Teddington School Newsletter

Dear Families

Firstly, a huge thank you to everyone who supported Little Shop of Horrors last week. I was fortunate enough to attend Friday’s performance with my 6-year-old, and he was very impressed, as was I. The talent on display was amazing and it's safe to say this wasn't your average 'school production'. I am so proud of all the students and staff who were involved and to be the Headteacher of such a vibrant and talented school community.

Another thank you to the families who generously hosted our German exchange students. Opportunities like these are so important in fostering cultural exchange and building connections. Your kindness and hospitality have made a real difference, our visitors headed back to Germany yesterday and were so positive and complimentary about the whole experience.

Another special mention also goes to our PTA, who ran another successful Christmas tree sale last Sunday. As always, it was a festive event, bringing together families and spreading Christmas cheer within our school and wider community. Your support for our school through events like these is so valued, thank you!

Today, our Year 11 students received their mock GCSE results. This is an important milestone as they prepare for the summer examinations, and the feedback from these first assessments will be critical in helping them improve and succeed. Families, we look forward to seeing many of you at next week’s Parents’ Evening, where you’ll have the chance to discuss your child’s progress and next steps.

This week in boys football our Year 7 team beat Twickenham 4-0 and Year 10 lost out 2-1 in a close match for the Surrey Cup. Well done to both teams and all others who have played this week, you're doing a fantastic job representing our school.

As we approach the end of term, we have an exciting week ahead! Here’s what to look forward to:

• Rewards Assemblies to celebrate the achievements of our students this term.
• Christmas Lunch in the canteen on Monday and Tuesday, please refer to the letter sent out to know when your child will have theirs.
• Christmas Jumper Day on Thursday 12 December – students can wear a festive jumper with their school uniform in exchange for a £1 donation to Save the Children. Let’s finish the term with some festive spirit while supporting a wonderful cause!

Finally, a reminder about attendance: we have just seven school days left until the end of term. We finish on Tuesday 17 December, and we will be working hard right up until the last day.

Thank you all for your continued support, and I hope you have a lovely and restful weekend.

Kind regards

Mr P Grills

Headteacher

Thursday saw the departure of the 30 German exchange students who had been staying with their Teddington counterparts for the last week. This was the return leg of the German exchange, which initially saw Teddington students going to Constance, Germany, for a week back in the Summer. This is an exchange which has been running for 50 years between Teddington School and Geschwister-Scholl-Schule in Constance, and started due to the connection that Richmond has with Contance.

The return leg to Teddington is always a much less anxious event than the initial encounter in Germany as students already know their exchange partners at this point. German students had a fantastic week experiencing Teddington and London as well as spending a morning in lessons with their exchange partners. It was an unforgettable experience for both Germans and Teddington Students and we look forward to taking the next cohort of year 9 students to Germany next summer. I want to thank all the families involved in hosting the German exchange partners as the trip would not happen without the support of families.

We are consulting to amend our admissions arrangements with effect from the 2026/27 academic year to include more detail under the 'Admission of children outside their normal age group' section. Our consultation process began on Wednesday 13 November, and will conclude on Monday 13 January.

Please have a read via the button below. If you have any comments on this amendment, please contact our Admissions Officer, Mrs N Howarth, via howarthn@teddingtonschool.org.

This week marked a milestone as students gathered for the very first Teddington Leadership Team Student Committee meeting. The session was an incredible opportunity to review feedback from the first Student Voice survey conducted in Half Term 1 and explore ways to shape the future of our school.

Students enthusiastically shared their personal ideas and visions for their roles as leaders, working collaboratively with the 6F leaders to brainstorm initiatives and improvements they’d like to see implemented. The meeting was filled with vibrant discussions and creative energy, setting the tone for what promises to be an impactful year ahead.

To mark the beginning of their leadership journey, each student was presented with a badge to proudly wear as a symbol of their commitment to driving positive change at Teddington School.

We’re excited to see the ideas generated by this passionate group come to life and can’t wait to support them in making a difference for our school community! 👏✨

Each week we will add an update on what great reads have been added to our library. 📚

• The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan: Book 6 in the Percy Jackson series. Percy, Grover, and Annabeth must complete three new tasks in this modern take on Greek mythology.
• Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu: A Texas teenager builds friendships while fighting sexist dress codes and hallway harassment.
• Secret Weapon by Anthony Horowitz: Book 12 in the Alex Rider series. Contains seven short stories about a teenage spy.
• The Giver: Graphic Novel by Lois Lowry and P. Craig Russell: An illustrated version of the classic novel about conformity and contentment.
• The Beginner's Guide to Anime and Manga by Shuichiro Takeda: Become an anime and manga expert with this must-have beginner's guide! Manga and anime are pop-culture phenomena reaching hundreds of millions of fans worldwide with a rich and fascinating history that spans decades.
• The Day I Fell Down the Toilet by Stephen Mangan: Here is a laugh-out-loud, wildly imaginative twist on 'The Wizard of Oz' as a boy gets flushed down a toilet and discovers a magical world in trouble: he must find out who has robbed the queen of her funny bone and return it to her, before the inhabitants of the world forget how to laugh and enjoy life, forever.
• One of Us is Back by Karen M. McManus: The explosive third and final thrilling instalment in the acclaimed One of Us... series.
• Ever since Simon died in detention, life hasn't been easy for the Bayview Crew. First the Bayview Four had to prove they weren't killers. Then a new generation had to outwit a vengeful copycat. Now, it's beginning again.
• Simon was right about secrets – they all come out, eventually. And Bayview has a lot it's still hiding.
• Powerless by Laura Roberts: Red Queen meets The Hunger Games in this epic fantasy romance not to be missed. Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya . . . The exceptional. The Elites. The Elites have possessed powers for decades, gifted to them by the Plague, while those born Ordinary are just that, banished from the kingdom and shunned from society. No one knows this better than Paedyn Gray, an Ordinary posing as an Elite. When she unsuspectingly saves one of Ilya's princes, Kai Azer, she's thrown into the Purging Trials, a brutal competition to showcase her 'Elite' powers. If the Trials and the opponents don't kill her, the prince she's fighting feelings for will if he discovers what Paedyn really is . . . completely Ordinary.

11 Dec: Year 11 Parents Evening

13 Dec: Year 7 Panto Trip

17 Dec: Last day of term with a 15:00 finish

6 Jan: First day of term with an 08:30 start