Thank you to Mr Moore for the following report: 

“The Year 9 rugby team delivered an outstanding performance to be crowned champions at the Ilkley Grammar School Rugby 7s tournament, showcasing determination, teamwork, and resilience throughout the day. 

Facing a strong field of competitive schools, the team progressed confidently through the group stages, demonstrating excellent ball movement, disciplined defence, and a real understanding of space. Each player contributed meaningfully, with impressive support play and communication evident in every match. 

The final proved to be a thrilling and closely contested encounter against a very well-organised St John Fisher side. Both teams displayed high-quality rugby, with strong defensive lines and quick transitions in attack. Our team showed great composure under pressure, maintaining structure and discipline even as the game remained on a knife edge. 

The highlight of the final was surely Charlie Miller finding himself with space on the wing, before making a 50m dash to the corner. A real feather in the cap of anyone in the front row union! 

In the closing stages, with the score finely balanced, the players dug deep and demonstrated tremendous character to edge ahead. A crucial score, followed by determined defensive work, ensured a narrow but well-deserved victory by just three points. 

This result is a testament to the squad’s hard work, commitment in training, and their ability to perform as a cohesive unit. Every player should be extremely proud of their contribution to what was a fantastic team achievement. 

Well done to all involved on an excellent tournament victory!” 

Thank you to Mr Shami for the following report: 

“Richmond School’s Year 9 and Year 10 girls recently faced strong opposition from Wensleydale and Thirsk schools in an exciting set of fast-paced rugby sevens matches. Throughout the games, the girls demonstrated confidence, determination, and excellent teamwork. 

It was particularly impressive to see the players take ownership of their development. They organised their own warm-up and, after each match, took time to reflect on their performance. They then worked together on specific skills they felt needed improvement, such as tackling and hand-offs, showing great maturity and commitment to improving their game. 

The results were as follows: 

Overall, it was a fantastic day of sport, with all players showing determination, teamwork, and a positive attitude throughout. Well done to everyone involved!” 

We recently heard from Izzy Lundberg, an ex-student who left Richmond Sixth Form College in 2023 to study French and Russian at Somerville College, Oxford University. 

Izzy was a very keen rugby player when she was at Richmond, and it was this she had news about. She told us that she had just played in one of the most prestigious university rugby matches in the country – the Oxford vs Cambridge Varsity match, helping the Oxford team to a convincing victory. Izzy also mentioned that she had continued her rugby during her year abroad in Estonia, playing with the national team in tournaments in Finland and Latvia. She said that she had seen a recent article about the success of the Richmond girls rugby team and offered to come into talk to and train with the squad – something we are very keen to arrange for next season. It was great to hear of Izzy’s success and achievements after her time at Richmond, but we wanted more detail! She was kind enough to take time out of her very busy schedule at Oxford to provide the following insight into her rugby, her Oxford experiences and her year in Estonia – thank you Izzy! 

“My rugby journey started aged 16 with the Wensleydale Heifers. The team had just started some months before with no one having ever played previously. This meant the atmosphere was very encouraging and perfect for beginners, as we all improved together. With two years under my belt as scrum half with the Heifers, I was in a great place to go into university rugby once I began my studies at Oxford. However, I did get a bit of a shock due to how intense our training and fitness schedule was! I played for the first team in my first term, but my degree grew more demanding meaning I was unable to play a lot of matches that year. Nevertheless, I went to as many training and gym sessions as I could, knowing I’d be back to play for the Blues (Oxford 1st XV) after my year abroad.  

The Modern Languages course at Oxford is a bit different to courses elsewhere, if you study Russian or Arabic from scratch. Usually, a languages student would go abroad in their third year, but Oxford choose to send you in second year, after one year of very intensive teaching – they aim for you to be A-level standard by the end of first year. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Oxford students have been going to Estonia, to study in a language school in Tallinn.  

I was extremely lucky that my Oxford rugby coach knew the coach in Estonia, Graham Smith, former England Red Roses and world cup winning coach! I landed on the Saturday in Estonia, met Graham and the girls on Sunday, and by Tuesday I was at training! For August and September, we played outside, but once the cold winter set in we were playing indoors in sports marquees, which can still get incredibly cold but at least the ground doesn’t freeze! With this team, I played in 7s tournaments in Latvia and Finland, and we even did a training camp with Sweden’s Malmö team.  

Thank you to Miss Jeans for the following report: 

“The Year 7 girls delivered an outstanding day of netball at the recent Y7 Rally, competing across six well‑fought, competitive games. They came sixth in the rally, but from the first to the last match, they demonstrated just how much they have grown this season. Watching their development, teamwork, and confidence progress over the time they have played together has been a genuine pleasure. 

A wonderful highlight of the day was the way the Player of the Match changed with each game. This perfectly reflected the depth and balance within the squad—every player made meaningful contributions, stepped up when needed, and showcased their strengths at different moments throughout the rally. 

Across all six games, the girls showed impressive unity. They supported one another brilliantly, both on the court and from the sidelines, offering constant encouragement, guidance, and positivity. Their communication, resilience, and willingness to work together were evident in every match. 

Overall, it was a fantastic day of netball and a proud moment for the team. Well done, girls—you represented the school superbly, and your hard work is truly shining through. We can’t wait to see what you achieve next!” 

With A Level exams looming, Richmond 6th Form College Maths Department recently took Year 13 Maths and Further Maths students to Cote Ghyll Mill, Osmotherley, for two days of intensive revision. Thank you to Ms Turnbull, Ms Richardson, Mr Dalgleish, Mr Lunn and Mrs Johnson for their intensive mathematical input!  

Matty Partridge, one of the students attending, gave this insight:  

“I found the Osmotherley maths trip was a fantastic and interesting revision experience, and I undoubtedly gained a lot from it. By emphasising the connections and synergy between various areas of maths, covering multiple topics in a single session helped me gain a deeper understanding. In addition to making it simpler to understand how ideas relate to one another, this integrated approach allowed me to review and solidify my understanding of previously material that I might have partially forgotten.  

The trip had a significant social component in addition to its academic one. We spent a lot of time playing card games and unwinding together in groups during the evenings, which was especially fun. The trip also incorporated multiple breaks between session allowing us to go outside and enjoy the sunshine - many played football or ping-pong. Both activities enhanced the trip's overall excitement and fostered a sense of unity, making it both successful and unforgettable.”