Newsletters

Admissions Policy 2023 Entry for Consultation. 

As required by the Admissions Code, Rugby High School has published its proposed admissions policy for 2023 entry and has initiated a consultation period which will run from 14^th December 2021 to 26^th January 2022.    

Copies of the policy and the catchment area map can also be viewed HERE. 

Co-curricular Clubs

We are now offering a huge variety of lunchtime clubs (click HERE to see the full list) every day of the week.  Here are a few photos showing the string orchestra rehearsing, students taking time out in mindful maths, Sixth Form students Bella Crosby and Alex Farren running a Spanish Club, and members of the Eco Club decorating the plastic bottle recycling bins that are to be put in the canteen.

1. When did you leave Rugby High?  What qualifications did you leave with? 

I left Rugby High in 2016 with A levels in Biology, Chemistry, and Maths, and an AS Level in Latin.

2. What have you done since, eg. University, first job after uni? 

After leaving Rugby High, I went to the University of Bath, where I studied Biochemistry. This course had a ‘Year in Industry’ which meant I worked for a full year as a Research Assistant in a lab studying cell biology at the Francis Crick Institute in London. The job involved researching how cells make decisions, mostly using microscopes to watch cell behaviour. It was my first taste of research and I really loved it!

3. What are you doing now?

I am now in my second year of my PhD at the University of Cambridge, where I am researching how cells organise themselves in the developing embryo to form organs correctly, specifically the brain and spinal cord. My day to day work involves planning experiments, having meetings and discussions with other scientists, reading research articles, and analysing my data. In less than 3 years I will have to write up all of my findings, and then I will (hopefully!) pass and become Dr Race, which will help me continue my research to a higher level. At the University of Cambridge I am a member of Wolfson College which has been a great support system and community.

4. What do you enjoy about your role?  What are the challenges of your job/role? 

I really enjoy the freedom of being a PhD student with my own research project, but that also makes it very challenging to stay focused and motivated. The thing that keeps me motivated is my love for science and curiosity about the miracle of human development: how we grow into complex humans from a single fertilized egg. Another challenge of doing a PhD is there is high pressure to produce lots of interesting research, which is difficult when your experiments don’t always work! But I have found I just have to keep trying and learn from my mistakes.

5. At what point in your life did you decide to do the career that you are now pursuing? 

I decided I wanted to do a PhD while I was a Research Assistant in London. It appealed to me to dedicate 4 years to learning how to be a scientist and having your own unique problem to solve and understand, and also becoming an expert in a certain field. I chose developmental biology because it is very fundamental biology research- we can’t understand how things go wrong in brain disease if we don’t understand how the brain grows and works in the first place. After my PhD I hope to continue working in science, maybe at a biotechnology company or continue at a different university.

6. Have you taken anything from your school experience that has influenced/helped you in your career choices? 

Rugby High helped me discover my love of science, specifically my biology teacher Mr Koe who set up the gardening club (SLUG Club!) when I was in Year 7. Working in the garden every week helped me to get outside, make amazing friends, build my confidence, and feel inspired to lead projects myself. I am incredibly grateful I got to be a part of school gardening because it made biology come alive outside of the classroom. Now at Wolfson College I run our student garden, using what I learnt from Rugby High and Mr Koe to grow our own vegetables, herbs, and share with others the joy of gardening.

Nothingmas Day
by Adrian Mitchell

No it wasn’t.

It was Nothingmas Eve and all the children in Notown were not
tingling with excitement as they lay unawake in their heaps.

D
    o
        w
            n
                s
                    t
                        a
                            i
                                r
                                    s their parents were busily not placing the last
crackermugs, glimmerslips and sweetlumps on the Nothingmas
Tree.
Hey! But what was that invisible trail of chummy sparks or
vaulting stars across the sky
    Father Nothingmas – drawn by 18 or 21 rainmaidens!
    Father Nothingmas – his sackbut bulging with air!
    Father Nothingmas – was not on his way!
(From the streets of the snowless town came the quiet of
unsung carols and the merry silence of the steeple bell.)

Next morning the children did not fountain out of bed with cries
of WHOOPERATION! They picked up their Nothingmas
Stockings and with traditional quiperamas such as: “Look what
I haven’t got! It’s just what I didn’t want!” pulled their stockings
on their ordinary legs.

For breakfast they ate – breakfast.

After woods they all avoided the Nothingmas Tree, where
Daddy, his face failing to beam like a leaky torch, was not
distributing gemgames, sodaguns, golly-trolleys, jars of
humdrums and packets of slubberated croakers.

Off, off, off, went the children to school, soaking each other with
no howls of “Merry Nothingmas and a Happy No Year!”, and
not pulping each other with no-balls.

At school Miss Whatnot taught them how to write No Thank
You Letters.

Home they burrowed for Nothingmas Dinner.
The table was not groaning under all manner of
    NO TURKEY
    NO SPICED HAM
    NO SPROUTS
    NO CRANBERRY JELLYSAUCE
    NO NOT NOWT
There was not one (1) shoot of glee as the Nothingmas
Pudding, unlit, was not brought in. Mince pies were not
available, nor was there any demand for them.

Then, as another Nothingmas clobbered to a close, they
haggled off to bed where they slept happily never after.

and that is not the end of the story…

All things Poetry found at Poetry by Heart

We have a number of staff vacancies. 
Please check out our website for further details.

For RHS Students ONLY
If you have a concern about another student, please fill in this FORM to report your concern.

For more information about Wellbeing including resources and links to our DSL's, please visit our Wellbeing page HERE.

Please find below information that has been passed to us that may be of interest to you and your family.

Latest information on coronavirus from Warwickshire County Council
 

Warwickshire Family Information Service Newsletter

December 15th Edition

Warwickshire Holiday Activities and Food (HAF)

If your child is in receipt of benefits tested free school meals, they are able to access up to 4 days of holiday activities this Christmas holiday free of charge.  Various activities are available across Warwickshire .  All eligible families have been sent a HAF code.  If you haven't received yours please contact our HAF team on hafprogramme@warwickshire.gov.uk.
 
To find out what sort of activities are on offer please have a look at our webpages here
 
Additionally, we have a small selection of family days out available to book in place of attending an activity.  Details can be found by following the December HAF Activity link on the HAF webpage.
 
If your child does not receive free school meals but your family or child has any of the below support in place:

•    Allocated Family Support Worker
•    Allocated Social Worker
•    Early Help Plan
•    Child in Need Plan
•    Child Protection Plan
•    Open to Youth Justice Team
•    Child in care
•    Young carer

Please contact hafprogramme@warwickshire.gov.uk to see if you are eligible for a HAF code.