Rugby High School Parent Portal - Rugby High School

News from Mr Grady

18th December 2025

HI everyone,

The last week has seen a whole host of events, and as I write this, still one very important one to come.

Last night however, we had one of the most wonderful nights in the RHS calendar, the A-Level and GCSE Certificate evening, where we present our returning year 14s, and our current year 12 with their formal examination certificates, and we hear what an amazing and inspirational list of next steps and destinations last years year 13 have gone on to. It is always a warm and celebratory evening, tinged with a little mournfulness, as the year 14s in many cases feel it’s the last time they’ll be in the RHS hall.

That said, our guest speaker, Annique Reynolds was a past RHS student, and she certainly enjoyed a return to RHS – so to all those departing year 14s I say: we’ll see you in a few years, when you can present the certificates and prizes to a whole new bunch of students!

What was delightful about Annique’s speech last night, and those of our senior student team, was the fact that they all spoke about the atmosphere of encouragement and support here at RHS, the idea that anything is possible, and to quote our guest speaker: a place where “growing, improving and succeeding” was valued, where “passion, but not pressure” was key. One of the phrases that clearly struck a bell for many of our students was Annique’s sharing of a quotation that: “One who makes no mistakes, makes nothing” and the theme that she then took on of RHS having given her the confidence to make brave decisions, but also the skills to manage when those decisions might not always pan out how one hoped.

I could have written pages of notes on the advice Annique had, her experience, and her obvious gratitude for RHS as the start of that journey, and it was wonderful to hear how our students have taken on so much of the RHS ethos, values and vision, and are going out into the world, as Annique says of her peers “to smash it.”

On a side note, if anyone has seen my performance, circulating on our social media, at Teacher Karaoke last week – I can only say: “One who makes no mistakes, makes nothing…”

And finally, speaking of mistakes, the sixth form entertainment takes place today, the traditional performance of our current year 13s as they gently mock RHS, its staff and students. Having read the script, I am looking forward to it immensely, and although I won’t offer any spoilers here, I’ll simply ask: Are you a traitor or a faithful?

To our whole community, I say: Have the merriest of merry Christmases, and I wish you all a peaceful and prosperous new year.

Stay safe and well everyone!

Best wishes,
Mr Grady

Leave of absence during term time: Updated information for parents

The Supreme Court has clarified the law on unauthorised leave, including holidays, during term time (Platt v Isle of Wright 2017). The Supreme Court has made clear that attending school ‘regularly’ means that the children must attend school on every day that they are required to do so. As such, the parents of any child who is absent from school without authorisation for any length of time are likely to be considered as committing an offence under s444 of the Education Act 1996.

The law states a leave of absence may only be granted by a school if an application is made in advance and if it considers there are exceptional circumstances relating to the application.

Schools must judge each application individually, considering the specific facts and circumstances and relevant background context behind each request.

A leave of absence is granted entirely at the school’s discretion. Generally, a need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation would not constitute an exceptional circumstance.

Where a leave of absence is granted, the school will determine the number of days a pupil can be absent from school.

When making an application for Leave of Absence parents are advised to give sufficient information and time to allow the Head teacher the opportunity to consider all the exceptional circumstances and to notify parents of their decision. The school may also request further information on the application and supporting documentation where appropriate.

It is advised that if the resident parent has not received notification or a response regarding the leave of absence application, it is the parents’ responsibility to ascertain if the leave is authorised prior to the start of the leave.

The school can only consider Leave of Absence requests which are made by the ‘resident’ parent, ie. the parent with whom the child normally resides.

Where applications for leave of absence are made in advance and refused, the child is expected to be in school on the dates set out in the application. If the child is absent during that period, it will be recorded as an unauthorised absence. Where a leave of absence is requested, but additional days taken either prior to or after the request may be considered as part of the leave of absence.

Leave of Absences which are not made in advance cannot be authorised in line with legislation. This will result in the absence being recorded as ‘unauthorised’.

All matters of unauthorised absence relating to a Leave of Absence will be referred to the Warwickshire Attendance Service, part of Warwickshire County Council. Penalty Notices are issued in accordance with Warwickshire County Council’s Code of Conduct for Penalty Notices and in the first instance, as an alternative to prosecution proceedings.

The law relating to Penalty Notices changed with effect from 19 August 2024. Therefore, Penalty Notices issued for Leave of Absence taken from September 2024 will be issued in accordance with the updated legislation.

Penalty Notices are issued to each parent of each absent child, (for example 2 children and 2 parents, means each parent will receive 2 invoices – 4 in total).
- First Leave of Absence offence: The Penalty Notice amount of £160 to be paid within 28 days, this is reduced to £80 each child if paid within 21 days.
- Second Leave of Absence offence within a 3 year period (from the date of issue of the first penalty notice): The amount of £160 paid within 28 days. No reduced amount.

Payment plans will not be offered and/or payments received outside of the 28 day period will not be accepted. Where a penalty notice expires unpaid the matter will be referred to Warwickshire County Council’s Legal Services to consider criminal prosecution.

Third Leave of Absence offence within a 3 year period (from the date of issue of the first penalty notice): A penalty notices will be not be issued and the matter will be referred to Warwickshire County Council’s Legal Services to consider instigating criminal prosecution proceedings under S444 of Education Act 1996.

Your child’s progress academically as well as socially is our shared priority.

Head Teacher's Nominations and Awards

Students were invited to nominate their fellow students for a Head Teacher's award and Mr Grady had the difficult job of selecting the winners!

Year 7 nominees:

Shrutika Pilli
Annabel Farley
Shivani Suraj
Chimnoya Amatobi
Sharmiga Sasikumar
Sritha Parvathaneni
Sophia Khan
Patricia Raducanu
Millie Ahmed
Sienna-Rose O'Dell
Esther Ikuomola
Samvida Kakarlapudi
Amna Fazil
Tilly Bingle
Nishma Patel
Manha Ahmed
Khadeejah Iftekhar
Evelyn Castle
Freya Teagles
Esther Ikuomola
Caitlyn Dye
Konstance Konotey
Ilinca Tutunaru
Anvita Santhosh
Eesha Garimella
Vedika Tiwari
Lenisha Rajendran
Annabell Choi
Veronica Stas
Esha Menon
Lana Qazaz
Aarohi Mahajan
Arielle Imonikhe
Tanvi Kuber
Cadence Chan
Sharmiga Sasikumar
Year 7 winner: Khadeejah Iftekhar

Year 8 nominees:

Thanushree Mittapalli
Emili Cela
Izzy Rycroft
Zoe Challis
Maria Chirea
Jaireet Brar
Jabrina Jadson
Imogen Gill
Francesca Raducanu
Thanushree Mittapalli
Zoe Challis
Athana Leslin
Pirum Sahota
Ogazielum Zoe Umegbolu
Harshini Vidhyanathan
Vidhi Shaktawat
Xuqi Shangguan
Anika Bhave
Arya Vora
Delight Nkpey
Shivi Thakor
Yela Talla Kuate
Deepshika Gangadhari
Daniella Kaufman
Scarlett Lan

Year 8 winners: Thanushree Mittapalli and Vidhi Shaktawat

Year 9 nominees:

Hiya Mukherjee
Sanchitha Permude
Shree Sagabali
Ella Buckland
Shambhavi Lokhande
Sai Mudadla
Osa Iyengunmwema
Vaishni Paramadaylan
Emilia Maskell
Emma Artiss
Kelley Weng
Adhya Joshi
Evie Robb
Hiya Mukherjee
Giza Irmaklioglu

Year 9 winner: Giza Irmaklioglu

Year 10 nominees:

Sofia Chabi
Sofia Allen
Minal Tailor
Evelyn Huhle
Darcy Woodall
Gabriella Gilbert Raja
Elsie Pheasant
Amelia Price
Grace Hedditch
Layla Patel
Daisy Walters
Lin Li
Aimee Marriot
Ese Aiguomudu
Imogen Dexter
Emma Artiss
Nethra Sakthidasan
Estee Wong
Asia-Mei Wattling
Ananya Gupta
Poppy French

Year 10 winner: Elsie Pheasant

Year 11 nominees:

Ebere Ndu
Cissy Pang
Maya Cassidy
Breesha Corkish
Chloe Bartholomew
Saanvi Kadam
Anika Marwaha
Jazmine Dickens-King
Tobi Okusanya
Molly Dearing
Sirisha Gupta
Gunjan Shrimali
Meera Raghavan

Year 11 winner: Anika Marwaha

Year 12 nominees:

Maddie Brand
Jesse Humphreys
Aaryan Patil
Jummy Taiwo
Vishaini Vasanthakumar
Anwita Mahesh
Joseph Yates
Marco Rodriquez Harnandez
Izzie Clarke
Tajrian Sadiq

Year 12 winner: Joseph Yates

Year 13 nominees:

Sophie Donovan
Amira Hassan
Zoha Bukhari
Rebecca Eaton
Amelia Kerr
Sophia Rochelle
Alex Bosworth
Freya Bakewell

Year 13 winner: Zoha Bukhari