The RP Weekly: 16 July 2021
The weekly digital newsletter from Rydal Penrhos School.
The RP Weekly
16 July 2021
Reception-Year 6 Speech Day
Amazing achievements celebrated
Although COVID-19 restrictions prevented Rydal Penrhos from holding its usual Speech Day festivities for Reception-Year 6 pupils, it did not stop staff from celebrating their remarkable achievements throughout the academic year.
It’s been an eventful few months that has seen the entire school community display a determination and resilience that was heart-warming to see in difficult circumstances.
Rydal Penrhos adjusted superbly to a changing environment – including a second educational lockdown during the spring term – to keep pupils progressing both academically and through a wealth of extra-curricular opportunities with a comprehensive online provision and when they returned to campus.
Each group from Reception-Year 6 was invited to separate Prize Giving presentations in their class bubbles, where they were greeted by Mrs Lucy Davies, who is the Head of Rydal Penrhos Prep School.
She outlined what would normally take place during a typical Speech Day before giving out awards and bringing everyone together for one final class photograph before heading off on their well-deserved summer break.
These memories have now been put together in a special digital document by communication manager Dean Jones, which follows a normal Speech Day routine and begins with a welcome video from Mrs Davies.
This is followed by messages of support and thanks from Executive Principal John Waszek and Julian Barnes, who is the school’s Chair of Governors.
Outgoing Head Boy Noah Roberts and Head Girl Amelie Skinner also lent their support with video addresses of their own, with the Deputy Head Girl and Boy team of Emily Nurse and Gethin Winfield detailing their experiences from the academic year.
The document also features a special guest speaker. Natalie Pritchard is a former pupil and current author living in Colwyn Bay, who also promised to come into school next to meet pupils with the hero of her stories, dog Alfie Doodle.
Well done to every single pupil for your incredible efforts this year. We are enormously proud of you all and wish you a fantastic and safe holiday over the next few weeks.
YOU CAN VIEW THE DOCUMENT HERE
Sixth Form
Simeon appointed joint-Deputy Head Boy
Being a Rydal Penrhos sixth former is much more than just studying for A Levels. It’s preparing for the next step, building life skills and becoming inspirational role models for younger pupils who will one day enter Year 12 and 13 themselves.
The Senior Prefect Team play a huge part in this. They are fantastic ambassadors for Rydal Penrhos during their final year at school before heading off into higher education or the working world.
This is done by keeping spirits high across all year groups, lending their support to community events and also raising money for worthy causes across the North Wales region and beyond.
With this year’s team now leaving their respective posts after giving a significant amount in difficult circumstances, Rydal Penrhos is thrilled to announce that Simeon Murphy-Thomas has been appointed joint-Deputy Head Boy for the 2021/22 academic year.
Simeon joined the Rydal Penrhos family at the start of Year 9 and integrated superbly in a short space of time. He has developed encouragingly across all areas of school life as a result and is sure to bring a substantial amount to the joint-deputy role alongside fellow new appointment Damisola Animashaun.
Simeon hit the headlines earlier this year as part of the Rydal Penrhos team that emerged victorious from a high-profile national Enterprise Challenge set by Lancaster University School of Management, which is one of the biggest management schools in the country and one of the few that has a large enterprise section.
In addition to his academic exploits, Simeon has also developed some superb leadership traits at Rydal Penrhos and we wish him the very best of luck in his well-deserved role in the coming months.
Year 3-6 Play
A Rainbow Year
It’s been a difficult academic year with plenty of disruption. COVID-19 restrictions forced staff and pupils at Rydal Penrhos into many sacrifices and they all deserve a great deal of credit for pulling together in pursuit of their goals, ensuring no learning loss took place and individual goals remain unaltered.
This also meant certain events and sporting fixtures could not go according to plan as the school endeavoured to comply with every social distancing guideline implemented by the Welsh Government.
However, there were signs of normality returning during the summer term with outdoor expeditions, Rydal Penrhos’ annual cricket fixture against the MCC and also a stage production from pupils in Years 3-6 that went down a storm with those in attendance.
The play – entitled “A Rainbow Year” – was devised by staff and pupils and follows the concept that a rainbow is often seen at the end of a storm. It was decided to all NHS staff for their outstanding dedication over the last 17 months.
This past year, during the COVID-19 pandemic, has seen a real storm of emotions.
Each emotion can be represented by a colour and brought together as a rainbow, which was depicted in exceptional fashion throughout the production.
It was written and directed by staff and members of Year 6 and considering there was little time for rehearsals, it was an absolutely incredible performance from all involved.
The showcase had everything from synchronised basketball, a Welsh sketch, masked dancing, colourful flag-waving and silhouette shapes that really caught the eye.
Communications manager Dean Jones has put together a digital document surrounding the production for the Rydal Penrhos community to enjoy.
It features an introduction, the cast and crew, inspirational writing words from Year 6, a huge gallery of images from the play and the production itself.
Thank you to everyone involved, the performance really lifted the spirits of those in attendance and the pupils on stage at the end of this quite challenging year. Well done to all and we hope you have a lovely summer break!
Hockey
Quartet gear up for national event with North Wales squad
Four of our aspiring hockey stars at Rydal Penrhos will be heading to Nottingham later this week to compete at a prestigious national competition with the North Wales U13 squad.
Year 8 pupils Fflur Pierce and Keira Luke, together with the Year 7 duo of Charlotte Payne and Lily Copeland, earned selection to the regional squad earlier this year after impressing considerably during the trial process. An outstanding achievement considering the relative lack of activity over the last 17 months due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The quartet has been training hard with other squad members in recent weeks, with the team also taking part in a warm-up fixture against Bala U16s before competing at the United Kingdom National Tournament, which begins on Friday 16 July and takes place over a three-day period.
Despite coming up against much older opposition, the North Wales team produced a highly encouraging performance to come away with a well-deserved 5-1 victory as a result of their efforts.
Rydal Penrhos pupils played a leading role in their success, with Lily hitting the target on two occasions and Charlotte also finding the net once during the contest.
Keira and Fflur also gave a very good account of themselves, which should serve the group well during a testing weekend competing against some of the best young regional squads in the country at the Nottingham Hockey Centre, which is one of the finest facilities on the continent.
North Wales kick-off their U13 Girls Regional Championships tilt with a game against West Panthers on Friday, before taking on Tensworth Development, Tensworth B and West Panthers again on Saturday.
A gruelling weekend concludes with contests against Tensworth Development and Tensworth B, which will hopefully see the North Wales team emerge as winners.
On behalf of everyone at Rydal Penrhos, we would like to wish Charlotte, Fflur, Keira and Lily the very best of luck this weekend with the North Wales U13 hockey squad. Pob lwc I bawb!
Payne
Suhas appointed Head of House
Pupils across Rydal Penrhos are allocated to a specific House upon joining the school.
This comes with a great source of pride during day-to-day school life, with teaching staff arranging plenty of competitions throughout the academic year in pursuit of the prestigious Yeung Bowl House Cup, which is presented at Speech Day in normal circumstances.
However, as we all know, this year has been anything but normal. COVID-19 restrictions have prevented such events from taking place in recent months, although there was plenty of House Pride on show during Sports Day, which made a welcome return to the calendar.
There is real hope that things can return to some semblance of normality once the school returns following the summer break, which will be another significant boost after pupils and staff were forced to adjust quickly to the ever-changing guidelines implemented by the Welsh Government.
With this in mind, we are delighted to confirm the appointment of Suhas Shekar as Payne House Captain for the 2021/22 academic year.
Suhas joined the Rydal Penrhos community at the start of Year 7 in 2015 and has achieved a considerable amount both academically and from the wealth of extra-curricular opportunities on offer.
The pupil gained some outstanding GCSE results last summer and has progressed well throughout the first year studying at Key Stage 5. Suhas is thinking about pursuing Dentistry as a potential career path and recently took part in a discussion on this with Adam Sabri and Hannah Davies, two former pupils at the school
He was also part of the Rydal Penrhos team that won a national Enterprise Challenge competition organised by the Lancaster University School of Management earlier this year, with their proposals centring on the school’s incredible charity work in Uganda.
Suhas has also impressed one of cricket’s most famous figures during his time at the school.
After taking four wickets in as many balls as a Year 8 pupil against Oswestry School, he was presented with the match ball by former England international Andrew Flintoff, who was a spectator at New Field on the day to watch his son play for Lancashire against Wales.
We would like to wish Suhas the very best of luck leading Payne House from September and congratulate him on securing the role.
Activity Week 2021
Pupils take part in beach clean
At the end of every academic year, pupils get the chance to put away their textbooks and iPads during Activity Week.
This is always one of the highlights of the Rydal Penrhos calendar and leaves spirits incredibly high before they head off on their well-deserved summer break.
Activity Week is exactly that. A series of fun-filled activities that enhance additional skills outside of the classroom, improve communication, build friendships and also provides pupils with an opportunity to help out within the community.
One such event saw pupils make the trip to Newborough Beach, a vast expanse of sand from Llanddwyn Island down to the start of the Menai Strait that is widely regarded as one of the most stunning areas in the region.
Accompanied by the school’s incredible staff, Year 9 spent the day tidying up prominent areas of the beach, working in teams to clear any rubbish and make the area look even better.
As a reward for their fabulous efforts, pupils were afforded some time to have fun and enjoy their surroundings, which is something Rydal Penrhos is extremely fortunate to enjoy thanks to the school’s stunning location just a stone’s throw from the Colwyn Bay shoreline.
Our pupils are very aware of their surroundings and develop a strong social understanding of important topical issues such as climate change and other notable developing situations surrounding the environment.
This is prevalent across all year groups, with the youngest members of the Rydal Penrhos community participating in Eco Committee initiatives and this selfless approach is something pupils take through right up to Key Stage 5.
Rydal Penrhos is also proud of its community involvement. This forms a key component of the school’s ethos and was more evident than ever over the last 17 months during COVID-19 thanks to our PPE production, accommodation opening for critical keyworkers and providing childcare to the community throughout such uncertain times.
A huge well done to all our pupils and staff that took part in the beach clean. Your efforts are greatly appreciated!
Tennis
Toby selected to North Wales squad
Our young sports stars are a source of great pride at Rydal Penrhos. They work exceptionally hard both in school and with various organisations and clubs across the region in a wide range of different areas of interest, achieving a considerable amount along the way.
Toby Evans joined the school community recently and has already integrated superbly with his peers, impressing our truly incredible teaching staff with a sound work ethic both in and out of the classroom.
It didn’t take long for Toby’s tennis skills to emerge. The pupil has been playing the sport since age four after really developing a passion for it during a holiday club – proving to be a natural on the court despite his tender age.
This has seen Toby progress his game well, developing all areas of play and things have really come on for the pupil over the last 12 months thanks to his outstanding commitment.
Toby was rewarded for his exceptional application with qualification to represent Kent before relocating to North Wales and enrolling at Rydal Penrhos as a Year 3 pupil.
The talented youngster wasted no time in impressing coaches in the region and has already been chosen for the North Wales youth development set-up – which represents another notable accolade for a pupil who has ambitions to become a Welsh champion one day.
If Toby manages to reach these lofty goals, he would be the latest Rydal Penrhos pupil to achieve such a feat, with Ellie Scarff the most famous former pupil that’s gone on to achieve great things in the tennis world, winning national titles and even appearing on the LTA Tour.
Toby will be supported by staff at the school throughout his development, which includes using the school’s impressive tennis courts at our New Field sporting facility both during school hours and in the holidays.
Everyone at Rydal Penrhos would like to congratulate Toby and wish him the very best of luck with the North Wales squad moving forward.
Morgan
Rebecca secures Head of House role
House Pride is prevalent across all areas of Rydal Penrhos life. It’s something our pupils really get behind and further enhances the community spirit across the school - a key component behind our ethos.
Each house involving Year 7-13 pupils get the chance to compete at various events and competitions throughout the academic year in pursuit of the Yeung Bowl House Cup, which is one of the more coveted titles to attain at the school and is awarded during Rydal Penrhos’ Speech Day festivities in normal circumstances.
Most events have been cancelled during the current academic year thanks to COVID-19 restrictions, but it was heart-warming to see our Houses battle in friendly competition at the end of term at Sports Day, which was a roaring success in glorious sunshine at New Field.
Things should hopefully return to normal from September, something pupils and staff alike are no doubt extremely excited about after being forced into a significant period of adjustment.
Looking ahead to this, Rydal Penrhos is thrilled to confirm that Rebecca Mann will be Head of Morgan House for the 2021/22 academic year.
Rebecca joined the school community as a Year 6 pupil and has taken advantage of every opportunity available during her time as a pupil.
The Sixth Former is a strong academic that is currently studying Economics, Physics, Mathematics and Further Mathematics at A Level after some exceptional GCSE results last summer.
Despite the obvious challenges surrounding the pandemic and learning, Rebecca managed to attain four 9s, two 8s, three A*s and a distinction in additional mathematics thanks to her outstanding commitment under the expert guidance of the school’s teaching staff, who went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure no learning loss took place.
In addition to her achievements inside the classroom, Rebecca has also contributed to Dramatic Society productions such as Les Miserables and Annie the Musical in recent years, is part of the school’s Duke of Edinburgh Award schemes and has also supported younger members of the Rydal Penrhos family as a Peer Mentor.
All this experience should serve Rebecca well in her well-deserved appointment as Head of Morgan House, who built up some momentum with victory in the Year 7-13 Sports Day.
Well done to Rebecca in securing the position. We are confident she will be a tremendous success leading from the front after the summer break.
Music
Niamh gains prestigious ABRSM clarinet diploma
Another fine example of what can be achieved from an all-through education at Rydal Penrhos is Niamh Cook.
The Year 13 pupil is about to embark on the next stage of her life journey at university fully prepared for the challenges that lie ahead after beginning her time at the school in Reception back in 2005.
Niamh has simply flourished under the guidance and care of the school’s staff team, with her artistic prowess and musical talent coming to the fore from a very early age.
Her love of and talent for music led to some jaw-dropping performances at school concerts and inter-house competitions over the years. Niamh has also been working exceptionally hard to achieve various levels of difficulty in gradings administered by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in addition to her studies.
After progressing through right up to Grade 8, Niamh then decided to go for her ABRSM Diplomas in both Piano and Clarinet in pursuit of additional qualifications to her Art, English and Music modules at A Level.
This involved an incredible amount of dedication from Niamh, who received some fantastic news recently after earning 42 out of 50 in her Clarinet diploma, which secured a Merit mark as a result of her efforts.
Niamh now has the distinction of adding the ABRSM initials to the end of her name in recognition of this well-deserved accolade, which is a testament to her hard work and dedication that has been prevalent across the pupil’s time at the school.
Music has become Niamh’s natural choice to pursue at university, receiving an offer to her first-choice destination after a successful application process that was supported expertly by form tutors and university specialists at Rydal Penrhos.
Niamh will be moving on to the University of Bangor to study Music (BA Hons), a highly competitive course that represents another outstanding achievement from a pupil that is sure to go on to do great things in the future.
Mouthguards
Important information for parents
Dear Parents/Carers,
Our School policy is to endorse all Sporting Governing Bodies in their guidelines surrounding the use of dental protection when taking part in contact sports such as Rugby or Hockey.
Our requirements are that all pupils from Year 3 – Year 13 taking part in these sports will need a named mouthguard with them for their PE/games lessons.
Mouthguards can be purchased from any good sports retailer, however, as part of our service we have invited Titan Mouthguards to cater for pupils wishing to purchase a custom, School Fitted or E-Fitted dental-fit mouthguard.
For those requiring the School Fitted service Titan will be visiting school on Monday 6 September 2021, and for the E-Fitted service there is a remote Video Call Fitting option, and these will be delivered direct to your home in advance of the 2021/2022 academic school year.
If you wish to take advantage of either service, please complete the online order form by clicking the following link: https://titanmouthguards.com/rydal-penrhos-school/
As well as their standard styles, Titan have designed a Rydal Penrhos Special Edition with school colours and crest. The mouthguard cost is £34.99 via Remote E-fittings and £44.99 for in-school fittings, with all replacement/spare guards at a reduced cost of £30.
Titan’s prices are vastly reduced from dental practices and similar services, and include:
- Dental impression supervised by a member of the TITAN team
- Custom mouthguards, manufactured with triple laminate technology and hand-finished to achieve the highest level of protection available.
- Pupils name embedded on under-side.
- Free delivery direct to your home
Titan also cater for those with a fixed brace with flexible Snap-Fit Ortho-Guards, rather than custom-fit guards. Ortho-Guards are recommended by the British Orthodontics Society as they allow for movement in the brace, whilst providing complete protection. These can be purchased using Titan's online form at a reduced cost.
Titan suggest that orders be placed in advance of School Fittings to avoid any delays on the day of fitting, and in turn getting the guards back to you. There is a £5 price increase on all orders that are placed on the of day of fitting, Monday 6 September.
Any questions on school mouthguards or any of the details above should be sent directly to Titan via their customer service email address: info@titanmouthguards.com
Yours sincerely,
Sian Durrans
Academic Administrator
MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN THIS E-FLYER
