Newsletters

Rugby High School - Autumn 2020 Issue 4

ROAD SAFETY OUTSIDE SCHOOL:  THANK YOU AND A PLEA

Firstly, I’d like to thank the vast majority of drivers, both parents and students for the safe and considered way they drive past the school at Drop-off and Pick-up times.  I have been outside the school gates most mornings, and I am very grateful for the considerate drivers who take the time to drop in Cymbeline way, or further along Longrood Road.

There are however, a core of drivers who are driving dangerously and erratically in the morning, blatantly disregarding the yellow cross-hatching outside the school, which indicate the length of road where stopping or waiting is strictly prohibited.  I am well aware of the fact that in the morning or evening, one might take the “well it’s only me and I’m in a rush” approach, but this morning alone I counted over a hundred drivers, who pulled onto the yellow lines in an attempt to drop students off.  I should add at this point that as soon as I waved an arm, and pointed, the drivers immediately moved on, indicating to me that they knew they shouldn’t be stopping there in the first place!

I have written to our Community Support Officer to alert them to this.

The safety of our students is our number one priority, and I am concerned that when drivers do not follow the rules of the road they are putting our students at risk of serious injury or worse.  I am well aware of the pressures and anxieties we are all feeling at the moment, but this is a plea to all drivers to exercise care, caution and observe the rules of the road when dropping students off outside school.  I do not want to be writing with news of serious injury or a fatality outside the school gates.

I would ask all students to remind their parents of this too – I know you’re not driving, but it is quite reasonable to remind the driver that they should observe the law when dropping you off outside school!

Once again thank you to the vast majority of you who do take care outside the school, it is very much appreciated.

Mark Grady
Head Teacher

News from Mr Grady

Hello Everyone!

This week we have been putting together a “Virtual Open Evening” for our prospective year 4 and 5 students.  As you can imagine, we can’t throw the school open in the usual way, and so we are hoping to offer our prospective RHS students the chance to get a flavour of the school through a variety of videos and online material.

It is always a joy preparing for any sort of event like this, as our students, our best advocates, always rise to the occasion.  We pride ourselves on never writing speeches and giving them to students for these events, but in encouraging the students to talk about their RHS experiences in their own words.  They consistently amaze me in their erudition and honesty about what it means to them to be an RHS student.

Obviously students talk about the kind, caring atmosphere, our positive approach and the fact that you can “be yourself” and just get on with learning.”  But every year, either in their speeches, or in the presentation of those speeches a student will surprise me.

This year was no exception.  Yesterday, I was outside the Acorn Block, under an oak tree giving my “welcome from the head teacher” to camera to go on the website.  Watching it back I was struck by several things:  My voice always sounds higher than I think it is; I could have been stricter with the iron on the shirt that I’d chosen to wear; and, my goodness, but I wave my hands about when I talk.  What is the line between emphatic gestures, underlining the point you’re trying to make and “this man is clearly unhinged, and needs to get a grip?”

I then had the good fortune to see an early take of our Head-Girl’s piece to camera, and was struck by her calm, measured and confident delivery.  Her stillness, and the self-assurance and maturity she displayed.  It is delightful that our school supports students to develop such wonderful skills, and it is great to see another student able to talk with such passion about why RHS has been so important in her journey from Year 7 to 13.

The difference between our pieces was stark:  On one side a leader of calm dignity and mature self-assurance, and on the other, a leader flapping their hands about as if being attacked by several wasps at once.

The camera never lies I’m told, so I’m off to work on my calm dignity, at the same time as finding an iron…

Stay well and safe everyone!
Mr Grady

Masks in Communal Areas of the School

As I’m sure you all know, the safeguarding of our students and staff is our highest priority, and given the rise in infections of the Coronavirus, from Monday, we will ask all students and staff to wear facemasks in communal areas of the school, as suggested by the DFE guidance for the prevention of transmission in schools. 

We have kept our prevention measures under review, and when students and staff are moving in corridors, where social distancing is more difficult to maintain due to the architecture of the building, we have established that it would be considerably safer and reduce student and staff anxiety if students were to wear masks in these areas.

We will of course ensure that all students are given instructions as to the safe wearing, putting on and taking off of masks.

Thank you in advance for ensuring that your child adheres to this new guidance for the safety and continued full opening of Rugby High School.

Mark Grady
Head Teacher

Marking and Department Planning Day - NO STUDENTS REQUIRED IN SCHOOL
All Day
09
October
October Half Term
All Day
From 26 Oct until 30 Oct
26
October

For Parents/Guardians of Year 13 Students  

Year 13 Online Information Event
Thursday 1st October 7pm - 8pm   

An opportunity to find out about the transition from Year 12 to Year 13, the structure of the year, and how best you can support your son/ daughter through the challenges of their final year of A Levels in these extraordinary times. There will also be a chance to ask any questions relating to RH6. Access to the event will be via a Microsoft Teams Link that you will have received via Parentmail.   

We look forward to welcoming you!

23 Sep 2020
Elizabeth Hooton in Year 10 wins national literacy prize
Elizabeth Hooton in Year 10 was incredulous when she found out that she had won  UCL and Open Democracy's COVID-19 writing competition with her 800 word story. “ I could not stop crying.  I just couldn’t believe it!”  Elizabeth who also publishes short stori...
Read more
23 Sep 2020
... and the winners of this summer's photography competion are:
Thank you to all of you, students and staff,  who entered our second whole school photography competition.  The judges were delighted by the fabulous selection of images that they were presented with.  After much deliberation we are proud to announce the winning entries...
Read more

Mother Tongue Other Tongue

This summer a number of our students entered a regional competition led by Routes into Languages West Midlands at Aston University, Birmingham. This was a multilingual competition that celebrates cultural diversity and the many languages currently spoken in schools across the UK.

The aim of the Mother Tongue Other Tongue competition is to celebrate languages, culture and language-learning, giving secondary school students the opportunity to practise and improve their foreign language skills (any language they are learning in school) and appreciate their heritage.

We are absolutely delighted to announce that Tala Hamish (currently Year 10), was the Key Stage 3 Mother Tongue Winner for 2020, with her entry about a song that she was taught as a child, “Tik Tik Tik Ya Em Sleiman”.

“This song was written by a very famous Arabic singer called Fairuz. This song is special to me as it was a song me and my sisters were personally taught when we were children and it would bring us closer to our culture and furthermore help us along our journey of learning and understanding our mother tongue. Me and my sisters would dance and sing to it and it was a great experience and I wanted to enter it as it was a big part of my childhood and it would remind me how I should accept and appreciate my culture and my country Syria-which is currently in war. Whenever I sing or hear this song I am reminded of the beauty of my language and country and how one day it will be free again and it keeps me extremely proud of it. The sample of the song refers to someone knocking on Sleiman's Mother's door (hence the tiks) and asking about her husband and where he is. This song is originally from Lebanon however is sung in many other Arabic countries”. Tala Hamish.

In usual times, there would be a national celebration in October that Tala would have been invited to attend, though Routes into Languages do hope that it may be rescheduled to a date next year. Many congratulations to Tala on this fantastic achievement.

The MFL Team

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

September 22nd Issue