RTS Parents' Newsletter

What a fantastic week we have had - straight back on Monday with whole staff training. Every September staff are energized and excited for the year ahead, and this year is no exception. Our new Year 7 students headed out on Tuesday for a wonderful team building day together at Thames Young Mariners and came in on their first proper school day on Wednesday full of chatter and confidence. They have been a pure delight to see around school this week, asking questions, impeccably smart in their new school uniforms and smiling broadly. All year groups returned on Wednesday and have experienced a week of settling back in, establishing routines, catching up with friends and teachers - and dodging the torrential downpours that we have experienced!

As we look forwards to the year ahead we also look backwards to the year just gone and our Year 11 GCSE leavers. We were delighted with this year’s results, with 83% of students achieving a Grade 4 or above in Maths, 82% in English, and 74% of students achieving a Grade 4 or above in both English and Maths, with 60% at Grade 5 or above. These results reflect the hard work and determination of the students, staff, and their families. Our full press release can be read on the RTS website here.

I hope you have a restful weekend.

~Ms K Dooley | Head Teacher

We were delighted to hear that over the summer our top swimmer, Jack in Year 11, competed in both the Aquatics GB and English Nationals swimming competitions at Ponds Forge International Arena in Sheffield. Jack competed in 10 events over the 2 week period and finished 7th in GB in the 800m freestyle, 9th in GB for 200m Butterfly, 10th in GB for 400m Freestyle, along with many more top 20 finishes.

Following his performance, Jack is one of 45 (male) aged 15 British swimmers to have been placed on the Swim England National Pathway, which provides Jack with additional coaching from the Swim England team at Loughborough University and Peterborough throughout the forthcoming season, which has already started in preparation for the 2025 championships.

What better way to start the beginning of a new school and new academic year than Year 7s embarking on a great school trip to Thames Young Mariners.

Students worked together to participate in land and water based activities including orienteering, kayaking, paddle boarding, rope course; and much more! It was amazing for students to build brand new friendships as well as work together to complete the challenges successfully. All students and staff had a great day with a lot of smiling faces and laughter, with the weather holding out and also changing to sunshine! We look forward to the new bonds made, being developed and strengthened as they begin their RTS journey.

The Scholastic Book Fair will be arriving at RTS next week, with hundreds of new books to browse and buy.

Dates: Tuesday 10 September - Friday 13 September

Where: The ILZ (library)

Students will be able to browse and purchase books during break and lunchtime or after school each day from 16:00-16:30 and students in Years 7 and 8 will also have the opportunity to visit the fair during an allocated lesson time. The fair will also be open during the Parents Information Evening on Wednesday 11 September.

There are over 200 titles to choose from, and with prices starting from only £2.99, there’s sure to be a book for everyone. Please click on the link to see the books that will be available to purchase at the fair: https://bookfairs.scholastic.co.uk/bookcases/tt.

Books can be paid for with cash, card or with Gift Vouchers available at Book Fair Gift Vouchers - Scholastic Shop. Alternatively, students can complete a Book Fair Wish List which you can use to make payment online at Scholastic.

Don’t forget that every book you buy can help to earn FREE BOOKS for our school library!

The MFL department, in collaboration with FoRTS are organising an International Evening at RTS to welcome the new Year 7 families into our RTS community and to celebrate European Day of Languages. This event has taken place for the last two years and has been a fantastic evening celebrating the many cultures and nationalities that RTS comprises and sharing food together.

We will have tables set up in the Assembly Hall and parents/carers and members of the community are invited to bring in food from their respective countries. There will also be some fun activities for everyone to enjoy. Although the event is to welcome our new Year 7 families we of course welcome any and all of our families across the school who wish to come and experience the evening.

The event is on Thursday 19 September and runs from 18:00 - More details to come!

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)

Easyfundraising

Great news, we’ve registered Friends of Richmond upon Thames School with #easyfundraising, which means over 7,500 brands will now donate to us for FREE every time you use easyfundraising to shop with them. These donations will help SO MUCH, so please sign up to support us – it’s completely FREE and doesn’t take long. Sign up here: Easyfundraising

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FoRTS Volunteering

If you are interested in joining or would like to know more about some of the vacant roles please contact Carmelle at the general email address below.

There are only 3 of us on the committee so we’re not actually a big group and with the Year 11 volunteers leaving this year we are looking for more help in order to successfully raise more money for our children’s school and enrichment activities.

It really is less than 30 minutes of your time a week. All processes are in place so there’s no extra work to do.

Join FoRTS by clicking here. It’s as simple as that!

Your FoRTS team,

Carmelle (Chair and Acting Secretary) and Jason & Somi (Treasurers)

General: forts@rts.richmond.sch.uk

Parking: fortsparking@rts.richmond.sch.uk

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

• Autumn Term: Tuesday 03 September - Friday 25 October 2024

• INSET Day: Friday 11 October

Please find the Parent Calendar Summary for 2024-2025. Please check this regularly as some dates and times may be adjusted throughout the year.

Nuffield Health have created a programme - Move Together aimed at girls aged 11-16. Classes take place at Nuffield Twickenham on Wednesdays at 16:30. Enrol now for free weekly fitness classes, exclusively for girls aged 11-16.

The Girls U13 Hampton and Richmond Youth football team are currently looking for U13 girls to join our existing squad (school year 8). All ability levels welcome.

Contact details are in the flyer - the manager is a parent of an RTS alumni.

Limited Places Remaining!

We can't wait to start rehearsals for Disney's Beauty & The Beast JR in Walton on Thames, Teddington, Twickenham and Hampton Hill.

Come join our award-winning casts where every child has a part to play - regardless of their experience.

YOUTH THEATRE (13-18 YRS)
YOUNG PERFORMERS (8-12 YRS)
MINI MUSICALS (5-7 YRS)

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