News from Mrs Grimes
Dear All
It is not that often that it falls to me to write the newsletter, but I feel fortunate that I have the opportunity at this point in the term, as this gives me the chance to reflect and celebrate what has been a fantastic term, despite the challenges that the pandemic continues to present.
Our principles of Recovery, Reconnection and Rejuvenation have underpinned our day to day, since the start of the year, and so I will use these as a springboard for these end of term reflections.
No longer working in year group bubbles has meant that we have been able to recover and reconnect with the full curriculum offer and it has been just brilliant to see students across the key stages back in the labs doing practicals, working creatively in our art spaces, cooking in the food room, playing a variety of sports, performing in our drama and music rooms, and being able to thrive in every subject as teachers have been able to reconnect with their department spaces, thus rejuvenating the individual character of each subject.
Our co -curricular activities have likewise been revived and we have the biggest ever offer of clubs and activities available to students at lunchtimes. If you haven't had chance to look at the timetable of activities, please see the list under News & Events on our website. You will see that there is something for everyone and to complement every area of our curriculum, as well as brilliant opportunities for students to socialise across year groups. We have even begun work on improving our outside space, as part of the physical rejuvenation of the school - watch this space for news of how you too can get involved in this project in the Spring Term!
Equally as important, is our reconnection with our wider community; we have hosted schools for sports events, we have welcomed Year 7 & 8 parents in to school, with many of you visiting the building for the first time - and it has been great to meet you all. We have invited in prospective Sixth Formers and Year 7 students looking to join us in September 2022, and it has been lovely to open our doors to visitors once again. We look forward to welcoming more of you back in, in 2022.
This week, as the term draws to a close, we have enjoyed celebrating our students' individual successes, positive attitudes to learning and their resilience, through our celebration assemblies and are looking forward to the fun that our traditional Year 13 Sixth Form entertainment will bring us on our final day of the term.
As a staff and student body we have enjoyed working together, in what feels like more normal times and our new colleagues, and students in Year 7 and 12 have certainly settled into the RHS family. While the pandemic still throws a shadow of uncertainty upon us, rest assured that it does not stop us from doing our very best to make the most of RHS life.
It remains for me to thank every member of staff who make everything we do possible, thank you too, to you as parents and carers of our students for your support and understanding, and above all to our students who make RHS what it is, and who it is a privilege to work with.
Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, we hope that you are able to enjoy a wonderful break and the festivities, whatever these mean for you, and we wish you a happy and healthy New Year.
With very best wishes
Jo Grimes