Nishi and Trinity were nominated by Mrs Fox and Miss Pemberton who said: “Nishi and Trinty have been working hard throughout this half term to choreograph and teach a dance performance to a group of 18 Year 7 Evolution dancers in preparation for a performance at the Service Children's Community Choir Christmas Cracker Event on Wednesday 17th December at Tennants, Leyburn.  

The girls have planned and facilitated the rehearsals for this independently every Tuesday after school and have supported and prepared the younger students for their first live community performance, which is a huge responsibility. Their calm and creative approach to this has been really inspiring for the younger students and we have been so impressed with how reliable and mature they have been throughout the process. Genuinely a joy to work alongside!” 

Thanks to Mr Oliver, Teaching Assistant at Richmond as well as coach and manager of the Year 9 football team, for this report about two recent fixtures:  

“This half term the Year 9 boys team played two games against some very tricky opposition, the first against Our Lady & St Bede and the second against Tadcaster Grammar School.   

We hosted Our Lady & St Bede at the Dave Clark Arena in November in an ESFA Cup tie.  

It was a close game against some very talented players. The visitors got in front early, going into half time 2-0 up. The discussions at the break were about showing confidence and belief that we could still win the game.  

Everyone went into the second half with brilliant determination and effort to turn the game around. Harry Coyle was fouled in the box and then converted the resulting penalty to bring the score to 2-1. There were plenty of chances for both sides. Owain Hyatt put in a great performance to keep the game close, as well as help from Junior Latcham in goal with some top saves. Kai Morfoot worked hard on the wing and managed to create some good chances, unfortunately we couldn't find the finishing touch. The full-time whistle blew with the game finishing 2-1 to Our Lady & St Bede. Player of the match for this game went to Owain.   

Later in the half term we travelled to Tadcaster Grammar School for the U14 boys County Cup quarter final.  

The game started very evenly with both teams finding their way into the game. Due to absences, a few players had to play in unfamiliar positions, particularly Seth Bell, who moved out to the right wing and featured as the striker at times during the game - a big change from his usual central midfield position. He didn't let this get him down and gave a solid performance in both positions.  

Both teams created chances, but Tadcaster were the more clinical, winning the game 3-0. Oliver Pickles picked up the player of the match for an impressive defensive performance and a good physical battle with the Tadcaster striker. Junior Latcham also put in a very impressive performance in goal making plenty of saves. It was a hard fought and close game, with the Tadcaster coach saying that Richmond were one of the best teams they have ever played against, something all the team should be proud of, despite the result.   

Photo taken at the Tadcaster fixture.  

Back row - Gabe d'Silva, Owain Hyatt, Seth Bell, Archie King, Junior Latcham, Oliver Pickles, Olly Middlemiss, Freddie Curtis, Connell Lacey  

Front row - George Reed, Harry Coyle, Ralphie Parker, Zach Aylett  

Player of the match photos: Oliver Pickles and Owain Hyatt. 

We were recently contacted by Sarah, mum of Harry Willis, Year 9 student at Richmond School. She told us about Harry’s recent business venture into the seasonal turkey market – over to Sarah for a bit more detail!  

“Harry has a flock of laying hens and has been selling their eggs to the residents of the village of Barningham all year, gathering pocket money.  

With his sharp eye for business, this year he used that money to buy 15 turkey chicks, also investing in their bedding and feed. He has worked hard to hand rear them, getting up at the crack of dawn every day to feed and care for them.  

Today was the day we had to pluck them. It's been a long 8-hour day but we have done it! 15 turkeys ready for the butcher to process.  

Harry has sold the turkeys to friends and family, and we hope they’ll make a fitting local, free-range centerpiece for their dining tables this Christmas! 

Alongside his egg business and breeding Silkie hens, Harry has also been running a stall at local Christmas markets selling the handicraft he makes. An entrepreneur in the making!”  

Well done to Harry – I'm sure this won’t be the last we hear from him as his business ventures expand in the future! 

Thanks to Miss Jeans, PE teacher and coach of the Year 7 and 8 netball team, for this report about a recent game against Northallerton: 

“On Monday night our mixed Year 7 and 8 netball team delivered an outstanding performance in their recent fixture against Northallerton. They secured a 14–9 victory through exceptional teamwork, control, and support on the court. From the first whistle, the players demonstrated great communication and movement, ensuring the ball flowed smoothly through the thirds. 

The team’s ability to maintain composure under pressure and work together was evident throughout the match. Defensive players applied strong marking and interceptions, while the mid-court provided excellent linking play to set up scoring opportunities. The shooters showed confidence and accuracy, converting chances into points that kept us ahead. The girls have improved significantly over recent weeks and they really brought their best performance! 

Player of the Match was awarded to Delia Barnham, whose incredible shooting skills were a highlight of the game. Her precision and calmness in the circle made a huge difference to the final score. 

A fantastic effort from everyone involved – well done team!” 

We were delighted to welcome Mark Woolley, founder and creative director of Electric Hair – and proud Richmond School and Sixth Form College alumnus – back to school today! 

Mark began the day with an inspiring assembly for our Year 7 students, sharing his journey from Richmond School to building a world-renowned brand. He spoke passionately about the importance of setting goals, staying focused, and working hard to achieve your dreams. 

Our A Level Business Studies students in Years 12 and 13 then had the privilege of hearing first-hand what it takes to launch and grow a successful business. Mark discussed branding, entrepreneurship, and the many different areas of business he has mastered along the way. 

Finally, Mark spent time with a group of Year 10 and 11 students who are interested in careers in hair or fashion, offering practical advice and encouragement for their future paths. 

Ruth Hamer, Careers Adviser, said: 
“We are always so grateful to Mark for coming back into school and sharing his experiences. It’s invaluable for students to hear from someone who once sat where they are now and has gone on to achieve amazing things. We want our Year 7s to feel supported and inspired throughout their time here and to understand that it’s never too early to start thinking about life after school.” 

A huge thank you to Mark for giving his time and inspiring the next generation of innovators and creatives. We are so proud to see our alumni achieving incredible success and returning to share their knowledge with our students! 

#RichmondSchool #CareersInspiration #ElectricHair #AlumniSuccess #FutureReady 

Thank you to Mr Maddocks, drama teacher at Richmond, as well as coach and manager of the Year 7 football team, for these reports from recent Area and County Cup fixtures:  

Area Cup quarter finals vs Stokesley, away.  

“A tough game on a large pitch, the team had to really dig in to survive some strong Stokesley attacks. After the first 15 minutes, and a return to the pitch from Archie Porter after injury, we were the better team. However, and unfortunately, a lucky bounce and a bobble on the pitch from the ball gave Stokesley the lead at half-time.   

We realised we were being overloaded and outnumbered in midfield, so changed our formation to attack their defence from the middle of the pitch. The lads worked brilliantly as a team, never giving up and pushing for the goal they deserved. Following a corner, the ball bounced to Archie outside the box, and a sweet connection carried the ball into the net for a Richmond equaliser. With the game 1-1 at full time, a single 10-minute half of extra time was played.  

Both teams had great chances, but with a minute to go, George McKevitt dribbled past three defenders in the box and had to be brought down. Harry Cowperthwaite stepped up to take the penalty... and slotted it home! He capped off a fantastic performance with a goal and rightly received player of the match.  

A great game from both sides, but the Year 7 lads showed their resilience and togetherness as a team to push on until the end for a winner. On to the semis!”  

County Cup Round of 16 vs Tadcaster, at home.  

“What a game!  

We started off the first half on the front foot. High pressing combined with some great passing moves meant we were finding lots of space and creating chances. Max Read on the left found space time and time again. Midway into the first half, Max carried the ball past three defenders and expertly slotted it into the bottom corner for our first goal.   

Unfortunately, we started the second half a little discombobulated. The opposition began to build up some very nice football, and despite Charlie Davies making a number of strong saves, they eventually found an equalizer.  

One thing about this team, however, is that they never give up. They kept pushing and trying to find different openings in the Tadcaster defence. Max Read once again picked the ball up, and as he was about to shoot, was dragged to the ground in the box. Harry Cowperthwaite stepped up to finish the penalty brilliantly for the second game in a row.   

Tadcaster managed to find a breakthrough, and after a slip from one of our defenders, they won a penalty themselves. A brilliant penalty save from Charlie, but we were unlucky to lose the follow up as Tadcaster equalised for the second time. However, an amazing spark of energy pushed our lads on, and Max Read found an opening again and scored: 3-2 in the closing minutes.   

This was a win to be proud of and shows how strong the lads involved have become as a squad. On to the quarters!  

Thank you to Daisy Pyrah, Deputy Head Girl, for being chief organiser of the Sixth Form Benchball Competition and for providing the following report:  

“The Sixth Form Student Leader team worked together over the past month to organise the Year 12 and 13 Benchball Competition, with hopes of encouraging a greater sense of Sixth Form community spirit and creating an opportunity for everyone to get involved.  

The competition itself was composed of inter-tutor matches in each year group, and then a final day in which the two top tutor groups from each year group played against each other in order to determine a reigning champion.  

After a close match, the winner was 13 Southgate and in second place 12 Spittlehouse. 

Overall, the event was a great success, bringing the Sixth Form together through an energetic and fun environment.” 

A while ago, we received an email from Chris, dad of Charlee Stead, Year 8 student at Richmond School. Chris told us that Charlee had recently been successful in gaining a place at the Leeds United U13 Performance Centre of Excellence, as well as detailing her football journey, which started when she moved from dance to football at age eight. He told us how proud the family was of Charlee’s achievements, especially when faced with the challenges of being one of only a very few girls at the local football club when she started. 

At the same time, Charlee was nominated for and won our Head Teacher’s Credit Values Award. Her tutor, Mrs Moore, explained what a fantastic student and role model Charlee was, having joined Richmond School at the start of Year 7, immediately after moving up from Dorset. Mrs Moore mentioned Charlee’s footballing success in her nomination but also focused on her achievements at school – earning credits, gaining confidence, making friends and wholeheartedly immersing herself in school life. It was a glowing nomination! 

After hearing such fantastic things from Charlee’s dad and her tutor, it was only right that we caught up with Charlee herself to hear her side of the story. 

RS: So, Charlee, take us back to the beginning of your football – dad mentioned you started off as a dancer? 

CS: Yes – I started dancing at the age of two. It was because of my older sister Layla – she's still dancing now. I did well in my exams and got quite good at it, but at the age of about eight, I decided I didn’t want to dance anymore and started playing football. 

RS: Why football? 

CS: Football’s a big thing in our family – especially with dad. He used to play a bit for the army. He’s basically forced us all to be Leeds supporters! Mum and dad were born and brought up in Leeds, so even though we’ve moved around a lot, it’s always been Leeds. 

RS: It must be exciting for the family to think that you’re now at the Leeds Centre for Excellence – we'll talk about that in a bit. So, where did you start playing – for the school, a local club? 

CS: I started playing at Wool and Winfrith, the local club in Dorset. The only girls' team they had then was an U13 team, and I was too young, so I played with the boys. It was hard, especially to start off with, because most of the boys just wouldn’t pass to me because I was a girl. I kept at it, though I never played in a girls’ team down in Dorset. 

RS: That must have taken some determination and resilience to keep going – your dad mentions that you’re very determined – and Mrs Moore! 

So, what was next – you moved back up here when you were 11 – the start of Year 7? 

CS: Yes – I started at Bedale Juniors. We knew someone – Becky – from before we moved down to Dorset. She really helped us get involved with the club straight away. I started in the B team, but after one match they asked me to play for the A team as well. It was the first time I’d ever played on girls' teams – I've been playing for them for a while now – the U14s. I train twice a week with the girls – Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Me and two of my other friends at the club have also started playing for the boys' U13 team – they were a bit low on players. I train with the boys on Mondays. Girls' matches are on Saturdays and boys’ on Sundays. 

RS: It must have been a bit of a change, coming from a club with hardly any girls, to Bedale with lots of girls' teams. And you’ve certainly got stuck in – that's five sessions every week and we haven’t mentioned Leeds or school football yet! 

Tell us a bit about school football. 

To read more, head over to our Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/RichmondSchoolandSixthFormCollege

Emily was nominated by Mr Maddocks who said: “I have taught Emily in Drama since the start of Year 7, and she has come so far within the subject. There are multiple ways she has shown determination in my lessons, the first being with her reading.  Furthermore, Emily seems to get quite anxious and nervous about performing in front of others, but at the end of last half-term, she got on the stage and performed in front of the whole class. 

For independence, creativity, and excellence, Emily took a lesson task and turned it into inspiration. We are looking at War Horse at the moment in Year 8 with a focus on puppetry and in our last lesson we created puppet designs for the Crow puppet used in the play. Emily took her design home and made her own working marionette puppet! 

Emily is a hard worker in every lesson, has lots of CREDITs and hardly any Cs, and embodies what this school is all about.” 

Earlier this week, Richmond School Sports Partnership proudly hosted the U11 Boys and Girls Area Football Tournament.  

Despite relentless driving rain and storm-force winds, every pupil displayed outstanding resilience and determination. The level of football across both competitions was exceptional, showcasing impressive skill and teamwork throughout the day. 

The event was expertly officiated by Richmond School’s Year 10 Sports Leaders, whose professionalism and enthusiasm contributed greatly to the success of the tournament. 

The results of the tournaments can be found attached to this post. 

The winning team from each tournament now qualifies for the North Yorkshire final in January.