The RP Weekly: 28 October 2022
The weekly digital newsletter from Rydal Penrhos School - 28 October 2022 edition.
The RP Weekly
28 October 2022
Sixth Form Information Evening
Registration now open!
Sixth Form Information Evening
- Thursday 17 November
- From 6pm
We warmly invite you to our Sixth Form Information Evening on Thursday 17 November from 6pm.
Once you have registered an interest, we will confirm a time for your meeting. It is important that we allow you the time and attention you need as a family with our key staff to consider the Sixth Form here at Rydal Penrhos.
To register your interest:
admissions@rydalpenrhos.com
Call: 01492 530155
Book online here
Holiday Club
Book now for half-term week two
October half-term Holiday Club
The October Half-Term Holiday Club is running 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.
Harvest Service 2022
Half-term concludes on a high!
Rydal Penrhos staff, pupils and family members gathered at St John’s Church on Friday 21 October for its annual Harvest Service, which was the final item on the calendar before everyone headed off on their well-deserved two-week break.
The Reverend Dr Rob Beamish marshalled proceedings with his customary charisma and engagement throughout. There were also readings from the Senior and Prep Head Boys and Girls in front of the entire school community.
Another notable highlight from the occasion were musical performances from the Prep School Choir and the Senior School Choir. Rev’d Dr Beamish also enlisted the help of pupils to portray a special message as hot dogs, tomato ketchup and mustard that proved to be a source of great excitement.
The service proudly displayed the large number of food items donated for the annual Harvest Food Drive, which have now been distributed to the Conwy Food Bank.
It’s been a tremendous start to the academic year across all year groups. Academic development remains of a high standard and many pupils have also achieved a significant amount of extra-curricular achievements in areas such as sport and the performing arts.
We would like to offer our sincere thanks to parents for their ongoing support, to our staff for continuously going above and beyond the call of duty and our wonderful pupils, who are the embodiment of what can be achieved from a Rydal Penrhos education.
GALLERY: Harvest Service 2022
Hockey
Alex shines for Welsh U17 squad
Another talented hockey player at Rydal Penrhos has begun to make significant waves on the national stage after winning a place in the Welsh U17 youth squad earlier this year.
Alex Starling, who is a Year 13 pupil and the school’s First XI boys’ captain for the academic year, turned out for the Wales U17 squad at the 2022 School Games, which took place at the high-profile Loughborough University facility recently.
After earning a well-deserved call-up to the squad, Alex participated in three separate training camps in Cardiff to familiarise himself with new teammates and coaches before embarking on one of the most prestigious tournaments on the youth circuit.
It proved to be another worthwhile outing for the Welsh contingent, who acquitted themselves well in the face of quality opposition to finish third overall as a result of their efforts.
Alex’s performance levels were of the highest standard during the competition, finishing as the team’s top scorer thanks in no small part to a brace against Ulster to further establish himself within the set-up.
The Sixth Former was the joint-third top scorer overall, which represents an outstanding accomplishment from Alex, who is currently with Rydal Penrhos on a Sports Tour of The Netherlands and has developed his exceptional talent with the school’s dedicated staff.
Sixth Form Information Evening
What to expect
There has never been a better time to become part of the Rydal Penrhos community. Plans to improve all areas of the provision as part of the ongoing strategic development plan are progressing well and is allowing our pupils to thrive in a safe, happy environment.
The school has maintained its strong academic ethos coupled with a broad extra-curricular provision, which was further reflected in some truly exceptional A Level results this summer.
64.2 per cent attained a pass rate at A*-A, with 37.78% securing A* grades thanks to their commitment and the impeccable preparation they received over their final two years at Rydal Penrhos.
Those achieving A*-B grades stood at 80.5% and 92.7% of pupils achieved A*-C grades as a result of their efforts. Rydal Penrhos’ pass rate (A*-E) remains at 100%, which is the eighth time since 2000 that the school has managed this feat.
The Sixth Form Information Evening will allow those attending to view for themselves the incredible A Level curriculum provided, including detailed information from staff regarding what is expected within each subject.
Rydal Penrhos is also proud to offer those in Key Stage 5 extensive preparation and guidance for university, something that has benefitted each pupil considerably, leadership opportunities and other exciting factors such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme and a thriving sporting provision that has brought a wealth of national success in recent years.
For those visiting the school for the first time, there will also be a chance for a tour around the campus as well as speaking to key members of our exceptional staff team.
Guests are invited to register for an appointment using the form on this page, by emailing admissions@rydalpenrhos.com or calling 01492 530155 and asking for admissions.
If you are unable to attend our Sixth Form Information Evening on Thursday 17 November, but would like to arrange for a private tour please contact admissions at 01492 530155 or admissions@rydalpenrhos.com.
Community
Harvest Food Drive receives fantastic support
Giving back to the community is something at the forefront of everyone’s mind at Rydal Penrhos. It forms a key component of the school’s ethos and this is reflected in the large number of initiatives put on by staff and pupils throughout the academic year.
One of the most important is the annual Harvest Food Drive, which once again saw the Rydal Penrhos family rally around to support a very worthy cause.
A large number of canned goods and other essential items were donated by pupils and their families of all ages. These were collected over the last fortnight and brought around a fantastic response from everyone associated with the school.
They were on display at St John’s Church during the annual Harvest Festival, which was the last big occasion event before the two-week half-term break on Friday 21 October.
Reverend Dr Rob Beamish ha snow delivered the donated items to the Conwy Food Bank, which is especially vital due to the cost of living crisis impacting families across the region and beyond.
Our Harvest Food Drive is something that always generates a considerable amount of support from everyone associated with Rydal Penrhos. We were absolutely thrilled with this year’s collection, which was another fine example of the generosity and willingness to give back across the entire school.
We would like to thank everyone who donated to this year’s Harvest Food Drive. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and the items collected will be put to good use.
Sailing
Freddie named Conwy Sports Awards finalist
Freddie MacLaverty’s rise up the national and international sailing circuit has been hugely impressive.
He took up the sport as part of the school’s provision and has thrived under the expert methods of our qualified training team within the Rydal Penrhos Sailing and Water-Sports Centre, which is accredited by the Royal Yachting Association.
It’s been another memorable year of accomplishments for Freddie as part of the RYA Cymru Wales and Team GB sailing squads. And there could be another notable achievement coming his way in the not-too-distant future.
The school was thrilled to learn that Freddie has been named as a finalist for the upcoming Conwy Sports Awards, which takes place on Friday 25 November at a glitzy ceremony in Venue Cymru, Llandudno.
This is well-deserved recognition for Freddie, who continues to work exceptionally hard on his sailing skills in and out of school alongside his GCSE studies.
His crowning moment this summer came as the only Welsh member of the Great British squad that competed at the ILCA Youth World Championships in Vilamoura, Portugal.
The pupil was one of the youngest members of the 31-strong Team GB squad, acquitting himself extremely well in difficult conditions despite two-thirds of the nearly 450 competitors at the championships being over 16 years old.
Freddie recently finished first in the ILCA 6 Welsh Championship during the RYA Cymru Wales Welsh Youth and Junior Championships, which were held at Pwllheli Sailing Club. This was part of an outstanding display from Rydal Penrhos sailors, who scooped numerous national titles and high finishes at the showcase.
The school awarded Freddie a sports scholarship premium in 2020 in recognition of his exceptional commitment and impressive results. This included a £500 contribution each year from Rydal Penrhos to further his talent.
Year 1
Mock Baptism held before the half-term break
Enabling our pupils to thrive at Rydal Penrhos both academically and through their wide range of extra-curricular activities is a collective effort.
The school’s exceptional staff team is always striving to assist one another in pursuit of the same goal – to ensure each child gets the most out of their education and exceeds expectations on a daily basis.
This is constantly bringing about significant progress from all age groups. While superb examination results and high value-added scores remain the benchmark, it’s watching pupils develop key skills in a safe, happy environment that the school takes equally as much pride in.
Pupils in Reception-Year 2 (Pre-Prep) are just beginning their journey through education. An exciting time of discovery where children are constantly finding out new things and building confidence in and out of the classroom.
Year 1 pupils had the opportunity to enhance their topic on ‘Belonging’, with the school’s Chaplain, the Rev’d Dr Rob Beamish, visiting the class to participate in a Mock Baptism.
Rev’d Dr Beamish explained what it means to be baptised and why it is important to Christians. The children also learned about the symbolism of the candle and water in baptism.
They named the baby Rosie Violet, and the parents and the Godparents were presented with a candle, a certificate, a card and a Bible to round off a very worthwhile exercise for the group before their well-deserved half-term break.
Rev’d Dr Beamish was educated at St John’s College Southsea before being awarded an MA in Theology and Philosophy at the University of Oxford. He has a PhD in Theology from King’s College London and is also a qualified teacher.
Music
Ethan makes Llandudno Swing Band Debut
We are fortunate to have a wealth of gifted musicians across Rydal Penrhos.
Our pupils often choose music as part of their GCSE and A Levels later in school and develop skills on specific instruments from an early age under the guidance of specialist tutors or teaching staff, who are on hand to assist and advise every step of the way.
This not only comes with superb examination success in recent years. But pupils are also given the opportunity to perform at school events and many also look to gain additional qualifications from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music or other awarding bodies.
Not only this, but many musicians also participate in community initiatives and groups to gain additional performing experience.
Year 13 pupil and accomplished trumpet player, Ethan Bytheway, is another thriving musically and recently made his debut with the Llandudno Swing Band, which recreates the music of the wonderful big band era.
Ethan has been a prominent musician throughout his time at Rydal Penrhos, regularly performing in concerts and playing the Last Post at Remembrance Day services. He participated in his first swing band performance during a fundraising event held at the Colwyn Bay Cricket Club.
Mr Clive Wolfendale, who is the Llandudno Swing Band’s musical director and a Rydal Penrhos governor, said: “Ethan is a very promising young trumpeter and we are delighted to give him the opportunity to widen his playing experience with the swing band.”
Ethan is in his final year of A Level studies and is looking to build on his outstanding GCSE Results, where he attained six A* grades, three 9s, one 8 and a Distinction in Additional Mathematics.
He is also an enthusiastic member of the recently formed Rydal Penrhos Community Wind Band, which rehearses on Wednesday evenings in the school’s Drama Studio.
Skiing
Cameron selected to the Welsh development squad
Rydal Penrhos is extremely proud of the skiing success accumulated by our talented pupils over the years.
This unique element to the school’s exceptional extra-curricular provision is something that’s brought a vast number of achievements since the programme began to reflect the outstanding development being made under the tutelage of our incredible staff team.
Many of our skiers have gone on to achieve individual and team achievements for the school and individually at regional and national competitions. One such pupil attaining great things is Cameron Pye, who has been rewarded for his outstanding progression with a well-deserved selection to the Welsh Development Squad.
Cameron impressed selectors during a series of competitions in recent weeks. The Year 9 pupil finished second at the CESA Club National in Swadlincote following a rousing effort, with the ambitious skier also acquitting himself extremely well at the Welsh National and British Championships.
The event, which took place at the Llandudno Snowsports Centre, was another worthwhile outing for Cameron. He finished seventh overall in the boys’ U16 category over both days and second in the year of his birth.
Cameron was the fourth Welsh skier in his age category on Saturday and first in his year of birth. These outstanding results have helped him to edge a bit closer to being selected for the full Welsh Ski Squad, which Year 13 pupil Chay Bonnington recently accomplished after months of hard work.
There was further cause for celebration with another podium finish for Cameron at the North Wales Snowsports Club’s inaugural Club National race in Llandudno.
He came joint joint-third in his category and joint-first for his year of birth. His team also came fourth in the dual slalom cash prize race in which they had two dramatic dead heat finishes, which are very rare.
We would like to congratulate Cameron on his ongoing success. Everyone at Rydal Penrhos is incredibly proud.
Holiday Club
Action-packed start to the holidays!
The Rydal Penrhos Holiday Club is open during the school holidays and provides an extensive programme of activities for the children to experience.
This is not only a lot of fun, but it also helps assist them with their emotional, physical, social, intellectual, language and creative development.
We know that no two children enjoy the same things and so we provide a massive amount of variety within the timetable and it is all led by our own committed team.
The Rydal Penrhos Holiday Club has something for everyone and the October half-term schedule got off to a tremendous start with fun-filled challenges and themed events for those attending to tackle with their customary enthusiasm.
There was an autumnal feel in the air this week, which staff took full advantage of with autumn craft sessions and a special autumn nature walk across the school’s vast and picturesque campus overlooking the Colwyn Bay and Rhos-on-Sea coastlines.
Many other activities took place throughout an action-packed few days and booking is still available for half-term Week No. 2.
For current Rydal Penrhos pupils, the Holiday Club is open for Pre-School to Year 8. The cost is £45 per day and is available to the wider community for children aged five to 12.
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.
Halloween
Year 7 and 8 disco held before break
Our pupils have worked incredibly hard throughout the first half-term of the academic year.
Encouraging progress has been made across all subjects, in a sporting environment, through the school’s wide range of extra-curricular activities and in the performing arts at Rydal Penrhos, which is a testament to the dedication of eager learners and the staff that nurture their talents every step of the way.
Couple this with the ongoing community involvement and willingness to assist in whatever way possible, and it’s only right that the school rewarded pupils for an outstanding few weeks full of notable highlights.
The Year 7 and 8 groups put on their most spooktacular fancy dress outfits for a special disco organised by staff, which was held in their Senior School base and was yet another fantastic occasion that will live long in the memory.
There were plenty of incredible outfits on display, ranging from witches, ghosts, and everything in between as fright night approaches next week.
The venue was also decorated specifically for the disco thanks to a collective project from everyone involved.
Pupils got the chance to dance away to their favourite pop music and there were themed treats to enjoy throughout the memorable social occasion.
The behaviour was impeccable from Years 7 and 8, with both groups mingling well together and displaying the close-knit ethos that forms a key component of a Rydal Penrhos education.
A huge well done to all pupils on their phenomenal efforts so far and thanks to our staff team for putting in a tremendous amount of effort to ensure the spooktacular disco was one to remember.
North Wales Wedding Awards
Rydal Penrhos hosts glitzy ceremony
Rydal Penrhos has listed buildings, is set in beautifully landscaped gardens and is the perfect venue for an event or a special occasion of any kind.
The school buildings can host between 40 and 250 guests inside or for larger events outside in marquees. Whether you want your wedding or event to be surrounded by history and grandeur or be more relaxed and outdoors there is something for you at Rydal Penrhos.
Rydal Penrhos was thrilled to host the 2022 North Wales Wedding Guide Awards, which is an annual occasion organised by Wedding Guide Wales magazine.
This took place on Sunday 23 October 2022 and is the first time the awards have been held in person following recent COVID-19 restrictions.
The glamorous occasion was held in the newly refurbished Osborn Hall, the Grade II Listed jewel in Rydal Penrhos’ crown that has been transformed into an area that pupils can use to hold events, where guest speakers can come and talk to pupils and play a leading part in major gatherings alongside the Memorial Hall.
The Osborn Hall is a building with beautiful wood panelling, parquet floors and stained-glass windows. It is both iconic and glorious in equal measure.
The first few weddings are already in place within the Osborn Hall and we are delighted to be able to offer this new venue to couples on Saturdays and throughout the holidays.
The awards were a remarkable success, showcasing the best North Wales weddings have to offer in one of the most picturesque settings imaginable.
Job Vacancy
Science Technician
Rydal Penrhos Vacancy
We have an exciting opportunity to join our staff team at Rydal Penrhos.
Full details and how to apply can be found in the digital document below.
Science Technician - Closing date November 4
Gallery
North Wales Weddings Awards 2022 at Rydal Penrhos
