RTS Parents' Newsletter 25 November 2022

Head Teacher's Message

The Sports Department have enjoyed another impressive week of fixtures - and the students have played in all weathers with such resilience and determination. We are so proud of their endeavours - win or lose!

Year 7s have had their heads down this week during class, completing their first formal assessments - AP3 - they have worked extremely hard and we look forward to sharing their results with you before the end of term. Next week we move into Year 11 Mock GCSE examinations for a two week period. It is vital that students are prepared for these with correct uniform and equipment as these are the conditions that the GCSEs will be sat under next Summer.

Don't forget to put the FoRTS Christmas Fair in your diaries (Thursday 15 December) and I know that they will appreciate your help and support in making this a success after an enforced two year break.

A final reminder that my next Head Teacher's Surgery will be on Wednesday 30 November. Appointments will be online between 18:00-20:00 and there will be approximately 10 slots available for parents to ask questions 1:1. Please email Ms Munro, Head Teacher's PA on pa@rts.richmond.sch.uk to make an appointment.

Wishing you a good weekend.

Ms K Dooley

Dates for the diary

  • Monday 28 November-Friday 09 December

    • GCSE Mock Exams Year 11

  • Wednesday 14 December

    • Christmas Lunch and Christmas Jumper Day

  • Thursday 15 December

    • FoRTS Christmas Fair and RTS Creative Showcase, 18:00-20:00

  • Monday 08 May 2023

    • Additional Bank Holiday: Coronation of King Charles III - School closed to all students and staff

Contacting the School

If you wish to contact the school, the School Office is open (term time only):

  • Monday-Thursday - 08:15-16:30

  • Friday - 08:15-15:00

Telephone: 020 8891 2985

Email: info@rts.richmond.sch.uk

Please use the Parents Communications Summary for guidance on types of query and where advice may be found/who to direct your query to.

Enrichment Excitement!

Last week during Enrichment, the Scuba Diving group had an exciting opportunity to put on full scuba gear and even practice breathing using regulators underwater!

Saif, Emma, Albert and Patrick enjoyed trying on the wet suits and tanks whilst Cheryl went for the plunge!

Later on in the week the group then practised first aid techniques - Ben and Patrick taking it in turns to be placed in the recovery position.

RTS Rugby Triumph!

Earlier this week the U15 boy's rugby team travelled away to Fulham. Both teams enjoyed a well matched, full-on, and fast paced game, with our boys scoring exceptionally well to in win 36-29 against Fulham Boys School. This means that the team are through to the Middlesex Borough Finals (which take place next week).

Huge congratulations to this team of boys - and also to Mr Glossop, who has been a great coach to them this season.

Trips and Visits

This week, as part of support in their English Curriculum, Year 8 headed into London to the Old Operating Theatre. This visit links to their reading of Sawbones by Catherine Johnson; and looks at 18th century London. Ms Saxby was the first victim to prepare for a leg amputation - under the saw with the professional. Once Ms Saxby had recovered it was Dylan B, Dylan R and Alfie S's turn with the saw!

We are happy to report that all patients have recovered exceptionally well with both legs still intact!

Last Friday, seven of our Year 8 students had an excellent opportunity to develop their poetry writing skills at AIM High - Authors Abroad led by Neal Zetter at Lampton High.

The students really enjoyed their time which also included an chance to showcase their great efforts! Thank you Neal Zetter and Lampton High for hosting!

FORTS NEWS

Christmas Fair Planning Meeting

The PTA are holding a (remote) meeting on Monday 28 November at 8pm to discuss the fair arrangements. If you would like to join please use this link: meet.google.com/bfu-npjv-omq

We have a number of actions to do prior to the Christmas Fair - which is only 3 weeks away - if you can offer your help this would be greatly appreciated. Please email the address as below.

Help will also be required on the night. As you are aware, our Christmas fair is taking place on Thursday 15 December, 6-8pm with the school involving the children with another eye-opening creative showcase. We need help with set up and manning some of our internal stalls and tidying up after. We really can't pull this off without more people getting involved! And definitely the more, the merrier.

Rugby Parking

We have our last rugby parking session this Saturday 26 November and are short on volunteers from 4-9pm. We raised another £3,000 last weekend. If you are able to volunteer please contact Rob our parking coordinator at fortsparking@rts.richmond.sch.uk. Huge thanks to those who have already volunteered.

Have a great weekend, your FoRTS team,

Carey (Chair), Mark (Treasurer) and Carmelle (Secretary)

General: forts@rts.richmond.sch.uk

Parking: fortsparking@rts.richmond.sch.uk

Safeguarding

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

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)

Local News - Please note RTS does not endorse items included as Local News

Job vacancies at Bishop Perrin Primary School

Year 5 Class Teacher Maternity Cover Vacancy

Bishop Perrin CE Primary School in Whitton are advertising for a class teacher to cover their Year 5 class whilst their usual class teacher is on maternity leave, starting in February 2023.

If you are interested please click through on the link below. Please also feel free to share with anyone you know that might be interested. https://www.eteach.com/job/class-teacher-maternity-cover-1282886

Part-time Site Manager Vacancy at Bishop Perrin CE Primary School

Bishop Perrin School in Whitton is advertising for a part-time Site Manager to start as soon as possible.

The school is a small site with a well-maintained school building and grounds with a friendly and welcoming staff. The post would suit someone who is semi-retired or who looking to step back from full-time employment, although we welcome from any interested applicant. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions and please feel free to share the link with any friends or extended family members who may be interested in the post. https://www.eteach.com/job/school-site-manager-1288241

Stevensons Black Friday Offer

Our first ever Black Friday special is now live.

Spend £60 or more online and Save 20% on your entire order with purchases made through our website Stevensons.co.uk

[offer applies to website transactions only and is not redeemable in store. Is valid from 17/11/2022 until 30/11/2022 and excludes custom orders and Postage]

Use offer code BLACKFRIDAY20

Black_Friday.pdf

Living Support campaign

With more people being expected to come into hardship due to the rising cost of living in 2022, Richmond Council has developed a campaign to help de-mystify and de-stigmatise hardship support and to empower and enable residents to access the support they need.

You can help support the campaign by sharing the assets and social media copy below on your own channels.

Visit the Richmond Cost of Living Hub

Resources

The Richmond Cost of Living Hub has gathered information about lots of schemes, benefits and support services - both national and local - into one place. Residents can either browse the information on our website or use our helpful calculator, that will tell them exactly which scheme or support they may be able to access.

You can also sign up to email updates on cost of living support to receive useful information and tips straight to your inbox.

Where people cannot access the internet, we are encouraging them to ask a family member, friend or caregiver to help and look at the information for them. Alternatively, they can visit their local library and a staff member will be able to help them use a computer to find out what you could be entitled to.

Help for Households

The Government has launched the 'Help for Households’ scheme. The homepage brings together over 40 support schemes that the public can access, depending on eligibility, including help with:

  • Household costs

  • Energy Bills

  • Childcare costs

  • Income support

  • Transport costs

Additionally, a range of online tools will help citizens quickly and efficiently check the support they might be eligible for and how to access it.

Arts Richmond

Arts Richmond is delighted to announce the Young Writers' Festival for 2022! The competition is open to all young people who either live or attend school/clubs in the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames.

The rules are simple - write about any subject of their choice, in any format. They could write a story, a poem, a script as long as it's under 500 words or 25 lines for a poem.

Entries close Friday 02 December. The competition rules and entry template can be downloaded from www.artsrichmond.org.uk

Young Writers Poster A3 2022_Arts Richmond.pdf

Review of Borough Leisure Centre Facilities

Richmond Council are currently undertaking a review of the Leisure Centre Facilities in the borough and as part of that review are in the early stages of collecting information which will guide decision making about future leisure centre provision.

As part of this review the Council are currently running an online survey for those who live, work or exercise in the borough to participate in. A key user group of the centres is young people and as leisure centres help facilitate swimming lessons which are part of the national curriculum we wanted to get in touch and make you aware of the consultation.

The survey closes on 25 November and can be accessed here.

Leisure Survey Poster.pdf

Education Wellbeing Service

Secondary Parent Webinars Poster 2022.23. Education Wellbeing Service (2).pdf

Term Dates 2022-2023

Full term dates and Inset day information is available on the website:

  • Autumn Term 2: Monday 07 November-Friday 16 December 2022

  • Christmas Break: Monday 19 December-Tuesday 03 January 2023

  • Spring Term 1: Wednesday 04 January 2023-Friday 10 February 2023

  • Additional Bank Holiday: Monday 08 May 2023

Parents' Calendar