

we are committed to fostering a deep sense of responsibility and compassion in our children. Our school community continues to take action in meaningful ways, supporting both local and global causes and demonstrating our care for the world and the people in it.

Supporting Those in Need
Each year, we collect donations for the Swindon Local Food Bank, ensuring that families in our community receive the help they need. In addition, our staff have once again requested that, instead of end-of-year gifts, families consider donating to charities—demonstrating a commitment to giving back.

Charity and Awareness Campaigns
We proudly support national appeals such as Children in Need, Comic Relief, Macmillan, and the British Legion Poppy Appeal, raising funds and awareness for important causes.

This Year's Charity Project: Africa Naturally
Our chosen charity project this year is Africa Naturally, an initiative that supports sustainable development and education in African communities. During Christmas, we raised funds by selling hand-crocheted stockings, generously made by a member of our staff. Additionally, our School Council is currently planning a 3K race this summer to further support this vital cause. This project is in partnership with St Mary's Church Purton.

Student-Led Advocacy
We celebrate the efforts of our children who take their own initiative to support charities. From school cake sales to individual acts of kindness—such as donating hair for charity or volunteering their time—our pupils continue to embody the values of courage, generosity, and empathy.

At Ridgeway Farm CE Academy, courageous advocacy is not just something we talk about; it is something we live out every day. Through these actions, we empower our children to make a real difference in the world around them.