Teddington School Newsletter
Friday 17 April 2026
Dear Families
It has been a very positive first week back, with students returning ready for a busy and exciting term ahead.
We were delighted to welcome back four former students who are now studying at Oxford and Cambridge this week. They delivered an insightful presentation to Year 12 and our Year 11 High Flyers cohort, sharing their experiences of university life, their academic courses, and practical advice on preparing for Oxbridge applications. Their reflections on super-curricular engagement, admissions tests and interviews were both informative and inspiring for current students.
Year 12 Geographers took their learning beyond the classroom with a fieldwork trip to Bushy Park. Students collected data on water and carbon stores, developing confidence in using fieldwork equipment, recording observations, and applying their classroom knowledge in a real-world setting. Year 10 visited the South London Medical Careers Day at St Francis Xavier Sixth Form. Throughout the day, students gained hands-on experience in emergency medicine by practising CPR, explored diagnostic tools such as oximeters and blood pressure cuffs, and engaged in discussions and role play around medical ethics. They also deepened their understanding of brain anatomy.
In addition, our annual PTA Plant Sale will be held next Saturday 25th April from 10am–12pm on site. Please come along to support this community event, featuring plants, market stalls, drinks, home-baked treats, live music, and a pre-loved uniform sale.
Looking forward, we have a full and vibrant programme of events. Our Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions will be taking place over the coming weeks, good luck to all students involved in this fantastic challenge. We also look forward to a High Flyers trip to Vienna, offering enriching academic and cultural experiences. The Performing Arts department will be hosting a performance evening, showcasing the incredible talent of our students. In addition, we will be marking important milestones for our Year 11 and Year 13 students with leavers’ assemblies and prom, alongside the all-important GCSE and A Level examination season.
On a more serious note, I would also like to make parents and carers aware of a notice shared with us by the Metropolitan Police. From 2pm on Friday 17 April until 2pm on Sunday 19 April 2026, a Section 35 Dispersal Order will be in place in Kingston Town Centre. This follows recent incidents involving weapons and information suggesting that groups of young people may gather in the area over the weekend. The order allows police to require individuals or groups to leave the area if their presence is likely to cause alarm, harassment or distress. A visible police presence will be maintained throughout. We are sharing this information particularly with families of older students (Year 11 and above) so that they are aware and can make informed decisions over the weekend.
Finally, a reminder that as the weather improves, we will be moving towards summer uniform in the coming weeks. In the meantime, all students are expected to attend in full standard uniform, including wearing their blazers each day.
We wish all students a successful and productive term ahead.
Kind regards
Mr P Grills
Headteacher
🌟 Easter Revision Sessions! 🌟
A huge well done and thank you to all of our students and staff who attended and ran our Easter revision sessions last week 👏
Your commitment, effort, and positivity have been fantastic to see. Giving up your time over the holidays shows real dedication and determination as we head into the final run-up to exams 💪📚
Keep up the momentum… this is where the hard work pays off!
🏉 Teddington U13s at the Rosslyn Park 7s Tournament 🏉
Our U13 boys took on the world’s biggest schools rugby tournament on Friday 27th March, finishing an impressive 2nd place in their group 👏
A fantastic effort from the team, and they’re already looking ahead to next year! 💪🔥
🏑 On Thursday 26th March, our U14 boys (Years 7, 8 & 9) proudly represented the school at the England Hockey National State School Festival in Nottingham.
The team showed outstanding teamwork, determination, and spirit throughout the competition, finishing as Plate Finalists!
Well done, boys! 👏
🩺 Fourteen of our Year 10 students recently attended the South London Medical Careers Day at St Francis Xavier Sixth Form.
Throughout the day, students gained hands-on experience in emergency medicine by practising CPR, explored diagnostic tools such as oximeters and blood pressure cuffs, and engaged in discussions and role play around medical ethics. They also deepened their understanding of brain anatomy.
Led by current medical students, the sessions provided valuable insight into applying for medical school and what life as a medical student is really like. The day concluded with inspiring talks from two hospital consultants, who shared both the challenges and rewards of a career in medicine.
An inspiring and informative experience for all involved! 👏
🎓 We were delighted to welcome back four former students now studying at Oxford and Cambridge: Caleb (Law, Cambridge), Edward (Chemistry, Oxford), George (PPE, Oxford) and Richard (Physics, Oxford).
They delivered an inspiring session for Year 12 and Year 11 High Flyers, sharing insights into university life, their courses, and guidance on preparing for Oxbridge applications. This included advice on super-curricular activities, admissions tests, and interviews.
Students were highly engaged and left feeling motivated and informed. A fantastic opportunity to learn from their journey! 👏
🌳 Year 12 Geographers visited Bushy Park to develop key fieldwork skills, collecting data on water and carbon stores.
They built confidence using fieldwork equipment, recording observations, and applying classroom learning in a real-world setting. A valuable and practical learning experience!
🎨 Year 12 German A Level students took part in an immersive lesson exploring German art and architecture.
They studied a range of architectural styles across German-speaking countries, developing cultural insight and language skills through engaging, real-world contexts.
🌍📚 As part of their preparation for the Year 8 Green Futures trip at the end of April, our Year 12 Geographers took part in ASDAN leadership training yesterday.
They developed key leadership skills ready to support younger students on the upcoming trip.
Welcome to this week’s digital parenting update, part of our series designed to help you support your child’s online world. Each week, we share advice from Internet Matters with practical tips and resources. This week’s resource is titled 'Passwords and Usernames'. You can see a snippet of the resource pictured, please click on the image to view the whole document.
As your child develops digital independence, smartphones and social media can support connection but also bring risks to wellbeing, sleep, and self-esteem. Open conversations, clear expectations, and family agreements are powerful tools to create balance. Download templates here.
Key points for parents/carers:
- Mobile phones are banned at Teddington School.
- Smartphones can affect sleep, wellbeing, and expose children to bullying, harmful content, and peer pressure.
- Most social media platforms are not age-appropriate: WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok (all 13+). These limits help protect against unsuitable content and privacy risks.
At Teddington School, Year 7 and 12 students receive school-managed iPads to support learning. Devices include safety settings and educational apps, with clear guidance for use. Please see our iPad Parent Guide for more information.
We have also produced a Parent EdTech Guide, which provides a simple overview of the online platforms we use, with links and login support.
Thank you for your continued partnership in promoting safe and healthy digital habits.
