We recently heard that Jack Ford, currently a Year 11 student at Richmond School, but also a part time apprentice at James Ford construction, has been making excellent progress in his training and qualifications with construction and farming machinery.  

The James Ford Construction Facebook page celebrated his recent achievements by saying: “Well Done, Jack! A huge congratulations to Jack, one of our apprentices, who has recently achieved some fantastic milestones in his training. 

Jack has successfully passed his 360 Excavator, Dumper, and Tractor tickets, and is continuing his progress by completing his Telehandler and Abrasive Wheels training as well. 

It’s great to see the hard work and commitment he’s putting into developing his skills, and we’re proud to support him as he continues to grow within the business. 

We look forward to sharing more of Jack’s successes in the future.” 

Jack also gave us a bit of background information to put these recent achievements in context: He’s grown up around farms, farming and construction work – it runs in the family. He’s been driving a tractor since he was 13! James Ford Construction is the family-run business, established in 2009. Jack is currently on a work placement at James Ford Construction and with a local farmer two days a week, as well as working effectively full-time around school. He gets up early to feed the cattle at 6:30am, then in the evening carries out general farm and grounds work. The cattle he helps look after are high quality Angus beef cattle – they raise them on the farm from four months to a year old, then supply the beef to Waitrose. His ambition is to join James Ford Construction as a full-time apprentice after his GCSEs. 

Well done to Jack for these recent achievements, and we wish him all the best for the future. 

Thanks to Mrs Southgate for this report about the recent ‘Girls Football Activators’ programme: 

“We’re incredibly proud of a group of our Year 9 girls who have planned and led football taster sessions at local primary schools as part of the Barclays Game On – Go Lead programme. 

After completing sports leadership training with a football focus and qualifying as Girls’ Football Activators, the girls chose to plan and deliver fun, inclusive football sessions for Richmond‑based primary schools. Along the way, they developed key skills in communication, organisation and teamwork, putting these into practice with some very enthusiastic Year 3 and Year 4 girls. 

It’s been wonderful to see their confidence grow week by week as they delivered the sessions. They used their creativity to adapt their sessions when they identified areas for improvement, demonstrating fantastic independence. Feedback from the schools has been overwhelmingly positive, with lots of pupils saying how much they enjoyed getting involved and having fun. 

A huge thank you to Trinity Academy Richmond and Richmond Methodist School for hosting our leaders, and to their fantastic Year 3 and 4 girls for getting stuck in and giving it a go!” 

Thanks to Emmy Raggett, Year 12 student at Richmond, as well as coach and manager of the U13 girls football team, for this report:  

“Last week, the U13 girls football team faced Easingwold in the final of the Area Plate.   

The girls started eagerly and played some brilliant football, displaying what they’ve learnt over the past season. Crucially, we gained a few early goals, scored by Charlee Stead who proceeded to secure herself five in total! 

The second half arrived, and the girls comfortably set themselves back up.  

An extremely quick Easingwold striker and some lovely link-up plays meant the opposition regained a few goals, putting pressure on Richmond. The girls remained calm, worked together and produced some great attacks which were finished with fantastic strikes from Kezia Rodway, Phoebe Percival, Phoebe Willis and a penalty from Orla Noone, meaning when the final whistle blew the game ended with a score of 9-4 to Richmond - Area Plate Winners! A brilliant end to a successful season for the U13s”  

Mrs Southgate, joint Lead Teacher of PE, added: “The girls and I would like to say a huge thank you to Emmy who has devoted so much time this season to planning and leading fantastic coaching sessions for the U13 girls and expertly managing and refereeing their fixtures. Her dedication to supporting each individual player's development has been amazing, and we are so grateful for her expertise and commitment. She is a fantastic role model for our younger students. Thank you, Emmy!” 

Last week, one of the most significant milestones in Richmond School and Sixth Form College’s calendar was reached – the Spring Leavers’ Concert. This concert is designed to showcase the hard work and talents of our Year 13 musicians, some of whom have been at Richmond for seven years, as well as wishing them all the best for their futures. It also provides a chance to hear our brilliant music ensembles in full voice, as they work their way through a varied and challenging repertoire. 

The concert was compered by Miss Abbey and supported by Mr McCormack and Mrs Howard. All three took turns conducting and playing with the various ensembles – true multi-tasking! Mr Harris provided technical and guitar support and Mr Harbuckle accompanied a number of performances on the piano. 

Miss Abbey said: “"The Spring Leavers’ Concert was a truly memorable celebration of the exceptional musical talent at Richmond School and Sixth Form College. Our Year 13 students delivered outstanding and wonderfully diverse solo performances, each reflecting their individuality, creativity and passion for music. It was an inspiring evening that our audience wholeheartedly enjoyed, capturing the enthusiasm, dedication and commitment of our young musicians." 

Five Year 13 students are leaving us this year, and Miss Abbey duly celebrated their contribution to music at Richmond in the now time honoured way – by presenting them each with a coveted mug! 

The five Year 13 students are: Sam Pickles, Edwin Carr, Grace Baker, Grace Barker and Jessica Miller.   

These photos are only a selection. An album containing many more can be found at this link: 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/BkdDFKfLDbnjKR6W6 

Thomas was nominated by Mrs Wardle who said: “

Richmond School recently hosted a successful Cricket Skills Festival, bringing together pupils from across the local area in Years 2 and 3 to take part in a fun, inclusive and engaging introduction to cricket. The festival created a positive environment for young people to develop core skills while experiencing the enjoyment of the game. 

Many thanks to the following schools for supporting the event; 

Pupils rotated around a variety of cricket-based activity stations designed to develop fundamental skills. These included: 

The stations were led by Year 8 Sports Leaders from Richmond School who have a passion for cricket. 

The festival placed a strong emphasis on participation and enjoyment, encouraging pupils to engage positively with physical activity. Alongside skill development, there was a clear focus on building key personal characteristics, including determination, teamwork and confidence. The event provided pupils with a valuable introduction to cricket in a non-competitive setting, helping to build enthusiasm for the sport and increase confidence in fundamental movement skills. Teachers and staff also gained ideas for delivering cricket activities within curriculum and extracurricular settings. 

Last week, 26 Key Stage 3 students from Richmond School enjoyed a fantastic ‘Purple Up Picnic’ hosted by Carnagill Primary School. 

Our students made the most of the sunshine with Mrs Cheesbrough and Miss Charlwood, enjoying ice creams and getting involved in a wide range of sport and craft activities to mark the end of the Month of the Military Child. The day was a wonderful celebration of our service families and the community support they foster.  

It was brilliant to see our service community come together, with many students catching up with old friends and teachers – and even helping to run events themselves. Every single student was a real credit to Richmond School, supporting the primary pupils brilliantly with the obstacle course and colour run in particular. 

A huge thank you to Carnagill Primary School, Angela Campbell and all those involved for hosting and running such a special event. 

More photos can be found at the link below: 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/F6TiH9CKewaJhdKb8 

Thank you to Miss Spittlehouse for the following report:  

“In the recent Trust-wide photography competition, the chosen winner was Tommy Carter from Nunthorpe School for his stunning photograph of Roseberry Topping and an emu. Tommy will receive a £40 Amazon voucher in recognition of his excellent work.  

Second place goes to Joe Tranter of Richmond School for his beautiful photograph of a sheep in the Dales, capturing the essence of our local landscape. Joe will receive a £20 Amazon voucher. 

 Third place goes to Daisy Knifton, also of Richmond School, for her excellent photograph capturing the skyline of Dubai, the perfect combination of human and physical geography. Daisy will receive a £10 Amazon voucher.  

Emelie Robinson, Year 8 student at Richmond, was the winner of the Art x Geography David Attenborough Birthday Card competition, a superb card that we will send to David Attenborough for his 100th birthday from Richmond School. Emilie will receive a £10 Amazon voucher.” 

Mr Randall, science teacher at Richmond, is also an excellent long-distance runner. He trains with the Bedale and Aiskew Runners and leads the school running club. He has taken part in countless competitions and events over the years, his most recent being the London Marathon. He takes up the story: 

“After years of trying to secure a ballot place for the London Marathon, I ultimately decided to apply for a charity spot and run for the Multiple Sclerosis Society, a charity that means a great deal to me and my family. The race itself was incredible, and I finished with a time of 3:14:48. I loved the atmosphere throughout the course, with particular highlights including Tower Bridge, Embankment, and Westminster Square. One especially memorable moment was seeing the elite men run past on an out and back section of the route, followed shortly by spotting my family cheering me on from the sidelines.  

I am also attempting the Lakeland 100 in July (105-mile race around the lake district starting and finishing in Coniston) in a few months, so the training continues as I aim to raise as much money as possible for the MS Society.” 

Well done to Mr Randall – a competitor in the same race that saw Sabastian Sawe break the marathon world record and go under 2 hours for the very first time! 

Mr Randall would greatly appreciate any further donations to his JustGiving page, no matter how small – all for the Multiple Sclerosis Society – link below: 

https://www.justgiving.com/page/mattrandall 

Many of Richmond School and Sixth Form College’s students take part in the performing arts, either in school or out in the community, or a mixture of both. Often, part of their journey in this field involves taking exams. In this article, we have tried to collect as much information about students’ exam success in the performing arts in 2026. This is almost definitely not a complete account, as students take all manner of different exams with a very wide range of dance schools, theatre groups and music teachers. If you feel that information is missing, please email information to swardle@richmond-alt.uk and we will include it in the article when it is published in the May issue of our Newsletter. 

Music exam and competition success: 

Sam Pickles, Year 13, RSL Grade 8 bass guitar - Distinction  

Grace Baker, Year 13, has recently won a place in the semi-finals of ‘West End Calling’, a nationwide competition for aspiring musical theatre performers. The semis will be held in Manchester with the finals in London. The winner gets to record a cast album and sing in a Showcase in the West End. The judges, current West End performers, said that Grace had a ‘gift’ and that they had no feedback - very exciting! 

Ellen Carr, Year 11, Trinity Grade 8 piano – Merit. 

William Francis, Year 11, Grade 7 clarinet – Merit. 

Freddie Lundberg, Year 11, Grade 6 cornet – Merit. 

Amelie Beasley, Year 10, RSL Grade 3 drums - Distinction. 

Nia Aston, Year 10, LCME Grade 5 Popular Music Vocals – Distinction. 

Bess Mitchell, Year 10, Grade 6 Musical Theatre for Singers – Merit. 

Anya Wardman, Year 10, Grade 3 Electric Guitar – Merit. 

Eloise Francis, Year 9, Grade 4 saxophone – Distinction. 

Mathilda Boyd, Year 9, Grade 4 Violin – Pass. 

Lottie James, Year 8, Trinity Grade 4 violin – Distinction. 

and ABRSM Grade 5 music theory – Distinction. 

Dance exam and competition success: 

Anya Wardman, Year 10, RAD Intermediate Foundation ballet – Silver. 

Eva Noone, Year 10, Intermediate Foundation ballet – Distinction. 

and RAD Discovering Repertoire – Distinction. 

Layla Stead, Year 10, Intermediate Foundation ballet – Merit. 

and RAD Discovering Repertoire – Merit. 

Erin Mullen, Year 10, IDTA Modern and Tap – Honours in both. 

and IDTA Grade II ballet – Distinction. Musical Theatre exam soon! 

Erin Preston, Year 9, ISTD Grade 4 Modern and Grade 3 Tap – results pending. 

Kitty Curzon, Year 9, 3rd place in Commercial dance competition with Xpressions Performing Arts, Northallerton. 

Emelie Robinson, Year 8, Street and Modern – Distinction in both. Emelie also played the part of Alice in a recent production of Matilda. 

Imogen Preston, Year 7, ISTD Grade 3 Modern and Grade 2 Tap – results pending. 

Mia Carter, Year 7, ISTD Grade Modern – results pending. 

We also received a bit more background information from Dawn, mum of Anya, and from Miss Helen, dance teacher at Encore Dance Studio, Northallerton, where Erin, Imogen and Mia attend their dance classes. It’s always excellent to hear about the level of work and dedication that goes on behind these fantastic results. 

Dawn said, “Just before Easter, Anya took her Grade 3 Electric Guitar exam and RAD Intermediate Foundation Ballet exams. It was a challenge to juggle homework with extra lessons and exam practice, but Anya's commitment, time management and hard work paid off as she achieved a Merit and a Silver. 

Anya has attended weekly electric guitar lessons, taught by Mr Harris, in school since Year 7. Mr Harris has taught Anya the skills and technical finger work required to gain success in her exams. She has enjoyed learning a variety of music and is eager to progress to the next grade. 

Since a young age Anya has attended Dales Dance School of Performing Arts - principal Hannah Smith, former student of Richmond School and Sixth Form College. Anya attends weekly classes of modern/jazz taught by Hannah and ballet taught by Mrs Seymour. The RAD Intermediate Foundation ballet exam is the first of the vocational exams. It requires a high standard of ballet and some point work to be performed. Mrs Seymour always goes above and beyond to build students' confidence and technique required for the exam. 

Anya would like to thank all her teachers for their highly skilled tuition and support.” 

Miss Helen said, “We are delighted to celebrate the fantastic achievements of students from Richmond School who recently took part in their dance examinations with ISTD through Encore Dance Studio. 

Erin showed great commitment and confidence by taking both Grade 4 Modern and Grade 3 Tap, with the added challenge of completing her Tap exam solo — a wonderful achievement that demonstrated maturity, resilience, and strong performance skills. 

Mia and Imogen also worked incredibly hard in preparation for their exams, both taking Grade 3 Modern, while Imogen went on to complete Grade 2 Tap. Their dedication, discipline, and willingness to challenge themselves have been outstanding. 

Dance exams require months of preparation, practice, and perseverance, and all three students should be extremely pleased with what they have accomplished. We are very proud to see students balancing school life alongside their dance training and continuing to thrive in both.  

Well done to Erin, Mia, and Imogen — a credit to themselves, their families, Richmond School, and Encore Dance Studio.” 

Congratulations to all the students mentioned above and thank you to the teachers, parents, carers, friends and family who support them in their hard work and achievements. 

As mentioned above, if any information is missing, please email and we’ll make sure it’s included in an updated version of the article in the May edition of the Newsletter.