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 News from Mr Grady
22nd June 2023
Hello everyone,
I don’t know if you know that feeling of “things feel a bit tough at the moment.” It might be that you’re finding a particular subject difficult, or you’re feeling a bit tired and so things feel that bit more sluggish. Or things you’ve hoped would work out for you haven’t gone the way you’d like. We’ve all had those moments of adversity, and I often think it’s not how we behave when everything is rosy in our lives, but how we behave when it’s not so rosy that is the real mark of character.
Let me give you an example. This week during cricket club, I was talking to one of our students who has recently joined a cricket club outside of school. It is a brand new team, and their first games have not been the high-scoring bonanzas they were hoping. The student was talking about a loss of quite substantial runs to me, as we walked out to the field to start the cricket practice.
What struck me was the smile with which the student discussed the new team, and the clear buzz of excitement she had in discussing plans for improvement. There was nothing downcast or downhearted, and there she was out on a Wednesday lunchtime ready to have a practice and continue building her skills. Her comment of “of course we’re not great yet, we’re new” was such a simple explanation of facing down adversity.
It was the use of the word “yet.” The simple assumption that greatness would follow, and there she was, out on the field ready to build on that and achieve it.
When you face adversity you have broadly two paths, don’t you? Capitulation or redirection.
Capitulation isn’t going to get anyone anywhere, it’s simply going to leave you stuck where you are, but redirection, the moment of taking stock, and re-planning a new direction is absolutely the way to go.
I reflected on this, as the student took the time to perfect her batting, took great coaching from Miss French, and slammed the ball across the field on at least a couple of occasions. Disappointed at losing? Yes of course. Wanting to do better? Yes definitely, and both Miss French and myself could see that determination in the students’ face. Next time will be better, we’re not great…yet.
Now, if that isn’t setting heights in your heart I don’t know what is!
Stay well and safe everyone,
With all best wishes,
Mr Grady
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Summer Fayre next week
Excitement is building for our Summer Fayre on Friday 30th June, 4.30pm - 6.30pm. Year 7’s stalls are all games to take part in and Year 8’s themes include pamper and nature. Year 9’s are selling crafts and Year 10’s are baking edible treats. We’ve encouraged them all to advertise their stalls and here’s a selection of some of them to entice you to join us for this exciting event. We'll be sharing more of their promotional adverts on Facebook and Instagram next week!
PTA Tombola - Donations wanted
The PTA will be running a 'Win a bottle' Tombola stall at the Summer Fayre. Please may we ask parents / carers to donate a bottle for the stall. Bottles may contain anything from alcohol and sauces to soft drinks and toiletries. Your bottle contributions can be taken to the school office until Friday 30th June.
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Road and Cycle Safety
For all drivers dropping off or collecting students and for students cycling to school, please take extra care outside school at the start and the end of the day. We have received a report from a local neighbour who was very concerned by a number of recent incidents.
Road safety campaign group Think! has these tips for cyclists:
- Make good and frequent observations. Make sure you are aware of who else is around you, and how far away they are.
- Be aware of potential hazards.
Tips for drivers include:
- Stay alert and scan for hazards. Use your mirrors to gather as complete a picture of the road environment as you can.
- Look for people cycling specifically – the more you expect to see them, the more likely you are to spot them. Use your indicators to signal your intentions and look out for their signals, such as if they look over their shoulder or make arm signals.
For more tips visit the Think! website.
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Prison Me No Way!
Prison Me No Way have been in school today running impactful sessions for Year 10. The charity raises awareness on the causes, consequences, penalties & impact of crime and ran sessions on Choices, County Lines, the Police, Fire and Prison. In the Fire session students watched a film about an arson attack by a group of teenagers who stole a car, joy rode it and then set it on fire with the devastating loss of one of their lives.
The Choices session was shocking with an ex-prisoner opening up and sharing his story and the impact it has had on the people involved. Students learnt about the operating of County Lines and how young people and vulnerable people can be targeted and about domestic abuse, coercive control and how relationships can be healthy or unhealthy. The Prison session gave students an insight into the realities prison life, with them stepping inside a prison cell within the charity’s van. A thought-provoking day.
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RHS PTA School Uniform Sale is back!
Call for Donations!
Has your daughter grown this year? Do you have any items of uniform that you could donate to the PTA for our next outgrown but not outworn uniform sale?
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Please ensure that your donated items are clean and that you have removed all name tags. Items can be sent to school with your daughter and handed in at reception. Remember, please don’t donate anything that you would not want your own daughter to wear.
We are grateful to receive outgrown but not outworn: blazers, jumpers, blouses, skirts, trousers, PE hoodies, PE shirts, skorts, leggings, football boots, ballet shoes, text books and any other outgrown but not outworn items.
Uniform Sale
The uniform sale is on Saturday 15th July. This is your opportunity to make a huge SAVING by buying good quality pre-used uniforms for your daughter and play your part in raising money for the school. All proceeds will go to the PTA which provides funding for academic and non-academic related activities for our students. You can find more information about the PTA here.
So, please come to school on Saturday 15th July 2023 between 10am - 12pm to make huge savings on outgrown but not outworn uniforms!
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Rounders against RFSS
On Tuesday 13th June 2023, we competed in a rounder's competition against RFSS it was very fun, and we all enjoyed it. At the end of the first innings, we were ahead by half a rounder. The final match core was a draw at 11-11.
We decided our best batter was Anushka and they chose Esme as our player of the match. Overall, it was a great match because it was so close.
Esme
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Local Historian Presentation
This week students from across the year groups welcomed local historian, John Wilmot, to the school to talk about his historical research projects. John got into history when he retired and has been researching illness in 1820s Stratford. He shared his findings on the setting up of nineteenth-century dispensaries, outpatient medical charities that served the ‘sick poor’.
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Back then most working people couldn't afford the fees of medical practitioners so the dispensary in Stratford served those deemed to be 'poor enough and sick enough' to get a letter of recommendation from one of the dispensary's subscribers! Patients had to give themselves a scrub before they would be seen and over 3000 were treated in the first 9 years with illnesses or complaints such as typhoid, pneumonia, worms, ulcers and hernias. Thanks to John for sharing his historical knowledge!
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Successful Pathway Completion
Two of our year 13 students have successfully completed and passed the two-year Pathway to Law programme at the University of Warwick.
As they have now successfully passed the programme, they will have access to the benefits of the programme, including alternative offers at other pathways universities and the Warwick Scholars undergraduate programme, if they apply to Warwick. Applications for the next cohort of Pathways students will open in early September.
Fatima shares her experience: "The Pathways to Law programme was a brilliant opportunity which provided networking and work experience places with top law firms and companies. Through the programme I was able to attend a work experience opportunity with the Crown Prosecution Service and law firm Eversheds Sutherland. By working with these renowned companies, I not only learnt more about the legal field but was able to gain confidence. This was furthered by the chances to network with other students in events where we presented legal cases to barristers and interviewed judges. I would highly recommend it if you're interested in the legal field."
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Athletics Success
The PE Dept would like to congratulate the following students on being selected, once again, to represent the Warwickshire County team in Athletics. Each of these students competed on Sat 9th June and all of them won their events. Olivia - 1500m (4.54.2), Afua - Hammer (25m78) and Hollie - Javelin (33m51). Based on these great performances they have now been asked to compete again, on 17th June. As ever, we wish them the best of luck!
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Godiva Festival
One of our students, Tabitha Kimberley, will be performing a 20 minute set of her original music at the Godiva festival! She is playing on the Next Stage on Sunday 2nd July at 1.50pm and would love some Rugby High students and families there to support her and enjoy her set. If you'd like to hear some of her music she's on Spotify!
Find out more about the festival here.
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Science Careers Morning
On Friday 9th June Year 10 had 7 fascinating speakers come in to talk to them. The speakers covered a multiple of topics from medical physics to studies of zebra fish.
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Ava, Year 10, shares the events of the day! "In my class the first speaker to talk to us was Millie Race, a PhD biologist at Cambidge University who left RHS six years ago. She spoke to my class about the universities she applied to and how she came to study the growth of zebra fish. Millie presented how she works to get a PhD and what her study would currently progress to. She is currently writing up her zebra fish research for her dissertation/thesis.
The next three speakers we had come in was a group from Britvic (a soft drinks producer, which packages drinks like 7UP, Lipton, Pepsi Max). The first person that spoke to us was Millie Hunt, she was on a multi-skilled/Mechatronics engineering apprenticeship for Britvic and on her fourth and final year. She spoke to us about how she was put forward to take place on many extra stem activities and courses which introduced her to engineering. Millie was the first female engineer at Britvic and in the next months will be finishing her engineering apprenticeship at Britvic." Read more here.
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Girls Into Engineering
The Smallpeice Trust has some great opportunities for our students to connect with like-minded students, developing STEM and soft skills.
Year 9 ‘Girls Into Engineering’ in partnership with GE HealthCare and Leonardo: 14 to 16 August
Does your daughter like the idea of using science and maths to help people and the environment? Has she always enjoyed creative problem solving? The Smallpeice Trust has teamed up with leading industry experts GE HealthCare and Leonardo to help unlock your child’s potential and test their technical and team skills at one of the UK’s leading universities. Girls Into Engineering has been thoughtfully designed to help nurture and energise the passion for engineering within your daughter. With a full programme of learning and practical sessions, young students will get to meet and mix with likeminded girls who all share an interest in engineering. This course is for 12 to 14-year-old female students (Years 8/9 or equivalent).
There are 4 FREE spaces up for grabs to students in Rugby, thanks to course sponsor, GE HealthCare. Each place is worth £310 and includes all course materials, accommodation, meals and social activities. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Interested students should Apply Now and use the FREE PLACE code: GEGIE23.
If you are unable to secure a free place you can still book onto the course, paying the £310 fee. Book here.
Year 12 Future Cities in partnerships with the University of Southampton – Virtual: 24 to 26 July
Civil Engineers work on environmentally friendly infrastructure, but they also manage existing public services and work to improve future sustainability. Students will learn the social value of a career in Civil Engineering from leading academics and improve their CVs and UCAS applications.
FREE – Note that this is a virtual course and includes course materials.
Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Interested students should Apply Now. No unique code necessary.
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Parenting questionnaires
One of our Sixth Former’s EPQ research project is conducting research into the impacts of parenting on the different genders and she would appreciate your input! There are two questionnaires, one for current parents and one for expecting parents. Please complete the one relevant to you or share the link with expecting parents you know.
Questionnaire for current parents
Questionnaire for expecting parents
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Free webinar from Elevate Education
We’re inviting parents to join a series of free webinars this academic year 2023. The next webinar from Elevate Education is:
- Setting Up for Success - 11th July, 6-7 pm
You can sign up here.
These free webinars are provided for parents by our partners Elevate Education. They also come into school and work with our students, delivering workshops that help them with study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. This webinar series will help you to support your children at home through reinforcing the skills they learn at school and we hope you can join in.
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Tony the Turtle
E.V. Rieu
Tony was a Turtle,
Very much at ease,
Swimming in the sunshine
Through the summer seas,
And feeding on the fishes
Irrespective of their wishes,
With a "By your leave" and "Thank you"
And a gentlemanly squeeze.
Tony was a Turtle
Who loved a civil phrase;
Anxious and obliging,
Sensitive to praise.
And to hint that he was snappy
Made him thoroughly unhappy;
For Tony was a Turtle
With most engaging ways.
Tony was a Turtle
Who thought, before he fed,
of other people's comfort,
And as he ate them said:
"If I seem a little grumpy,
It is not that you are lumpy."
For Tony was a Turtle
Delicately bred.
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School Vacancies
We're looking for a Receptionist, an Attendance and Admin Assistant and an Assistant Caretaker. Full details and Job Descriptions are on our website: www.rugbyhighschool.co.uk/jobs. All three posts are mainly term-time only, with a few extra days / weeks in the holidays.
The Receptionist role is 37 hours a week: £18,440 - £18,775 annual pay. You will provide an efficient and effective front line reception service. You will welcome and deal with visitors, students and staff and provide administrative and clerical support generally in our very busy school office and also provide First Aid support to pupils and contact parents if required.
The Attendance and Admin Assistant is 35 hours a week: £17,443 - £17760 annual pay. As Attendance Assistant you will join our Admin team, to carry out administrative tasks relating to Census and Year 11 work experience with specific responsibility for whole school attendance You will join our very busy school office and provide First Aid support to pupils and contact parents if required.
Assistant Caretaker is 20 hours a week: £9,123 to £9,306 - plus overtime pay. You will report to our Premises Manager alongside two other Assistant Caretakers. The successful candidate will be self-motivated, have a high attention to detail and take pride in their work. You must be passionate about contributing to a programme of continuous improvement of the school site.
Cleaner: 9 hours per week. Start times: Morning shift flexible starting between 6am to 7am or afternoon shift from 3.50pm. Term-time plus 5 training days plus 1 working week for deep clean – 40 Weeks. NJC Scale Point 1/2 (£10.50 – £10.60 per hour).
Cleaners are needed to join our team, working in a friendly environment. Training for cleaning and COSHH will be provided. Applicants must be able to work alone and as part of a team.
Mid-day Supervisor: Term-time only from 12.50pm to 2.05pm each school day. NJC Scale Point 1/2 (£10. 50 - £10.60 per hour).
The post involves supervision of the students and assisting with the smooth running of the canteen service.
For further details, job description or an application pack for the above posts please contact:
Mrs H Wallace, Office Manager. Email: vacancies@rugbyhighschool.co.uk. Telephone: 01788 819500
Visit the vacancies web page
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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.
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Please find below information that has been passed to us that may be of interest to you and your family.
Warwickshire Family Information Service Newsletter
20th June Edition
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The School Newsletter is sent out every other Thursday during Term time.
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