The RP Weekly: 15 July 2022
The weekly digital newsletter from Rydal Penrhos School - 15 July 2022 edition.
The RP Weekly
15 July 2022
Holiday Club
Booking still open for summer adventures
It promises to be another exciting summer for those attending the Rydal Penrhos Holiday Club, which is open during the school holidays and provides an extensive programme of activities for the children to experience.
This is not only a lot of fun, but it also helps assist them with their emotional, physical, social, intellectual, language and creative development.
Staff have done a wonderful job of devising a comprehensive provision full of adventures and exciting challenges, which includes plenty to enjoy across prominent landmarks across the North Wales region.
There are also a large number of activities for Holiday Club members to participate in within the school grounds, which boosts their overall development and progresses key skills in a relaxed setting under the supervision of staff.
The Rydal Penrhos Holiday Club has something for everyone and this half-term promises to be no exception thanks to the sterling commitment of our dedicated staff team.
The Summer Holiday Club will run from 11 July to 26 August (Monday to Friday).
For those aged 5 to 12, the Holiday Club is open for external children. For current Rydal Penrhos pupils, the Holiday Club is open for Pre-School to Year 8.
The cost is £45 per day and includes all trips, activities, sports and crafts as well as two snacks, a packed lunch and a fresh-cooked meal. Sibling discount of 5 per cent available.
To book now as a current Rydal Penrhos parent please log in to your Schools Buddy App.
To book now as a family who does not attend the school, click here.
For any further enquiries contact holidayclub@rydalpenrhos.com or call 01492 530155.
Private Tours
Still available throughout the holidays
Teaching staff and pupils are now embarking on their well-deserved summer break after a hugely successful academic year. But Rydal Penrhos will be open throughout the holidays for prospective pupils and their families to visit the stunning campus.
The best way to get a real feel for our friendly and welcoming school is to come and see for yourself. Our admissions team will be on hand to guide you across either the Pre-School, Prep, Senior or Sixth Form sites and other staff will also be available to answer any questions you may have about the curriculum, extra-curricular activities and planning for the next step.
Here's what you can expect from a private tour at Rydal Penrhos, and anyone wishing to discover more should contact admissions@rydalpenrhos.com, call 01492 530155 or use our online form.
Interested in Rydal Penrhos Pre-School?
You will be greeted by Mrs Lucy Davies, Deputy Principal and Ms Letitia Spencer, Pre-School manager upon your arrival. They will then take you on a tour of the thriving Pre-School department, which is the perfect place for a child to begin their journey through education.
There will be an opportunity to view the specialised area for two-year-olds, art room, reading area, imaginative play and a more typical classroom along with the outdoor play area and Rydal Penrhos’ Coastal School initiative.
Interested in Rydal Penrhos Prep School?
Arriving at the Prep School reception right at the top of Pwllycrochan Avenue you will be greeted by Mrs Lucy Davies, Deputy Principal.
While having a tour of the school classrooms, the IT suite, science labs, the music department, art room, library and the ever-popular Forest School site, she will also be more than happy to answer any queries about the curriculum and activities, in addition to the free wraparound care provided.
Interested in Rydal Penrhos Senior School (Years 7-13)?
Arriving at the Pwllycrochan Avenue reception at Rydal Penrhos, you will be greeted by a member of our Admissions team.
Following a short chat, we will then take you on a personal socially distanced tour of the school’s various departments, which will showcase everything from academic classrooms, science laboratories and the exceptional sporting facilities available to our pupils, which also includes a 25-metre Swimming Pool.
Those with a more creative flair can explore the Art, Music, Design Technology and Drama departments, and there will be a chance to ask questions about anything and everything associated with Rydal Penrhos.
Our Executive Principal would be delighted to meet you following your tour. If this is something you would enjoy please let us know so that we can arrange visit times accordingly.
Walkathon 2022
Fundraising target exceeded for Blind Veterans UK!
Pupils and staff came together as the entire Rydal Penrhos community participated in a challenging Walkathon before the summer break to raise funds for Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women.
Blind Veterans UK supports thousands of blind veterans across the country, but knows there are tens of thousands more who still need its support to rebuild their lives after sight loss.
More than 120 pupils and staff from all areas of Rydal Penrhos began their journey at Colwyn Bay’s Victoria Pier, walking along the coastline to the heart of Llandudno and back in perfect conditions for such a task.
Senior School pupils were joined by Prep at various stages of the Walkathon, with Pre-School children also getting in on the act under the supervision of staff.
There was a huge celebration at the Walkathon’s conclusion, with pupils posing for pictures on the pier deck after a job well done.
Rydal Penrhos aimed to raise around £2,000 from the Walkathon, which has been surpassed thanks to an unbelievable display of generosity from the school community.
A total of £2,867 has been raised to date, with all proceeds going towards the Blind Veterans UK Centre for Wellbeing situated in Llandudno.
Victoria Beech from the Blind Veterans UK Community Partnerships Team, sent in a message of thanks on behalf of the charity, praising the school for its exceptional commitment to a very worthy cause.
The message read: “Thank you for all the effort that pupils and staff put in.
“I wanted to also take the opportunity to say that the conduct of your pupils was impeccable. The standard of education and life lessons they receive at Rydal Penrhos was evident in the questions I was asked by some of the senior pupils. I really look forward to talking with them again in the future.
“The enthusiasm of the younger pupils and the way they interacted with each other, the adults with them and answered questions is another beautiful reflection of the standard of experience they receive at Rydal Penrhos.”
CCF Camp 2022
Cadets attain awards from unforgettable experience
The Combined Cadet Force Annual Camp marks the culmination of the year’s training and offers an exciting week of challenging but rewarding activities. This was especially important for the Rydal Penrhos cadets because it was also their first-ever excursion of this kind.
The school’s hard-working staff managed to prepare 20 cadets not only ready for the challenge but also maintain a healthy attendance from our fledgling contingent despite the difficulties of the last two years relating to COVID-19.
Annual Camp often begins with a shock for the cadets as they are faced with army accommodation, a new routine and lots of busy activities to keep them occupied. Upon arriving at the Swynnerton Training Area in Staffordshire, they moved into the army-style accommodation and participated in training to get the cadets ready.
An early start on Day 2 after a cooked breakfast had further training and it was time for the dreaded test coupled with a Navigation Exercise run by the Cadet Training Team. L/Cpls Fflur Pierce, Chloe Tillman-Lennon, Ceylin Buckley, Kiera Luke, and Cdt Amelie Creer were mentioned in dispatches for their excellent navigation skills and positive attitude.
All Rydal Penrhos cadets passed which was an amazing achievement and four cadets excelled: Cdts William Bertalot, Vlad Pustea and Nestor Pento achieved a First Class shot while Cpl Tristan Martin achieved the highest score on the day – a huge accomplishment for all the cadets considering this was their first ever experience.
The next two days were the Exercise phase for the cadets moving into the field to complete a series of fieldcraft stands, building a basha (their overnight accommodation) and cooking their own 24-hour rations. This was challenging but rewarding with the cadets using teamwork, communication skills and resilience.
Captain Alun Brown, said: “The Rydal Penrhos cadets rose to the challenge of their first camp superbly well and impressed many of the camp staff and other schools with their efforts and determination.
“Special mention must go to Cpl Jasmin Lewis who was awarded a special commendation medal by the Commanding Officer of camp for her leadership skills – well done!
“My thanks to 160 Cadet Training Team for organising a superb camp, the Rydal Penrhos staff, Mrs Chamberlain-Keen and Sgt Hilton, for working hard to make the CCF a rewarding experience through challenging times and of course the cadets and parents for supporting this relatively new extra-curricular activity at the school.”
Rydal Penrhos Society
Latest edition now available
Dear parents and pupils, as a welcome heatwave marks the beginning of your summer holidays, we are fortunate enough to reflect on a highly successful end to the academic year.
The final weeks and months of term were characterised by several wonderful occasions, perhaps most notably the school’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The theme of royalty features prominently in the latest edition of the Rydal Penrhos Society Newsletter, which we are delighted to share with you as well as our alumni. The newsletter also contains a variety of articles offering updates from our alumni community alongside stories from the school’s past and present.
You can read the newsletter on your computer, tablet or phone.
We hope you enjoy it.
Year 6
Charlie's fantastic account of Snowdon summit walk
Year 6 pupils at Rydal Penrhos got the chance to participate in a number of exciting activities to conclude their time at the Prep School. A wonderful way to recognise their exceptional dedication to their studies, extra-curricular interest and being strong role models for younger pupils looking to follow in their footsteps.
One that always generates a significant amount of excitement is their annual trek up Mount Snowdon, which was greeted by glorious sunshine on Monday 20 June. Although it was a testing challenge, Year 6 rose to the occasion to achieve the target of scaling the summit in fine fashion.
We were thrilled to receive a detailed account of the excursion from Charlie, who was part of the Prefect team and provided more detail about what transpired throughout the day.
Rydal Penrhos Snowdon trek: Charlie’s story
We had to walk up SNOWDON, the biggest mountain in Wales!!!
We left at 8.30am on the school bus, everyone was nervous but excited at the same time. We finally arrived there and we all jumped out ready to take it on.
Honey gave us some flapjacks which boosted all of our energy. The sun was beaming down on us as we started to walk.
Myself, Oscar and Seren were leading the way with Mr Pyves at the front. After a while, we came across a slippery rock that we had to walk over.
Mr Pyves went first and I followed, it was like trying to walk on ice. I slipped a couple of times but managed to steady myself on my feet again.
We luckily all made it over and finally stopped for a break. I reached into my bag and felt the kit-kat chunky, I pulled it out and demolished it in seconds!
We set off again and marched through the blinding sunlight. We were all feeling a bit hot and sweaty, making sure we drank enough throughout the day.
My ankles began to ache but the determination in my head kept me going. Up and up, we climbed walking past many people as Harry chatted to everyone passing by!
Finally, we could all see the summit, I felt so relieved. It looked like there were another 2 miles to go, but it only took us half an hour.
We stopped for lunch before we reached the summit because there was a humongous queue ahead. We sat down all exhausted and devoured our lunch.
We raced into the queue before it got any bigger and eventually I reached the very top. The views were amazing, we could see Anglesey and many mountains, it was beautiful.
We all returned to the bus with bright red cheeks, smiley faces and tired legs. I made it up Snowdon and ticked it off my bucket list!
Hockey
Lily & Charlotte form North Wales captaincy team
A pair of talented hockey players at Rydal Penrhos will form the captaincy team for a regional hockey side during their participation in a prestigious national tournament this weekend.
Lily Copeland will skipper an 18-player North Wales U13 squad, which has been selected from clubs across the region, for this weekend’s Regional Hockey Finals in Nottingham.
Her vice-captain at the three-day national tournament will be Eirias Hockey Club teammate and fellow pupil Charlotte Payne, which represents a significant honour for the dynamic duo.
Another Rydal Penrhos pupil will also be part of the squad, with Fleur Roberts also impressing during the assessment process en route to a well-deserved call-up.
They were all selected from an original group of 44 players who attended three trials at Bala before the candidates were reduced to a 24-player training squad. Lily, Charlotte and Fleur all made a significant impact during sessions to secure their places on the North Wales team.
Lily and Charlotte were also part of the Eirias Hockey Club U14 squad that won the North Wales championships in April, securing their spot in the Welsh Finals where the team finished third on the national stage.
Lily, Charlotte and Fleur have been pupils at Rydal Penrhos since they were three years old, starting their journey in Pre-School.
Image from Tony Bale.
Video
Paws and Claws - a Prep School production
Sailing
Llion appointed Pupil Commodore/Captain
Rydal Penrhos’ RYA accredited Sailing and Water-Sports Centre has been at the heart of school life for more than six decades. It was implemented for those who want to learn more, targeting advanced levels of recreational sailing and water sports in pursuit of developing further interest in regatta/event racing proficiency.
We actively encourage pupils to join into regional and national squad systems to then further their sailing beyond school should they so wish. Regular competitions allow pupils to challenge themselves, and Rydal Penrhos also hosts its own annual regattas open to schools and clubs from across the North West.
The title of Pupil Commodore/Sailing Captain is a coveted one. Many who’ve held the title in recent years have gone on to achieve great things both nationally and within the Team GB youth set-up, becoming role models for younger pupils looking to follow in their footsteps along the way.
Rydal Penrhos is thrilled to confirm that Llion Morris has been appointed Pupil Commodore/Sailing Captain for the upcoming academic year. This is in recognition of his unrivalled commitment to sailing and the honours he’s achieved since joining the school.
Llion is currently part of the RYA Cymru Wales ILCA and British Sailing squads and recently took home The Ronald Grimes Sailing Achievement Cup and The Rydal Penrhos Sailing Commodore Award from the school’s Colours Awards event.
This represents a huge accomplishment for Llion, who has developed his sailing skills exceptionally well at Rydal Penrhos and dedicated a significant amount of time away from school to reach his goals.
Mrs Petrina Blomeley, who is the Sailing Principal of Rydal Penrhos, said: “Llion has been a true role model balancing academic study with progressing his passion for sailing and we believe he will be a true asset to our department.
“We are aware his time is already pressured between study, practice and racing however we believe he can be a further inspiration to our up-and-coming sailors in taking on this position.
“We look forward to welcoming Llion to the department. He will be expected to offer a certain level of commitment to the role as a pupil voice to look to how we enhance the delivery of sailing within the school and in supporting and encouraging our novice sailors whenever possible.
“The team very much look forward to working with Llion.”
Everyone at Rydal Penrhos congratulates Llion on his appointment. We are confident that you will thrive in the role.
Alumni
Four collect DofE Gold Awards from Buckingham Palace
Four former pupils successfully completed the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award alongside their A Level studies after coming through a strenuous assessment process.
Tallulah Batley, Arend Franssens, Sam Jones and Jacob Heaton-Rue all took a trip to Buckingham Palace for the official presentation, which was a long time coming thanks to COVID-19 restrictions preventing large gatherings such as this from taking place.
They all progressed through various stages of the award under the expert guidance of programme co-ordinator Dr Jim Lewis, taking part in a series of challenging expeditions to secure their overall goal.
The contingent also spent considerable time volunteering throughout the community in order to attain the award. Upon completion, they officially add their names to the long list of Rydal Penrhos pupils past and present that have achieved the same feat.
Rydal Penrhos School is a DofE Directly Licensed Centre and offers all three levels of the Award, beginning with Bronze in Year 9, continuing on to Silver in Years 10 & 11, and culminating with the prestigious Gold Award in Years 12 & 13.
The Award is achieved by completing a personal programme of activities and the initiative gives pupils the chance to help people or the community, get fitter, develop new skills, and enhance communication and confidence for good measure.
The programme can be full of activities and projects that get each pupil excited, allowing them to develop existing talents and discover new ones, whilst meeting new friends and learning a great deal about themselves.
Everyone at Rydal Penrhos would like to congratulate Tallulah, Arend, Sam and Jacob on their success. We remain enormously proud of all your accomplishments.
News in Brief
Perfect attendance and Megan's football award
Megan's football award
Congratulations to Megan, who earned a trophy for being a super skilful member of the Penrhyn Bay U8 football team.
Keep up the great work!
Perfect Attendance awards
In another year of covid disruption, it was heartening to be able to congratulate two Prep pupils on their 100% attendance record.
Despite all eventualities both Serenity (Year 6) and Joshua (Year1), made it into school every single day this year.
Well done to them and also to every other pupil, all of whom show a real desire to attend school whenever they are able to.
Gallery
Holiday Club activities
