RTS Parents' Newsletter

There has been much to celebrate over the last two weeks since the last newsletter, meaning that there is too much to fit in! I do encourage you to keep update with all of our news via our social media pages (links are at the very bottom of the newsletter); and we will continue to post over the summer break as we look back over the year.

Congratulations to Amelia, Year 8 - it was a privilege to present her with the Head Teacher Award for 2025-2026. Amelia consistently embodies the RTS Way in everything she does. She can always be seen doing the right thing, even when no one is watching, demonstrating integrity and strong personal values. She continually challenges herself, showing great resilience and determination in the face of obstacles. As an upstander, she actively promote kindness and respect, setting an excellent example for her peers as well as the RTS Community. Since joining RTS in Year 7, she has built a strong, positive foundation and now, in Year 8, she continues to grow, shaping an educational journey that reflects commitment, leadership and the true spirit of the RTS Way.

As we come to the end of a very busy and productive year, we have plenty to be proud of and to look forward to. Farewells and new beginnings are also part of that.

We especially thank the staff who are moving on to pastures new for their contribution to the school. This year, we say goodbye to Ms Charles, Ms Mears, Ms Biswas-Tamošiūnas, Mr Nesztinger; and Mr Lad.

We are delighted to welcome Mr Jean-Pierre, Head of Year 7; Ms Kidston, Second in Charge of Maths; Ms Cheung, Science Teacher; and Ms Houchen, Drama and English Teacher.

Other staffing updates for next year include Mr Gaye, Head of Year 9 and Curriculum Leader: Modern Foreign Languages; Mr Crampsie, Head of Year 10 and Subject Leader: History; and Ms Saxby, Head of Year 11 and Strategic Lead Carousel Subjects.

Finally - we are absolutely delighted to share that the incredible FoRTS Parking Team have, this academic year, raised an incredible £29,500 from opening up the RTS Staff Car Park for rugby parking during the large stadium games. The dedication of the team of parent and student volunteers through all weathers has been exceptional and we are extremely grateful for both their support and these much needed funds to enhance and enrich the lives of our students, your children, whilst at RTS. Please do look at joining this team as key members step down this year as their children have finished Year 11. Details below.

Wishing you a wonderful summer break ahead. I will be in touch again towards the end of summer with my Head Teacher's Welcome Back Letter.

Ms Dooley | Head Teacher

On Wednesday 17 June, Minnie, Snow and Matty headed over to St Mary's University with Ms Wareing and Ms Nunez to participate in the annual MFL Poetry Live Competition; alongside 52 other Year 8 students from 16 other schools in the area. Designed for non‑native learners of French, German and Spanish, the competition encourages students to enjoy language learning, build confident pronunciation, and explore poetry from across cultures. Our students had a great time and really pushed themselves out of their comfort zone and we are incredibly proud of their confidence and willingness to participate.

Following a successful debating workshop, Year 8 and 9 students attended a debate competition hosted by Thames Water, Debate Mate and Kingston University on Tuesday 30 June.

Throughout the day students worked in teams to debate the UK's future water supply. The top two teams then proceeded to the final.

The team in 2nd place was Snow (Y8), Neva (Y8), Minnie (Y8), Riley (Y9) and Eren (Y9).

The winning team in 1st place and taking the trophy was Hannah (Y8), Luca P (Y8), Lotta (Y9) and Stevie (Y9).

Stand out individual speakers were Minnie, Avesta (Y8) and Marcus H (Y9).

Our students said:

• Bella - "I had so much fun and learnt so much about how your style affects your points and how to structure a debate and the difference between a POI and a rebuttal. I would definitely recommend to other students"
• Neva - "I really enjoyed the trip, my favourite part was the games and teamwork aspects, my debating skills are definitely better! 10/10, Would recommend!"
• Marcus - " It was really fun - I think it's a great opportunity for people to increase their confidence in speaking in front of a crowd. It also helps with writing a convincing argument using real evidence. I would 100% recommend this trip to future students as it boosts confidence, helps with constructing strong arguments and is also just a fun experience."

Thames Water said: "We were absolutely blown away by how impressive The Richmond upon Thames students were. They engaged so enthusiastically throughout the day and were a real credit to your school. Everyone involved commented on how well-behaved, engaged, and enjoyable they were to work with."

Thank you to all the students that were involved, you represented the school exceptionally well and should be incredibly proud of yourselves.

Ms Dunningham and Ms Richards

RTS Sports Day is legendary - the whole school - staff included (bar an essential skeleton staff) - move offsite to Osterley Sports & Athletics Centre for an epic day of track and field events. With the Sports Department at the helm, staff swap whiteboards for stopwatch timers, laptops for cameras, classrooms for crash mats and sand pits, ties for trainers; and pens for relay batons!

The weather was sunny but with a good breeze to keep everyone cool when cheering on their friends.

House competition was fierce - especially in the relay races; and the day ended with the much anticipated staff 400m relay race - won by the Y11 student team! Well, they are a good few years younger than staff! 2nd place was taken by the speedy combination of Ms Webb, Ms Nietsche, Mr Crampsie and Ms Stoycheva!

On Thursday 02 July, following an extended lunch whilst entertained by one of the RTS bands, results and awards were presented during sports awards ceremonies.

During the last heatwave back at the end of June, Year 7 headed off on their PGL trip to Little Canada on the Isle of Wight. Despite the hot weather, there were smiles all round, plenty of laughter, and students enthusiastically threw themselves into every activity. It was a fantastic few days of adventure and teamwork - in their own words:

"I really enjoyed PGL. The food was nice and all the activities were all enjoyable and interactable. Although some of them I didn’t want to do, I still did them and I felt amazing after. Due to this PGL trip, I went outside of my comfort zone. And now, I know that I CAN do rock climbing and Jacob’s Ladder. The ferry was very fun whilst we sailed the English Channel to the Isle of Wight. It was a good way to get off my phone (which I really need to do) and it helped my social skills improve. My favourite activity was probably The Giant Swing. The staff were lovely and kind to us during our stay, they gave us tours, where to go and when. Thank you PGL." - Cosmo

"Our trip to PGL (Little Canada) was brilliant. It started with a ferry ride to the Isle of Wight, which felt like leaving the country. The camp itself is a massive forest filled with log cabins and kids having lots of fun. The first activity that we went on was the giant swing. We got hauled to the top by our friends and had to pull a rope to let us down. It was beautiful at the top as we could see the whole of Little Canada. Every day we had 4 activities. 2 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. At night we went to the beach and went in the sea for a while. Even though it was cold, I still enjoyed it. Everyone had fun and did most activities even if they were scared." - Max M.

"I really enjoyed PGL as there were many exciting and new things that put me out of my comfort zone yet I still had an amazing time. My activities were challenging but me and my team pushed through and made it to the top of most of the climbing activities. The food at PGL was very filling and gave me the energy to complete our tasks. It was also very nice to sit with all my friends to eat and be social. One of my favourite parts that I will always remember was going to the beach with all my friends and having so much fun in the refreshing water. I had an amazing experience at PGL. And would 100% go again." - Sophie O.

"PGL was truly a team building experience filled with fun creativity and laughter from the big swing to learning how to survive in the wild there was never a dull moment across the entire trip. Personally my favourite activity was Jacob’s Ladder not just because of the thrill it gives you of being able to climb as high as you can but also because it truly helps you to bond with your friends combining fun and team building together in an activity, in addition to this PGL teaches you to become more independent and learn the roles of responsibility even from remembering your cabin key to learning how to to kayak in the ocean alone. A really amazing trip with lots of fun filled activities and many memories made. 5 stars." - Violet

We have been honoured over the past four days (Monday-Thursday) to have welcomed 29 Chinese students into school on a cultural visit. Year 10 prefects and some Year 9 prefects had the responsibility of being paired with a Chinese student during this time and looking after them. They attended lessons together, were introduced to the RTS canteen and ate meals with the rest of the school, participated in assemblies, games lessons and also exchanged small gifts with each other. We were grateful to Mr He and Ms Song being on hand to assist with translations!

Please read full details here regarding the changes to free school meals from 01 September 2026.

The information includes link to the form that must be completed in order to continue to receive FSM, or to begin to receive FSM, from 01 September 2026.

Easyfundraising

We extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who has contributed to Friends of RTS through #easyfundraising. Your support is invaluable in helping us achieve our mission.

If you haven't signed up yet, the process is simple and completely free. With over 8,100 brands participating, a percentage of your everyday online purchases will be donated to us—at no additional cost to you. Join us in making a meaningful impact today.

So far we have raised £1,348.91

Sign up here: Easyfundraising

Your FoRTS team,

Carmelle (Chair and Acting Secretary) and Pino (Treasurer)

General: forts@rts.richmond.sch.uk

Parking: fortsparking@rts.richmond.sch.uk

During the course of the academic year, staff can 'bid' for funding for items for their department or across the school. Below you can see some fantastic additions to the Science Department - fractional distillation equipment and the following 3D models: Skin, ear (not shown) and brain. The latest round of bids has included the below items for use at events - sports days, school fairs, representing the school, onsite events. We are absolutely delighted with these items.

Behind the scenes, additional funding also covers things like the cost of coaches for Sports Day - but a photo of coaches is not very exciting!

If you have concerns in relation to a student at RTS or indeed with regards to your own child, you may want to contact Single Point of Access (SPA) which acts as a central information hub for all professional agencies in Kingston and Richmond.

Richmond and Kingston SPA

The SPA phone lines are now open as follows:

• Monday-Thursday 08.00-17.15 and Friday 08.00-17.00 - the phone number during these times is 020 8547 5008

• Out of hours: 020 8770 5000

Hounslow Early Help Assessment

• Telephone number: 020 8583 6600

• Out of hours: 020 8583 2222

• Email: earlyhelp@hounslow.gov.uk

NSPCC:

Speak to a counsellor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

• Telephone number: 0808 800 5000, or text 88858

• Email: help@nspcc.org.uk

• Signvideo using British Sign Language (Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm)

Full-term dates and Inset day information is available on the school's website:

• Summer Term 2: Monday 01 June -Friday 10 July (finish at noon)

• Autumn Term 2026-2027: Wednesday 02 September, Y7 only / Thursday 03 September, All year groups, staggered start

Rising prices can make life's little treats harder to afford, especially during the school holidays when costs build up for families. This Government is determined to help, and that is why last month the Chancellor announced the Great British Summer Savings scheme.

From 25 June to 1 September 2026, the Government is temporarily cutting VAT from 20% to 5% on children's meals in restaurants, children and family tickets to cinemas, theatres, concerts and exhibitions, and admission to a wide range of attractions. Combined with free bus travel during August for children aged 5 to 15 in England, families and young people will be able to enjoy experiences that make summer special, including visits to the kinds of cultural and educational attractions that enrich children's lives outside the classroom.

As part of this campaign, we have launched an attraction finder website which allows families to type in their postcode and find participating venues near them to make the most of summer savings. To use the attraction finder, please visit https://summersavings.gov.uk.

This webinar aims to help parents and carers understand and respond to the messages boys and young people are receiving about masculinity, the pressures they are navigating and to support them in growing into confident, caring and emotionally resilient people.

When: Thursday 16 July 2026, 6pm - 7pm
Where: Online via Zoom
Who should attend: parents and carers of young people in Richmond and Wandsworth

Register here.

I'm writing from Richmond Canoe Club, Britain's biggest canoe club, just along the Thames.

We run junior paddle camps throughout the summer holidays, and I want to make sure your families know we’re on their doorstep.

Each week during the summer, we offer five full days on the Thames at Britain's biggest canoe club, coached by a World and European medallist. Kids will be off screens, out in the fresh air, and learning a sport for life.

All just £240 for the week (or £165 with proof of free school meals)

Additional information here:

https://www.richmondcanoeclub.com/learn/junior-paddle-camps

Lights. Camera. Action. In just 5 days… You’ll create your own film.

This summer, give your child the chance to step into the world of filmmaking - not

just watching films, but making one.

At our Dreamcatcher Film Camp, young creatives (ages 8/9–17/18) will write, act,

direct, and edit their very own short film - and take home a digital copy to share with

family and friends.

From gripping storylines to high-energy chase scenes, from heroes and villains to

powerful performances - every film is completely original, created by the students

themselves in age-appropriate groups.

What makes this special?

This isn’t a passive course. It’s hands-on, and deeply creative:

 �� Create a film from scratch in just 5 days

 �� Act, direct, and work behind the camera

 ✂️ Learn real editing and storytelling skills

 �� Be guided by experienced industry professionals

 �� Build confidence, teamwork, and creative thinking

By the end of the week, students don’t just leave with a film - they leave with the

skills and confidence to make more.

Camp Details:

�� Location: St Mary’s University, Twickenham

�� Dates: Weekly from Monday 7th July – end of August

⏰ Time: 9:00am – 2:00pm (Monday–Friday)

Limited places available each week.

Book now:

�� 07828 377939

�� contact@dreamcatcherfilmcamp.com

�� www.dreamcatcherfilmcamp.com

FREE Summer Holiday 2026

For Ages 9-18 years old

FUEL/HAF (but available to all young people too!!!)

It’s summertime and it’s set to be a scorcher at Hampton Youth Zone.

This year we are running from July 27th - August 28th.

That’s 5 weeks of FREENESS for you to enjoy. There are customary weekly trips for attendees to check out and snacks and drinks are included too. It’s ram packed with things to do so pop down, make some new friends and have some fun!!!

Daily Activities

• Art
• Arcade Gaming
• Archery
• Board games
• Climbing
• Cooking
• Deejaying
• Foosball
• Gardening
• Garden Games
• Gym and Fitness
• Music Production
• Pool
• Roller Skating
• Sports (football, basketball, tennis, benchball, etc)
• Table tennis
• Team based group games
• Video gaming (PS5 and Xbox Series)

**Whitton Youth Zone is closed this summer after suffering damage in the storm in June. We are setting up a brand new gym at Hampton Youth Zone running throughout the summer so our gym regulars can train as normal.

Check out our full timetable or contact justin johnson via justin.johnson@achievingforchildren.org.uk for more information.

The Mental Health Support Team (MHST) have been offering a series of live, online webinars for parents called The Helping Teens with... series. In order to continue to make the webinars accessible and tailored to your interests as a parent, we would appreciate you sharing your views and giving feedback via this questionnaire. We would be very grateful if you could complete this by July 10th 2026.

The MHST is an early intervention and prevention service focusing on mild to moderate mental health difficulties such as anxiety, low mood and common behavioural difficulties. The Kingston and Richmond MHST is a schools-based multi-disciplinary team of psychological professionals including Clinical Leads, Creative Therapists, Mental Health Practitioners and Education Wellbeing Practitioners. We cover all schools in Kingston and Richmond.

Local bereavement charity, space2grieve is on hand, during both term time and school holidays, to provide free bereavement support for families living in the borough of Richmond.

When a significant person in a child’s life has died, parents and carers can feel overwhelmed and uncertain how best to support their children as often they are grieving themselves. In a Parenting Through Grief session, our experienced specialist bereavement supporters provide parents and carers with a space to talk it through, as well as key information and resources, so that they feel better equipped to help their grieving children. For children and young people, support is in the form of one-on-one sessions either in school or at our welcoming space at the ETNA Community Centre in Twickenham. The sessions are free, and available via self-referral.

For further information:

space2grieve.org.uk

0751 937 6363

Or email cypsupport@space2grieve.org.uk

It takes courage to ask for help. But for many young people who do, the support they need just isn’t there. Hundreds of thousands of young people are struggling with their mental health, but too many are being told to wait, struggling to cope and hitting a crisis point before they get help.

But things can get better. And Young Minds are leading the movement for change.

We provide young people with the tools to look after their mental health. We empower adults to be the best support they can be to the young people in their lives. And we give young people the space and confidence to get their voices heard and change the world we live in.

Together, we can create a world where no young person feels alone with their mental health.

The Helpline is a lifeline for parents, carers and children/young people who don’t know where to turn, or don’t feel listened to when their child is, or they are, struggling.

If you would like to stay up to date with events as they happen, click the links to follow us on:

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