Dear Parent/Guardian,


At Richard Challoner we are blessed with excellent sports facilities. We hope your son is looking forward to utilising all of them during the rest of this year.

During each year group pupils are offered a range of sports activities including – Rugby Union, Football, Basketball, Cricket, Volleyball, Table-Tennis, Athletics, Fitness Training, Cross-Country and Gymnastics.

We do ask for a £30.00 contribution to support the running of the comprehensive sports programme and extra-curricular activities offered throughout the academic year. Please could this payment should be made via MCAS as soon as possible.

If you are eligible for free school meals and would like to request assistance with the cost, please click the link below and a member of the finance staff will confirm the support available to you.

https://forms.gle/FgxEekRfFUcLqpsc8

            

We participate in many different sports and achieve high levels of success performing in Rugby, Football, Basketball, Cross Country and Table Tennis competitions already this year.

This success is down to the dedication and commitment of the boys, their parents and school staff who give up their time and this is highlighted by the hundreds of sports fixtures and clubs pupils have attended during this past academic year.

A previous Ofsted Report (Going the Extra Mile) highlighted the positive impact that extracurricular sport has not only on the development of young people but how it can aid academic achievement. It is my intention that Richard Challoner School continues to provide a diverse and engaging extracurricular programme in 2025/26 and beyond.

We aim to offer both recreational and competitive sport to all pupils. Fixtures generally take place after school and on Saturday Mornings and have continued through the current difficulties. As outlined in the school prospectus ‘pupils are expected to represent the school when selected’.

After Saturday morning fixtures refreshments are available after all home matches in the school pavillion. We encourage all parents to come along and support.

Pupils will require full kit for all Games/PE lessons, this includes –

Outdoor Lessons
Long sleeved Hooped Games Shirt
Black Shorts
Hooped Black and Green Socks
Studded Boots
Gum Shield for Rugby
Shin Pads for Football

Indoor Lessons
Black Crested Tee Shirt
Black Shorts
White Socks
Clean trainers (non- marking sole)

Please could you also ensure all equipment is clearly labelled.
Kit can be purchased through Village Sports in Raynes Park

The Friends of Challoner also have a selection of pre-loved kit which is often available at school functions.

We also run a kit exchange within the PE department in which students can swap boots for boots of another size, if you have any spare boots please do drop them into school so that they can be used by another student, this has proven particularly helpful over the years.

If your son is unable to participate in any PE or Games lessons please could you provide a note, addressed to his teacher, explaining the reason. Your son will still take part in some of the lessons; maybe as an official or coach and should bring a tracksuit and suitable footwear in order to do so.

If you have any queries in relation to this letter please feel free to contact me via the school office and thank you for your continued support for school sport.

Yours Faithfully,

Mr. P Manley
Director of Sport
Richard Challoner School

Dear Parents/Carers,

Your year 9 child’s teenage vaccinations are now due.

The 3-in-1 teenage booster protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and polio. It boosts the protection that your child should have received in their 6-in-1 vaccine (aged 8, 12, and 16 weeks) and the pre-school booster (aged 3 years 4 months).

The Meningococcal ACWY vaccine provides protection against four strains of bacterial meningitis. Proof of this immunisation is often required by colleges, universities, and other higher educational facilities before enrolling.

Your child should have received two doses of the MMR vaccine (at aged 1 and 3 years 4 months). This will be recorded on their GP record, or in their Red Book. If you believe your child is missing one, or both doses, they can catch-up alongside their other teenage vaccinations.

If you would like further information on these vaccinations, please visit the NHS website: www.nhs.uk/vaccinations.

Please discuss these vaccines with your child, and use the link provided to access and complete the electronic consent form:

Click Here

This includes two single injections:

The 3-in-1 teenage booster (Td/IPV)

and

Meningococcal ACWY (MenACWY)

Along with these vaccines, your child can receive the following vaccination, if they are missing one or both doses:

Measles, Mumps, and Rubella vaccine (MMR)

The Kingston Immunisation Team will visit Richard Challoner on 29/01/2026

The South London Children and Young People’s Community Immunisation Service are also hosting two parent information sessions explaining the immunisations offered to teenagers during secondary school. These sessions will cover:

• the HPV vaccine

• the 3-in-1 teenage booster

• the Meningococcal vaccine

• the MMR vaccine

Please use the links below to join the sessions:

• Tuesday 20 January 13:00 – 14:00: Click Here

• Thursday 29 January 16:00 – 17:00: Click Here

Dear Parents / Guardians,

Your son has an upcoming Progress Assessments from 21st – 23rd January. Progress Assessments take place not only to monitor the progress of our students and to identify their strengths and areas for development, but also to help prepare them for their studies in Key Stage 4. These mid-year assessments are not something that students or parents should worry about, but they are an important opportunity for students to demonstrate their learning so far this year and they should prepare accordingly.

Helping the boys develop positive study habits across Key Stage 3 will undoubtedly make the transition into Key Stage 4 much smoother. Having the opportunity early on in their school life to design and carry out a Study Schedule and then see its impact on their learning will demonstrate its importance.

We have and will always stress the need for balance and ensuring that their revision fits around their already busy lives. We understand that teenage boys should be playing with friends, exercising and engaging in other recreational activities. In recognition of this, teachers have been asked where possible that homework in the lead up to the Progress Assessments will be shifted towards revision activities, rather than expecting revision to be done on top of other homework tasks.

We are suggesting that boys cover a minimum of three blocks of revision for Maths, English, Science and two blocks of History, Geography, Modern Foreign Languages and Religious Education across a single week. It is important that the boys take regular breaks whilst studying and we would suggest they do not study more than four blocks in an evening.

.

What can you do as a parent to help your son?

• Ensure they have a work-area/ somewhere they can sit comfortably to revise

• Help your son complete their weekly and daily Study Schedules

• Ask to see some examples of the revision they complete. Try to engage them in a discussion not just about what they are revising, but also how they are revising it.

• Make testing fun! Use their Revision Cards to quiz them - this is a great way to strengthen memory!

• Reward your son for sticking to his Study Schedule

We hope this information is helpful and will help in supporting your son throughout this process.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Mander

Year Leader

Dear Parents/Carers,

I am would like to invite students from Year 9 students to become members of our School Partnership Team. Our school has been in partnership with St Mary’s College, Kisubi, in Uganda since 2020. We are looking for a dedicated group of student volunteers to help grow this initiative and represent our school community on the global stage. About the Partnership This partnership is more than just a school link; it is an active, working relationship.

The Partnership Team will be responsible for:

• Collaborative Projects: Designing and working on shared curriculum tasks with Ugandan peers.

• Video Conferencing: Hosting live digital link-ups to discuss global issues and share cultural experiences. 

• Promoting the partnership: Writing articles and leading assemblies on the ongoing work of the partnership.

• Possibly Facilitating Visits: Playing a key role in the planning and hosting of future reciprocal visits between the two schools.

How to Get Involved We are looking for students who are empathetic, organized, and curious about the world. If your son is interested in joining, they should complete the Google Form by 4pm on Thursday 18th December.

The Google Form has been emailed to them.

We look forward to embarking on this journey with our Year 9 students and deepening our connection with our friends at St Mary’s Uganda.

Yours faithfully,

Neil D’Aguiar Lay Chaplain 

Dear Parent/Guardian,

The History Department is now preparing for our annual trip to the battlefields of the First World War. This will be the twenty-fifth time we have organised this trip and each year it has been a great success, providing one of the highlights of the students’ time at Richard Challoner. 

During the trip we will visit some of the major battle sites of the Western Front on the Ypres Salient (Belgium) and the Somme (France), and visit cemeteries and memorials that commemorate the sacrifice of countless lives on both sides and across all nationalities and backgrounds. In History lessons pupils will prepare for the trip by studying the causes and key features of the war, and will be encouraged to research local and family history. Preparatory work will also be done in Geography, Religious Education and Science.

The dates are Wednesday 25th - Friday 27th February 2026 and I am pleased to say that there are places for all Year Nine pupils. The cost of the trip is £270 which is all-inclusive of travel, hotel accommodation, meals, tours of the sites/museums and insurance.  

If you require financial assistance or need to extend the payment deadlines this may be available on request. In this instance please follow the link below.

https://forms.gle/FgxEekRfFUcLqpsc8

In order to complete the booking, I am requesting a non-returnable deposit of £70 to reach us by Friday 13th December 2024. I will ask for the remainder of the cost to be paid in two £100 instalments, or in a lump sum, by Friday 14th February 2025. You may pay the whole amount right away if you wish. The details of the payment for the trip will be on MCAS and this is the required form of payment. 

As we are travelling to Europe, all students will require a valid passport – please note that UK passports will need to be valid for 3 months after the date we leave to come home (7th March 2025) so please check that your son’s passport fits this criteria. Although the trip is covered by the school insurance, it would also be helpful if students have a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) with them. Having these cards would make things easier if any student needed medical care while we are abroad so if your son does not have one, we would appreciate it if you could apply for one using the following link 

https://services.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/cra/start

If you do have any questions about the trip please do not hesitate to contact me below. I will be in touch in due course with further details.

Yours sincerely,

Mr. M. Coll

Subject Leader of History

mcoll1@challoner.kingston.sch.uk

Dear Parent/Guardian

During this academic year your son will be involved in several projects, in both Design Technology and Food and Nutrition, requiring certain materials which, when used in large quantities, are a significant drain on the limited resources available to the school. As you are no doubt aware, school budgets are under severe pressure as costs continue to rise and Government funding lags behind.

It is therefore common practice to charge for finished products which are then taken home. In order to streamline the collection of such money I am proposing a one off payment of £13.50 for the year, which will allow students to take home any finished products without further charge and provide all the required ingredients for Food and Nutrition lessons.

I hope that you agree this represents tremendous value for money, as well as providing your son with a varied and stimulating curriculum.

I would stress that although this donation is entirely voluntary, in times of financial strain in education, resources are limited. Your donation will ensure the best possible range of resources being available for your son when he works in these areas. We have pushed this payment back until the spring term knowing the considerable financial demands that the start of each new academic year makes. Payments should be made through Bromcom in the usual way and we would ask that your contribution is made before the end of Spring half term. 

If anyone requires financial assistance please contact the school bursar using the email below stephanie.harvey@challoner.kingston.sch.uk

Thank you in anticipation of your support in this matter.

Dear Parents/Carers of Year 9,

Richard Challoner School is committed to ensuring students have the best resources available to plan ahead for their future and as part of that students are provided with impartial Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance.

This can be in lessons, through school events, the careers library and also through the Careers Lead and CEIAG Advisor, Mrs Stansbridge.

Throughout the year Mrs Stansbridge will focus on seeing students either in small groups or individually beginning with students in year 11 to help them think about important choices for post 16 education. Students in years 7-13 will also be offered opportunities as the year progresses and at key points in their decision making.

For Year 9,

• Careers support will be in the spring term and will be in small groups or as class sessions. Timings will be given by their tutors. Please join us in encouraging students to think ahead about any questions they may have, or areas to explore.

• If, as a parent, you have questions or would like to speak to me please make contact through the email address below.

• Year 9 will also complete their careers unit in the spring term. This will be about preparing them for making their GCSE choices. Students complete a booklet which is on their ipad with information on showbie and Show my homework.

• This is in addition to the options evening and assemblies that students in year 9 will receive to help them in making these decisions.

• National Apprenticeship Week in February and National Careers Week in March are celebrated in school with activities taking place during tutorial time and materials are placed on the website in advance.

Please also visit the careers pages on the school website https://www.richardchalloner.com/careers where there will regularly be information regarding events or opportunities as well as some useful information for parents around career planning. I will write to you again with an update later in the academic year.

I am also excited to introduce a weekly newsletter in association with The Careers People, which will be published on the careers pages of the school website and circulated to students which will give information on national and local events as well as spotlights on varying careers.

This year we are continuing to use our careers platform called Xello. More information is available on the careers pages linked above and we hope to roll out a parent side later in the academic year to allow you to see your sons progress and career ideas. Students have access to this platform via their ipads and can use independently and during guided time in careers units

Introducing the concept of careers and future planning at an early stage does allow students to explore their strengths and help to make informed choices. Each year group will also have time in their pastoral programme to explore these themes in more detail. Students are also welcome to drop into the Careers Office.

There will also be support for school activities and arranging for professionals from varying careers backgrounds to come in and work with students to inspire and bring the working world further into education.

If you are able to support in these activities through giving a talk, representing your company or industry or sharing stories with students please complete the following short google form- https://forms.gle/5NQCtPLRzyEhPUiu5

Please take this opportunity to talk at home about future plans and if you have any queries, questions or would like to support these activities in anyway please contact the school or email careersiag@challoner.kingston.sch.uk

Yours sincerely

Mrs LJ Stansbridge

CEIAG Lead (Careers Education and Information Advice and Guidance)