I hope you are well. As we approach the Easter holidays,
with exam season truly upon us, you won't be surprised to
learn that much of our work over the past five weeks (and
even before that) has been centred around ensuring the
pupils in Year 11 are as prepared as possible. Staff have
been working hard on running their intervention sessions at
the start and end of the school day and also at weekends.
There is also a schedule of support running throughout the
Easter holidays which Mr Doherty has shared and we'll also
run our 'drop down' timetable for the cohort as we have
in previous years. Mr Campbell held a Google Meet with
families on 25th March where he detailed how we would
continue to run classes during the exam period to ensure
pupils were supported and guided. Although 'independent
revision' can sound attractive, what experience has taught us
at St Richard's is that receiving teacher input for as long as
possible really supports high attainment and helps deal with
exam nerves.
In wider news, we've also held our Ash Wednesday Service,
Reconciliation Services and kept the Chapel at the centre
of activities during this Lenten Season. Many of our young
people are also preparing for their Confirmations later in the
Spring which will be wonderful to witness. The collections for
the Foodbank and Cafod Walk were also held and enabled
plenty of pupils to get involved in work centred in Catholic
Social Teaching.
In terms of trips out, in addition to the plethora of fixtures to
neighbouring schools in a variety of sports, we've also seen
groups visiting Westminster Abbey for the Commonwealth
Day Service in the presence of His Majesty the King! This
was televised and is available on iPlayer. It was absolutely
amazing to see the line of grey jumpers beneath the cloisters
and in such elevated company. As ever, the pupils involved
were an absolute credit to their families and the school.
The Music Concert and Culture Day gave pupils further
opportunities to develop their creativity and leadership - the
latter being run and organised by our RAGE group. I was
contacted by plenty of commuters on the trains about how
wonderful the pupils looked and how excited they were to be
engaging in activities which celebrated their heritage. The
day began with an assembly, again, run by the pupils where
they gave an outline of the day and the activities on offer.
The term concluded with our Catholic School Inspection
and also news that our school is rated the 'happiest' in East
Sussex according to a Sunday Times list compiled from
Ofsted questionnaires. This sparked lots of correspondence
from different members of the community, including Fr. Kevin
in Eastbourne who has said he'll spread this news far and
wide via his newsletters and notices at the end of Mass! In
addition, just when we thought there could be no further good
news to finish the term, we were informed that we'd been
awarded the SSAT Awards for top 20% of schools nationally
for student progress and in the top 10% of non-selective
schools for student attainment in the 2024 end of KS4 exams
- a wonderful way to mark the end of term.
As we reach the season of Easter, I'd like to thank you again
for your support of everything that goes on at St Richard's,
it really is a pleasure to be part of such a school. Just a
reminder: Term 5 begins on Tuesday, 22nd April and again,
I'd appreciate it if pupils attend on time and in line with our
uniform standards, which, of course, includes guidance
around hairstyles.
Have a wonderful, Holy and blessed Easter.
Mr P Barber, Principal
Dear Parents and Carers,
Page 1
Newsletter 5 - March 2025
A High Performing Specialist Science School
March 2025
St. Richard’s Catholic College
Ashdown Road, Bexhill-On-Sea
East Sussex TN40 1SE
Tel: 01424 731070
Email: admin@strichardscc.com
www.strichardscc.com
Principal: P Barber, NPQH, NPQEL, FCCT, BA (Hons)
Newsletter 5
Dates for Term 5
Last Day of Term 4
-
Friday, 4th April 2025 (1.15pm)
First Day of Term 5
-
Tuesday, 22nd April 2025
Year 10 Mocks start
-
Tuesday, 22nd April
DofE Bronze Award practice expedition
-
Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th April
PTFA Meeting
-
Monday, 28th April (7.00pm-8.00pm)
Early closure for pupils
-
Wednesday, 30th April (1.15pm)
Year 10 Mocks end
-
Tuesday, 2nd May (Art only - 6th May)
Year 10 Parents’ Evening
-
Thursday, 8th May (4.00pm-7.00pm)
Year 7 Movie Night
-
Friday, 16th May (3.30-5.00pm)
Parent Partnership Group meeting No. 2
-
Thursday, 22nd May (via Google Meet: 6.00pm - 7.00pm)
Newsletter 6 published
-
Friday, 16th May
End of Term 5
-
Friday, 23rd May
Pastoral Reports
Year 7
Page 2
Newsletter 5 - March 2025
Mr Bligh, Pastoral Leader Year 7 - mrblighj@strichardscc.com
As always, I like to share achievements in our newsletter and I want to congratulate Joana on
This is, of course, keeping young people safe online. As we
approach the summer term, it is worthwhile refreshing our
memories on some of the useful ways that our children need our
protection. Please see below some useful tips.
Useful websites
Parental controls - NSPCC
Parents guide to keeping your loved ones safe - UK Safer Internet
Centre
The basics - Internet matters
We need help / Report a concern - CEOP
This term assemblies have been in preparation for
Lent, linking in our Catholic Social Teachings and
reflecting on our habits. Kindness, giving of our best
and making a difference continue to be interwoven in
all that we do. Pupils were asked ‘How would a friend
describe you?’ and ‘What have you done to help
someone recently?’ During Lent, we are hopeful that
we put actions into our words.
Earlier in the term, Progress Reports were sent home.
This is an opportunity to see how well your child is
doing. If you want to discuss anything specific, please
contact your child’s subject teacher or tutor. The
quickest way is via EduLink. If you have forgotten
your log in details (or require any other IT support)
please contact Helpme@strichardscc.com and one of
the IT team will assist you.
In PSHEe in Term 5, pupils will cover the following
themes - British Values (What they are? Why do they
hold importance?) and Careers (Looking at ourselves
in the future)
Thinking back to September, I met the vast majority of
parents/carers at the Parents’ Transition Evening and
I highlighted one of the biggest challenges we face.
Safeguarding and Pupil Wellbeing
•
Level 2 (Team Around the School and Setting) - key work to
support families to improve school attendance if there is severe
absence.
•
Level 3 Early Help Key Work - to support families with multiple and
complex difÏculties, to provide earlier, coordinated support to whole
families.
•
Parenting Team - fun, enthusiastic honest groups to provide practical
and positive ways to manage challenges. Click here for more
information.
•
MHST Parent Support - webinars and workshops for parents to
support their young people in managing worry, anxiety and exam
stress. Further events are here.
A reminder of the Safeguarding Team here
at St Richard’s
There is a wide range of Early Help Key Work support available to Parents
and Families, dependent on criteria and thresholds, to ensure that families
are able to access support.
Lucy, a Parent and Carer Practitioner from ‘me and my mind’, Mental
Health Support Team, is running a Sleep, Food and Mood workshop on
Wednesday, 25th June 2025 9-10.30am. Please come along to learn tips
on sleep hygiene for your young person, as well as how food and lack
of sleep can affect mood. You can book your place for both events by
clicking here or talking to Emma Dann.
Page 3
Newsletter 5 - Mrach 2025
Year 8
Mrs Murphy, Pastoral Leader Year 8 - mrsmurphyj@strichardscc.com
We are swiftly heading towards Spring - the sun is
shining, the flowers are blooming, and the days are
(finally) heating up! With that in mind, please could I
remind all pupils to bring in water bottles and ensure
they are filling them up at break and lunch to stay
hydrated.
March and April are beautiful months where many of us
come together as a community, whether it’s to observe
Lent or Ramadan, and celebrate what is important.
I’d like to extend my heartfelt gratitude and respect
to every family who may be participating, and know
you are looking forward to a celebratory climax in the
name of Eid at the end of March, or Easter in the April
holidays.
So far this term, Year 8 have had some of the strongest
attendance statistics of any year group, with a Term
4 percentage of 95.6% - second only to Year 7. As
a reminder, we encourage all students to aim for
97%+ attendance in order to get the most out of their
education, so a huge well done to so many of our
pupils who have exceptional attendance. We have also
had pupils exceeding the 350+ house point mark and
earning their early lunch pass for a week for themselves
and a friend. If your child has reached any of our
rewards milestones, please encourage them to collect
their winnings from my ofÏce.
In Term 5, Year 8 will continue with their Relationships
and Sex Education (RSE) curriculum for PSHEe, and
on the 6th May we will be attending our Year 8 Mass.
Please do get in touch with any exciting updates and successes
- whether it’s in music, sport, art, drama or anything else that is
worth celebrating.
Pupil Successes
Wow - what a term! We have so many people to celebrate, so well
done and a huge thank you to all of our pupils who take part in
extra-curricular activities - you are all amazing!
Congratulations to: Ariana, who went to the USA to compete in
cheerleading, and whose team won two UCA competitions in
Orlando, for an amazing performance and receiving one of the
highest scores from the entire competition; Charlotte, who had
some huge wins at the Hastings Drama Festival, earning 1st
alongside her partner for Pop Duet, as well as another 1st place
for her Humerous Verse and 3rd for her Musical Theatre; Ksenia,
who won first place in the East Sussex Cross Country League,
U13 girls’ category; Ava, who achieved third place in a school
gymnastics competition; and Lilia, who finished with Honours at
the Hastings Music Festival. What a fantastic achievement for all
of you!
As we approach Easter, I would like to thank the vast
majority of Year 9 who continue to give of their best in the
classroom and wider school community. All pupils have
submitted their option choices and will be notified of their
history and geography GCSE classes by the end of term.
PSHEe
During PSHEe, the pupils have been completing the careers
skills unit and have attended a careers workshop, providing
an insight into life after St Richard’s. Next term the focus in
PSHEe will be Character Education.
House Points
Although many pupils continue to accumulate an impressive
amount of House Points, there seems to be somewhat of
a decline in the amount some pupils are receiving. Please
encourage your child to continue to work hard both in class
and at home, to complete charity work, support the liturgical
life of the college, attend school as much as they are able,
and complete letters of The Crest.
Liturgical Life
Our assemblies have included Safer Internet Use and a
Year Group Mass with Father Stephen. 9U and 9H have also
celebrated their Form Sevices together in the chapel.
DofE Award
The Year 9 Duke of Edinburgh pupils completed their first
training session on Saturday 8th March. The pupils were
impeccably behaved and the instructors commented on how
impressed they were with the cohort. The pupils are now
prepared for their training and qualifying expeditions next
term and we are sure they will do amazingly well!
Finally, although the pupils have chosen the subjects they
would like to study for GCSE, it is imperative that they
continue to give of their best across the curriculum and enjoy
their last two terms studying a broad subject base.
Please remember that we are always here to help and we
all want to work closely with yourselves to ensure that your
child is happy and fulfilled, thus enabling them to reach their
full potential.
Mrs Hills, Pastoral Leader Year 9 - (mrshillsa@strichardscc.com)
Year 9
Please do not hesitate to contact myself or your child’s Form Tutor via EduLink if you have any concerns. Have a happy, restful
and peaceful Easter break.
I hope you all received and fed back to your child with
regard to their recent progress report which was sent out
on 12th March. I read all 203 of them and I felt that the vast
majority were very positive and offered valid and insightful
advice. The one theme running through them is to start full
on revision now. On Tuesday, 25th March I handed out 40
Postcards of Commendation to the 40 pupils who made the
greatest efforts in their recent mocks. Well done!
In assembly, we distributed the photo proofs from JP
Photography. You can order the photographs from www.
jphotographic.co.uk or from the site on the photo proof. In
the assembly, we talked about potential and why the next 8
weeks are so important. I also reiterated the need to attend
Intervention and Revision sessions and the need to revise
independently as well.
Morning Intervention
Below is the morning Intervention timetable for Term 5 for
Year 11.
PSHEe
Year 11 will be looking at financial planning and relationships.
Our assemblies will look at revision tips and mental
wellbeing, good friendships and reaching our potential.
After school Intervention
This has been well attended. Please encourage your child to
participate in these during the last week of term.
•
Monday 31st March - History in A9/A11, Geography A2
•
Wednesday 2nd April - Maths in the Maths classrooms
•
Thursday 3rd April - English in the English classrooms
During Easter, we have revision in the first week of the
holidays. I will email further details in my weekly bulletin.
•
Monday, 22nd April - MFL in MFL rooms
•
Wednesday, 24th April - Science in the Science rooms
•
Thursday, 25th April - RE in the RE rooms
Final Examinations Timetable:
Please click here for the GCSE Examinations timetable
for Summer 2025. A reminder that all JCQ documents that
pupils, parents and carers should become familiar with are
available here.
Key Dates
6th May - Year 11 Drop Down timetable begins
8th May - GCSE Exams begin
19th June - Leavers’ Day
19th June - Year 11 Prom at the Cavendish Hotel
Assemblies
Year 10 are fast gaining a reputation as the best singers in
the school, and this term has been fantastic in terms of their
contributions to hymns in assemblies and services!
This term we have had assemblies introducing the mock
exams, revision and resilience, a form assembly from 10R
about the importance of sleep, and a focus on the gospel
story of the Transfiguration. I have also been reminding Year
10 in assembly about the application process to become
prefects.
PSHEe
During Term 4, Year 10 have been looking at SRE Education,
focusing on the ‘qualities of a good relationship’. In Term
5, we will be looking at Barclay Life Skills (Finance and the
World of Work, Planning Your Finances for the Future).
Year 10 Mock Exams
The Year 10 examinations are due to commence on Tuesday
22nd April until Friday 2nd May, with only the Art GCSE
pupils having one more exam on Tuesday 6th May. The
timetable has been emailed out to all parents and pupils,
whilst a revision timetable model has been shared with
pupils. Pupils should have begun their revision by this point,
and I will continue to share revision resources from each
department in my weekly bulletin.
Pupils are expected to come prepared for their exams with
all the equipment required. Mrs Fletcher, our Examinations
OfÏcer, has gone through this in an assembly, and will do
so again before the Easter Holiday. Seating plans will be
appearing on pupils’ EduLink under the ‘exams’ section
when they have been allocated. Paper copies of the exam
timetable were printed for all pupils and spare copies are
available from my ofÏce.
Final Examinations documents:
As your child is now in Year 10, they will be commencing
GCSE exams’ preparation. In particular, pupils will be
working towards completing NEA (Non-Exam Assessment)
work. Please note that it is a requirement that parents/carers
and pupils must be familiar with all JCQ documents which
are available to view here.
Year 10 Reports and Parents/Carers evening
You should have recently received your child’s Progress
Report. Please ensure you read this and go through the
report with them. Pupils will have an opportunity in PSHEe
to review their report and set targets for themselves,
highlighting areas for further development.
Page 4
Newsletter 5 - March 2025
Year 11
Mr R Doherty, Assistant Principal, Pastoral Leader Year 11 - mrdohertyr@strichardscc.com
Year 11 Intervention Timetable 2024-2025: 8.05am - 8.35am
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Science
Art
History, Geography,
PE, RE, English
Product Design
Maths, Business,
MFL, Drama
NB: All subjects will take place in specialist subject rooms; class teachers will outline where pupils need to go for their sessions
Year 10
Mr Steele, Associate Assistant Principal,
Pastoral Leader Year 10
mrsteelej@strichardscc.com
Page 5
Newsletter 5 - March 2025
Chaplaincy
We are now in the season of Lent and during this time we are encouraged to focus on three main areas. The first is to give
more time to prayer, perhaps five minutes each day. The second is to fast, this could be not consuming a favourite food or
drink (or even spending less time on Facebook or Twitter!) to remind us not to become too dependent on material comforts.
The third is to help those in need. If we are able to put these three areas into practice, then Lent becomes a season of
getting closer to God so that, when we reach Holy Week and Easter, the most solemn and important time in the Church’s
year, we will be well prepared and ready to receive the Risen Lord. May I wish you every blessing on your Lenten journey.
Jo Doyle - (Lay Chaplain & Teacher of RE)
Ash Wednesday
Deacon Eugene joined us to celebrate the start of Lent. The
whole school engaged in a reflective Celebration of the Word.
Deacon Eugne spoke to pupils about the significance of the
Lent ashes and invited them to commit to some Lenten practice,
however small. It was lovely to see our newest Extraordinary
Ministers of Communion - Year 11 pupils Dan, Henry and
Michelle distributing Ashes alongside Deacon Eugene.
Form and Year Masses
Year 9 were delighted to welcome Fr Stephen to begin
their Lenten Journey in a prayerful fashion with Mass in the
School Hall. Pupils read beautifully and it was a wonderful
way to start the term. Mr Brett and Mr Skilton's forms 9U
& 9H also focused on Lent for their Form Mass and put
together some wonderful reflections on how ‘actions speak
louder than words’. Meanwhile, the Music, Drama and
Dance departments are hard at work preparing our annual
Easter Celebration for the end of term.
Foodbank Appeal
The school collected an amazing amount of food and this
was gratefully collected by Bexhill Foodbank on Thursday,
20th March. The Foodbank extends their thanks to the
pupils and their families for the support.
CAFOD Walk
Our annual CAFOD Walk Appeal took place on Wednesday 19th March. Over
40 pupils took part. Pupils heard a video especially recorded for them by Jo
when she met Brian Meaba, one of the CAFOD Partners from Kenya at the
FLAME Youth Conference. Brian thanked them in the video for their efforts
and asked them to continue to fan the flame of hope through their actions.
Page 6
Newsletter 5 - March 2025
Pupil Leadership
Trip to Westminster Abbey for the Commonwealth Day Service
Eight Year 11 pupils were lucky enough to be invited to attend the annual
Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey on Monday, 10th
March. The Commonwealth Day Service is a celebration that honours the
Commonwealth’s people as well as its cultures and customs.
It featured readings, hymns, reflections, and musical performances and
concluded with the congregation afÏrming its belief in justice and peace
for all. Some highlights were being greeted by the drumming of Shree
Muktajeevan Swamibapa, a Hindu Scottish pipe band based in London, as
well as watching the Masai dancing performance. Pupils also had a close
view of the procession as Their Majesties came down the aisle, followed by
the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Princess Royal as they entered the
Abbey. We also later spotted Sir Keir Starmer as well as other global leaders.
We saw some famous sights in London on the way, for example Buckingham
Palace, Big Ben and Parliament Square. It was a brilliant day and a once-in-
a-lifetime opportunity; we even made it onto TV! You can watch the recording
of the service on BBC iPlayer…keep an eye out for us!
Mrs Holder, Pupil Leadership Lead
Careers
Work Experience MOCK Interviews
In preparation for work experience, the timetable is suspended for one morning of activities. The activities include: writing
curriculum vitae, role play and health and safety whilst in the workplace. Each pupil also attends a 20 minute one-to-one
interview. I am looking for volunteers to act as interviewers for this morning, which will take place on 3rd June. Each
interviewer will see approximately 3-4 pupils over the duration of the morning. Feedback should be given to the pupils in
terms of their CVs and any tips or advice for the future. If you are interested in being involved in this event, or would like
further information, please contact me at the email address below.
Investors in Careers
The kitemark for quality careers education and guidance,
‘Investors in Careers’, which St Richard’s Catholic College
currently holds is due to be reassessed. The reassessment
fully incorporates the eight Gatsby Benchmarks. The
reassessment is structured around four key elements:
1. Commitment - the school renews our commitment to
careers education, information, advice and guidance
(CEIAG) and The Quality in Careers standard.
2. Organisation - the school continues to have a stable
careers programme, including how we are meeting the
DfE statutory requirements.
3. Delivery - a programme of Careers Education is
delivered that addresses the careers learning needs of
each pupil. This is where we must demonstrate we are
meeting all eight Gatsby benchmarks.
4. Evaluation - ensuring that all staff involved in the
careers programme prepare all pupils for choices,
decisions and transitions. The CEIAG programme is
systematically monitored, reviewed and evaluated to
ensure it is meeting the needs of all pupils.
As part of the reassessment process we will have an
assessor in school. If successful, the school will be given
the award for a further three years.
Work Experience update
Year 10 pupils will go on a week’s work experience in
June. As you are aware, the deadline for submitting work
experience placement choices has now passed. Mrs Forte
is busy behind the scenes contacting employers and
coordinating with East Sussex County Council to ensure
each placement is suitable. At the time of writing, Mrs
Forte has approximately 50 pupils left to place. If there
has been a problem with your child's chosen placements,
Mrs Forte will speak to him/her, or contact you directly to
source a solution. Once all of the pupils have been linked
to a work experience placement, (I am hoping this will be
completed by the end of April) details of the placement will
be shared with you and your child via email. Your email
will contain a link to an agreement for you, a safeguarding
document and also a medical emergency form (which will
be shared with the placement). Your child will receive a
separate email with a pupil agreement for them to sign. All
of these documents need signing and submitting prior to
the placement being able to take place.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to
contact me.
Mrs Adams, Careers Lead - mrsadamsc@strichardscc.com
Page 7
Newsletter 5 - March 2025
RE
Mrs Mead, Subject Leader for RE
Year 7 pupils have continued their learning of the new RE curriculum. They
completed Galilee to Jerusalem last term and are currently on Desert to Garden.
They are taking on the increased rigour with real passion and enthusiasm.
Year 8 are also completing a unit on Desert to Garden. They have been learning about suffering and the Sacrament of
Reconciliation. They have worked really hard and are getting very involved in the discussions in the classroom.
Last term, pupils covered a unit called ‘Medical Ethics’
and were fortunate to have a visit from a local charity,
‘Reflect’. This term, Year 9 pupils have been working
on a unit called “Death and Resurrection”. They have
had a much closer look at the events of the Paschal
Mystery and why this liturgical season of Lent and
Easter is so important for us as Catholics.
This term, Year 9 pupils completed a creative assessment on Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane or the Last Supper. They
had to create an image of the emotion, feeling and suffering of Jesus during these events. The results were amazing and
the pupils produced very thought provoking and creative images. Here is a small selection of some of their work.
Year 10 have almost completed half of their GCSE course. They are
currently working on a unit called “Forms of Expression”. This covers
church architecture, internal features and sacred objects. Year 10 pupils
have had a lesson in the chapel to reafÏrm their learning in the classroom.
Year 11 have started their revision for their
summer GCSE exams and are on a revision
rotation. Pupils are able to access the
lessons and a wealth of other resources on
the Google Classroom. If any pupil is having
difÏculty with this, they should let their RE
teacher know. If Year 11 pupils would like to
purchase a GCSE RE revision guide, these
are available to purchase on ParentPay.
Music
Uprising: Glyndebourne - KS3 trip
A selection of pupils from Years 7, 8 and 9 had the amazing
opportunity to watch the World Premier of ‘Uprising’, an opera about
a girl standing up to climate change. It was a moving piece of opera,
with a strong sense of community spirit. For most of our pupils, this
was their first ever experience of an opera!
Music Showcase
Our amazing musicians here at St
Richard’s performed for an audience on
Tuesday, 11th March. This showcased
the talent that we have here at school. It
was a varied evening with the Orchestra,
Choir, String Group, Bands, Woodwind,
Trios, Duets and Solos! Some of our
wonderful Year 11s performed their GCSE
solo or ensemble pieces, a real treat for
our audience. We would like to thank you
all for your contributions enabling the
music department to continue to thrive and
support our young musicians.
Page 8
Newsletter 5 - March 2025
Dance
Mrs Knight, Teacher of Dance
What an amazing term!. Huge congratulations to all the pupils who participated and put in
an enormous amount of hard work to make all the performances such a success this term.
Time to Dance
The Annual Time to Dance Festival was held at
the White Rock Theatre, Hastings on Wednesday,
12th February. It was lovely to see the senior
Dance Company once again performing in a
professional theatre. Well done to all who took
part. The pupils danced a piece inspired by the
stimulus of ‘Memories’ - “Letters home”. This
explored the Second World War and women on
the homefront receiving letters from loved ones
fighting in the war. A delighted audience member
on the evening commented “The girls danced with
poise and purpose to create a magical poignant
dance. I am sure every primary school child was
mesmerised and inspired by the dancers to see
what they can achieve in the future”.
Congratulations to Eliza and former pupil Elisa
who recently performed on the main stage at
Move It, London Excel. Move IT is everything
dances under one roof, offering the pupils a
chance to take part in professional workshops
throughout the day, watch professional
performances as well as shopping and meeting
students from professional dance colleges.
Congratulations girls, on a fantastic performance.
Summer Production
The Performing Arts Team are
delighted to announce this
year's summer production will
be ‘Oliver JR’.
Performances will be held
on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th July.
Look out for further details on
casting, rehearsals and tickets.
M U S I C A L T H E A T R E
C O U R S E & S H O W
Free lunch
provided
10am – 2pm
Mon – Wed 14 – 16 April 2025
St Leonards Academy
4-day HAF
musical theatre course
for 10 – 16yrs,
with Suzie Dunster
& Becky Knight.
Includes a visit to the
theatre to see the
Wizard of Oz.
* Have fun
* Grow confidence
* For all levels
FREE course for people
who meet HAF criteria.
Paid course places
available £20 per day at
St Leonards Academy only.
More information and
book using QR code or online
at: eequ.org/book/5976
12 – 4pm
Sun 13 April April 2025
De La Warr Pavillion
Results
Congratulations to the following:
•
Joshua in Year 11 gained a merit in his Grade 6
violin exam.
•
Bethan in Year 10 gained a merit in her Grade 4 alto
saxophone exam.
Page 9
Newsletter 5 - March 2025
Mrs Byrne, Subject Leader Music
London Mozart Players Workshop
Our Year 10 GCSE cohort welcomed Rosie Bowker, a
professional flautist, to introduce the new set work Bach’s
Badinerie. It was amazing to hear, not only her playing the
silver flute, but also the Baroque flute.
Congratulations
A big congratulations to all St Richard’s pupils who have taken part in the many music
festivals across the county this term. We have had so many successes, even medals!
Congratulations go to Ella in Year 7 who performed a whopping 10 piano pieces at the
Eastbourne Performing Arts Festival! For her dedication, resilience and phenomenal playing,
she came home with 5 gold and 2 silver medals, the Doris Rogers Challenge Cup and the
Audrey Wickens Memorial Trophy. Congratulations also go to Nia in Year 9 who achieved a
merit for her Grade 4 flute.
Brass Lessons
Don’t forget to sign up for Brass lessons (Trumpet/ Cornet/ French Horn/ Trombone) with
our talented Brass teacher, Michael Pilley here.
Not sure which instrument to pick? Click here to find out more.
PE
Year 7 & 8 Cross Country at Christ’s Hospital
Our Year 7 and 8 pupils competed in the biggest cross country event
in Sussex and gave an excellent account of themselves. Two of our
runners had exceptional performances. Marko finished 24th out of
339 runners in the Year 7 boys event. Ksenia finished 8th out of 297
runners in the Year 8 girls event. All pupils who took part in the races
should be proud of their efforts in this prestigious event.
Year 11 Football
Our Year 11 football team defeated Robertsbridge
3-2 in the semi final of the Hastings and Rother
cup competition. The boys put in a dominant
display and although the result was close in the
end, St Richard’s largely controlled the match and
thoroughly deserve their place in the final.
KS3 boys badminton
The KS3 Boys Badminton team competed against the other best schools in
Sussex in a competition held at Priory School in Lewes. The boys won all but
one of their matches. A great achievement as they were facing some particularly
strong opponents. The team should be commended for their commitment to
Badminton Club this year.
Year 8 Football
Our Year 8 team put in a strong performance against Claverham (last
year's champions). Although the match finished 3-1 to Claverham,
the team should be proud of their efforts. Sebastian scored a
fantastic goal following an excellent sequence of passing from
defence to attack. The Year 8s did extremely well, considering they
were without their usual goalkeeper (Ruairi) as well as being without
Sam due to injury. Following this match, our Year 8 footballers had a
fantastic and well deserved 2-1 win against St Leonards Academy. It
was great to see such resilience from our Year 8 pupils.
Year 9 Boys Rugby
Our Year 9 rugby team faced tough opposition
in the form of a combined Year 9 and 10
Buckswood team. It was a closely fought match
that could have swung either way, but ended
40 - 35 in favour of St Richard’s. All of the boys
involved worked tirelessly for each other, moving
the ball quickly and offering each other excellent
support. They thoroughly deserved their win.
Mr Dallaway, Subject Leader PE
Page 10
Newsletter 5 - March 2025
Art
I have included examples of the fabulous artwork our Key Stage 3 and 4 pupils are
producing in their sketchbooks and constructed in clay. Year 7 are analysing sgrafÏto,
tonality, texture, watercolour, and pattern. They are also designing their amazing ceramic
pinch pots. Year 8 pupils are designing their coil pots in clay, studying the artwork of
the Minoan Dynasty, graphic design, and Chinese artist, Ai Weiwei. Year 9 are looking
at surrealism, storyboarding and designing characters. Year 10 Fine Art pupils are
successfully working in paint with beautiful results, and Art, Craft and Design have just
completed a cardboard engineering project designing a new bandstand for the De La
Warr Pavilion. Year 11 pupils are preparing for their GCSE exam with great focus. Please
do have a look at our pupil’s wonderful artwork on the St Richard’s Art Department
website here. Thank you and keep creating! Mr Peachment (Subject Leader)
Some Year 9 and 10 pupils recently took part in the UKMT
Challenge. They should be extremely proud of themselves
as they achieved 33 Bronze, 15 Silver and 5 Gold Awards.
There are also three pupils who will take part in the next
round - well done Antoni, Caidean and Christianne.
On Monday, 17th March, 8 Year 10 pupils took part in the
ASMP Maths Feast. Pupils worked hard to complete a
variety of puzzles and challenges.
Year 11 have now completed their second round of mocks.
In the coming weeks they will receive a question level
analysis (QLA). This is a personal breakdown of each
paper and includes the following: colour-coded questions to
show where marks were gained and lost, the topic covered
by each question and Sparx clip numbers linked to each
question. Pupils should use this between now and their
summer exams to target their revision.
Revision
On the pupil portal, under Maths, pupils will find links to
many key websites and resources (such as past exam
papers and mark schemes). Aside from MathsWatch
and Sparx, other useful websites are Mathsgenie and
Corbettmaths. Revision guides are available and can be
purchased via ParentPay. If you are unsure of your child’s
tier, please contact their Maths teacher.
We wish Year 10 the best of luck for their mocks, and every
success to Year 11 for their upcoming summer exams.
What’s happening in class?
It has been a very busy time for pupils both in and out of the
classroom and they have been continuing to work hard with
both classwork and homework.
KS3 - Any questions? Contact the class teacher or Mr Eyre
(KS3 Coordinator).
Year 7 have continued their studies covering topics such as
the four operations, fractions and percentages of amounts
and directed number. Year 8 have covered probability and
algebra (solving equations and inequalities, expanding and
factorising brackets, sequences and indices).
KS4 - Any questions? Contact the class teacher or
Miss Kent/Mr Clark (KS4 Coordinators)
Year 9 have now begun the GCSE curriculum by following
either the Higher or Foundation GCSE pathway. We will
continue to monitor their progress to ensure that they are in
the most suitable group and tier to maximise their potential.
Year 10 are continuing their GCSE studies. They will be
spending some time revising in class and through homeworks
over the next few weeks in preparation for the mock exams
next term. See the revision section below on where pupils can
go to for revision.
Maths
Mr Eyre, KS3 Maths Co-ordinator