The RP Weekly: 27 August 2021
The Weekly Digital newsletter from Rydal Penrhos School.
The RP Weekly
27 August 2021
2021 Results
Major factors behind success
Although there has been a period of significant adjustment over the last 17 months both in education and day-to-day life, Rydal Penrhos continues to go from strength to strength thanks to some big changes that made a substantial difference to learning and development in the face of ever-changing times.
This was reflected in another year of truly exceptional results at A Level and GCSE. Although normal examinations were unable to take place, that did not stop pupils and staff from tirelessly working to maximise their potential despite the obvious challenges.
At A Level, 70.5% attained a pass rate at A*-A, which is the highest in the school’s history since the introduction of the A* grade and represents an increase of 20.3% year on year.
Those achieving A*-B grades stood at 84.1% – a rise of 9.9% – with 92% of pupils achieving A*-C grades as a result of their efforts. The mean number of subjects passed per candidate was 3.14.
It was a similar situation at GCSE, with our fantastic Year 11 pupils recording 68.7% pass rate at A*-A or 9-7, which is 38.7% higher than the national average of 30%.
The number of GCSE candidates that secured passes from A*-C or 9-4 was 92.7% – 13.1% higher than the national average of 79.1%.
This is the culmination of a challenging academic year that’s brought the best out of the entire school community. Pupils, staff and parents all came together in pursuit of the same goal, which was further aided by some excellent initiatives brought in by the school with pupil progression in mind.
Comprehensive online learning provision
Rydal Penrhos’ senior leadership team, together with teaching and support staff, strived to ensure that each pupil’s goals were met and there was no loss of learning following the unfortunate lockdown and return to teaching.
It took a considerable amount of planning to be ready and prepared, planning and effort that was worth its weight in gold, with pupils of all ages hitting the ground running with a clear, concise online learning programme that has been supported in full by the school’s incredible parent body.
Free iPads
A significant investment in state-of-the-art servers and free iPads for every pupil from Reception through to Year 13 had a marked improvement on the educational opportunities for Rydal Penrhos pupils and on their personal and academic progress, something that was evident when A Level and GCSE results were announced.
Alongside this investment in equipment and software, training for teaching and support staff ensured that pupils continued to be taught by well-trained staff. This assisted them both online and once they made a welcome return to face-to-face learning.
Teaching time increased
These changes were implemented to add significantly to the academic provision for our pupils whilst simultaneously enhancing their wellbeing and progression to University. For Year 12 and 13 pupils, this included more than 250 hours of additional subject teaching by specialist teachers.
Those in the final year of their A Level studies were typically taught for 25 lessons per week – including PSHE and Physical Education – with additional personal study lessons supervised by teachers, and every pupil was mentored by a senior member of the teaching staff.
Small Class sizes
Another thing that has been highly beneficial for our pupils is the small class sizes and our high teacher to pupil ratio. These two factors enable our teachers to provide a more personal approach to learning, catering to each child’s needs to ensure they reach or often exceed the grades projected.
This has enabled everyone associated with Rydal Penrhos to look forward to the future, rather than approach it with a sense of trepidation in the current COVID-19 climate.
Pupil-centred approach to education
It is no secret that the school’s recent success comes from a strong focus on its pupils with a child-centred approach that has proven highly beneficial. Something we are keen to continue and grow long into the future.
We make sure that every pupil counts, that no pupil is left out, or left behind. The school works in a true partnership with parents and carers to ensure that every pupil gets the opportunities they need and deserve in order to truly love learning.
Constant monitoring, marking and feedback
Even though normal interaction was at a premium during home learning, this did not stop our teaching staff from going above and beyond the call of duty to constantly monitor, mark and provide feedback on work constantly, which provided pupils on potential areas of improvements and things they needed to work on to progress from the comfort of their own homes and on-site.
Governance
Clive Wolfendale joins Governing Board
Rydal Penrhos is absolutely indebted to its Governing Board. They are a driving force behind the scenes that play a leading role in the strategic direction of the school.
This has seen rapid growth in pupil numbers over the last year and an exceptional reaction in ever-changing times to ensure no learning loss took place throughout the educational lockdowns and other measures relating to COVID-19.
In the latest exciting development, the school is thrilled to announce that Mr Clive Wolfendale has been appointed to the Governing Board of Rydal Penrhos.
Clive spent 34 years as a Police Officer with Greater Manchester and North Wales Police, culminating as the Acting Chief Constable, based in Colwyn Bay.
He also served as Chief Executive of CAIS Ltd – a registered charity and leading voluntary sector provider of personal support services in Wales and is now the Chair of Trustees of Adferiad Recovery Ltd, which was created by the merger of CAIS with three other healthcare charities in Wales.
He has an MBA from Manchester Business School and a Postgraduate Diploma from the University of Cambridge.
Clive is also a Vice President of the prestigious Llangollen International Eisteddfod and the Musical Director of the popular Llandudno Swing Band.
He also serves as a Trustee of several charities including the National Welsh Language Centre and Nant Gwrtheyrn in addition to being the Chair of the Standards Committee of Conwy Borough Council.
Julian Barnes, who is Chair of Governors at Rydal Penrhos, said: “Clive will bring excellent knowledge of the school but also a wide range of experience and expertise, not least in his deep understanding of the charity sector, at this exciting time in the life of Rydal Penrhos.”
Value-Added
High scores once again in 2021
Value-added is one of the best indicators of performance for schools like Rydal Penrhos. Examination results at the school remain at an exceptionally high standard, but it’s helping our pupils exceed expectations that truly sets us apart.
When pupils arrive in school they are evaluated through tests – most of the time they do not even realise this is what is happening. These enable the school’s teaching staff to conduct an assessment into their ability and performance as well as forecasting the child’s likely outcome at GCSE and A Level according to the national average.
To ‘Add Value’ means a school can significantly influence a child’s performance through such a high standard of teaching that the projected outcome is improved. Therefore, achieving much better grades than originally projected had they attended a school more in keeping with the national average level.
Once results are published, the school sends statistics to the Centre of Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) based in Gateshead, which works in symmetry with the University of Cambridge to correlate value-added scores relating to performance.
Rydal Penrhos’ pupil-centred approach, constant monitoring and reporting, together with an outstanding academic provision both on-site and remotely during the educational lockdown have brought overwhelming value-added scores at both A Level and GCSE once again.
The school recorded a value-added score is 1.04. this means for every ten subjects taken, all of them came out with one grade higher than originally predicted.
Similarly, at GCSE, the value-added score from this year’s results was 0.81, which was almost identical to the 2020 figure of 0.8. This equates to just over eight out of every ten subjects taken resulting in higher grades than projected.
We are delighted with these results and feel it is a good indicator for parents that they are giving their child the very best opportunity to perform to their highest capability and even beyond it.
Although pupils were unable to sit normal examinations due to Welsh Government restrictions surrounding COVID-19, each pupil and staff member deserves a tremendous amount of credit for working hard and adjusting well to ever-changing circumstances to ensure their goals were attained and in most cases, exceeded.
Rydal Penrhos continues to create an education that enables our pupils to thrive through excellent teaching and support to achieve their best across all academic subjects and the diverse extra-curricular opportunities available.
These skills along with academic achievement are what enables our young people to move on to Key Stage 5 or the next stage of their journey away from the school with a solid foundation that enables them to flourish.
*It should be noted that the 2021 value-added data may not be entirely comparable to previous years due to the protocols adopted by the exam boards due to the Coronavirus pandemic.*
University
First-choice destinations secured
Rydal Penrhos has placed a strong emphasis on university preparation throughout Years 12 and 13 in addition to their academic ethos and varied extra-curricular provision, which has resulted in every pupil getting into their top higher-education choice in 2021.
Many of our Year 13 achieved places at Russell Group universities, which is a testament to their incredible ability to adapt throughout changing times and the strong work ethic from pupils and the staff constantly steering them in the right direction.
Rydal Penrhos prepares each pupil for the next step. This can be a daunting prospect, but the pressure is relieved considerably by the school’s committed and caring teaching staff.
With specific lessons regarding applications, the assessment process and the best possible destinations, Year 12 and 13 are given every essential piece of information ahead of some important decisions regarding their future.
Securing their first-choice universities is thanks to an exceptional set of A Level results from the Year 13 cohort this summer, which were the highest percentages in the school’s history.
We could not be prouder of our 2021 Year 13 cohort and wish them the very best of luck moving forward.
Golf
Charley crowned Welsh U16 Boys and Overall Champion
A talented young pupil has added further success to the Rydal Penrhos Golf Academy with another exceptional performance on the national stage.
Charley Simpson, who is entering Year 12 next month, travelled to Neath Golf Club for the Welsh U16 Open Championships, which was held over a testing two days and saw competitors play 54 holes (three rounds) during this span in pursuit of the crown.
The Golf Academy member has developed his skills considerably since joining Rydal Penrhos in Year 7, rising through the regional and national ranks en route to some notable accolades despite his tender age.
Charley performed well during the first day, putting himself right in contention atop the leaderboard and producing some memorable highlights along the way.
Entering the final round three strokes behind the leaders, Charley rose to the occasion incredibly well while others around him faltered, ending the day one-under-par to emerge victorious in both the Boys U16 and Overall U16 categories by three shots.
This represents a six-shot turnaround in Round No. 3 for Charley, which was an incredible performance and further enhanced his status as one of the brightest young golfers anywhere in the country.
This is the second time Charley has achieved national recognition to such a standard after winning the U14 Welsh Boys Open Championship in 2019.
Charley was due to represent Wales U16s at the Boys’ Quadrangular competition, which was set to take place at Donabate Golf Club against Scotland, Ireland and the Netherlands this week.
Unfortunately, organisers cancelled the event for the second straight year due to COVID-19 travel risks, but the Welsh contingent is heading to Royal Troon Golf Club to take on the Scotland squad instead for what should be another memorable experience for Charley and his teammates.
Charley recently signed a deal with Pro Dream USA, which helps young golfers from across the world connect with the best universities in the United States, supporting them throughout the strenuous process to fulfil academic and sporting potential.
Alumni
Jack secures 1st class Masters Degree
We are always thrilled to hear of our former pupils going on to great things upon leaving Rydal Penrhos.
The strong foundations laid during their time with us serves them well throughout higher education and the working world, something our staff team are extremely proud of.
Another shining example of this came to us recently from Jack Sissons, who left the school in 2017 and received a 1st class Masters Degree in Engineering at Durham University within St Mary’s College.
This was a four-year course that involved two years’ general engineering before a two-year spell specialising in civil engineering.
Jack participated in two big projects – one surrounded a real-life railway bridge design and the other focused on analysing the collapse of steel structures to large impact events, which became his dissertation.
The course also saw Jack excel in practical work within laboratories, a surveying course and a one-week practical engineering course.
Jack also spent his summers gaining vital additional experience on work placement with Atkins Global at their Epsom and Stockton-on-Tees offices on projects from footbridge design to major highway (A14) upgrades.
The former pupil left a good impression with the company and Jack will now move on to the Atkins Civil Engineering Graduate Scheme programme within their Transportation sector (inc. highways and structures) based at their main office site.
Jack said: “Rydal Penrhos taught me to believe in myself and gave me the confidence to go and tackle new things. Something that transitioned well to university.
“The school also promotes independence and gets you out of your comfort zone with schemes such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. It’s been a great experience and I cannot wait for the next chapter.”
Not only was Jack Deputy Head Boy at the school and a gifted academic, he also captained Rydal Penrhos’ cricket team and represented Colwyn Bay’s first XI on numerous occasions.
Jack remains a keen cricketer, turning out for Durham City Club during his time at university, who ply their trade in North East Division One.
He averaged around 23 with the bat – gaining one half-century knock – together with 18 wickets and best figures of 6-21.
Everyone at Rydal Penrhos would like to offer our sincere congratulations to Jack on attaining his 1st class Masters Degree in Engineering.
Mr Barnes
Chair of Governors praises A Level and GCSE results
Rydal Penrhos has put a strategic plan in place to improve pupil performance holistically.
Alongside the excellent teaching and thorough monitoring, there is everything that we do outside the classroom and extra-curricular pursuits that rounds a child and builds their resilience and confidence and essentially makes them safe, happy and thriving.
These skills along with academic achievement are what enables our young people to move on to the next stage of their lives and flourish. Something that was evident once again with a superb set of A Level and GCSE results this summer.
Although normal examinations were unable to take place thanks to COVID-19 restrictions, Year 13, 12 and 11 all worked exceptionally hard and adapted brilliantly to an unusual climate, with teachers, support staff and parents providing a level of care that forms a key component of the school’s ethos.
These fantastic results received praise from Julian Barnes, the school’s Chair of Governors, who congratulated everyone associated with Rydal Penrhos on behalf of the Governing Board.
Mr Barnes, who is also a former Rydal School pupil, said: “You will already have seen the outstanding results achieved by our pupils at A Level and GCSE.
“I wish to add the congratulations of the Governing Board.
“I also want to pay tribute to the hard work and professionalism of the staff and express our thanks for the great support the school has received from parents.”
Hockey & Rugby
Pre-season training camp announced
A lack of competitive sporting fixtures during the previous academic year was sorely missed at Rydal Penrhos.
COVID-19 health concerns and the need to keep everyone safe in an ever-changing climate was more important, although pupils were still able to develop and improve their conditioning through coaching sessions and individual programmes implemented by our fantastic teaching staff.
It was wonderful to see the first such action take place just before the summer break, with Rydal Penrhos’ first XI cricket team welcoming Marylebone Cricket Club for their prestigious annual fixture, which was a fantastic occasion met with glorious sunshine at the school’s exceptional New Field sporting facility.
With restrictions now easing across the country, the hope for a more familiar calendar of sports fixtures has resumed and Rydal Penrhos will be hosting a special pre-season training camp for its rugby and hockey squads ahead of the new term.
This will be held over a two-day period on Tuesday 31 August and Wednesday 1 September and is open to all pupils entering Years 10-13 from September.
The coaching sessions will be run by teaching staff Nicky Head and Sean Kitchen, in addition to specialist coaches Rob O’Donnell and Dan Rippon.
The aim of the camp is to spend time developing fitness, communication, teamwork and key handling skills in readiness for what should be a fantastic few months ahead for the school’s aspiring stars.
There will be no charge to attend these sessions, which are scheduled to run from 10am-4pm on both days.
Rydal Penrhos has a rich and proud history of sporting achievements in a number of fields. Many pupils have gone on to play professionally, compete at Olympic Games or achieve national honours at various youth levels thanks to the solid foundation they build during their time at the school.
Community
Pupils praised for Gwrych Castle clean-up
Just before the summer break, Rydal Penrhos pupils got the opportunity to participate in various events not normally found on the day-to-day calendar during Activity Week.
This was extremely welcome after a challenging academic year of restrictions, which enabled eager young learners to develop new skills, experience different things and have plenty of fun before their well-deserved rest.
Not only this, but the school also arranged come projects to assist within the community, with one in particular centring on a prominent North Wales landmark that’s currently being restored by a former pupil.
Dr Mark Baker and the Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust have done some truly incredible work renovating the Grade I listed site to its former glory in recent years, which has been a life-long passion of his and began whilst still a pupil at Rydal Penrhos.
The castle will once again play host to I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here in 2021, with COVID-19 travel restrictions preventing the series from being filmed from their usual location in Australia for the second straight year.
Pupils and staff travelled to the castle for a community action day, which involved clearing wood, weeds and other items to make the landscape even more picturesque for the hundreds of visitors that frequent the site every week.
Rydal Penrhos has a long-standing history with the community, helping with key projects and raising valuable funds for worthy causes in the region and beyond during the academic year.
This only strengthened during the COVID-19 lockdown, with the school opening up accommodation, producing PPE for keyworkers and also enabling those within the community to use childcare facilities.
Anthony E Duke, who was also volunteering at the castle, sent a special message to the school offering full credit to the pupils involved for not only carrying out their own specific duties, but also giving up their time to assist him with a strenuous task that did not go unnoticed.
He said: “As a volunteer at the castle, I was on a work party replacing metal posts along the roadway with two other colleagues.
A party of pupils arrived from your school to assist in clearing weeds/grass by the side of the roadway and a brilliant job they did.
“Three of the male pupils (unfortunately I did not get names) offered to assist me and my colleagues in the excavation of new holes, whereby they were to remove a substantial amount of soil/clay/rocks to a depth of two feet.
“I would like to express my gratitude for the work they undertook, they were polite, enthusiastic, hard-working and willing to get involved. A credit to the school and parents.”
A huge well done to our pupils and the staff who also assisted throughout the clean-up. As Mr Duke said, you did yourselves, your parents and everyone at Rydal Penrhos proud with a fantastic effort.
Hockey
Alex selected to Welsh U16 squad
Another talented hockey player at Rydal Penrhos has earned an international squad selection after impressing coaches during an initial trial period.
Alexander Starling, who is about to embark on Year 12 in September, came through a recent assessment process to earn a well-deserved call-up to the Wales U16 hockey squad for the Futures Cup tournament which is taking place this week.
This represents a significant achievement from Alex, who joined Rydal Penrhos as a Year 9 pupil in 2018 and has developed his skills considerably under the watchful eye of the school’s Physical Education staff and specialist coaches.
Players who consistently show that they are the best performing and possess the highest potential in their age group and are selected to compete in the Futures Cup from across the country, with the event once again taking place in St Alban’s from August 25-28.
This will be another tremendous experience for Alex as he looks to make his presence felt within the squad against some of the brightest young talent anywhere in the country.
Alex has been involved in regional squads for a number of years, competing at high-profile events and tournaments that also included the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Rydal Penrhos has a rich history of hockey achievements throughout history. Many pupils have secured regional and national honours during their time at the school, with our U16 and U18 boys teams also winning many Welsh championships in recent years.
Everyone at Rydal Penrhos is absolutely delighted for Alex on achieving this Welsh squad selection. Another name for the school’s ever-growing honours board featuring international-calibre pupils.
Pupil-Teacher Ratio
Extra form added to Year 10
As a school that values the importance of small class sizes and a high teacher to pupil ratio, Rydal Penrhos is able to focus on the individual and pay special care to the needs of every learner across all year groups whether they are starting their journey in Pre-School or preparing for the next stage of their respective journeys in Key Stage 5.
This caring approach was especially evident throughout the previous academic year. Staff put together a diverse and comprehensive remote learning provision that was not too dissimilar to a normal day on-site, something that enabled each pupil to continue progressing encouragingly with no loss of learning during such uncertain times.
Although pupil numbers have surged over the last 12 months at Rydal Penrhos, the school endeavours to maintain its low pupil-teacher ratio and allow each child to flourish at their own pace under the exceptional guidance and support of teachers and support staff.
Such has been the level of interest, the school has appointed more teaching staff, where needed, to cope with the growing demand for places.
The current pupil-teacher ratio at Rydal Penrhos stands at 1:9, which will go up no more than 1:10 as part of the school’s strategic direction.
Those entering Year 10 from September will be put into three separate forms rather than two groups due to this additional demand ahead of an important two years for pupils throughout their GCSE studies.
John Waszek, Executive Principal of Rydal Penrhos, said: “As a school, we continue to work on enhancing the provision for the pupils and this academic year has seen a significant increase in the number of pupils now attending the school.
“Consequently in order to retain our high teacher-pupil ratio, we will be increasing the number of forms in Year 10 from two to three.
“The Head of Key Stage 4, Mr Paul Sanders, will be supporting the Form Teachers and the pupils in ensuring that they get off to a brisk start in September.”
It is no secret that the school’s recent success comes from a strong focus on its pupils with a child-centred approach that has proven highly beneficial. Something we are keen to continue and grow long into the future. Smaller classes, specialist teachers and a wide range of curricular and extra-curricular activities ensure that learning is dynamic and individualised.
The superb results and overall progress in terms of value-added are a testament to the fine work being done throughout the school, which is in keeping with the fine community spirit and everyone pulling in the same direction to reach a common goal.
Paralympics
Former pupil Georgia secures medal!
Georgia Wilson, a former Rydal Penrhos pupil, is celebrating after earning a bronze medal in the dressage event at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
The 25-year-old finished third on her horse Sakura – the national flower of Japan and a symbol of optimism and rebirth – behind teammate Sir Lee Pearson, whose victory makes him a 12-time Paralympic champion.
This represents an exceptional achievement from Georgia, who attended Rydal Penrhos from 2007-12 and managed to attain an incredible 72.882 per cent score to finish in third.
Georgia is no stranger to success having won 2019 European freestyle gold.
She joined the Team GB squad as a late replacement for Sophie Christiansen and took full advantage of the opportunity in the individual test (Grade II) event to become the first Welsh medallist in the Japanese capital.
Speaking on Channel 4 after securing bronze, Georgia, said: “It’s incredible – it was a surprise to be here but it’s a nice surprise to see how Sakura has gone.
“She’s only young still and we haven’t had a lot of time together but she’s a mare who will do anything for you, so she’s really good.”
Georgia started riding when she was two years old after her mum was advised by a physio that it would help with her balance.
Her first pony was a Shetland called Diana, who was followed by a pony called Poppy – he was handed down to Georgia’s sisters when she had outgrown him.
Georgia joined the Pony Club and the RDA at Clwyd SRC, attending her first RDA nationals on Aaron, a palomino pony – which “gave her the bug” for dressage, and she also competed with BYRDs Wales team.
Everyone at Rydal Penrhos is so proud of Georgia and offers our sincere congratulations on her bronze medal achievement!
Staff
Commercial Manager appointed
Rydal Penrhos is delighted to announce that Maria McLean has joined the school as its new Commercial Manager.
Maria, who started in the role earlier this summer, will have responsibility for facility hire and events at the school, which boasts exceptional sporting facilities, an indoor pool and a host of beautiful event spaces, all of which are available for private use.
She joins with a wealth of marketing and event experience following a distinguished career in international hotels, restaurants and luxury property rentals.
Maria has already formed a strong partnership link between the school and rugby league side North Wales Crusaders, who recently moved from their previous home to Parc Eirias in Colwyn Bay.
The recent appointment is thrilled to join the incredible staff team at Rydal Penrhos and is aiming to “put the school on the map” as a leading venue in the community.
She said: “Rydal Penrhos is such a beautiful location with historical buildings, landscaped gardens and such amazing sports facilities.
“I am delighted to have joined the team and am looking forward to putting the school firmly on the map as a wedding and event venue and to working with our local community groups and teams to host training sessions and matches on the Rydal Penrhos fields and pitches.”
All of the facilities are available to hire throughout the year for weddings, events, corporate meetings, sporting events and fixtures and of course regular training sessions.
This is an exciting time for Rydal Penrhos as they take major steps to promote the school as a major event and sporting venue in North Wales, coupled with its rich and proud history of examination success, exceptional outdoor education and extra-curricular provisions and an RYA accredited Sailing Centre.
Vacancy
Head Groundsperson/Gardener
Job information
Rydal Penrhos School is seeking to appoint an experienced, well qualified and forward-thinking Head Groundsperson/Gardener with a willingness to demonstrate a hands-on approach.
The successful candidate will be responsible for the provision across Rydal Penrhos of all playing surfaces, sports pitches and other grounds and garden areas to the highest possible standard.
Reporting to the Estates Manager and Liaising with First in Faculty of Health & Wellbeing (with regards to sporting fixtures and pitch use) the successful candidate will manage a small team of grounds and garden staff to ensure the cost-effective delivery of services and end-user satisfaction.
Reporting to the Estates Manager and Liaising with First in Faculty of Health & Wellbeing (with regards to sporting fixtures and pitch use) the successful candidate will manage a small team of grounds and garden staff to ensure the cost-effective delivery of services and end-user satisfaction.
The appointed Head Groundsperson/Gardener will have excellent Grounds management knowledge and will possess appropriate Horticultural and Sports Turf Management qualifications. This is a full-time appointment with a suitably competitive salary, commensurate with the successful candidate’s skills and experience.
The closing date for applications is 24 September 2021
Salary Range: SCP 24 – 28 (£28,672 - £32,234)
More information and how to apply can be found in this digital document
