RTS Parents' Newsletter

Our first full week of GCSEs for this year is now complete - and I am sure that our Year 11 students will be grateful for the weekend. However, they should be proud of themselves as they have been exceptional this week - their mindset and attitude has been exemplary and we are impressed by their maturity, hard work; and their good humour. Next week we will say our official farewell to them at the Leavers' Assembly on Friday - it is always an emotional event for all involved.

As we move into a new era with the added opportunities that the RTS Sports Building is bringing us, we would like to ask if any parents either work in, or know friends who work in the events industry? We know that we are fortunate to live and work in an area that is rich in creative and media industries. We are looking for advice, equipment hire/purchase, and/or contacts in staging, lighting, displays, backdrops, sound etc. Please contact the school via my PA, Mrs Munro (pa@rts.richmond.sch.uk). Thank you in advance for your advice and or assistance.

Have a lovely weekend.

~Ms K Dooley | Head Teacher

I am pleased to share the school’s Ofsted report, following our most recent visit, which was published on 14 May 2025 and can be found here and also on our website. While these Ofsted reports are succinct, with very strict word limits, the Senior Leadership Team, Trustees and I are pleased that the report affirms many of our strengths: the experiences of our students, families and staff; the work of leaders and staff in making this possible; and, of course, the positive dynamic of support and challenge that exists between the school, families and our Trustees.

~ Ms K Dooley | Head Teacher

On behalf of the Trustees I would like to offer my thanks and congratulations to all staff and students at RTS. The Ofsted visit was the culmination of a significant amount of work and its findings reflect the continued progress that the school had made. I know there were staff who were not able, due to timing constraints, to display to the inspectors the hard work and progress made by our students. I want to reaffirm that the trustees are aware of all the work undertaken by all staff and we are appreciative and extremely proud of all their efforts.

~ Jason Hughes | Chair of Trustees

Your FoRTS team,

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

General: forts@rts.richmond.sch.uk

Parking: fortsparking@rts.richmond.sch.uk

On Friday 25 April, Year 7 headed off at the crack of dawn (well, actually earlier at 2:45am!). The students travelled by ferry from Dover to Calais and headed straight to the shopping centre to practise their French by buying themselves lunch! Next stop was a chocolate factory where students were able to go behind the scenes to see the chocolate being tempered and poured into moulds. Of course they were offered (and ate) a lot of samples! Following lunch the group went to a boulangerie and tried their hands at rolling croissants - it's harder than it looked! The final stop was the national sea -life centre before they headed back to Calais, arriving back at RTS 22:30 that evening. There were some very weary students (and staff!). Thank you to all the parents as you too had an exceptionally long day! We appreciate that it is a long day, however the feedback from the children year on year is just how much they love it!

Ms Wareing shared her thoughts on the day: "It was an amazing opportunity for Year 7 students to experience a little slice of French life, and a slice of a French baguette!"

Alla: “I really loved the trip. It was a lovely sunny day with a bit of a breeze but nevertheless it was a wonderful trip. Would love to go on it again!”

Shayan: "Bonjour! I had a very fun and interesting time in Calais. Some of the activities that we did included a chocolate factory, shopping, cruise ship activities and more! This was also a great way to practice our French knowledge. Overall I think that this is a must-do experience if/when you get the chance!"

This week our Year 7 football team headed over to the Hampton High 7-a-side football tournament. The boys were up against five other teams across the borough. The team played incredibly well together for all of their games - going unbeaten with four wins and one draw; and only conceding one goal during the day. We are delighted and proud to say that they won the tournament!

Well done boys: Theo, Ronnie, Albert D., Jack C., Lucas M., Marko K., Jude, Elliot, Shay and Lionel.

Our Garden Gang enrichment are looking for any donations of small handheld gardening tools (trowels, forks), gardening gloves, seeds, plants; and soil/compost. If you have any items that you are able to donate it would be much appreciated. Please drop them off at Reception.

Engaging with nature significantly enhances students’ well-being and contributes to their happiness. Through various physical activities such as digging and refining their fine motor skills, students actively participate in gardening. This practical approach not only motivates them to immerse themselves in the tasks but also fosters adaptability and problem-solving abilities, ultimately boosting their self-confidence . Additionally, the experience teaches children the importance of collaboration and patience, as they witness the results of their efforts unfold over weeks or months - illustrating the value of perseverance.

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)

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

• Summer Term 1: Tuesday 22 April-Friday 23 May (14:00)

• Summer Term 2: Monday 02 June (08:35 registration)-Friday 11 July (noon)

Please find the Parent Calendar Summary for 2024-2025. Please check this regularly as some dates and times may be adjusted throughout the year.

The Pre and Post Diagnosis SEND Support Team would like to share their current timetable and an invitation to a coffee morning to those parents with children that have a SEND diagnosis or are waiting for an assessment. Full details on the Support Service can be found here.

The CLCH school nursing service in Richmond is offering young people aged 5-19 and their parents and carers a new way to contact and get support from school nurse via a text messaging app ChatHealth.

ChatHealth offers confidential help and advice about a range of health concerns, including emotional health, sexual health, relationships, alcohol and drugs and bullying.

When a message is sent to the ChatHealth number, an automated reply confirms the message has been received. A trained healthcare professional will reply to the message during office hours within 24 working hours of receiving the message.

Winfilda Oyo-Ita, the Clinical Lead for the 0-19 service in Richmond said; “We’re delighted that we’re able to offer ChatHealth to young people, parents and carers in our local community as it provides more flexibility for them to access information and advice directly from our school nursing team that doesn’t rely on an appointment in-person.”

The service is already provided by CLCH in Hertfordshire and has been widely implemented at several NHS Trusts and healthcare organisations across the UK.

Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtSV7g1_fKA for more information.

In conjunction with the British Rowing team, Twickenham Rowing Club is putting on rowing taster sessions for children who have never tried the sport before during the summer Half Term. These will be free of charge, last around 60 minutes, require no prior experience and give children a chance to try the sport.

For information, or to apply, email Ben Reed: ben.reed@britishrowing.org

The early booking offer for your local Barracudas Summer Camps is now live – helping families save up to £74 on their bookings! This limited-time offer is available until midnight on 5th June, subject to availability.

Families can also enjoy an exclusive additional £20 discount using the unique partner code SCHOOL20. This is a fantastic opportunity for parents to secure summer childcare and entertainment at the best possible price – and enjoy peace of mind with the holidays sorted.

Why Barracudas?

• Full day of fun: 8.30am – 5.30pm, with optional Early & Late Clubs (8am – 6pm) – ideal for working parents
• Over 30 years’ experience delivering trusted, safe and active school holiday camps
• Ofsted registered
• 1,700+ independent Trustpilot reviews, rated Excellent
• Responsible staffing: All staff are enhanced DBS-checked, fully trained, with dedicated Early Years Managers for younger age groups
• Unrivalled choice of activities: Over 80 to choose from – with a choice every session!

Summer Savings

Yellow Days is a new marketplace for parents to book holiday camps for their children.

Choose from any of the camps listed below on Yellow Days - a new children’s activity marketplace - using discount code MAY10.

• Lazer Lions - The Vineyard School

• Barracudas - St Catherine’s School

• Camp Beaumont - Tiffin School

For more information on Yellow Days visit https://yellowdays.com

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