Newsletter for Students and Parents

Friday 9th December 2016

AQUILA ORION PEGASUS PHOENIX CPA COLLEGE VI

The Principal writes …… Earlier this week, parents were sent details of a consultation that The Collegiate Trust has now opened on the Admissions Criteria for Riddlesdown Collegiate for entry in September 2018. These details are also available on our website. Some minor changes to our Admissions Criteria are being suggested and we would be grateful for comments on this consultation to admissionsconsultation@tct-academies.org by 31st January 2017.

Thank you to parents for attending the College VI Parents Evening this week. I hope that the discussions between teachers, students and parents have been helpful in supporting progress and, for Year 13, preparing for internal exams next term.

Recently, parents of Year 8 and Year 9 students have been invited to make appointments for the CPA Parents Evening on 11th January 2017. It has been great to see a huge increase in the number of appointments requested for this evening, when compared to previous years. This is a strong indication of the support we receive from parents for CPA subjects and the value that parents attach to this important part of our curriculum. Consequently, however, I recognise that some parents have been unable to secure appointments with all of the teachers they would have wanted to have met with. In such cases, parents are asked to complete a Contact Request Form (or contact teachers directly); teachers will then respond to such enquiries as soon as they can. I apologise for any inconvenience caused and we will look reconsider how these evenings are arranged in future, in light of their increased popularity. Thank you for your support and understanding.

I am pleased to announce that from September 2017, the Collegiate is planning to introduce a new PE kit as part our uniform. The new PE kit will provide a more modern look, whilst being practical, flexible and easier to keep clean! Once details are finalised, we will share further information with student and parents, but thought that it would be useful to let you know now of these plans. For now, PE kit items are still available for purchase at Hewitts but these are likely to be phased out. The introduction of a new PE kit will be phased and, other than for new Year 7 students, it will not be compulsory immediately.

Following the recent election for a new Parent Governor, I am pleased to announce that Mr David Stiling has been appointed to join the Local Governing Body. We look forward to his contribution and thank those parents who took the time to exercise their right to vote.

Finally, I am delighted to announce that Miss Pochin, Director of Music, has given birth to a baby boy, Aurelio, this week. Despite arriving very early (he was not due until February!), mother and baby are both doing well. We will miss Miss Pochin at next week’s College Carol Services and the Christmas Concert, but Miss Ward, Mr Rees and the students are working very hard in rehearsals to ensure that all performances are of the usual high quality. We are looking forward to these events and hope that many of you will be able to join us.

Timetable:

Week commencing Monday

12th December will be

Timetable Week A Learners of today, Leaders of tomorrow.

Forthcoming Events

12th December

Carol Service - Aquila and Pegasus

Gardening Club - 1.00pm -1.45pm

PSTI – Sound – Greenvale Primary

School

13th December

Carol Service - Orion, Phoenix &

College VI

Year 12 & 13 Techmix Careers Show

STEM Club - Year 8 & 9 - 3.30pm

14th December

Student Christmas Lunch

Christmas Concert Rehearsals

Physics Catch Up - 3.30pm

Astronomy Club – 6.30 – 7.30 pm

15th December

Conservation – Pegasus– Year 8

STEM Club - Year 7

Senior Stem Club – UK SDC

Competition

CHRISTMAS CONCERT

Please Like our Riddlesdown

Science College Facebook Page

Year 7 Mathematics Advent Calendar Competition Year 7 students were set a task to design their own Mathematical advent calendar. This

competition has been running for four years and the quality of entries this year was by far the

best so far. We had some fantastic entries and imaginative designs and Curriculum Leaders

picked the top three from each College and all twelve students received a Principal’s

commendation. Mr Dey selected an overall winner, Thomas Cotton, 7TSA Aquila College. The

calendars will now be displayed in SLT Offices.

Miss Ogunseye

Lost Property

We have large quantities of personal effects handed into Student Services on a

daily basis and we spend a lot of time and effort trying to return these items to

their owners, with only limited success. Please make sure clothing and

property is labelled so it can be returned.

If your child is missing some clothing, please get them to check with the

Student Services team.

Please note that all non-named lost property will be taken to the clothes bank

at the end of term.

Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time A theatre trip to see the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, by Mark Haddon, took

place on Tuesday 6th December. Finally, the day we had been looking forward to for so long

came!

One hundred and thirteen students and

seventeen staff travelled by coach to the

Gielgud Theatre in Shaftsbury Avenue to

see the stage adaptation of the Curious

Incident of the Dog in the Night time. The

play was amazing and inspirational.

The story is about an unusual boy called

Christopher who starts upon a detective

journey to find out who killed Wellington,

one of his neighbour’s dogs. Along this

journey, he makes many incredibly

discoveries, about his father and his

mother. He also travels to London from

Swindon by himself, saves his pet rat, Toby, from an oncoming tube, aces his A Level maths

exam with an A* and then gets an adorable new pet dog whom he calls Sandy.

Seeing the adaptation of the book that all Year 8 students have been studying this term was a

phenomenal experience and what was really impressive was how the cast used the lighting

and sound as props throughout the production.

For many on the trip, visiting the theatre was a first, so the whole night was an experience to

treasure forever.

Some quotes from students: “The play was amazing”; “Wow! It was exactly like being in

Christopher’s head!”; “The part where Christopher went to London was the best bit!”; “The

whole night was awesome!” and “When can we go again Miss!?”

We arrived back late but it was definitely well worth it. Thank you to all the staff who made

this trip possible.

Miss Mallie

Riddlesdown Tuck Shop Nero Taylor 8ODF won the Jack Petchey Award for September for always being

exceedingly helpful in the Library.

With his reward money Nero will be having a fund raising Tuck Shop every lunch time from

Monday 12th December until Friday 16th December to raise funds for Cancer Research UK.

The Tuck Shop will be in the entrance to the Library and will be selling Christmas and other

popular sweets.

Please come along and support Nero with his fundraising for his chosen charity.

Master Class Lectures in English Students in Year 10 attended their first Master Class lectures in English this week. The

Master Class Lectures held in the @RC Theatre provided all students in 10px1, 10px2,

10ao1 and 10ao2 with amazing opportunities to challenge themselves with academic,

scholarly and alternatives angles into the literature they have studied so far.

For our Pegasus and Phoenix students: Mrs Turner and Miss Bigden delivered a fascinating

and thought-provoking interpretation of religion within Priestley's An Inspector Calls. There

were references and connections made to the parables of the Good Samaritan and the

Sower as well as examining how each character in the play epitomises one of the seven

deadly sins.

For our Aquila and Orion students: Mrs Leach and Miss Deane presented challenging ideas

on whether poetry should represent real life. There were connections made to Plato and

Aristotle, as well as providing students with the insight into Milton's Paradise Lost

and Marlowe's Dr Faustus.

The English Department look forward to seeing our students make these connections and

links with the texts they are studying and beyond, not only in their contributions in lessons but

also in their own academic essay writing in the subject.

Thank you to all who contributed to the wonderful success of these Master Classes.

Miss Mallie

Hidden Disabilities Year 8 recently had a workshop in their Drama lessons about Hidden Disabilities which was

delivered by Savvy Theatre Company, Riddlesdown’s resident theatre company.

The culmination of this interesting project was on Friday 2nd December when they watched

a performance by Savvy Theatre in the presence of the Mayor of Croydon. The performers

were a mixture of Riddlesdown Year 12 drama students, members of the Equally Diverse

Theatre group (which include adults with learning difficulties) and associates of Savvy

Theatre.

Not only was this a worthwhile educational project about disability, it was also a fantastic

opportunity for students to meet and work alongside professionals from the theatre industry

and members of our local community.

Doing the Savvy performance really

helped me understand the reality of

disabilities and the insensitivity shown

towards people with both visible and

hidden disabilities.

I realised that we don't always notice

when we might be saying something

offensive and potentially upsetting.

We use the word 'retard' so frequently

that we don't consider the potential the

word actually has to hurt or belittle

those who are actually disabled.

I met some really wonderful people

doing this project and walked off the

stage feeling enlightened and happy to

be a part of something worthwhile.

The Savvy Theatre Company and their

EQD group really made me feel a part

of something important and I'm glad that

I could help raise awareness whilst also

fulfilling my passion of acting!

Jayddah Ashton VI/AGW

Working with Savvy was a truly exhilarating

experience, the energy and atmosphere brought

by the Savvy group has enriched our view on

those with learning disabilities.

By having the opportunity to work on this project

I have understood that my everyday vocabulary

could sometimes affect those around me,

especially those with disabilities.

This project was extremely effective in its

purpose to educate others, but also educating

us as actors, all while being entertaining at the

same time.

Adam Christian VI/AGW

Tuesday 13th December

All cast until 5pm in the Theatre

‘MAMBO’

Best Attendance: 5th December 2016

Year Best Tutor

Group

College

7 7HMB 100% Phoenix

8 8ADC 96.7% Pegasus

9 9VMA 98.3% Orion

10 10IDH 100% Pegasus

11 11 ELH 93%

11JEG 93%

Aquila

Phoenix

12/13 SJB 95% College VI

Percentage of Students with 100% Attendance:

Aquila 78.5%

Orion 74.9%

Pegasus 79.9%

Phoenix 74.4%