The RP Weekly: 22 April 2022

The digital weekly newsletter from Rydal Penrhos School - 22 April 2022.

The RP Weekly

22 April 2022

Looking Ahead

With Mrs Lucy Davies and Mr Phil Sutton

Parent Information Update – Week Beginning 25/04/22

Coming Soon

For the week beginning (w.b.) 25 April 2022, or earlier:

Monday 25 April – school is closed to pupils but open to staff for a training day.

Tuesday 26 April – first day of Trinity Term. With the start of the new term comes a new set of after-school clubs and activities; available options can be viewed by clicking the links below:

Prep Clubs – Trinity Term 2022.

Senior Clubs – Trinity Term 2022 [please note that Year 7 and 8 Outdoor Education will include watersports on a rotation basis].

Tuesday 26 April – trip to The Play That Goes Wrong; 18:30 – 22:15.

Friday 29 April – Gold DofE practice departs; the trip returns on Monday 2 May.

Looking further ahead:

w.b. Monday 2 May – Year 7 and 8 exams; timetables will be sent out in due course.

w.b. Monday 9 May – Year 9 and 10 exams; timetables will be sent out in due course.

Thursday 12 May – the Rydal Penrhos Colours and Extra-Curricular Awards Evening.

Extra Information

Covid update – we are continuing to update our risk assessment within Welsh Government and Conwy Borough Council guidelines.

Open Day – Pre-School and Prep parents are invited to see their children’s classrooms and meet their teachers on the morning of Friday 6 May. The timetable for visits is below; please email lparry-williams@rydalpenrhos.com to confirm your attendance.

	Start	Finish	Guide
Pre-School	11:05	11:55	Miss Spencer
Reception	09:00	09:50	Mrs Devilleforte
Year 1	09:55	10:45	Mrs Woodthorpe
Year 2 (2CC)	11:05	11:55	Mrs Culver/Miss Richards
Year 2 (2RD)	09:00	09:50	Miss Davies
Year 3	09:55	10:45	Mrs Oliver
Year 4	11:05	11:55	Mr McLeod
Year 5	08:35	09:25	Mrs Chamberlain
Year 6	08:35	09:35	Mrs Pyves

Open Day 2022

Booking open for May event

Rydal Penrhos is pleased to announce details of a special Open Day, which will take place on Friday 6 May 2022 and is set to provide prospective pupils and their families a first-hand opportunity to see for themselves what goes on during a typical day at the school.

This is an exciting time to join the Rydal Penrhos community. The school is flourishing from Pre-School to Sixth Form, examination results and value-added scores remain of the highest standard and things have a much more familiar feel to them across academic subjects and extra-curricular activities with decreasing restrictions from the Welsh Government.

The Open Day will be held in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines at the time and booking is advised for anyone wishing to attend. The event will be split into two sections to accommodate anyone looking to visit both Prep and Senior sites.

Prep visitors – 09:00-12:00
Senior visitors – 13:00-16:00

Those in attendance will get individual tours from the school and speak with teaching and admissions staff to get a broader perspective of the day-to-day life of a pupil, the diverse curriculum and exceptional pastoral care.

There will be a host of things to enjoy throughout the showcase, which will feature core academic departments such as English, Mathematics, Art, Drama, Music and Science.

Our thriving extra-curricular provision will also be on full display as pupils young and old go about their usual activities.

The Open Day will take place from 09:00-16:00 and refreshments will be available following tours.

Anyone wishing to book their place at our Open Day, or for more information, please call 01492 530155, email admissions@rydalpenrhos.com or use our online form.

	Start	Finish	Guide
Pre-School	11:05	11:55	Miss Spencer
Reception	09:00	09:50	Mrs Devilleforte
Year 1	09:55	10:45	Mrs Woodthorpe
Year 2 (2CC)	11:05	11:55	Mrs Culver/Miss Richards
Year 2 (2RD)	09:00	09:50	Miss Davies
Year 3	09:55	10:45	Mrs Oliver
Year 4	11:05	11:55	Mr McLeod
Year 5	08:35	09:25	Mrs Chamberlain
Year 6	08:35	09:35	Mrs Pyves

The Donald Hughes Trust

Support our fantastic campaign

We would love to take this opportunity to remind everyone about the work of our very important and well-respected Donald Hughes Trust, which was founded in 1970.

The fund was set up to honour its namesake, one of our former Headmasters. Donald Hughes worked tirelessly to ensure that disadvantaged children and young people would not miss out on the opportunity to have an outstanding education; through the Donald Hughes Trust, his benevolent project continues to this day.

The Donald Hughes Trust is now an important source of funding for our Fully Funded Places scheme at Rydal Penrhos, which each year allows disadvantaged local children and young people to join our school. As a charity, this is something we feel passionate about and we know that our alumni, parents and staff are similarly supportive and engaged.

We have lots of ideas on how we might revitalise donations to this fund and wish to make it an everyday part of what we do as a school. We have already made an incredible start thanks to the generosity of the Rydal Penrhos family and we are deeply grateful to all the wonderful givers who have contributed thus far.

These contributions have included both large individual gifts and smaller donations or legacies, however the single most popular way to contribute is through a small monthly donation with Gift Aid. We would ask anyone who feels they could help us in this way to get in touch so that we can assist them in setting up their donation or you could download the form here and return it to us.

We would like to say thank you to all our alumni who have already supported this project or others. Philanthropy is a huge factor behind the success of Rydal Penrhos over the years and we are beyond grateful to our benefactors.

We recently held a collection for both the Donald Hughes Trust and St David’s Hospice before the Prep Spring Concert, which saw over 200 people descend on the Memorial Hall to mark the occasion. The money raised will be split between the two causes and we would like to thank everyone who contributed. Even a little goes a long way!

Supporting the Donald Hughes Trust is not only a way of honouring a strong connection with the school, it is also a way of joining together with other alumni to support the next generation following in their footsteps.

We hope you will consider becoming part of our school’s incredible tradition of philanthropy. Every gift – whatever the scale, and whatever the reason – makes a huge difference to the work of the Donald Hughes Trust. It helps provide life-changing opportunities to children who are awarded a Fully Funded Place, each of whom adds to the vibrant internal diversity of the pupil body, in turn enriching the school community as a whole.

“I can’t express in words or actions how much this means to me, and how much it has helped me and will continue to help me and my future, but all I can say is how thankful and appreciative I am of this chance to prove myself" - a Rydal Penrhos pupil, who joined thanks to a Fully Funded Place supported by the Donald Hughes Trust.

Values such as compassion, tolerance, good humour and courage are instilled in our pupils from a very early age and are core components of the ethos that guides the Rydal Penrhos community on a daily basis. Help us continue our work in improving the prospects of our children and young people, and in turn our local communities, by donating to the Donald Hughes Trust.

Anyone wishing to donate can do so easily on our website (https://rydalpenrhos.com/society/donald-hughes-trust/donate/). For those wanting further information or an alternative way of giving, please contact 01492 530155 or email alumni@rydalpenrhos.com.

Rydal Penrhos Society newsletter

Issue 39 out now

Rydal Penrhos Society Newsletter

We are delighted to bring you the latest edition of the Rydal Penrhos Society newsletter, which takes on the theme of journeys and features a wealth of exciting features from alumni thriving in various professions across the globe.

Take a trip back in time, see what's been making headlines at school over the last few weeks, journey through our archives and see what events are upcoming for former pupils and the entire Rydal Penrhos community.

Many thanks to Debbie McCluskey, Lloyd Parry-Williams and Dean Jones for putting together such a fantastic newsletter, which also features contributions from Mr John Waszek (Executive Principal), Mrs Lucy Davies (Deputy Principal, Head of Prep), Ms Deborah McKinnel (Chair of Governors) and Mr Guy Watson (Rydal Penrhos Society President).

Anyone wishing to view the Rydal Penrhos Society Newsletter can do so here.

Eton Fives

Welsh Invitational Open set for return!

The return of sporting events has been prevalent across Rydal Penrhos life since COVID-19 restrictions were eased by the Welsh Government.

This is a part of the calendar that was sorely missed over the best part of two years and although pupils remained on track with their development, there is no substitute for competitive experiences to further boost progression.

Rydal Penrhos is thrilled to announce that the Eton Fives Welsh Invitational Open will be returning this year, with the event scheduled to take place on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 May.

This is something the school has hosted for a number of years and features some of the top Fives players from across the country as well as current and former pupils.

Mrs Nicky Head, who is Head of Physical Education at Rydal Penrhos, said: "It gives our own players a good competitive weekend and this is the only exclusive school and visitors tournament of its type.

"We hope to see many of our alumni back at Rydal Penrhos for the event."

Anyone wishing to take part should contact Mrs Head via email at NJHead@rydalpenrhos.com. We would love to hear from you!

GCSE Revision Courses

Event hailed a big success

The Easter holidays are typically a key period for GCSE pupils at Rydal Penrhos and beyond, as schools finish teaching the syllabus and attention now turns to the fast-approaching exams. Mocks will be over, results received, and key targets identified.

However, many pupils will not have clear techniques for revision and indeed may not have sat examinations for several years in a formal context due to COVID-19 precautions. Exam sitting, like most things in life, is a skill that can be taught. This is something we are very keen on doing here at Rydal Penrhos.

Revising is a learnt skill. At Rydal Penrhos, we understand that each and every one of our pupils are individuals who learn in different ways and hence they quite often need to use different strategies and tools for revision.

For parents, the assurance that you have done something constructive to prepare your child for their exams, especially if tensions arise when you offer help at home, can also ease a considerable burden.

Rydal Penrhos recognises that it has been a difficult period for learners over the last two years and organised a special revision week from 11-13 April for current pupils and those across the North Wales area to assist with their exam preparations.

This focused on the core exam subjects of Mathematics, English and Science The intensive days also consisted of how to better prepare mentally and practically for exams, providing helpful tips on how to attain peak performance along with essential revision tips and guidance.

The incredible opportunity is something that Rydal Penrhos pupils and many others from other schools took full advantage of. They each gained a significant amount of additional knowledge from our exceptional teaching staff that they can take away and use in a positive fashion.

We would like to thank our Rydal Penrhos teachers who took time out of their break to assist, the staff who organised the event and to every pupil for giving their absolute all throughout.

Year 1

World Wildlife Fund competition winners!

Rydal Penrhos understands the importance of keeping more traditional methods of teaching and learning in place despite the ever-changing digital age.

Firstly, we know our children and that each and every one of them is different and thrives when they are challenged in their own specific ways, something that is nurtured superbly by the school’s exceptional teaching staff.

Secondly, the world still requires some of the more traditional educational skills developed over time, and so not to use them while they are with us here at Rydal Penrhos would be to put them at a disadvantage for future education and employment.

There was an enormous amount of excitement in the air as Year 1 pupils at Rydal Penrhos emerged as a victor of a nationwide reading competition implemented by the World Wildlife Fund.

The school decided to participate in their Winter Mini-Challenge Book review competition, which saw Year 1 get to grips with a popular children’s book before taking part in a series of exciting activities under the supervision of teaching staff.

Each pupil decided on the “Storm” book, which was read both individually and as part of group sessions in class. This was something a little different and also involved writing creative book reviews on what they thought, some illustrations and getting involved in thought-provoking discussions with classmates.

Not only was this a very informative and worthwhile exercise for Year 1, but Rydal Penrhos was also chosen by the WWF as a winning entry thanks to the high quality of submissions from our hard-working pupils.

In recognition of their outstanding dedication throughout the activity, pupils will now get to adopt an animal for Rydal Penrhos from the WWF, which will include an adoption pack and regular updates on its progress in the wild.

On behalf of everyone at Rydal Penrhos, we would like to congratulate Year 1 on their wonderful efforts throughout the competition, something that obviously did not go unnoticed by the WWF!

Rugby

Strong tournament effort from U11 side

Getting back to competitive sporting action is something that’s transpired quickly at Rydal Penrhos once COVID-19 restrictions were eased by the Welsh Government.

Fixtures are taking place frequently, progress has been encouraging across the board and teams are also looking to stake their claim at various competitions and tournaments across the country.

Pupils have been able to hit the ground running thanks to their development remaining on track in difficult circumstances over the last two years. Something that was prevalent both in a sports environment and within the classroom thanks to the outstanding dedication of the school’s staff.

The school’s U11 rugby side marked their return to tournament action with a strong showing at the Urdd regional tournament, which took place in Llanrwst shortly before the end of term break.

This saw the group compete against other hopefuls from across North Wales and got off to the best possible start with an exceptional unbeaten run to top their group and advance to the knockout stage.

Rydal Penrhos secured victories against St David’s College, Ysgol Penmachno, Ysgol Bod Alaw and Ysgol Deganwy, but they were unable to reach the final after a narrow semi-final loss to Ysgol Bro Gwydir despite a spirited effort.

Credit to the aspiring rugby stars, who responded well to the setback and managed to secure third place in the competition by beating Ysgol Deganwy in a playoff to attain their well-deserved podium finish.

This was a significant confidence boost for the young squad, who demonstrated some quality play on the pitch, working together superbly as a group in the pursuit of victory.

We would like to congratulate the Rydal Penrhos U11 rugby squad on their competition efforts. You represented the school in an exemplary fashion and should be proud of your accomplishments.

Prep School

The perfect environment for a successful education

The beginning of a child’s journey throughout education at Rydal Penrhos is an exciting one. Everything is new, curiosity is enhanced to levels they haven’t experienced before and key skills are being developed that will stand them in good stead throughout the remainder of their school life.

The main objective of a Prep/Primary education is to make children think analytically, achieve high standards, to face challenges posed by technology and the advancement of citizenship and basic values.

It provides an opportunity for children to make friends and develop communication skills. The future of a child is shaped by the early stages of their development and it can positively boost self-confidence and offer the skills they need to achieve success in their lives.

Children who do not receive the basic education throughout their early years, including counting, alphabet, colours and shapes are going to fall behind other children who possess this basic knowledge.

Our teaching staff and senior leaders at Rydal Penrhos are unapologetically ambitious on behalf of each pupil from Pre-School right up until they depart in Year 13.

We treat our learners as unique individuals and aim to support their development into well-rounded members of the school community who are fully equipped with the resourcefulness to embrace whatever lies ahead.

This allows our pupils to thrive in a safe, happy and nurturing environment, providing them with the tools needed to flourish long after they leave school in the rapidly changing global marketplace.

The school accomplishes this with a diverse curriculum, comprehensive support and assessment from start to finish as well as an enriching extra-curricular provision that caters to almost every interest.

All this starts from a very early age.

At Rydal Penrhos’ incredible Prep, a curriculum has been devised to capture the fun, inquisitiveness and creativity that the school firmly believes should lie at the very core of teaching and learning.

Developing academic skills from Years 3 to 6 is a crucial stage of a child’s development, Rydal Penrhos offers a broad and rich learning experience that is delivered through a dynamic, thematic curriculum.

English, Science and Maths form the foundation of our learning experience, with specialist teaching in areas such as Art and Design, Music, Drama and Computing also implemented to further boost every pupil’s overall development.

Combining the very best primary practice with an extremely varied extra-curricular provision ensures that every pupil is challenged and develops the skills necessary for learning.

This also helps them get ready for the next stage of the educational journey with us at the senior school.

This method of igniting imaginations while simultaneously equipping them with essential skills they need for education and later life is at the core of Rydal Penrhos’ rich and proud ethos that continues to stand the test of time.

Lara Pyves

Former pupil reflects on New Zealand GAP year

Our pupils at Rydal Penrhos go on to the next stage of their journey fully prepared for whatever they plan to do next.

The large majority head straight to higher education at prestigious universities across the country and beyond, others begin working apprenticeships and some even broaden their horizons on GAP years before resuming their long-term career paths.

It’s been an unusual time for our recent leavers, who have had to deal with the stresses of planning and also the added uncertainty surrounding COVID-19. Pupils were forced into online learning, lockdowns and assessment rather than normal examinations to further increase stress during an already trying time.

Teaching staff at the school went above and beyond to ensure our pupils remained on track in all areas. Something that’s enabled our most recent alumni to thrive – reaching and often far exceeding their goals.

Lara Pyves, (RPS 2019-21), opted for a GAP year working at a boarding school in New Zealand before embarking on university later this year. Something the school was incredibly supportive of and assisted her every step of the way.

She said: “They didn’t push me towards applying to a university, they happily provided me with references and contacts in New Zealand. It’s so much fun! I’m thoroughly enjoying myself. The fact that I have a job that I enjoy is amazing.”

Lara has wasted no time in throwing herself into every task presented to her by the school. She described the quarantine period upon entering the country as “one of the most difficult things to overcome” so far, but it’s obvious the former pupil is acquiring plenty of memorable moments along the way.

“Having fun with the boarding pupils is great”, she added. “Most evenings we go out to the cricket pitch and play man-hunt, girls cricket or gymnastics."

"They’ve always got something they want to do. And just before bed they all want hugs good night, it’s such a lovely environment. Every week there are students off because they’re self-isolating due to COVID-19, but life still carries on as usual. The main challenge has been tiredness, it’s so full on all the time!”

Although Lara is extremely busy with her current commitments, she has already begun preparing for what comes next. She plans to travel the South Island “properly” and is also aiming to backpack across the east coast of Australia before returning to the United Kingdom.

Lara also offered some advice for any Sixth Form pupils looking to follow this particular path before university, something that has had a profound impact on her and

“Absolutely do it”, Lara said. “There’s no race to get to university, you’re not going to be left behind if you go a year later! Also, the experiences you gain from being in a different country and from challenging environments will help you grow so much. Plus it’s so fun.”

Facilities

No occasion we can't handle!

Celebrations, parties, baby showers, funerals. There is no type of occasion that we can’t manage here at Rydal Penrhos.

Come dine with us and our team of talented chefs at Rydal Penrhos on-site all year round able to create delicious three-course meals through to luscious cream teas or even a barbecue for the summer occasions.

Or if you would rather we work with a hand-picked group of local food producers who offer various “street” food options, ideas such as prosecco vans, wood-fired pizzas, local seafood, fresh ice cream, hot desserts – our staff will be more than willing to accommodate these needs.

From our Church Hall to our incredible cricket pavilion looking out on one of the most beautiful pitches in Wales, Rydal Penrhos has a reputation for providing everything to meticulous detail and ensuring those using the site get everything they ever dreamed of.

We have hosted funerals through to baby shower events and everything in between. If you need a much larger venue we have the choice of our more contemporary Ferguson Centre with beautiful sea views which is the perfect relaxed space for cocktail parties, informal celebrations, business gatherings or conferences.

If you have a large event where you want to use the most beautiful Grade II listed Osborn Hall with its newly refurbished parquet floors and wood panelling, mood lighting and stained glass windows, then you are in for a spectacular setting that would make any occasion a truly memorable event.

One of the only venues in North Wales able to host such a large number of guests, the Osborn Hall is a must for anyone considering a ball, awards evening or wedding. Seeing is believing regarding this truly remarkable building that dates back decades.

And if you fancy a “back yard” wedding or event, in a marquee, this is something we are also adept at. Sheltered by the incredible sandstone cloisters, the Osborn Hall and the Theatre/Memorial Hall, our Quad and Cloisters make the most iconic setting for drinks or any event from barn dancing to a glamorous black-tie event.

Step inside the Memorial Hall and you are literally walking back in time to “Downton Abbey” style architecture and feel. Anyone would feel like a prince, princess or the belle of the ball in such surroundings.

From relaxed to formal we can offer it all and as if by magic we have experienced, professional wedding and event planners in school who have worked on weddings, parties and funerals for their entire professional careers in North Wales and around the world.

They provide help with planning and curating and running the actual events so that everything is done smoothly without any stress on you on the day itself. No request is too large or too small, if you want spotted balloons or palm trees they will find them for you – it’s all part of the service!

What do you do next? Just come in and chat, meet the planners, look around the options and decide what you want for your event, you will be most welcome.

Booking is just the first step. That’s when the fun begins and our staff look to alleviate any stresses or concerns from start to finish in a fun-loving, passionate manner.

Anyone wishing to enquire more about holding an event at Rydal Penrhos should email events@rydalpenrhos.com or call 01492 530155. We look forward to hearing from you!