King's Academy Ringmer is an academy school located in the village of Ringmer, East Sussex, England. It was opened in 1958 and serves a catchment area of Lewes and surrounding towns and villages. It is also a specialist technology college. The academy is part of a multi-academy trust – King's Group Academies. Its most recent Ofsted was published in June 2019 and rated the academy as Good overall with outstanding leadership and management. Mr Hillier led and transformed the school during his tenure. He moved in September 2019 to become headteacher of Dorothy Stringer School in Brighton.
History
Ringmer Secondary School opened in 1958, serving the local area and surrounding towns and villages. Ringmer County Secondary School gained recognition for its work with the community, including evening classes for adults. The school also had recognition for the high expectations and the excellence of the brass band, who still meet at reunions. The band travelled across Europe, with their conductor Michael Fairhurst, the original conductor for the band. He continued working at the school for many years after and ran the junior wind band on a Tuesday morning and the string quartet. The original school building received a Civic Trust Award for its design. The library was built in 1973 as the numbers of pupils rose as a result of the school leaving age being raised to 16. The secondary school became a Community College when the former Prime MinisterLord Callaghan formally opened the school. The original school building consisted of:
Music department, which had to be extended housing studio and recording rooms.
Major building phase in 1988 improved Humanities and Science facilities, within a two-story building. Which were improved again in 2000 with the Specialist Technology College status.
In 2005 the John Wakely Building was built, which housed Modern Foreign Languages until 2008 when the department moved over to the Clarke Building, resulting in the English department moving into the Wakely building. The building was named after the former Headmaster John Wakely. In 2008 the school re-branded with a new logo and uniform, and from September 2008 the college name was changed to 'Ringmer Community College and Sixth Form' as a new sixth form had been built. On 1 August 2011, the school officially gained academy status. The school joined KGA in December 2016 and in May 2019 the academy was rated as 'Good', with Outstanding Leadership and Management. ITV news reader, Natasha Kaplinsky, attended the school. The musician, Rag'n'Bone Man attended and was expelled from the School
Houses
Ringmer Community College has four houses, one of which pupils are placed into when joining the school. The four houses are named after castles within Sussex – Arundel, Bodiam, Lewes and Pevensey. But these have been discarded when the school joined KGA
Sixth form
The Sixth Form Centre offered students a variety of different subjects to study at A Level, AS Level as well as Diplomas and vocational courses. The building of the new Sixth Form exhibited a new dance studio, a new design and technology workshop, new music facilities, including a recording studio and also new sports pitches. The Sixth Form opened for lessons on 22 September 2008 and held its official opening on 30 September 2008. The Sixth Form closed down in 2016
