Despite the fact that this term is barely five weeks in
length, our community has once more ensured that every
single day has been absolutely packed. The key focus for
many of us has been ensuring that pupils feel as ready as
possible for their GCSE exams. This has taken the shape
of revision sessions both before and after school, over the
weekend and across the Easter holidays. The pupils have
responded brilliantly to this provision and there are more
scheduled sessions running across May half term. Before
we realise it, we'll be at the Prom celebrating their time at
St Richard's and looking forward to their Leavers’ Day later
in Term 6. Please keep Year 11 in your prayers.
Elsewhere in the school, Year 10 have been getting to
grips with their Mock Examinations and it was superb
to see so many parents and carers of this year group at
the recent Parents’ Evening. Many thanks to those of
you who contacted me to say that you found the evening
informative. It is so important that we work together to
ensure that pupils feel informed about what next steps
they need to make to improve, irrespective of the grades
achieved.
It was fantastic to see the many St Richard's pupils who
undertook their Confirmation at Arundel Cathedral on May
4th. Please do keep these pupils in your prayers as they
continue their journey of faith.
As you'd expect, the better weather has meant that the
practice DofE expeditions and sporting fixtures have all
taken place; it was a particular pleasure to welcome our
local primaries to the Sports Partnership events that have
taken place on site across the last few weeks. Such
events mean that our school is familiar to those children
coming up to Year 7 in September and we'll be writing to
parents/carers soon with details of more transition events.
Term 6 is nearly upon us, then. Pupils who wish to, will
be able to wear their polo shirts from the start of term -
Monday, June 2nd and, as always, I thank you for your
support in ensuring that pupils return in alignment with our
uniform expectations. Have a great Half Term, everyone.
Dear Parents and Carers,
Page 1
Newsletter 6 - May 2025
A High Performing Specialist Science School
May 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 6
Dates for Term 6
End of Term 5
-
Friday, 23rd May
First Day of Term 6 for Pupils
-
Monday, 2nd June 2025
PTFA Meeting
-
Monday, 9th June (7pm - 8pm)
Year 7 Parents’ Evening
-
Thursday, 12th June (4pm - 7pm)
Year 10 Work Experience Week commences
-
Monday, 16th June
Final Exam Date
-
Wednesday, 18th June
Year 11 Leavers’ Morning
-
Thursday, 19th June
Year 11 Prom
-
Thursday, 19th June (evening)
BLOCK Day for Years 7-9
-
Friday, 20th June
New Intake Evening for September 2025 admissions -
Wednesday, 25th June at 6pm
INSET Day (School closed to pupils)
-
Friday, 27th June
New Intake Days for Year 6
-
30th June, 1st & 2nd July
Summer Production
-
2nd, 3rd, 4th July (6.30pm - 8.30pm)
Sports Day
-
Wednesday, 9th July
Parent Partnership Group meeting
-
Thursday, 10th July (Google Meet: 6.00pm - 7.00pm)
End of Term 6
- Friday, 19th July at 1.15pm
Results Day
-
Thursday, 21st August (9am-11am)
Paul Barber, Principal
The summer has finally arrived and Year 7 continue to
�ourish. We started this term with an Easter Egg/Sweetie
Hunt on the field. This was a great way to bring everyone
together and reward the pupils for the e�ort they are putting
into their studies and extracurricular activities. Fun was
had by all and even now my PE classes are still finding the
odd packet of sweets! A big thank you to Miss Tester for
organising this event.
This afternoon (Friday, 16th May) the pupils will once again
come together and participate in another social event - Film
Night. I am sure it will be another success!
One area that I would like some parental support in is social
media. Sadly, I have become aware of several incidents
(I am sure there are many more) of poor behaviour on
WhatsApp and Snapchat. Often parents/carers are blissfully
unaware of what is happening between friendship groups
and their child's peers. Often the anti-social behaviour takes
place straight after school on their way home or much later,
late at night. Can I urge parents to check their child's phone
to see what they are up to and, just as importantly, what
other children are saying in their group chats etc.
Next term is extremely busy for Year 7. They will have their
Block day, Year Mass, Parents’ Evening, Sports Day, the
school musical production as well as the end of year social.
I will share more details on these events via my pastoral
emails but you can find dates on the school parents calendar
here.
In PSHEe in Term 6, pupils will be studying the following
themes: Preparation for Form Liturgies, First Aid, Drug and
Tobacco Education and we will celebrate Mass as a year
group.
Another term has come and gone, and the field has now
been opened for pupils to use at lunch times. It is so exciting
to have more space to run around and burn o� some
energy. The weather is improving every day, so pupils are
again encouraged to bring water and stay hydrated. Please
also be reminded that in Term 6, they will be allowed to wear
their polo shirts.
Events this term include our Year 8 Mass/Service, and
PSHEe continues our focus on Relationships and Sex
Education (RSE). Another key change is that Mrs Harker
is taking over as the Pastoral Leader for Year 8 during my
maternity leave. If you have any queries regarding your
child, please direct them to her.
Charity:
A massive thank you to all of the forms who have completed
their charity events so far, supporting great causes such
as Cancer Research, Young Minds and Running Space.
A particular thank you goes to 8L who raised a massive
£150.50 for CAFOD. These events are not only inspiring,
but they teach us important lessons around sel�essness and
generosity, which are key messages in our Catholic Social
Teaching.
Pupil Successes:
Every child who completes extra curricular activities
goes above and beyond to gain new skills and have
wonderful experiences. Huge congratulations to Sabrina
for passing her Grade 1 piano exam, and to Ariana and
her cheerleading team, who became the 2025 Summit
Champion, receiving one of the highest scores.
Pastoral Reports
Year 7
Page 2
Newsletter 6 - May 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
reaching her black belt in karate. An awesome achievement!
Year 8
Mrs Murphy,
Pastoral Leader Year 8 - mrsmurphyj@strichardscc.com
Furthermore, I’d like to extend
massive congratulations to Rosie,
Ava, Zachary, Presley, Christi,
Sabrina and Anna for achieving
350+ house points; Cyril, Ksenia
and Lottie for achieving 400+ house
points; and to Layla who is our first
pupil of the year to hit 450+! We also
have 132 pupils with no behaviour
incidents for the entire academic
year - which is around two thirds of
the whole year group.
Well done also to the following pupils who have 100%
attendance so far this year: Fawwaz, Faheem, Benjamin,
Luke, Sabrina, Charlie, Alfredo, Finley, Ashvin, Joana,
Jerome, Sonit, Darwin, Mia, Cyril, Ksenia, Valentino, Oliver,
Amishrily, Alston, Rosme, Scarlett, Maria, Kristine, Oscar,
Hasia, Ava, Joseph, Callum, Ava and John. Attendance
is one of the key indicators of academic success, so it’s
brilliant to see so many of you on this list!
Year 10 Exams: The Year 10 mock examinations have
now come to an end. It has been a challenging time for the
pupils, with a large number of exams in a short space of
time. The pupils have approached the exams with a positive
attitude and I would like to congratulate Year 10 on the
mature way they handled the examination process. Their
behaviour has been very good throughout. Well done, Year
10.
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.
PSHEe and Work Experience: PSHEe is currently focused
on Work Experience, including how to contact employers,
and completing a professional CV. All children have the
opportunity to have their CV reviewed by Ms Tocknell so that
it is error free and ready for sharing with potential employers.
Pupils will have a Work Experience Interview Morning on
Tuesday, 3rd June. All of the Year 10 pupils will take part
in a day of activities. This will involve writing letters to their
placements, completing medical forms, looking at health and
safety and also how to contact their work placements prior
to the commencement of the week. They will also have a 20
minute interview with a local employer. The pupils are asked
to come to school on this morning dressed appropriately for
an interview; this does not mean that the pupils should go
and buy new clothes or even suits for this day. I recommend
that the boys wear their school shirts and trousers with
a di�erent colour tie and that the girls wear a smart skirt
of appropriate length or trousers with a suitable top. High
heels are not allowed on this day, and children dressed
inappropriately will either be given school uniform to wear, or
sent home to change.
The interviewer will comment on the pupil’s CV (which they
have already prepared in school), their dress and how they
answered the questions posed to them. This event should
help pupils to understand the expectations ahead of their
Work Experience week, which will be Monday 16th June -
Friday, 20th June.
Bexhill College Taster Day: The Year 10 Taster day at
Bexhill College will take place on Thursday, 14th July. Pupils
will spend the entire school day at the college to experience
college life and lessons. Please note this does not mean
pupils want to go to Bexhill College. This is an opportunity to
try out subjects pupils may not have experienced previously,
or to see what some of the existing courses look like at 'A'
Level.
Well done….. to the Year 10 pupils for creating some
stunning artwork in preparation for their all day GCSE Mock
Exam on Tuesday, 6th May. Well done, also, to the pupils
who completed their beautiful Art, Craft and Design projects!
As we approach the end of this term, I would like to thank
Year 9 for all of their hard work. The vast majority of pupils are
fully engaged with their studies and are therefore progressing
well. I hope that your child is happy with the option subjects
that they will be studying for GCSE next year. Should you
have any concerns please contact Mr Jacobs (mrjacobsr@
strichardscc.com), your child’s form tutor or myself.
PSHEe: During this term, Year 9 have been completing
their unit on Character Education, alongside further groups
attending our workshops with Mrs Knight around safe and
positive relationships. During Term 6 there will be visits from
our police liaison o�cers and education on substance misuse
and PSHEe classes will cover RSE.
Assemblies: We have had a range of form assemblies on
the topics of resilience and respect. Other assemblies have
included future leadership roles and attendance matters.
Appearance: As the May holiday approaches, I would
like to remind parents and carers of the high standards of
appearance we expect from pupils when they return from their
break. Please ensure your child returns with the appropriate
haircut and uniform. Polo shirts may be worn during Term 6.
A reminder, also, that makeup and dyed hair is not allowed in
school.
House Points: Many pupils continue to accumulate an
impressive amount of House points. Please encourage your
child to work hard both in class and at home, to complete
charity work, to support the liturgical life of the school, to
attend school as much as they are able, and to complete
letters towards The Crest Award.
Page 3
Newsletter 6 - May 2025
Mrs Hills, Pastoral Leader Year 9
(mrshillsa@strichardscc.com)
Year 9
Have a lovely half term holiday and I look forward to
welcoming the pupils back on Monday, 2nd June for the
summer term.
Year 10
Mr Steele, Associate Assistant Principal,
Pastoral Leader Year 10
mrsteelej@strichardscc.com
Finally, well done
to Frankie in 9H for
completing her Open
Water Diver qualification
whilst on holiday during
the Easter break. This was
an intensive diving course
that involved theory and
practical skills. A great
achievement!
Year 11 have begun their final GCSE exams and are in a
revision cycle which, as you know, involves bespoke revision
sessions during the day instead of the existing timetable
being rigidly adhered to. This is the basic premise of the
revision plan in the drop down timetable. Revision after
school will re�ect the next morning’s exam. During periods
3 and 4, Year 11 will revise for the afternoon’s exam with
subject specialist sta�. If they are not sitting an exam then
they will be in normal lessons. 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.
Leavers Hoodies: To order the leavers hoodies, follow
these instructions: Go to ashprint.co.uk and select the pink
School, College, Club uniform area and look for the St
Richard’s logo. You can then select the size and colour and
pay for the hoodie.They will be delivered to the school in
time for Leavers Day on Thursday, 19th June.
Prom 2025: The prom will take place at the Cavendish
Hotel, Eastbourne on Thursday, 19th June. Year 11 have
chosen the winners of the prom certificates and I have
shared the menu with pupils and parents/carers. Tickets will
be available from 20th May. The.start time for arrival is 6pm-
7pm and the end of the evening is at 11pm. The hotel are
providing two sta� to help with drop o� and pick up. This is
the first time we have used this venue and we are aware that
it is situated on the seafront. Opportunities for photographs
on arrival will be limited.
Page 4
Newsletter 6 - May 2025
Year 11
Mr R Doherty, Assistant Principal, Pastoral Leader Year 11 - mrdohertyr@strichardscc.com
World Culture Day
On Friday 21st March we held our first ever Culture Day at St Richards! It was
a fun, joy-filled day that celebrated the rich and diverse cultural heritages of
everyone at school. Lots of pupils came dressed in the clothing of their cultural
heritage. It was lovely to see people proudly representing their cultures through
their clothing, hair and accessories. There was a lot of excitement throughout
the day! In the morning’s Year 7 assembly, members from the Race And Gender
Equality (RAGE) group presented a slideshow talking about the importance of
Culture Day and sharing your culture with others. The whole year group then
sang a beautiful South African song ‘Maliswe’ and an Egyptian lullaby, ‘Nami
Nami’, led by Mrs Byrne.
There were a lot of activities throughout
the day - every lesson had culture day
slides where we learnt about traditional
dress and foods, dances, endangered
languages, greetings such as the
Botswana handshake, Wai from Thailand
and the New Zealand Hongi. At break
time we wrote di�erent cultural greetings
in chalk on the Year 7 playground. In the
hall, we even had a Culture Day playlist
playing songs selected by pupils which
re�ected their cultural background.
Lunchtime was definitely the best part of
the day! We enjoyed �ag face painting
led by members of RAGE and a colourful
photo booth station was set up for pupils
to take pictures in their outfits with their
friends. The food tech room hosted
Mango Lassi and Chai Tea tasting
stations, led by Year 11 pupils and Mr
Pavey respectively.
There was a real buzz the whole day,
and pupil feedback was very positive,
with many excited to see what Culture
Day 2026 will hold!
Mrs Holder, Miss Magbadelo and Miss Mockridge
Safeguarding and Pupil Wellbeing
Links for Support for Parents:
Links for support for Pupils:
Open for Parents – Top tips and one-o� parenting course webinars
Support for parents | NSPCC
Mind.org.uk - Helping your children with a mental health problem
Talking to your child about feelings - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Anna Freud world leading mental health charity for families
Young Minds parent/carer support – toolkit and helpline
Family Lives - confidential and free helpline service for families
Holding Space – Family Mental Health Support in East Sussex + monthly
parent drop-ins
Health in Mind - Free courses and therapy for adults in East Sussex, to
help with stress, anxiety and low mood
E-motion free online counselling - ages 12 to 18
E-wellbeing digital wellbeing service
I-Rock - ages 14 to 25 signposting service with
peer support workers
Eggtooth therapeutic support - all ages,
physical and mental wellbeing
The Mix for under 25’s – mental health + drugs,
sex, housing, money, work
Young Minds 24/7 Text line: Text YM to 85258
(for young people and parents)
Childline helpline and calm tool kit.
Safeguarding contacts:
Emma Dann - DSL, James Campbell - Senior Assistant
Principal, Paul Barber - Principal, Mrs Ellis - Safeguarding
O�cer, Mr Bligh - Pastoral Leader Year 7, Mrs Hills -
Pastoral Leader Year 9, Mr Steele - Pastoral Leader Year
10 and Ian Smith - SENCO.
Online Resources: Google the following websites:
Assessment stress and pressure | Childline
Exam Stress | How To Deal with Exam Stress | YoungMinds
Exams: how to deal with exam stress - BBC Bitesize
14 ways to beat exam stress | Mind, the mental health
charity - help for mental health problems
Resources provided by the Me and My Mind Parent and
Carer Practitioner to support exam stress for pupils:
Apps:
Headspace app: Mindfulness meditations.
Smiling Mind app: Mindfulness activities – measures
mood before and after activity
SAM app: Help for anxiety now – activities including calm
breathing and mood tracker
Molehill Mountain app: Help with self-managing anxiety,
designed for and with autistic people.
NHS have an up-to-date list of apps to support people of all
ages with their mental health:
Mental health apps - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Page 5
Newsletter 6 - May 2025
The Crest Award
Completion of the Crest Award continues for all pupils from Years 8, 9 and 10. Details on how to complete each letter of
the Award can be found on the relevant year group’s Crest Google Classroom. The Award is voluntary, but all pupils are
encouraged to take part as it embraces the ethos of the school and is a great addition to all college applications in Year 11.
The Award, which consists of eight di�erent tasks, can be completed any time throughout Years 8, 9 and 10. Applicants
for prefect status at the end of Year 10 are expected to have completed at least six of the eight tasks before making their
application. Full details can be found on the Google Classroom, but for further information, please email Mrs Ellis at
mrselliss@strichardscc.com
Page 6
Newsletter 6 - May 2025
Chaplaincy
We are fast approaching the Feast of Pentecost, the birthday of the Church. This feast commemorates the descent
of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, thus empowering them for their mission and gathering them together as a church.
We remember very specially in prayer, all the pupils who have received their Confirmation with Bishop Richard at the
Cathedral in Arundel; May the Holy Spirit guide them at this particular moment in their journey of faith. We also pray for all
those preparing to sit their exams; May they be inspired and strengthened to give of their best. Come Holy Spirit, fill the
hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Amen.
Mindful colouring
Mindful colouring continues and any pupil is
welcome to join at lunchtime on a Monday,
Thursday and Friday in the Chapel. Pupils
are more than welcome to bring their lunch.
If the weather is good, they can sit out on the
decking and do their colouring there.
Lent Reconciliation
Lent Reconciliation was well supported by our clergy. The
assembly in the morning for all has proved really inspiring and
many more signed up on the day.
Easter Services:
The whole school came together over four services on the last two days of the
term to prepare for the Easter Holiday and the upcoming Tridium. There was
a wonderful sense of togetherness as over 200 pupils took part in delivering
a very strong message. Our focus was around the Last Supper, the last meal
Jesus shared with his ‘Chosen Family’, the disciples and how our chosen
family of faith is not just our families but also this school community and the
Catholic church as a whole. We too are called by Jesus to spread his love and
grace. This was the final time for some of our Year 11 dancers, ministers of
the Word, musicians and choir to take part and I would like to thank them for
all their contributions to Chaplaincy over their five years at St Richard’s.
Form Masses:
A number of form masses took place over the past term. Pupils
have worked hard on practising their readings and preparing
re�ections to deliver in the Liturgy and these have been very
re�ective and appropriate for the liturgical season. Well done to all
who have volunteered for roles in these celebrations.
Year 8 Mass
Fr Stephen joined Year 8 to celebrate Mass. He spoke about St
Stephen and how he was a witness to his faith and how we too
are asked to be witnesses. It doesn't have to be a grand gesture
like martyrdom, but through our words and actions we can re�ect
God’s love. The year group participated well, joining the Year 8
choir members in all the hymns.
What’s on in the chapel?
Jo Doyle (Lay Chaplain) - missdoylej@strichardscc.com
Page 7
Newsletter 6 - May 2025
Library
Ms Tocknell, Librarian - mstocknellf@strichardscc.com
The 1066 Schools Book Award 2025 came to its conclusion
at the end of March. The final event was held here in the
Library at St Richard’s, with over 70 people attending.
Pupils from all six schools involved enjoyed presentations
and readings from the books, videos especially made for us
from the authors Sam Sedgman and Alexander Armstrong
(he of ‘Pointless’ fame!) and prizes were awarded for
excellent competition entries.
The whole event was hosted by three of our pupils, Sabrina,
Shalini and Amelie, who made everyone feel very welcome.
Faheem had the honour of announcing the winner. After the
formalities, all enjoyed a bu�et before heading for home.
The books enjoyed as part of this award are shown here
with photos from the event. The winning book? The
excellent graphic novel ‘Raven’, by Kami Garcia!
Article from the National Literacy Trust:
Reading for pleasure; How does it help children
develop empathy?
If you grew up loving reading, there will be certain characters who you connected with, and who you returned to again and
again. Good writing helps you become invested in a character’s life, and experience their highs and lows and understand their
motivations. The Empathy Lab, who leads the way in understanding and nurturing empathy in the classroom and at home,
suggest that this connection with book characters can translate to how you connect with people in real life. They have shared
some key insights on the development of empathy with us:
• Empathy is a learnable skill and reading for pleasure is a powerful vehicle for its development.
• Empathy can foster children’s wellbeing and resilience.
• Research also shows that the emotional and social benefits of empathy are more significant for young people’s academic
attainment than IQ.
DofE
The Year 9 Duke of Edinburgh pupils completed their practice
expedition in April, camping at Bushwood and learning how to
navigate, successfully camp and be self-su�cient. They represented
St Richard's brilliantly and showed resilience, teamwork and
determination across the whole weekend. They will soon be
undergoing their Qualifying expedition and we look forward to the
amazing things they will achieve.
Miss Coelho, DofE Lead
Page 8
Newsletter 6 - May 2025
Drama
An exciting term is coming up for the Performing Arts Department as we are working hard alongside our fabulous pupils to
bring the show ‘Oliver JR!’ to life! They’ve been working so hard and we are very excited for you to see their performances
in July. Congratulations to our Year 11s who have recently completed their exam and have finished their Drama GCSE. We
wish them the best of luck for results day. Our Year 10s are taking on the exciting challenge of devising pieces of Drama
from scratch as they work towards their first assessed component.
Miss Jefferies, Teacher of Drama
SEND
(Special Educational Needs
and Disabilities)
GCSE exams
Very good luck to all pupils completing their GCSEs this
term, and also to Year 10s who - shortly to receive their
mock exam results - will no doubt be motivated to start
revising early. Today is always better than tomorrow - or,
even better, both!
Are you still thinking, “I don’t know how to revise”?
A few tips:
•
An e�ective revision session should last for 20-30
minutes per topic.
•
Try switching to a di�erent subject after each 20-30
minutes to refresh your brain.
•
Always produce something during each 20-30 minute
session - don’t just read and re-read your notes, as
for most people, this doesn’t work! Instead, try to:
•
make a mind map on a topic;
•
time yourself completing part of the exam paper;
•
turn a page of a texbook or revision guide into a
spider-diagram or a page of notes in your own
words.
•
If you receive extra time or any other access
arrangemet in tests, ensure that you use this to either
add to your answer, make changes and corrections,
or re-read your work thoroughly. You should also
practise using your extra time as you revise!
We also look forward to seeing Year 11 at the Prom after
completing their exams.
Boys’ Dance Company
What a superb achievement for Mrs Knight and her
amazing group to be the only Boys’ Dance Company
taking part in Time 2 Dance, in front of a packed house
at the Congress Theatre, Eastbourne. Whether this was
their very first or last ever performance, the group did
themselves proud, and it was a privilege for Mr Smith, Mr
Trimby and Mr Barber to all be there to see their fantastic
performance.
Lunchtime Clubs
We now have two separate lunchtime clubs open every day,
always supervised by a member of our SEND team.
Please see below for the rooming timetable:
KS3
KS4
Monday
A4
AICT
Tuesday
A11
AICT
Wednesday
A10
AICT
Thursday
A5
AICT
Friday
A3
AICT
…but, as it’s almost summer, hopefully we’ll move the club
outdoors most of the time from now on!
Upcoming events
Wednesday, 11th June
SEND Drop-in: 3:20pm – 4:20pm: Come along to
discuss any queries, updates or concerns around SEND.
Please contact Mr Smith if you would like to attend.
Thursday, 12th June
Year 7 Parents’ Evening, 4pm - 7pm. Parents/carers
of pupils on our SEND Register will be invited to make
appointments with Mr Smith in advance of the evening.
On the evening, Mr Smith will be using Mr Barber’s o�ce.
w/c Monday, 16th June
Year 10 Work Experience Week. All the very best to our
pupils as they embark on what may well be their first taste
of the working world!
Wednesday, 25th June
Year 6 New Intake Evening. Mr Smith will be available
on the evening, as well as our next Year 7 having the
opportunity to meet their Year 7 form tutor.
Monday, 30th June - Wednesday, 2nd July
Year 6 Taster Days. The SEND Department will be
supporting the next Year 7 through three days to gain an
experience of what life at St. Richard’s will be like from
September!
Wednesday, 9th July - Sports Day
Every year it’s wonderful to see so many pupils all across
the school taking part in any and every event they can.
The SEND team will be cheering all our pupils on!
We all hope this very busy term brings success to you all.
Mr Smith & the Learning Support Department
Music
Page 9
Newsletter 6 - May 2025
Dance
Mrs Knight, Teacher of Dance
Let’s Dance
Let's Dance held their annual performance at the Congress Theatre,
Eastbourne. Let’s Dance brings together young people from local
schools and colleges in a unique celebration of dance. The boy’s
Dance Company took to the stage for the very first time, dancing a
piece entitled ‘Entrapment and Escape’. Well done to all pupils who
took part in the evening. They were a big hit with the audience.
The Dance Showcase
The annual dance showcase involved pupils participating from all year groups and from all dance companies. It was so
lovely to see the pupils up on stage loving what they do. Dance styles included street dance, ballet and Jazz with additional
choreography from Year 10 and 11 pupils. Special recognition to Chloe, Lucia, Eliza and Lottie who worked tirelessly on
choreography. Year 11 pupils completed their final dance exams in the evening with fantastic feedback from audience
members.Thank you to all who supported the event and for your generous donations. A big thank you to the PTFA who were
on hand to provide refreshments.
Upcoming music events for your calendar....
Create Music Summer Takeover
A variety of our instrumentalists will be
rocking out on the outdoor stage at the De
La Warr on Saturday 14th June. This is a
fantastic platform for our talented musicians
to experience performing on a public stage.
Click here for more information.
Fiesta Concert - De la Warr Pavilion
Our amazing choir will be showcasing their phenomenal talent on the De La
Warr stage singing a diverse programme on Sunday 22nd June at 3pm. We
look forward to seeing you there! Click here for more information.
Create Music Summer School
Music Summer School returns this summer at venues across Brighton &
Hove and East Sussex! This year’s schedule includes the return of some
well-loved and popular courses for children and young people at all ages
and stages of learning alongside open access courses for those with no
prior experience but who would like to try something new – such as singing,
ukulele, Samba band, GarageBand or our new 3-day course in Eastbourne
where students can create their own show! If you are not sure about which
course would be the best for your child, have a chat with your child's music
teacher who will be able to help you decide the best fit. If your child doesn't
currently learn with us, call or email our team who will be happy to help.
Places on our Music Summer School courses are limited, and all courses
are booked on a first come first served basis, so book today to avoid
disappointment. We can’t wait to welcome students back to courses this
July and look forward to seeing you at Music Summer School 2025! Click
here for details.
Mrs Byrne, Subject Leader of Music
We wish our Year 11 pupils the best of luck in their upcoming
GCSE exams. We understand pupils may be feeling
overwhelmed with the pressure of exams, but we are confident
they are working hard and they have been well prepared. The
Easter revision session was well attended and we look forward
to organising another session in May half term. A reminder of
the following dates:
Page 10
Newsletter 6 - May 2025
Miss Rowland, Subject Leader
English
Friday, 23rd May
English Language Paper 1 Explorations
in Creative Reading and Writing
Friday, 6th June
English Language Paper 2 Viewpoints
and Perspectives
KS4 News
All Year 10 pupils are required to be recorded delivering
their Spoken Language Endorsement for English and are
busy planning and preparing their speeches in class and
for homework.
ParentPay notice - if you have not paid for the Year 10
Essential English Literature book bundle (initially added to
ParentPay in June 2024), please can you make payment
as soon as possible to ensure your child receives their
books and can annotate them in preparation for their
exams. If your child is 'pupil premium', they DO NOT have
to pay and this payment on ParentPay should be ignored.
Mrs Di Mascio, KS4 English Lead
KS3 News - Bedrock Vocabulary
St Richard's Catholic College is in the top 10% of schools internationally. Since September, our learners have:
•
Read 15,064,560 words
•
Been taught 23,993 Tier 2 words
•
Completed 7,760 topics and 17,694 lessons
Learner engagement has been incredibly impressive this year so far, meaning that our pupils are reading wide-ranging,
challenging fiction and non-fiction texts. In particular, the dedication of these pupils is notable:
Year 7 - Ann and Joanne Year 8 - Harry, Anikha and Rosme Year 9 - Anna, Alfie, Isabella, Christianne and Leo
Congratulations to these pupils for their progress! Mrs Bayjou-Bates, KS3 English Lead
Design & Technology
This term in Design and Technology…
•
GCSE Textiles and Product Design pupils
have now submitted their NEA projects which
are worth 50% of their final grade. Now they
turn their focus to the theory exam on 18th
June and are encouraged to use the Collins
DT revision guide to help with their theory
revision for the upcoming exam. Please
purchase this guide through the school
website here at half the RRP at £5.00
•
Pupils will have used a program called ‘TS
Design’ which allows work to be sent to the
lasercutter. The department will be using a
new program very soon called ‘Focus’ which
will allow us to create even more incredible
products - we recommend pupils take a look
and familiarise themselves - especially Years
9 and 10: Please click here.
•
We welcome Ms Bond to the DT department.
She will be teaching fully in TEC2 from next
September. Ms Bond has years of upholstery
experience and is looking forward to sharing
her woodwork skills with the pupils.
•
Food and Nutrition GCSE pupils are
preparing for their exam on 17th June.
On Friday, 9th May, the Design Technology
department welcomed sta� from
VolkerFitzpatrick.
Girls who have opted for GCSE Design
Technology were treated to a Engineering
workshop challenge led by female sta� from the
local company. It was a competitive atmosphere,
with the pupils using their best teamwork skills
to devise a plan to build a bridge, all keeping
within weight and size constraints and a tight
budget!
Well done to all the girls who took part - we look
forward to seeing your skills �ourish in your
future NEA projects in the workshop!
Mrs Stanford, DT Teacher