The RP Weekly: 21 October 2022

The weekly digital newsletter from Rydal Penrhos School - 21 October 2022 edition.

The RP Weekly

21 October 2022

Holiday Club

Booking information for October half-term

October half-term Holiday Club

The October Half-Term Holiday Club will run from October 24 to November 4 (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.

To book now as a current parent please log in to your Schools Buddy App.

To book now as a family who does not attend Rydal Penrhos click here.

Childcare vouchers are also available to use.

For any further enquiries contact holidayclub@rydalpenrhos.com or call 01492 530155.

Sixth Form Information Evening

Registration open for event next month

The Sixth Form experience at Rydal Penrhos is nurturing and bespoke. Individual needs are met ensuring pupils become confident to follow their academic passions, extend their horizons and reach forward to exciting futures.

This method has brought consistently exceptional examination results, first-choice university destinations secured and more importantly, preparing each Sixth Form pupil for whatever challenges lie ahead.

We are delighted to confirm the details of our annual Sixth Form Information Evening, which will take place on Thursday 17 November from 6pm.

There will be plenty to enjoy throughout the event, including a tour of the prominent areas of Rydal Penrhos and a chance to speak with key staff and current pupils.

The school’s rich and diverse A Level and Cambridge Technical curriculum options will be available to view in more detail. Teaching staff will also be on hand to cater individually to specific needs to guide prospective and current pupils on the right path in relation to their abilities.

Those in attendance can also explore Rydal Penrhos’ outstanding extra-curricular programme, which includes exciting initiatives such as Sailing, the Combined Cadet Force and the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.

Anyone wishing to delve deeper into the leadership opportunities available as a Rydal Penrhos Sixth Former can do so, with members of the Senior Prefect Team also set to lend their support to the event and chat with those in attendance.

For more information on our Sixth Form Information Evening or to book your place, email admissions@rydalpenrhos.com or call 01492 530155, or register your interest using our online form below.

We look forward to welcoming everyone to the event, which will be another tremendous showcase of what Rydal Penrhos has to offer.

Under Milk Wood (The Definitive Edition)

Amateur production a roaring triumph

There was another landmark occasion at Rydal Penrhos which saw more than 70 pupils participate in various capacities during the annual senior amateur production.

This follows on from performances such as Les Miserables and Matilda the Musical Jr. in recent years to further enhance the status of performing arts across the school.

Pupils spent a considerable period rehearsing and learning lines prior to taking the stage for Under Milk Wood (The Definitive Edition), which was held on Sunday 16 October, Monday 17, and Tuesday 18 in the Memorial Hall.

“Under Milk Wood (The Definitive Edition)” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatres Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd. www.concordtheatricals.co.uk.

The three-night amateur production was incredibly well supported by the Rydal Penrhos community, who turned out in force to see pupils thriving on stage during the emotional and humorous Dylan Thomas piece.

Cast members received significant praise for their respective contributions, with production lead Miss Fiona Earle stating that performing in front of a reactive audience brought the very best out of each pupil involved.

Miss Earle arranged a series of workshops with the likes of Ben Richards to boost pupils’ performance levels. Their dress rehearsal was even attended by Iwan Williams, who is the chief executive and artistic director of The Barn Theatre.

The respected figure took in the amateur production and spent time speaking with pupils upon its conclusion, offering some helpful hints that served them well when the big nights arrived.

Gallery: Amateur Production of Under Milk Wood (The Definitive Edition)

This all contributed to an exceptional spectacle. Rydal Penrhos staff lent their support in various forms such as lighting and set creation, with Mr Pete Williams and Gwyn Davies providing the musical elements throughout.

On behalf of everyone at Rydal Penrhos, we would like to congratulate the pupils, Miss Earle and everyone who assisted with Under Milk Wood (The Definitive Edition). You should be enormously proud of your efforts.

The Great Big Green Week

Activities aplenty organised by Prep Eco Committee

Pupils across all year groups at Rydal Penrhos are incredibly conscious of the world around them.

The growing concern surrounding climate change is something they care deeply about and the teaching staff at the school do a wonderful job of encouraging discussion and promoting awareness about the ever-changing circumstances locally as well as across the globe.

This was once again evident within the Prep School recently. Pupils got the opportunity to participate in a series of exciting activities to raise awareness for The Great Big Green Week, which is the UK’s largest celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature.

The Prep Eco Committee ran events throughout the week for those in Pre-School to Year 6. The group is led by teacher Julie Woodthorpe, eco leaders and members of the pupil leadership team.

There was a lot going on over the week, including a treasure hunt to find facts about climate change and how to look after the planet. A gorilla mask competition to celebrate World Gorilla Day also proved highly popular.

Encouraging the reuse and recycling of materials was another prominent topic over a busy few days, with pupils awarded house points for no food waste on their plates during lunch.

Prep pupils collected empty crisp packets for a special Senior School community outreach project. Staff also lent their support to The Great Big Green Week, saving energy and resources by switching off lights and whiteboards in rooms when not in use, reducing printing and reusing paper, no laminating, walking to school and ensuring taps were switched off to save water.

Climate change was included in lessons through a letter-writing activity. Rydal Penrhos’ Reception class also made vegetable soup using runner beans from the school garden to learn about sustainability and food waste.

Sixth Form

Smoothing the transition

Although moving up from Senior School to Rydal Penrhos Sixth Form is obviously exciting, this can also be a daunting prospect for Year 11 upon finishing their GCSEs.

In addition to the exam pressures, they must also mentally prepare for making the transition into a more independent way of learning while also making plans for the next step of their respective journeys at university or within the working world.

This is something that our teaching staff are mindful of very early in the process. They acknowledge the strains that any changes might have on young learners and go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure each pupil is fully prepared for any challenges coming their way.

Our Sixth Form pupils know they are lucky and as such, they work hard to represent the school as exemplary ambassadors, giving back to the school and wider community with boundless energy and enthusiasm. Becoming role models to younger pupils is a source of great pride for them all – skills they take through into later life as part of the exceptional foundations they receive at Rydal Penrhos.

The Sixth Form experience comes with a proven ethos of teamwork, leadership and service underpinned by a sense of intellectual curiosity. Effective teacher/pupil ratios and bespoke pastoral care ensure that pupils move forward ready and willing to contribute their skills to the wider world around them, maintaining strong well-being and confidence at an integral stage in a safe, happy environment.

Tutor groups are deliberately small and caring, meaning tutors can take the time to know their pupils, forging relationships that will challenge them to fulfil their ambitions.

These elements make it more relaxing for those in Year 11 to make their own transitions. Studying for GCSE examinations is hard enough without the added sense of knowing things are going to change drastically almost immediately after.

Rydal Penrhos combines academic development at a crucial period with preparing each pupil for what lies ahead. Specialist transition days, career events and bonding with their peers during team-building activities are just some of the strategic methods implemented by the school, which are proven to build the right foundations for a successful final two years before moving on.

We understand that Sixth Formers are older and more independent – but there are still people on hand to guide and help as they navigate their way through classes, exams and what comes next.

Starting your A Levels can be a strange and stressful time. You’ve spent the last two years building up to your GCSEs only to find that actually a bigger, more important, nastier set of exams has sprung up on the horizon.

While this is again a challenging proposition, teaching staff ease the pressure by introducing each pupil gradually into the A Level curriculum, ensuring they select the right subjects in keeping with their potential career path and providing expert advice in pursuit of putting pupils’ best interests at heart.

The evidence is there to further indicate how this care assists. Rydal Penrhos has a rich and proud history of examination results, extra-curricular accomplishments are vast and the school is held in the highest regard throughout the Colwyn Bay and Conwy regions.

However, the best example of all comes from our Sixth Formers themselves, not the statistics to which they are attached. A glowing representation of everything good at Rydal Penrhos School.

Rugby

Another impressive win for First XV

The level of togetherness displayed by Rydal Penrhos’ first XV rugby side throughout recent weeks has been hugely encouraging. Staff put them through their paces at a special pre-season training camp before the academic year commenced, which stood the squad in tremendous stead ahead of a busy series of fixtures.

Head of Rugby Ryan Kirby continues to enhance the group’s skills remarkably during coaching sessions and in terms of conditioning at the school’s state-of-the-art fitness suite. Something that brought about another outstanding display of character and overall quality against Stockport Grammar School on Saturday 15 October.

This was another stern test for the team on a glorious morning at New Field. However, their communication and teamwork saw Rydal Penrhos emerge as thoroughly deserving 39-12 victors following a sterling performance in all phases.

It was a memorable contest for Year 10 pupil Ethan Akroyd, who secured Player of the Match thanks in no small part to his exemplary positional kicking that was mature beyond his years.

There was plenty of attacking prowess on display from the hosts, with head boy James Copeland standing out considerably due to a two-try performance to put Rydal Penrhos in the ascendancy.

Matthew Johnson, Jonathan Osbourne, Will Tavernor, Henry Hibbert and Jacob Cousins were others to cross the line, with conversions coming from Olly Davies and Niall Richardson to round off the scoring.

This was another encouraging outing for the group, which produced a superb blend of flair and grit defensively to ensure their goals were met on the day.

Their latest triumph is another strong reflection of the development occurring under Mr Kirby, who joined Rydal Penrhos last year and has made a significant impact on the school’s rugby program in such a short space of time.

Congratulations to every pupil involved and we wish you the best of luck for the remainder of the campaign.

Water-Sports

Josh & Lexi-May gain Powerboat qualifications

Getting out on the water and testing themselves is something our pupils love. Rydal Penrhos’ outstanding Sailing and Water-Sports Centre is accredited by the Royal Yachting Association and has been a core part of the school’s extra-curricular provision for more than six decades on the stunning Colwyn Bay coastline.

This has brought a significant amount of regional, national and international success in recent years. Pupils also get the opportunity to attain useful water-related qualifications at school and in their own time, which staff highly encourage to boost overall development.

Another fine example of this occurred recently from a brother-sister duo carving out their own successful path at Rydal Penrhos and during activities away from a typical school week.

Josh and Lexi-May Williams had the chance to participate in Powerboating Courses administered by the RYA at the Abersoch Hydro Training and Activity Centre. This involved taking part in a series of activities under the supervision of qualified instructors, developing overall knowledge and hands-on skills under strict guidelines.

This is a task Josh and Lexi-May took on with their customary enthusiasm and determination. Both passed their respective levels with flying colours, with Josh attaining a Level 2 award and Lexi-May securing her Level 1 accolade.

Josh and Lexi-May were incredibly proud of their accomplishments. They received their certificates and documents from staff following the conclusion of the course and will now begin working towards further honours in the not-too-distant future.

Everyone at Rydal Penrhos would like to congratulate Josh and Lexi-May on their achievements. We look forward to hearing about many more as they progress through the school.

Football

Prep stars perform well in latest fixtures

It’s been fantastic to see our young Rydal Penrhos pupils getting back into the swing of sporting fixtures during the academic year.

Training and matches are taking place across the Prep and Senior sites, which is the best way to improve critical areas such as teamwork, communication and the ability to perform well in a competitive setting.

Football is a sport that’s increasing in popularity across Rydal Penrhos. Extra-curricular sessions for Years 7-13 gained a tremendous response and this is a similar situation at the Prep for pupils looking to follow in the footsteps of their footballing heroes.

The Prep School’s A and B football squads earned special praise for their commitment during their latest fixtures, with the group travelling to Altrincham Prep School for two hard-fought contests in testing weather conditions.

There was plenty of grit and determination on display throughout, with the A squad coming up with some memorable highlights before eventually falling to a narrow one-goal defeat despite an extremely spirited effort.

This solid performance was matched by the school’s B team, who turned in an effort of the highest quality to secure a notable success to round off a very encouraging trip for all involved.

Both squads will aim to build on their latest outings upon returning from the half-term break under the guidance of Mr Jamie McLeod and other hard-working staff at the school.

Congratulations to our Prep football squads on another encouraging day at the office. We look forward to hearing about what comes next in the coming weeks.

Gallery

Harvest Service 2022

Video

Prep football highlights

Vacancies

Teacher of Business Studies Science Technician

Rydal Penrhos Vacancies

We have two exciting opportunities to join our staff team at Rydal Penrhos.

Full details and how to apply can be found in the digital documents below.