Messages from Ioan and Millie
I find it almost impossible to imagine life beyond the familiar sand-coloured walls of Rydal Penrhos.
There is something to be said for the place in which a person spends their formative years, and there is no doubt that my time at this school will have a lasting impact on me as a person.
By the time I leave, I will have spent nine years here; although I don’t remember what the school was like 30 or 40 years ago, I’m sure that the numerous and significant changes would make it seem rather unfamiliar to many former pupils.
The Senior School that I joined in Year 7 is in many ways not the same as the one I will soon be leaving. The classrooms are much the same, as are many of the teachers, but during that eight years we have had a series of infrastructural changes, around three hundred new pupils and, most important of all, new caterers.
Despite this, however, I strongly feel that there are many aspects of Rydal Penrhos that will always be the same, and I like to think that the experiences I have had here might be, in some small way, the same as the experiences of many of the other past and present pupils of our school.
I distinctly remember that the school felt much bigger in Year 7 than it is now; the hallways were longer, the Quad was wider, and the teachers were far taller. I remember frequently explaining to teachers that the reason I was late for class wasn’t because I’d been playing football by the side of the astro, but because I had got lost and accidentally gone down the wrong corridor.
It’s a great tragedy that this excuse no longer works, and so I’m forced to be (mostly) punctual. I remember also that as a Year 7 I was desperate to gain access to the school gym, a desperation which, to be clear, was very much fuelled by the desire to make myself as irresistible as possible to women, and had nothing to do with any general interest in sporting activities.
I was dismayed to have to wait two whole years before being allowed to go in there, but carrying the sheer volume of books, musical instruments and sporting equipment that I did, to and from my lessons every day, probably made me far stronger than I could have ever hoped to be from lifting weights.
I remember spending a Saturday morning walking up Glyder Fawr with around ten of my classmates. The complaints were all but endless, but I distinctly recall the feeling of shared achievement and relief upon reaching the top.
Walking down was a lot more fun. I remember what seemed like hundreds of trips to the Sychnant Pass in Years 7 and 8; to this day I have no idea what they were for, but we enjoyed them nevertheless. I remember sitting in a Pico with Abhishek, having only sailed once in my life before, and slowly but surely drifting further and further out into the Irish Sea whilst frantically, and hopelessly, trying to get the boat to point in the other direction, before gracelessly capsizing and having to be rescued by Mr Todd in the RIB.
I still haven’t learned how to tack. It is these experiences which have brought me so close to the people that I share a school with, and I can honestly say that I have made friends for life.
Ioan Peake-Jones - Head Boy 2019-20
As an 11-year-old, I was intimidated by the thought of going to Rydal Penrhos School, and this was made worse, on the very first day, by going to the wrong place.
I went to Lower School House (when it was still the building by the Fives Courts) instead of meeting at Reception with all the other students. I felt as if I would never get used to the endless corridors and different buildings which were so different to the tiny local primary school that I had come from.
However, after the first week, I was overwhelmed in a different way – with the huge amount of opportunities that were available to me. By the end of the first few weeks I had tried sailing, fencing, public speaking, played hockey, joined the choir and even learnt how to tie my tie in about five different ways.
I remember being so excited about my new subjects, particularly Religious Studies and English. And of course I eventually learnt my way around.
Now, I love seeing the new Year 7’s rushing around to try and fit all their activities in; my peer mentees always seem to be down at the beach or at a hockey match!
As I have gone through the school, I have seen lots of changes – not only in the school, but in myself. I have definitely gained confidence and have discovered where my strengths and weaknesses lie (mainly in the sports department in the latter instance).
Little things such as being able to speak to people more articulately are a testament to how this school has ‘raised’ me and the culture that Rydal Penrhos fosters.
My favourite part of the school year has to be the Christmas term – the busiest time of the year, but definitely the most fun. The RNLI concert and Christmas song contest, with Christmas Lunch served in order of victory, are some of my best memories in school.
The Rydal School site is ideal for Christmas decorations, and seeing the trees being put up across the school makes the dark evenings a little lighter. I feel sad that this year will be my last year experiencing the festive period as a student at this school.
My appointment as Head Girl has definitely highlighted how much I have invested in this school, and how much it has invested in me. I feel very privileged to be able to give something back and to represent the school community.
Being here has shaped me into the person I am today, and has shown me the importance of having an open-minded, optimistic attitude to everything I do.
Those around me would definitely agree that Rydal Penrhos isn’t a school which you come to from 9am until 4:30pm each day; when you join, your life is spent living as a Rydal Penrhosian 24/7.
If there was one word accurately to describe any member of this school, it would be: busy!
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Millie Collins - Head Girl 2019-20
