Enjoy learning to ring with qualified teachers
Oxon Ringing School provides extra teaching sessions for those learning to ring church bells in and around our Branches.
What we do
Ringing School
We offer one-to-one and group teaching of Bell Handling and Foundation Skills from our four centres: Abingdon, Dorchester, Kirtlington, and Witney. Our aim is to help the learners to learn to handle a bell more quickly so that they are able to take a more active part in ringing in their own towers earlier. We normally run two sorts of training sessions:
- Bell Handling Ringing School: Weekly one-hour sessions to teach Bell Handling with up to four learners taught to handle a bell on a one-to-one basis on Saturday mornings
Foundation Skills Ringing School to consolidate the bell handling and to learn the foundation skills needed before starting to ring plain hunt.
Syllabus: ART Learning the Ropes
We follow the syllabus of the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART). Each learner buys a copy of the Ringers Personal Progress Logbook (£3) which will be completed by their teachers as they progress through the Learning the Ropes scheme. They may also purchase the Ringers Guide to Learning the Ropes, a step-by-step guide for ringers from bell handling through to ringing Plain Bob Minor inside (£7).
Course fees Our training is organised using the Spond website. We make a charge of £6 after each one-hour Bell Handling session or £4 for a Foundation Skills session. Most of this is paid to the bell fund of the church where the training takes place.
The secret of success
Ringing Teachers
Our Bell Handling and Foundation Skills sessions are led, supervised and taught by volunteer ART accredited teachers, with the assistance of other unpaid experienced ringers and ART teachers.
How do I enrol for extra lessons in bell ringing?
Please access the registration forms available on the ODG website: https://odg.org.uk/info/oxfordshire-ringing-school/
We are an ART HUB
Oxon. Ringing School
Oxon Ringing School is an Association of Ringing Teachers (ART) Hub working within the area of the Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers (ODG). It is staffed entirely by unpaid volunteers.
Oxon Ringing School is listed on the ART website:
https://bellringing.org/about-teaching/art-hubs/hubs-listing/
ART Training Days
Experienced ringers are invited to attend one day teaching modules run by ART. The courses are suitable for those who already teach bell handling and want to update their skills AND for those who
have never taught anyone to handle a bell.
https://bellringing.org/about-teaching/
Forthcoming ART Courses
More about ART
The Association of Ringing Teachers (ART) runs courses for learners and teachers.
See their website here.
Student Testimonials
Don’t take our word for it – here’s what our students say:
“Really value the patience and time given by excellent Teachers. Each teacher has different strengths and ways of explaining things to help.”
“Really helpful, friendly and experienced trainers, enjoyed meeting other trainees at a different venue, making positive progress as a result.”
“I am enjoying the one to one and interesting how different people teach, am picking up more than I thought”.
Our Team
Susan Read
Abingdon Ringing Centre Lead
Based in Old North Berks Branch. Susan started the first Ringing School at Abingdon in 2016 and also runs the Oxfordshire Young Ringers group. Susan is accredited in handling, Foundation and method teaching modules and has been a full ART member for over ten years.
Contact Susan
Nick Forman
Dorchester Ringing Centre Lead
Based in South Oxfordshire Branch. Nick is accredited in ART Handling and Foundation teaching modules and has full ART membership.
Contact Nick
Steve Vickars
Kirtlington Ringing Centre Lead
Steve is Training Officer for Bicester Branch, is accredited in ART handling, Foundation and method teaching modules and has full ART membership.
Contact Steve
Barbara Summers
Ringing School Administrator
Barbara is Tower Captain at Tackley in the Witney & Woodstock branch.