Local news

Raynes Park High School - September 2014

Craig is Surrey Schools’ Golf Champion

Craig Horsford, has had an extremely busy few weeks, not only was he in our Wimbledon Ball Boy Team, but he has just won the Surrey Schools Golf Championship at Surrey Downs Golf Club on 8th July. Craig, a member at Wimbledon Park Golf Club has been playing golf for 6 years. With a 13 handicap he was the overall winner in the Medal competition and was 3rd in the Scratch competition partnered with his brother Gregory. Golf is just one of many sports Craig plays at school with rugby, basketball, tennis and athletics amongst his many sporting interests.

Success in the Community

Raynes Park High School is proud of its long association with the All England Lawn Tennis Club and once again our students were in action throughout the Championships. The rigorous selection process starts in September when our Head of PE Mr. Hayes organizes school training sessions. He then selects his best students to go forward to The All England Lawn Tennis Club training programme for further selection tests. The AELTC training runs from January through to the championships and is extremely demanding. Only about 50% of the boys and girls make it through the training process to actually becoming a Wimbledon Ball Boy or Girl. Mr. Hayes says “it is a great experience for our students who show exceptional qualities including dedication, concentration and teamwork.

The Raynes Park High boys participated in many of this year’s high profile matches with Gregory playing his part in the thrilling five set final between Federer and Djokovic.

Ethan Wood enjoys the Wimbledon Quarter Finals

Ethan Wood, 8NZ enjoyed a day at the Quarter Finals of Wimbledon with the blessing of his Head of House Ms Daly. Ethan, a keen tennis player didn’t want to miss out when his uncle secured front row seats for Centre Court on Mens’ quarter final day. Knowing that it was likely he would have been spotted on TV, he asked permission to use the occasion to further his tennis knowledge. Ethan said, “being at Wimbledon has taught me to play tennis differently. I know how to hit the forehand harder and lower to the net. I saw the different single and two-handed back hand techniques and how when serving there are different body positions from leaning back to throwing the ball higher. I am now enjoying putting what I learnt into practice at Cranleigh Tennis Club.

Educational fun for Years 4 & 5

Raynes Park High School was bursting at the seams on three days last week when a fleet of Route Master Buses brought 1300 Year 4 and Year 5 pupils from 14 local primary schools to enjoy a taste of secondary school life.

The Transition Days were the culmination of a year-long programme unique to Raynes Park High that aims to make the transition from primary to secondary school less daunting. It also showcases the different subjects students will be taught in secondary School.

The children participated in a range of classes including Business Enterprise, Product Design, Science, Catering, ICT, Drama and Media which were a great hit with the primary pupils. Feedback from teachers was extremely positive:

“the students loved it all, but possibly cooking the best”

“full of value and interest for our pupils, they have had a great taste of secondary school!”

Mr Wheatley said, “We had a large team involved with the organisation of the three activity days including our own Year 7 students. It was extremely rewarding for us all to see such high levels of enthusiasm, especially when the primary pupils were enjoying subjects for the first time. We look forward to welcoming even more primary pupils next year for a taste of life at Raynes Park High School”

School Report from the Governors

It has been a good year for the Governors and for RPHS. We are here to set a strategic vision for the school and to provide challenge and support to the Headteacher and the Senior Leadership Team. Improved results are key to RPHS’s future and the Governors have a relentless drive for excellence. We continue to demand the best for and from our students and we have been very impressed over the last twelve months with the way staff, students and parents have worked together to make the school a better place to be.

The year got off to a lively start with the OFSTED inspection, which said many good things about the school’s direction of travel and endorsed the changes that are under way.We think the school’s programme of work, which takes into account the OFSTED findings, is bearing fruit.

Student attendance is now at national average levels and there is real progress towards the academic targets we have set the school.

As Governors, we have been keen to endorse and support new measures like the summer and Saturday schools which we believe make RPHS a very special place. We also believe that some of the initiatives taken this year like the Basketball and Rugby Academies are making the school very attractive to new groups of students.

We are conscious too of the extraordinary hard work and commitment of RPHS staff. We demand the best of them and they consistently give us no less than that.

As ever, it has been a pleasure for Governors to carry out their half-termly Strategic Visits this year to see the school in action. It has been a particular pleasure to meet groups of students and to discuss with them their hopes, aspirations and experiences.

During the forthcoming year the Government requires us to review the constitution of the governing body with a focus on the complementary skills that members can bring to the challenges of governance. Undoubtedly there will be opportunities to recruit new members, both parents and from the community.

Institutions like RPHS must constantly change to improve and the school is managing to do that while preserving its caring heritage. As Governors, we are very grateful to everyone at the school – students, teachers, managers and support staff – for everything they have done over the past year.