The RP Weekly: 9 July 2021
The weekly digital newsletter from Rydal Penrhos School.
The RP Weekly
9 July 2021
Sixth Form
Hannah appointed joint-Deputy Head Girl
Rydal Penrhos is enormously proud of its Sixth Form community. They lead by example, become strong role models for younger pupils and also go on to achieve great things both academically and within the school’s thriving extra-curricular provision.
The Senior Prefect Team are at the forefront of this leadership. They are keen to take on a number of different responsibilities throughout their final year before heading on to the next stage of their respective journeys.
It was not easy for the outgoing team during the 2020/21 academic year. One that was full of COVID-19 restrictions, educational lockdowns and a thorough online learning provision that ensured pupils remained on course with their studies in the most uncertain of times.
Hopefully, things will look very different in the new academic year. Looking ahead to this, Rydal Penrhos is thrilled to announce the appointment of Hannah Davies as joint-Deputy Head Girl for the 2021/22 academic year.
Hannah arrived as a Year 9 pupil in 2017 and has made a great contribution both academically and within the school’s incredible Performing Arts provision.
There have been many highlights from Hannah’s perspective. Her incredible talent was on full display during last year’s Dramatic Society production of Les Miserables, with the pupil playing the role of Cossette superbly throughout an incredible spectacle over three sold-out nights.
Hannah was also on stage as part of the Annie the Musical cast, with her vocal prowess coming to the fore during the RPS Showstoppers extravaganza and at various musical concerts put on by Rydal Penrhos over the years.
Her development from an academic standpoint has also been hugely pleasing. Hannah secured some outstanding GCSE results last summer and is undertaking Biology, English, History and Psychology at A Level.
The new appointment has been more than willing to help younger years groups in her role as Peer Mentor, which will stand her in superb stead as Hannah looks to leave a notable impression in the role of joint deputy.
We would like to offer a big congratulations to Hannah on securing the role and wish her every success over the coming year.
Gallery
MCC Cricket fixture 2021
MCC Cricket Gallery
A full gallery of images from our prestigious annual cricket fixtures against Marylebone Cricket Club is now available to view on our website.
It was a fantastic spectacle once again and the New Field wicket looked absolutely fabulous thanks to the sterling work from our estates' team.
Great to see sporting fixtures return to the calendar after so much disruption over the last 16 months.
You can view the gallery here
Year 10
Dragon's Den challenge for Ty Gobaith launched
Rydal Penrhos has a long and proud history of fundraising. Staff and pupils are always keen to do whatever they can to help worthy causes both across the Conwy region and beyond, with individual activities and special days often prominent throughout the academic year in usual circumstances.
Despite COVID-19 restrictions making things difficult in this regard over the last year, pupils and staff have still raised money through challenges, online events, and even socially distanced fancy dress occasions on-site in-between the two educational lockdowns.
One charity that holds a special place in the school’s heart is Ty Gobaith, a leading children’s hospice in Conwy that does some truly exceptional work for disadvantaged families across the region.
Rydal Penrhos has raised more than £51,000 for the hospice through various events. This also includes the annual Christmas Market, which is always one of the highlights of the academic year and is held to directly raise funds for Ty Gobaith.
This is a trend that Year 10 pupils are going to continue with a special challenge over the next few months leading up to Christmas, centring on the popular television show Dragon’s Den.
The school was delighted to welcome Kelly Hughes, who is an assistant area fundraiser at Ty Gobaith, on Monday 5 July for a presentation on how the hospice works, the importance of their work and provided those in attendance with further information about the challenge ahead of them.
Working in groups, Year 10 will come up with a fundraising idea and devise a business plan to present in a Dragon’s Den type scenario to a panel of respected local business people.
The idea is to convince the panel to £10 in the group’s proposal. They will then aim to increase that amount through the implementation of their idea, and the final amount raised will be donated to Ty Gobaith at Christmas.
We would like to thank Kelly for giving up her time to come and visit us at Rydal Penrhos and wish Year 10 the best of luck with their challenge, Hopefully, you’ll be able to raise a substantial sum for an incredible cause.
Sixth Form
Bella secures joint-Deputy Head Girl role
Rydal Penrhos Sixth Form is so much more than just studying for successful grades.
Our pupils benefit from an outstanding extra-curricular provision, participate in weekly UCAS lessons throughout the application process and get exceptional support and guidance during the final two years of their school life before heading onto the next stage of their journeys, wherever and whatever that might be.
Another area where Sixth Formers thrive is through leadership. The school prides itself on a strong Key Stage 5 community that evolve into great ambassadors for Rydal Penrhos and also inspire the next generation of younger pupils looking to follow in their footsteps.
With the departing 2020 cohort of Year 13 now eagerly awaiting their examination results next month, Rydal Penrhos is delighted to confirm the appointment of Bella Rutherford as joint-Deputy Head Girl for the 20-21/22 academic year.
Bella has spent the entirety of her education at Rydal Penrhos and has developed into a well-rounded pupil who is thriving across multiple areas of school life.
The pupil arrived as a Reception class child back in 2007 and has progressed encouragingly both academically and in the field of performing arts. Bella comes alive on stage and has been a key contributor to many events and performances in recent years.
Among the notable highlights from Bella’s perspective include playing the lead role in the Dramatic Society production of Anne the Musical, where she was nothing short of incredible in front of sold-out audiences.
She also shone playing various roles during the jaw-dropping spectacle of Les Miserables, and Bella’s outstanding singing ability also came to the fore during RPS Showstoppers in 2018 and during many concerts put on by Rydal Penrhos during her time at the school.
Her dedication to improving musically under the guidance of Rydal Penrhos’ dedicated staff has also brought with it some impressive grading results from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, with Bella’s Cello successes coming as a result of her outstanding commitment.
Bella has also progressed incredibly well from an academic perspective, with the Year 12 pupil currently studying Business and Economics at A Level in addition to the Extended Project Qualification.
Not only this, but Bella is also undertaking A Level Politics in her own time, working in the school’s Learning Resource Centre and online at home to further enhance her qualifications.
She has been a keen sailor and has led by example as part of the school’s Peer Mentor team, which should stand Bella in good stead as the pupil looks to make an immediate impact in her new role alongside fellow deputy Hannah Davies.
Reception-Year 6 Sports Day
Snowdon and Pembroke triumph
It was absolutely fantastic to see so many pupils giving their all at the recent Reception-Year 6 Sports Day.
This was the first big event put on by Rydal Penrhos since COVID-19 restrictions lifted and as luck would have it, the whole morning was met with glorious sunshine to further enhance the occasion.
There was a real buzz of excitement across all pupils and staff ahead of the occasion, which saw aspiring young athletes take to the track and field in pursuit of earning some coveted house points.
In addition to the usual sprints, hurdles, and relays, the Sports Day also consisted of javelin, discus, shot-put, the ever-popular egg and spoon race, obstacle races and even the bean bag race.
Another competition that brought the very best out of pupils was the endurance race, which involved going around the whole track twice. Something that was not for the faint of heart.
After an outstanding showing of commitment from all involved, pupils left the school’s stunning New Field site for the Plateau to find out which Houses did enough to secure the overall victory. The Reception-Year 2 title went to Snowdon House after a rousing effort. Pembroke House scooped the Year 3-6 distinction.
All six House Captains were thanked and praised by teacher Jamie McLeod for their expert leadership and encouragement throughout the Sports Day. Prep School head Lucy Davies also commended every pupil on their exemplary behaviour during a thrilling morning of action.
As a reward for their fabulous efforts during the event, Reception-Year 2 pupils were treated to an afternoon of fun sports, with those in Years 3-6 getting the chance to play rounders, cricket, football and parachute games.
A special thanks must also go to the school’s Estates Team for working so hard to prepare both New Field and the Plateau, which looked absolutely magnificent.
End of Term Service 2021
Academic year comes to a conclusion
It has been another academic year full of incredible achievements and great success at Rydal Penrhos.
The school has coped with ongoing complications surrounding COVID-19 superbly to ensure that no learning loss took place and pupils were still able to reach their respective goals despite the challenging circumstances.
Having pupils and staff alike back on-site during the summer term has been especially pleasing. There has been a real buzz around the school and everyone deserves an exceptional amount of credit for throwing themselves right back into face-to-face learning and the extra-curricular opportunities on offer.
The last few weeks seem to have passed in the blink of an eye. Year 13 departed the school for the next stage of their journey and pupils are now getting ready for the eagerly-anticipated summer holidays and looking ahead, different challenges that come with moving up.
One thing is for sure, Rydal Penrhos staff will be there to guide them every step of the way. Both teachers and support staff have left no stone unturned to assist those under their care, with this pupil-centred focus bringing a surge in pupil numbers as a result.
To conclude the term and indeed the academic year, Rydal Penrhos produced an online Service on Thursday 8 July, which was the final occasion before the curtain came down the school calendar.
Led by the Rev’d Nick Sissons, the service was put together by communications manager Dean Jones and featured musical contributions from director of music Pete Williams and pupils of different ages.
This special half-hour service takes the Seasons as a framework for exploring the ups and downs of the past year and for celebrating our achievements – something we should be enormously proud of.
The service also happened to be the final of its kind for Rev’d Sissons, who is leaving Rydal Penrhos after an amazing 12 years to become the new Superintendent Minister for the Bangor and Holyhead circuit and join the chaplaincy team at Bangor University.
It’s been a real team effort over the last few months at Rydal Penrhos. Staff, parents and pupils have proven just what a fantastic school community is evident and we cannot thank you enough for all your amazing efforts.
Alumni
Georgia gears up for Paralympic glory
Rydal Penrhos has a proud tradition of sporting success throughout the school’s illustrious history. Many pupils past and present have gone on to achieve international honours and in some cases, even play and compete professionally against some of the best athletes in the world.
This is something Rydal Penrhos is incredibly proud of and is a testament to the exceptional development they receive in various sporting areas alongside their studies.
We are always thrilled to hear of the success of our former pupils. They hold a close association with the school and serve as the benchmark that those following in their footsteps aspire to.
Another shining example of this is Georgia Wilson, who attended Rydal Penrhos from 2007-12 and is in the final stages of preparation before a tilt at international glory at the Paralympics in Tokyo, which will take place from 24 August-5 September after the event was postponed in 2020 due to COVID-19.
Georgia will be competing in the Para-Dressage competition and is looking to enhance her growing reputation with a strong showing on the biggest stage of all.
This is not the first time Georgia has competed for Team GB. The Alumnae claimed silver on her debut at the European Para-Dressage Championships in Rotterdam back in 2019 and although competitive action has been scarce over the last 17 months, this should stand her in good stead for the Paralympics.
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.
This has come with a significant amount of success over the years.
Sixth Form
Damisola appointed joint-Deputy Head Boy
The position of Deputy Head Boy is an important one at Rydal Penrhos. Those fortunate enough to attain the role act as a strong support system to the Head Boy and Girl team throughout the academic year, and provide younger members of the school community with assistance and a role model they can aspire to once they reach Year 13.
Last year’s joint-Deputy Head Boy team of Kevin Farrell and Morgan Kendall gave an incredible amount in difficult circumstances. Despite having a period of their time studying at home during the second educational lockdown, the duo kept spirits up with special events to promote well-being and managed to lend support to some fundraising occasions for worthy causes in the region and beyond.
Kevin and Morgan are now awaiting their A Level examination results and preparing for the next stage of their journey at higher education. They leave with our gratitude and we are confident Rydal Penrhos has prepared them exceptionally for future success.
Looking ahead to the 2021/22 academic year, Rydal Penrhos is pleased to announce that Damisola Animashaun has secured the role of joint-Deputy Head Boy from September.
Damisola joined the school as a Year 9 pupil in 2017 and has flourished under the expert leadership of Rydal Penrhos’ incredible staff team. He developed quickly into a strong academic, which was further reflected in some truly outstanding GCSE results last summer.
The pupil secures five 9s in Business, French, Geography, Mathematics and Religious Studies, in addition to two 8s in English (1st Language) and English Literature.
Damisola also attained a distinction in Additional Mathematics and three A* grades in Biology, Chemistry and Physics to round-off a superb set of GCSE results that he worked exceptionally hard for.
He is now studying Business, Further Mathematics and Economics at A Level in pursuit of yet more exam accolades next summer.
Not only this, but Damisola has achieved high levels in challenges set by the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust, has turned out for the school’s rugby team and even performed on stage as part of the Speech and Drama Comedy Night.
Damisola was also part of the Rydal Penrhos team that won a prestigious Enterprise Challenge set by Lancaster University School of Management recently, which s one of the biggest management schools in the country and one of the few that has a large enterprise section.
Congratulations to Damisola on a well-deserved appointment. Everyone at Rydal Penrhos is absolutely thrilled for you and wishes you all the very best of luck in the role.
DofE
Bronze Expedition brings the best out of Year 9
Rydal Penrhos is a Directly Licensed Centre for the popular Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme and offers all three levels of the prestigious programme.
This begins with Bronze in Year 9, continuing on to Silver in Years 10-11, and culminating with the coveted Gold Award in Years 12-13 and a trip to a Royal venue if they are successful.
Many pupils have gone on to achieve this feat in recent years. This is thanks to their exceptional dedication throughout the initiative and the expert guidance and support they receive from DofE co-ordinator Dr Jim Lewis and other incredible staff at the school.
The latest batch of Year 9 hopefuls have hit the ground running in their pursuit of Bronze in recent weeks despite COVID-19 restrictions making things more difficult than usual over the academic year.
This is something that has been prevalent throughout their academic studies and extra-curricular opportunities, with Rydal Penrhos providing a robust online provision during the educational lockdowns that ensured no loss of learning took place in such uncertain times.
It was a busy end of the summer term for DofE candidates once the Welsh Government relaxed restrictions surrounding trips and expeditions. This is something the school was fully prepared for, enabling a plan of action to be put into place quickly before pupils and staff headed off on their deserved summer break.
Year 9 took part in their own expedition over a two-day period, which saw them participate in various different activities that tested their ability to communicate, work well within a team and problem-solve as a group to achieve their objectives.
Each pupil rose to the challenge incredibly well. Staff were also alongside them every step of the way with advice, encouragement or additional support was needed at any stage.
In addition to picking up notable awards throughout the DofE provision, pupils also get to assist within the community, improve physical conditioning, discover new talents and boost existing key skills that stand the test of time both in higher education and later life.
A huge well done to Year 9 for their efforts during the expedition. Enjoy your summer break!
Have a great summer!
We would like to wish all our teaching staff, pupils and parents a fantastic summer break. Your contribution during the academic year has been nothing short of remarkable, and everyone is deeply appreciative.
