The RP Weekly: 9 October
The weekly digital newsletter from Rydal Penrhos School.
The RP Weekly
9 October 2020
Sixth Form
Assembly Member speaks with Y12
Sixth Form pupils at Rydal Penrhos held an informative discussion with one of the region’s leading political figures.
The Year 12 group at Rydal Penrhos were given the opportunity to hold a discussion with Darren Millar, who is the Welsh Assembly Member for Clwyd West and is also the Vice-Chair of the Welsh Conservative Party Board.
This took place on Friday 2 October in the school’s Learning Resource Centre, with Mr Millar beginning the talk by discussing his path from Wales’ youngest ever mayor to the Senedd during what has been a hugely successful political career so far.
Mr Millar then went on to talk in-depth about the state of public affairs in the current climate, which is one of the key talking points across the globe due to the ever-increasing concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
Following Mr Millar’s talk, Year 12 then had the chance to ask questions on topical issues, anything they wished to know about the political process and the matters currently up for discussion within the Clwyd West constituency.
The Year 12’s threw themselves into this, covering topics from Brexit to Coronavirus and the local economy. Mr Millar left no question unanswered and the questions kept flowing.
At the end of the talk, Mr Millar encouraged the pupils to think more about politics as a career path for them. He advised them to read manifestos, source different opinions and make decisions based on these as to which party they may like to follow.
He also left with an open invitation for them to stand against him in future elections and to visit the Senedd as individuals or as a group as his guests.
It proved to be a hugely beneficial visit from a pupil perspective and is just one of many talks and visits arranged by Rydal Penrhos’ dedicated teaching staff to further aid them with their development.
Each Sixth Former is also given extensive preparation time for their upcoming university applications, receiving expert advice and guidance, seminars and additional tools to assist them during a potentially stressful time.
Science
Practical work continues to benefit
Aspiring scientists and medics at Rydal Penrhos still continue to benefit from practical work despite the current concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
Rydal Penrhos has been at the forefront of COVID-19 safety protocols both during the first lockdown and upon their return to school. Senior leaders and teaching staff have left no stone unturned when it comes to their meticulous preparations and precautions in accordance with Welsh Government guidance, which has enabled pupils to continue their normal day-to-day routines.
This also includes in a scientific environment. Practical work remains almost unchanged from a typical academic year at the school and although some tasks have had to change somewhat in their order due to the equipment being quarantined, this method of learning continues to be of substantial benefit for pupils across all year groups.
It bears even more significance for members of the Sixth Form community at Rydal Penrhos, especially those who are pursuing a career in medicine or engineering in later life. Missing out on this crucial period of their learning is something that simply wasn’t an option for our teaching staff, who have worked tirelessly to ensure their normal study methods remain in place, albeit in a more cautious environment.
Different bubbles aren’t permitted to use the same equipment at the same time, and each piece of equipment is cleaned thoroughly at the end of each lesson.
It is an uncertain time for pupils and our families, who are being restricted in their movements due to the local lockdown implemented by the Welsh Government last week. At Rydal Penrhos, we are aiming for them to gain some normality during school hours with a strong academic programme and a rich variety of extra-curricular activities.
Some of the practicals this week include:
Biology
- Year 11 extraction of DNA from kiwi fruit
- Year 10 food testing
- Year 12 measuring incipient plasmolysis (This is only possible as we are able to allocate each Year 12 and 13 biology student with their own microscope)
- Year 13 are carrying out a microbiology practical (serial dilution) next Monday afternoon if you would like to take some photos
Chemistry
- Year 10 burning magnesium to derive the empirical formula (repeated next Tuesday if you need photos)
- Year 8 making and testing concrete
- Sixth Form have been using 2:4 DMP to identify aldehydes and ketones
Physics
- Year 12 have produced stationary waves and “frozen” them using a stroboscope
- Year 12 measured the speed of sound using quarter-wavelength standing waves of various frequencies
- Year 10 have been investigating electric circuits and the current/voltage characteristics of fixed resistors, filament bulbs and diodes
Mr Waszek
Special Challenge to RP Family
Rydal Penrhos’ Executive Principal recently issued a challenge to Year 10-13 pupils and their families regarding the mysterious workings of the adolescent brain.
John Waszek, who took up the position at Rydal Penrhos in February 2019, recently watched a TED talks seminar featuring Sarah-Jayne Blakemore on the topic, which explains the science behind teenage behaviour and personality traits.
The key component of the talk was exploring the development of adolescent brains during the critical period of their learning, which might explain why they might find it harder to see things from another’s point of view.
Mrs Blakemore also discussed why teenagers are bigger risk-takers who process emotions and rewards differently at this stage of their life.
This represents an opportunity for Rydal Penrhos’ exceptionally dedicated teaching staff to train and mould the adolescent brain at a time when it is “most adaptable and malleable”.
It bears more significance as 40 per cent of teenagers don’t have access to secondary school education across the globe, according to a recent study.
Their adaptability and mindset at this stage of their lives also represent a tremendous opportunity for learning and creativity, something that is prevalent at Rydal Penrhos and has brought some truly exceptional examination results last summer.
Not only this, the rich variety of extra-curricular and leadership opportunities available gives each pupil a well-rounded education that is a proven method of building valuable life skills before they move on to the next stage of their respective journeys.
One prime example of a family rising to Mr Waszek’s challenge came from Janet Legget-Jones, who is the mother of Upper Sixth Form pupil, Tegid Goodman-Jones.
She responded to the talk by coming up with a presentation to help families think about how things are from a teenager’s point of view and how “workarounds” can be created to help.
This is yet another prime example of the Rydal Penrhos family working together to get the most out of our pupils’ education.
Staff are always striving to not only maintain their professional standards but also making families more aware of what they can do to give their children a vital boost away from school hours.
Prep School
Prefect Team announced
Rydal Penrhos Prep School is delighted to confirm its Prefect team for the 2020/21 academic year.
The group will work closely with Head Boy Noah Roberts and Head Girl Amelie Skinner to provide leadership and a strong support system for younger members of the Rydal Penrhos community who will be looking to follow in their footsteps once they reach Year 6.
Each pupil impressed considerably during the application process and Prep School head Lucy Davies presented leadership badges to the newly appointed Prefect team last week.
James Davies has spent the entirety of his education at Rydal Penrhos and has developed into a strong academic. He also displays plenty of prowess on the football pitch and turned in a series of outstanding displays for the school’s U11 side last season despite being one of the squad’s youngest players.
Sophie Morris was also selected as a Prefect, which is another milestone for a pupil who has achieved a considerable amount in and out of the classroom. This includes some notable accolades on the water, with the pupil developing her Sailing skills significantly during her time at Rydal Penrhos.
Oakley Calvert and Freya Griffith have also emerged as valuable members of the peer group in a short space of time, which played a key contributing factor in their respective appointments.
Rounding off the Prefect team are Max Hackman and Tom Sinfield, who are sure to bring a tremendous amount to the role thanks to their exemplary conduct, enthusiasm and ability to lead.
Pupil voice has become an ever-growing influence across the Prep School during Mrs Davies’ tenure, which allows them to have more of a say in matters across the site.
Mrs Davies, said: “The pupils know that we listen to them, respect their opinions and often turn their ideas into reality.
“I definitely think the staff learn as much as the pupils from pupil leadership, and long may it continue. We’re a team here at Rydal Penrhos and every pupil most definitely does count.”
CCF
Piece of Rydal history presented
Rydal Penrhos’ Combined Cadet Force were presented with a piece of school history by a current parent during a special ceremony recently.
The Officer Training Corps (OTC) made its first official appearance at a parade held at St John’s Church on Sunday 3 December 1916, at which 70 cadets were presented on strength. More than a century later – 103 years to be precise – the OTC has now evolved into the Combined Cadet Force (CCF), which was re-established at Rydal Penrhos in October 2019 under the leadership of the current Commanding Officer Captain Alun Brown and Senior Staff Instructor Sergeant Phil Hilton.
This Army Section is affiliated to the 1st Queen’s Dragoon Guards whereas the original Corps was affiliated to the 4th Royal Welch Fusiliers and the Headmaster, Rev’d A J Costain was appointed Honorary Chaplain while the Commanding Officer was Captain F R Saberton.
Its first two Sergeants were H R Collier and M L Whiteley.
History and tradition and linking the past to the present has always been important to the school and so when one of the school’s current parents and amateur historian Professor Atenstaedt came across a piece of related history it was too good a chance to miss. Through his own research into the history of the school’s Cadet Corps he found one of the original OTC beret badges.
Professor Atenstaedt then went about purchasing it and then in a ceremony this week he presented it to Captain Brown to add to the history and memorabilia of the ever-growing cadet force.
Due to current Covid-19 regulations, only the Year 11 cadets were in attendance during the visit, but they were still actively participating in a training evening.
The cadets were involved in a series of team exercises and planning activities as part of their instruction on a leadership cadre. Once regulations permit year groups at Rydal Penrhos to mix, it is hoped these enthusiastic pupils will lead the growing number of junior cadets who are joining the Army Section.
Professor Atenstaedt was impressed on the turnout of the Year 11 cadets and congratulated Captain Brown and Sgt Hilton on all their efforts in re-establishing the CCF initiative at Rydal Penrhos.
Senior School
Scholarship & Bursaries
Rydal Penrhos School has announced a new scholarship and bursaries scheme, which are awarded each academic year to children with “exceptional talent”.
The academic scholarships may be awarded to those entering Year 7 at Rydal Penrhos following a Cognitive Ability Test and an interview with a senior staff member.
Those applying for Year 12 will be awarded academic scholarships based on exceptional GCSE results and an interview with a senior staff member.
In addition to those joining the Rydal Penrhos community for the first time, the scholarship is also open to those within the school and there is no limit to the number of these awards.
They are not means-tested and pupils who earn the award will also receive a scholarship premium of £500 each year to further their academic studies through the purchase of books and other useful items.
As part of the scholarship agreement, Rydal Penrhos will also attach a mentor to the pupil, where they will meet half-termly to discuss academic progress and help the pupil decide how to spend the money wisely to assist their development.
Rydal Penrhos also offers Art, Drama, Music and Sport scholarships to pupils with “exceptional talent”, which do not require an application and may be awarded at any stage of their time in senior school.
Once a pupil has been awarded a scholarship, they can then apply for a Bursary if they meet the necessary financial criteria.
The bursaries consider families where their combined income is less than £60,000 per annum and they have no other significant assets which could be monetised.
When a family first applies an external assessor will do a thorough “full” check, scrutinising everything, including lifestyle and publicly available data that is not part of their submission.
Prep School
House Captains appointed
Rydal Penrhos Prep School have confirmed their House Captains for the 2020/21 academic year following a successful application process.
The school invited members of Year 6 to apply for leadership positions as part of an ongoing initiative to enhance responsibility and pupil voice, something that has grown in significance since Rydal Penrhos announced the appointment of Lucy Davies as Prep School head.
Each pupil received their leadership badges from Mrs Davies last week, which included the Head Boy and Girl, their deputies, the new Prefect team, House Captains and Monitors.
All will play a substantial role across Prep School life in the coming months in addition to offering additional support and guidance to younger members of the Rydal Penrhos community during an unprecedented time due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Leading the way for Pembroke will be April Williams and Felix Griffin, two pupils who are sure to bring a tremendous amount of energy to the role.
George Rozek and Martha-Rose Johnson are other valued members of the Year 6 group and will assume the Snowdon House Captain positions, with Harry Nurse and Robyn Borg-Barthet tasked with leading Brecon.
House Captains play a vital role in preparing their respective groups for various competitions throughout the academic year, teaching them valuable leadership and communication skills in the process.
This is something that has benefitted Prep School pupils significantly in recent years, with house events emerging as a real sense of pride for both pupils across all age groups from Reception to Sixth Form at Rydal Penrhos.
Mrs Davies, said: “The pupils want to have pupil leaders, they want to have their say, they want to be part of the school and the decisions which shape it.
“I know that every staff member was astounded by the ideas that the children have had.
“The pupils selected are so proud to represent their class and, in the case of Year 6, their school. They learn responsibility, sacrifice and as one pupil leader told me today, ‘We learn to listen to others, it’s not just my voice that counts’.”
Prep School
Deputy Head Boy/Girl team announced
Rydal Penrhos Prep School is thrilled to announce the appointment of its Deputy Head Boy and Girl team for the 2020/21 academic year.
After an impressive application process that brought some exceptional entries from Year 6 pupils at Rydal Penrhos, Emily Nurse and Gethin Winfield were chosen for the high-profile leadership positions, with the pair receiving their leadership badges from Prep School head Lucy Davies last week.
Both Emily and Gethin will work closely with Head Boy Noah Roberts and Head Girl Amelie Skinner in the coming months. One of their primary objectives is to provide a strong support system for younger members of the Prep School community, which is a responsibility each member of the Prefect team takes very seriously.
The deputies will also fill-in for the Head Boy/Girl team when they are unable to fulfil specific commitments, and they will also be tasked with leading the School Council to discuss matters and potential improvements across the site.
Emily has been a member of the Rydal Penrhos community for the entirety of her education, joining as a Pre-Schooler in 2013.
She has developed her academic skills considerably under the expert guidance of Prep School teaching staff, with her polite demeanour and caring nature sure to bring a significant amount to her new position,
Gethin arrived at Rydal Penrhos as a Year 5 pupil and has made a tremendously positive impression in a short space of time.
He integrated superbly with his peers and has made the most out of the wealth of opportunities available throughout all year groups from an academic and extra-curricular perspective.
Mrs Davies
Thoughts from the Prep School
Rydal Penrhos Prep School head Lucy Davies returns with her weekly thoughts, with the topic of today’s Hello Yellow fundraiser for Young Minds UK on her mind.
Helping others is a fundamental part of Prep School life; small acts such as picking up a dropped pencil for another pupil are as important as a large fundraiser for charity.
However there is nothing as popular as a whole school dress-up day to raise money!
There’s something about the release from school uniform that always seems such an extraordinary pleasure to children of all ages…well not quite all.
Today our pupils from the age of two all the way through to 18 were encouraged to ditch their school uniform in favour of their own choice of clothes, the only stipulation was that the outfit should include at least one yellow item.
The whole school duly obliged and who knew that yellow came in so many shades.
The object of the day was to raise awareness and raise funds for the Young Minds charity and hundreds of pounds were generously donated. However it should be noted that not all of our pupils wanted to relinquish their uniform for the day; several of our pre-schoolers were tearful at the gates this morning!
Having waited so long to proudly wear their school uniform, they were now being told that they had to wear something else instead. Admirable refusal spirit was apparently shown at breakfast tables across the area, before the yellow jumper was prized over the reluctant small head!
I wonder how long this love of uniform lasts? I secretly suspect that pupils throughout the school are proud to wear our school uniform, it’s just not at all cool to show that pride!
As a finishing thought on non-uniform days I would point out that school staff need to ‘gird their loins’ for days such as this; not only do they have to wear yellow (or even more outlandish costumes) but pupils ALWAYS get very excited on non-uniform days. As if to prove this point I overheard two seven-year-old girls talking as they passed my open door this morning. I kid you not, the conversation went as follows:
Pupil 1: Do you think I seem a bit over-giddy?
Pupil 2: Not really… but the yellow doesn’t help does it!
It was all a bit Enid Blyton….oh well, that’s it for ‘over-giddy’ until Pudsy rides back into town on 13th November!
Prep School
Stars of the Week
