Dear Parents / Carers,

Your son has upcoming Progress Assessments from 17th – 19th June. 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 assessments are not something that students or parents should worry about, but they are an important opportunity for students to demonstrate their learning 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 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 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)