A message from the Executive Principal and Chair of Governors
Mr. Julian Barnes - Chair of Governors
It has been a difficult 12 months for everybody across the globe due to COVID-19.
This has not hampered Rydal Penrhos and its ability to educate, with the school adapting quickly to produce an exceptional online learning provision that was implemented to make sure ambitions and goals remain as they did before the pandemic took hold around the country and beyond.
While other schools across the country struggled to cope with these additional demands, Rydal Penrhos has thrived.
If coronavirus taught us anything, it’s that the little things in our lives matter the most. Not the flashy holidays abroad or the luxuries in life. But spending time with family, friends and classmates is the sort of quality time everybody took for granted and missed terribly at various stages over the last year.
At Rydal Penrhos, we have focused on the little things to improve the quality of education provided. This has seen some outstanding examination results at A Level and GCSE, some eye-catching numbers relating to value-added and pupils’ progression in fields of interest such as Music, Sport and Drama bringing some notable achievements despite the obvious difficult circumstances regarding learning from the comfort of their own homes.
The little things add to the bigger picture.
Rydal Penrhos has recruited over 75 new pupils to the school since September – pupils whose lives will be changed through this decision, pupils who bring new talents and ambitions and personalities to our wonderful school. A strong indicator that each and everything we do in terms of teaching, resources and developments is going the right way and the little things count.
Focusing on the community and our Methodist ethos and charity status has given us the will to strengthen our Fully Funded Day Place scheme, a scheme that provides opportunities to bright children in our North Wales community who would not have had the chance to attend the school without the financial help.
The little things and getting them right has played a crucial role in this. Over the last year, 300,000 combined pupil lessons have been taught online or on-site under strict social distancing guidelines. This represents a remarkable achievement from everyone associated with the school – with everyone from teaching staff, support staff, senior leadership, governors, pupils and parents playing their part.
It’s not just academically where this has been evident. The school’s extra-curricular and outdoor education programme has been able to carry on where it can in difficult times, with elements such as Coastal School, Forest School, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, the Combined Cadet Force, Sailing and sports fixtures resuming more frequently once restrictions allowed.
Mr. John Waszek - Executive Principal
Whether it is the Estates team improving areas of the campus, our admissions team providing expert support and guidance, assisted learning needs on hand to help in any way they can, or a friendly face welcoming visitors and pupils at reception, it’s these little things that are clearly having a tremendous impact.
This has enabled Rydal Penrhos to look forward to the future, rather than approach it with a sense of trepidation in the current COVID-19 climate. Plans are being formed to ensure a sustainable and thriving future for the school, with every decision made for the benefit of its pupils moving forward.
We couldn’t have done this without incredible support. Everyone involved can be enormously proud of their approach during this most unprecedented of times. We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have a brilliant Rydal Penrhos community who are all pulling in the same direction.
