Teddington School Newsletter
Friday 3 July 2026
Dear Families
Firstly, I would like to issue a polite reminder regarding student conduct within our local community. We have recently received a small number of concerns from members of the public about students' behaviour outside of school. Our students are ambassadors for the school, and we expect them to demonstrate the same respect, courtesy and consideration in the community as they do within school. I would be grateful if parents and carers could reinforce this message at home.
A huge congratulations must go to our Year 10 and Year 12 students, who have completed a fantastic week of work experience. We have received excellent feedback from employers, who have praised our students for their enthusiasm, professionalism, punctuality and willingness to learn. We are incredibly proud of the way they have represented the school and hope they have gained valuable experience to support their future aspirations.
Looking ahead to September, we will shortly be sharing updated attendance guidance with all families. As part of our commitment to improving attendance, we will be taking a more firm, consistent and robust approach in line with national expectations. From September, any absence that is not supported by appropriate evidence will be recorded as unauthorised. By law, it is parent’s responsibility to ensure students attend school every day. Further information will be shared before the start of the new academic year to ensure everyone is fully informed.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our recent parent survey. Your feedback is extremely valuable and helps us to continually improve our provision. We are currently reviewing the responses and will share the outcomes with you in due course.
Next week is our much-anticipated Sports Week, which promises to be an exciting and enjoyable week for all students. Sports Day will take place on Wednesday at St Mary's University, with students required to arrive directly at the venue for an 08:30 start. Please ensure your child brings a packed lunch, a refillable water bottle, a hat and sun cream, as the weather forecast suggests it will be warm.
Students can wear PE kit throughout next week due to the warm temperatures. The only exception is for those attending the Awards Morning on Tuesday, who should arrive in full school uniform including their blazer and may change into their PE kit afterwards if they wish.
We are also looking forward to recognising and celebrating our recent Ofsted success at our Ofsted Celebration Lunches, taking place on Tuesday and Thursday. These events are a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge the hard work, commitment and positive contributions of our students.
Finally, our Year 9 students departed on Wednesday for this year's German Exchange. We have been delighted to receive updates from Mr Hole confirming that the trip is going extremely well and that everyone is having a fantastic time. We look forward to welcoming them home on Monday and hearing all about their experiences.
I wish you all a restful weekend and look forward to another fantastic week ahead.
Kind regards
Paul Grills
Headteacher
🏏 Congratulations to our Year 7/8 Cricket Team on reaching the Borough League Semi-Finals!
The team secured an impressive 8-wicket victory over St Richard Reynolds, showcasing fantastic teamwork, skill and determination throughout the match.
A brilliant achievement, good luck in the semi-finals! We're all behind you and can't wait to see how far you can go. 👏💙
🌊🚣 Over the last two weeks, our Year 7 students have enjoyed exciting kayaking experiences and taster sessions! It has been a fantastic opportunity to build confidence, develop new skills, and have fun on the water.
Well done to everyone who took part! 💙
🎭✨ Our annual House Drama Competition was a fantastic celebration of creativity, teamwork and talent!
Our Year 10 Drama students stepped into the role of directors, choosing their productions, casting their performers and leading rehearsals with younger students. It was wonderful to see them inspire the next generation of performers while supporting one another every step of the way.
Congratulations to all four houses for their amazing performances:
💚 Delphinus – Beetlejuice
❤️ Phoenix – Matilda
💙 Ursa – The Lorax
💛 Cygnus – Annie
A special congratulations to our award winners, and to Phoenix House, who took home the title of Best Overall Performance with Matilda! 🏆 Their prize is a theatre trip in September.
Well done to everyone involved, you should all be incredibly proud! 🌟👏
🏃♀️🏅 A huge congratulations to our students on their fantastic performances at the Middlesex Athletics Championships on Monday!
🥇 Imogen Year 8 – 1st Place, 800m
🥈 Nathaniel Year 7 – 2nd Place, Long Jump
🥉 Adriana Year 8 – 3rd Place, 1500m
🥉 Annabel Year 7 – 3rd Place, 800m
We're incredibly proud of your hard work, determination and outstanding achievements. Well done to you all! 👏💙
🏑👏 A huge well done to our fantastic Sports Ambassadors for leading the Richmond Primary School Hockey Festival!
Our students did a fantastic job organising and leading the event, and we were delighted to receive such positive feedback from one of the visiting teachers, who praised their confidence, organisation and professionalism throughout the day.
We are incredibly proud of you all, thank you for being such brilliant role models! 💙⭐
🤖🏆 A huge congratulations to Owen in Year 10 on his fantastic success in the World Robotics Olympiad!
After taking part in robotics competitions over the past few years and continually developing his skills, Owen achieved 1st place in the Regional Championship for the RoboMission Senior Category, securing his place in the UK National Finals.
We are incredibly proud of your hard work, dedication and outstanding achievement. Good luck in the National Finals Owen! We'll be cheering you on every step of the way! 🌟👏
🎉 We are incredibly proud to share that today Miss Harrison attended an awards presentation to celebrate our school being officially accredited as an Attachment Aware School by AfC!
This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a nurturing, supportive environment where every student feels safe, understood and able to thrive. A huge thank you to our dedicated staff, whose hard work and compassion have made this achievement possible.
Congratulations to everyone involved in reaching this fantastic milestone! 💙
👏 What an incredible week for our Year 10 students!
Our students have been gaining valuable real-world experience through a wide range of work placements and industry workshops. From healthcare, education and the Civil Service to film production, veterinary practices, construction, media, catering and more, they've embraced every opportunity with enthusiasm.
We are so proud to have received fantastic feedback from employers, who have praised our students for their positivity, professionalism, politeness and eagerness to learn.
We hope this experience has helped our students build confidence, develop new skills and explore future career pathways. A huge thank you to all the businesses and organisations who welcomed and supported our students this week, we truly appreciate your partnership in helping inspire the next generation! 🌟
🏐 On Tuesday, our Year 9 girls hosted a Borough Beach Volleyball Tournament, welcoming teams for a fantastic day of sport and friendly competition.
Congratulations to Orleans Park, who were crowned this year's winners! 👏
Our students were outstanding throughout the event, demonstrating excellent teamwork, sportsmanship and enthusiasm. It was wonderful to see everyone enjoying the day and representing their schools so positively.
A huge well done to all the teams who took part and everyone who helped make the tournament such a success! 🌟
Greetings from Germany!
We’re having a fantastic time so far! We’ve arrived safely, met our partner school, and are already making new friendships that will last a lifetime. From enjoying delicious German food to sharing unforgettable experiences together, it’s been a brilliant start to our trip.
We can’t wait to see what the rest of the week has in store! 🌍✨
🥋 Huge congratulations to Pelin in Year 9 on her incredible success at the Kent International Judo Competition!
Pelin delivered an outstanding performance, winning 🥇 Gold in the Under 20 category and 🥈 Silver in the Under 16 category, an amazing achievement and a testament to her hard work, dedication and determination.
We are incredibly proud of everything she has accomplished and look forward to seeing what she achieves next. Well done, Pelin! 👏
This summer, our own Mr Spyridakis, together with former Learning Support Assistant and much-loved member of our school community Mr Lamy, will take on an incredible challenge: cycling 600km from London to Luxembourg to raise funds for Make-A-Wish UK.
Setting off on 18th July, the pair will travel entirely under their own pedal power through England, France and Belgium before finishing in Niederanven, Luxembourg, where Mr Spyridakis grew up. While the ride will be a significant test of endurance, it is motivated by a cause that is deeply personal.
We wish them both the very best of luck and encourage our school community to support this inspiring fundraising effort. If you would like to make a donation, please do so via the link below.
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 'Esports Guide'. 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.
