Richmond School hosted a Quadkids Athletics competition for pupils in Years 1-6 on a very hot day last week.  

Eight local primary schools brought over 250 pupils to take part in the event. All pupils had to perform in a sprint race, longer distance run, Vortex Howler throw and standing long jump. By doing this they earned points for their school, with the team accumulating the most points winning the competition. 

The event was supported by 60 young sports leaders from Year 9 at Richmond School. These pupils had to work in small teams to lead their individual athletic event, communicate with the primary school pupils and record the results fairly so that the competition could be valid. These sports leaders created an outstanding event with many primary school staff commenting on their maturity and kindness when delivering their event. 

The results of the competition can be found on one of the images attached to this post. 

Thanks to Ruth Hamer, Careers Adviser, for this report: 

“Over the past few weeks, our Year 12 students have been stepping out of the classroom and into the world of work, completing a week of work experience, with some students choosing to extend their placements and gain up to two weeks of invaluable industry exposure. 

Our students secured placements across Richmondshire, Yorkshire and the North East, as well as further afield in London, Leeds, Manchester, Wales and even Portsmouth. From law firms, finance companies and IT organisations to charitable foundations, primary schools, engineering businesses and forestry organisations, they experienced an incredible range of industries and career pathways. 

Work experience is about so much more than exploring a career. It gives young people the opportunity to develop the essential skills that employers value most, including communication, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, professionalism and confidence. Students also gained a real insight into workplace expectations, helping them better understand the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for future success. 

Perhaps most importantly, our students began building their professional networks, connecting with employers, colleagues and industry professionals who can inspire, support and guide them as they plan their next steps. 

We are incredibly proud of how our students represented themselves and Richmond Sixth Form College throughout their placements. The positive feedback we have received from employers highlights their enthusiasm, professionalism and willingness to learn. 

A huge thank you to every organisation that welcomed our students and helped provide such meaningful experiences. Together, we are helping young people make informed decisions about their futures and equipping them with the skills, knowledge and connections they need to thrive.  

If you are able to help support our work experience programme by providing support to students in the future, either through a work placement or other employer activities in school, please contact Ruth Hamer, Careers Adviser at ruthamer@richmond-alt.uk 

Thanks to Ms Dutton, Lead Teacher of German and PASCH coordinator, for the following report. 

“Richmond School and Sixth Form College is one of only 13 schools PASCH* Schools in the country, part of an international network of over 2000 schools whose aim is to awaken interest and enthusiasm for German and Germany today. The PASCH initiative, run by the Goethe-Institut, promotes and supports the teaching of German language and culture as well as fostering exchange between PASCH schools. 

Being a PASCH school opens up a wide range of opportunities for our students, for example access to residential football and German language camps, workshops in school and online initiatives.  

*The term PASCH means “Schools: Partners for the Future” 

Caitlin Moffatt, Year 11 student at Richmond, has successfully gained a place on a 3-week German language summer camp for PASCH school students in Goslar, Germany this August. 

Students from PASCH schools across the globe will take part in the residential course which will involve German language lessons in the morning and then sporting / art activities and trips out in the afternoons and at the weekends. 

This is a fantastic opportunity for students of German and is only open to students from the 13 PASCH schools in the UK, so I am delighted that another student from Richmond School can take advantage of this once in a lifetime chance.   

Caitlin will be joining two other students from the UK at the camp, and I look forward to hearing all about her time in this beautiful area of Germany when she returns.” 

We recently published an article about Year 10 student Jacob Gray’s journey to his first solo glider flight. In the article, we mentioned how he had been inspired to try gliding by one of his fellow tutees, Sarah Nolan. Sarah had taken her first solo flight some time before Jacob and has been developing her skills and experience since then. Thank you to Sarah for providing us with this recent update, showing how far she has come since that first solo flight: 

Note: The heights and durations mentioned by Sarah describe standardised soaring milestones defined by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). 

“On 29th May, I achieved my Silver/Gold Duration by staying airborne for over five hours in a single flight. It was an unforgettable experience and showed me how much I’ve learned since my first flight back in 2024. 

Then, on 20th June, I achieved my Silver Height after climbing to 5,600ft above the ground. I had gained 4,100ft from my lowest point, which was 1,500ft. Looking down from that height was an amazing feeling and another achievement I’ve been working towards. 

Since I started gliding, I’ve now accumulated 75 hours of flying, with 27 hours of those hours flown solo. These achievements have taken patience, perseverance and a lot of learning. Gliding is so much more than flying; it’s about understanding the weather, making good decisions and constantly developing your skills. Looking back, it’s amazing to see how much experience I’ve gained in just over two years, and every flight continues to teach me something new. 

My next goals are to achieve my Silver Distance by completing a 50km flight and my Gold Height by gaining 10,000ft. Unfortunately, I’ll have to wait until I’m 16 years old before I can attempt these because I need to hold my Sailplane Pilot Licence (SPL) and to get my cross-country endorsement first. Although it’s a little frustrating to wait, it gives me plenty of time to keep building my skills and experience, so I’ll be ready when the time comes.” 

We look forward to hearing from Sarah as she, no doubt, hits these amazing targets as soon as she turns 16! 

Georgia was nominated by Mr Maddocks who said: “I would like to nominate Georgia Kirkbright for Creativity, Excellence, and Independence.

Georgia has worked amazingly hard all year in Drama and is both a brilliant actress and designer.

This term, Year 9 have been tasked with imagining that they have been asked to put on the next school pantomime, and to create a presentation and drama specialism to give an idea of what the pantomime could look like. Georgia decided to take it upon herself to create some fantastic design work for Rapunzel, including amazing illustrations of a set design for Rapunzel's tower and costume design for Mother Gothel. Alongside this, Georgia worked in her own time at home to create a model replica of Rapunzel's tower, which looks magnificent!

Georgia's work is a fantastic example of hard work, independence and creativity that we take pride in at Richmond School. Well done Georgia!”