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First class initiative celebrates milestone

Tuesday, 13 September 2016

RGS Letter dayThis Friday (16 September) will be a red letter day in more than one respect for Ramsey Grammar School. 

More than 400 students will write letters to friends, family and famous people the world over. 

Among those receiving mail with a Ramsey postmark will be US President Barack Obama and pop star Beyonce. 

The Get Writing Letters initiative is part of the school’s celebration of 70 years of comprehensive education in the Isle of Man. 

When it took in pupils in September 1946, Ramsey Grammar became one of the first comprehensive schools in the British Isles and the anniversary is being marked with an exhibition of memorabilia being launched on Friday. 

Julie Owen, Head of English at the school, said:

‘Letter-writing was prolific 70 years ago and is a skill students still need to demonstrate at GCSE.

‘However, it is falling by the wayside as a means of communication and many young people have never written or received a proper letter.

‘This year at Ramsey Grammar, we are launching a Living English initiative where students will use English in everyday situations with a genuine purpose, so they can see it as more than just an exam requirement.

‘Each year group will link up with a community organisation to support their literacy-based needs, producing posters, leaflets and articles about them, for example.

‘To launch this, 16 September is Get Writing Letters day. Each student in Years 7 to 10 will write to a recipient of their choice: from Barack Obama to Beyonce, from Father Christmas to Angela Merkel, from their aunt in Toronto to their grandmother in Ramsey.

‘The letters will be about the school’s progress and achievements since 1946 and will seek a reply.

‘We’ll create a global map of responses to illustrate the power of letter writing to link people up.’

The Isle of Man Post Office is supporting the initiative and its staff will visit the school to speak about the global nature of its work.

Maxine Cannon, Isle of Man Stamps and Coins’ General Manager, said:

‘We are pleased to support Ramsey Grammar in celebrating its milestone anniversary.

‘The Isle of Man Post Office actively supports initiatives which encourage hand writing as a means of communication. Research undertaken by Royal Mail shows sending an item through the mail grabs attention, makes the recipient feel valued and gives a better impression of the sender.

‘We hope students find enjoyment in the art of sending and receiving handwritten letters and adopt posting letters as the communication of choice.’

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