I am delighted to share that after the final counts have been done, the school community raised £1,012 for Unicef UK for wearing non-school uniform on the last day of term before Easter (Wednesday 27 March). Thank you for your donations - every penny really does make a difference.

As we now finally seem to have hit stable warmer weather we will be moving to Summer Uniform from Monday 13 May. As per our Uniform Policy, this means that students are not required to wear their RTS-Jumper. Students may also wear tailored grey (RTS-grey) school shorts. Cargo-style shorts are not permitted. Shorts must be knee length. Please note during the summer term all other uniform rules are still applicable (including wearing blazers to and from school). May I also remind parents that exercise or gym knicker style shorts are not permitted or appropriate and are not part of school uniform. Plain black rugby style shorts or black skorts may be worn in place of RTS leggings or RTS tracksuit bottoms. Thank you for your ongoing support.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend.

~Ms K Dooley | Head Teacher

A big congratulations to all of the Year 7 and Year 8 students who took part in the Junior Maths Challenge recently. They did exceptionally well, earning 22 bronze certificates, 20 silver certificates and 6 gold certificates. Two students have qualified for the follow up Kangaroo Challenge and one student has qualified for the Maths Olympiad. Entry to the Junior Olympiad is by invitation based on a qualifying JMC score and around 1,200 students qualify from the JMC each year.

We are absolutely delighted and proud to share with you the journey that one of our students, Dru in Year 10, has been on. In his own words:

My interest in boxing began mid-2020 when my Dad told me about how he used to box and how he was an Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) champion. He told me about how my Grandad was a pro boxer. So my Dad brought me a punching bag and we started looking for boxing gyms. And I started loving boxing once I went to my first session. I loved how it had discipline and I was dedicated to training. I was boxing for 5 months till my first fight. After I did 10 fights I started to know more people, so I went to gyms to spar and to get known by the amateur boxing community. Then I started fighting more and more people started to know. Now I am here and I am a welterweight champion!'

Dru's dedication and passion is clear to see when speaking and listening to him and he is immensely (and rightly) proud of his achievements - as are we!

At the end of April our Year 10 GCSE Hospitality and Catering students headed over to The View Restaurant at Richmond upon Thames College. The students were given a tour around the training kitchen before sitting down and being treated to a silver service lunch. Students were offered a 2-course meal comprising of the following:

• Main course
• Pan Roasted Chicken, Pave Potato, Pan Jus with Seasonal Vegetables; or
• Rosti Potato, Garlic Spinach, Poached Egg, Hollandaise Sauce, Crispy Parsnips (V)
• Dessert
• Warm Chocolate and Walnut Brownie, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Bitter Chocolate Sauce; or
• Lemon Posset, Raspberry Compote, Lavender Shortbread

The experience was kindly supported with funding from FoRTS and gave the students a taste of both life in a working kitchen and also of being a customer and the levels of service, presentation and quality of food that are expected.

This week we turn to the PE Department and Mr Glossop, Teacher of PE. Mr Glossop has been with us since Summer Term 2022.

• Describe your teaching style in three words.
• Safe, Enjoyable and Positive

• What's the best piece of advice you've ever received about teaching?
• Don't lose your personality when you are teaching.

• If you could invite any sports personality or musician to speak to your class, who would it be and why?
• Ardie Savea - Being part of some of the best rugby teams and seeing what it takes to perform sport at the highest level. As well as the support from others around to help him to perform at this level

• What's your favourite thing to do to relax after a long day of teaching?
• Going out and playing rugby/gym work or if its been an extra long day putting my feet up and playing football manager.

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

• Telephone number: 020 8583 6600

• Out of hours: 020 8583 2222

• Email: earlyhelp@hounslow.gov.uk

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)

Quiz / Curry night - it’s back!

SAVE THE DATE: Thursday 20 June, 7-10pm at the school

Last year’s quiz night was a huge success considering it was the first major event FoRTS had run since the pandemic.

A link has been set up in Parentpay to purchase tickets to the event. Cost is £15 pp and it will be held in the school hall.

Maximum 6 people per team - winning team will win a prize per team member.

Heena’s kitchen is back to serve her delicious vegetarian and meat options curry.

The wonderful Tony Kearney is back as quizmaster.

The bar will be open throughout to purchase alcoholic beverages - soft drink options will also be available.

Looking forward to another great event to raise money for our children at RTS.

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FoRTS Volunteering

Would you like to become a member of the Committee?

We are looking for a Secretary.

There’s not much to it; send weekly newsletters to the school regarding FoRTS activities, take minutes and join in on some of the activities we do. It’s as simple as that! If you are interested please contact Carmelle at the general email address below.

Your FoRTS team,

Carmelle (Chair and Acting Secretary) and Jason & Somi (Treasurers)

General: forts@rts.richmond.sch.uk

Parking: fortsparking@rts.richmond.sch.uk

Schooldays will again be operating an appointment system during the summer months.
Book your slot early to avoid disappointment at:

https://schooldaysllp.co.uk/index.php/booking-form/

Also - you can now spread the cost of your purchases over 3 months - using Paypal, (Online only)

Best Wishes
The Schooldays & Just Dancing Team

94 High Street Whitton Whitton TW2 7LN T: 0208 898 4881 W:Schooldaysllp.co.uk

Full-term dates and Inset day information is available on the school's website:

• Summer Term 1: Monday 15 April-Friday 24 May 2024

• Half-Term break: Monday 27-Friday 31 May 2024

• Summer Term 2: Monday 03 June-Wednesday 17 July 2024

The Richmond May Fair returns on Saturday 11th May 2024 and promises to be another fun-filled community event for everyone!

Be Richmond proudly sponsor The Richmond May Fair, returning on Saturday 11 th May

2024 from 10am-5pm on Richmond Green. Everyone is welcome – please come & join in

the fun – check out the flyer attached!

Old favourites like the vintage funfair and dog show return, along with over 200 stalls, the

craft marquee and a variety of food and drink. Local bands, schools and various

performance groups will provide free entertainment throughout the day on the Riverside

Radio stage.

With charities, artisans, businesses and schools all represented, the May Fair is a showcase

for all that Richmond has to offer and plays an important role in helping local charities

promote their work and raise much-needed funds.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, stallholder, volunteer, or wish to enter your

dog in the ever-popular dog show – please visit the new May Fair website

www.richmondmayfair.co.uk and follow us on Instagram and X @richmondmayfair.

May 2024 Newsletter

Don’t miss our Summer Holiday Workshops Early Bird Offer!

Dramacube’s much-loved performing arts workshops are back for Summer ’24!

5-7 & 8-12 year olds will be enchanted with our Encanto inspired 3 day Musical
Theatre Workshops or can shape and star in their own movie in our 2 day Movie
Makers Workshops.

13-18 year olds Dancing Queens can whisk themselves to sunny shores in our
Mamma Mia inspired 3 day Musical Theatre workshops.

We offer discounts for siblings and full week bookings. PLUS with our EARLY BIRD
OFFER you can save 15% OFF when you book before midnight 5th May 2024.
(T&C apply)

Book at https://www.dramacubeproductions.co.uk/summer_workshops_2024
We can’t wait to perform with you again soon!

More information for -
Mini Musicals
https://www.dramacubeproductions.co.uk/classes-5-7yrs/
Moana Jr
https://www.dramacubeproductions.co.uk/youth-company/moana-jr/
and
Youth Theatre West End Weekend
https://www.dramacubeproductions.co.uk/youth-company/west-end-musicals-weekend/

We’re now looking forward to all the fun at our summer camp and wanted to remind you of the exclusive discount for your school community.

We wouldn’t want your school parents to miss out on this exclusive offer and would really appreciate it if you could promote this in your newsletters.

Parents just need to add SCHOOL20 in the promotion box to receive an extra £20 off when they book 2 or more days. Please find the coded flyer below and attached.

What’s more, if parents book now, they’ll benefit from our early booking discounts and can take advantage of our interest free monthly instalment options. There couldn’t be a better time to tick summer childcare off the list of things to do.

As we're Ofsted registered, we also accept ALL Childcare Vouchers and Tax-Free Childcare. Parents often like to use the vouchers/credits they’ve saved up over the course of the year for their summer holiday childcare.

The Mental Health Support Team for Richmond are running a series of online workshops for families, entitled ‘Helping Children with…’.

The last series was very popular and feedback was very positive. These workshops would be a great way to support your child at home if they are experiencing any difficulties in the areas covered.

Click on the first link to sign up; the second link is a follow up feedback form if you attend the session:

• Thursday 16 May: MHST workshop: Helping children with challenging behaviour / Parent feedback form
• Friday 17 May: MHST workshop: Helping children with challenging behaviour / Parent feedback form
• Wednesday 05 June: MHST workshop: Helping children with screen time / Parent feedback form
• Thursday 06 June: MHST workshop: Helping children with screen time / Parent feedback form
• Wednesday 26 June: MHST workshop: Helping children with sleep / Parent feedback form
• Friday 28 June: MHST workshop: Helping children with sleep / Parent feedback form

Achieving for Children’s Mental Health Support Teams are delivering a series of webinars for

parents of secondary aged children and young people (CYP). The ‘Helping teens with ...’ series

of webinars will cover a range of common difficulties experienced by CYP and will aim to share

evidence-based strategies to help parents and carers support their CYP with these difficulties.

Below is a list of webinars on offer over the coming months. In the third and fourth columns of

the table below, you will find the sign up links. Please note that sign up links will be added a

month before the webinar dates.

If you would like to stay up to date with events as they happen, click the links to follow us on:

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