Riddlesdown Collegiate

It was lovely to meet so many prospective families who visited us for our Open Evening last night.

A huge thank you to all the staff for your hard work, dedication and support! 👏

The feedback from visiting families was overwhelmingly positive, with parents praising our staff's warmth, expertise, and subject knowledge, as well as the exceptional conduct of our student volunteers. With so many visitors on site, the seamless organisation across all Colleges ensured the evening was vibrant, welcoming and brilliantly run.

Our Tutors will have warmly thanked all student volunteers in their tutor groups this morning. They were fantastic ambassadors for our school!

Thank you all for showcasing our Collegiate community at its very best. ✨

At Riddlesdown Collegiate, we are proud of our motto: “Learners of today. Leaders of tomorrow.”

A strong school is built on a strong partnership. 💪 The Riddlesdown Commitment outlines the crucial link between Home 🏠, Students 🎓 and School🏫. It shows how we work together to uphold our core values and build a community where everyone can excel.

We are committed to living by our values every day, striving to be:
✅ Kind and respectful to all
✅ Proud of our appearance and environment
✅ Ambitious for ourselves and for others
✅ Positive role models and ambassadors
✅ Determined to give our best efforts
✅ Resilient in the face of challenge

We look forward to sharing our value focus with families each week so we can work together to keep these commitments front and centre.

At Riddlesdown Collegiate, we are proud of our motto: “Learners of today. Leaders of tomorrow.”

A strong school is built on a strong partnership. 💪 The Riddlesdown Commitment outlines the crucial link between Home 🏠, Students 🎓 and School🏫. It shows how we work together to uphold our core values and build a community where everyone can excel.

We are committed to living by our values every day, striving to be:
✅ Kind and respectful to all
✅ Proud of our appearance and environment
✅ Ambitious for ourselves and for others
✅ Positive role models and ambassadors
✅ Determined to give our best efforts
✅ Resilient in the face of challenge

We look forward to sharing our weekly value focus with families each week so we can work together to keep these commitments front and centre.

🏆 Computing Quality Mark Awarded! 🏆

We are thrilled to announce that our Computing department has been awarded the prestigious Computing Quality Mark by the National Centre for Computing Education! 💻✨

This award certifies high standards in curriculum design, teaching, and leadership across all eight key quality benchmarks.

Huge congratulations to our dedicated staff and brilliant students! Together, we're inspiring the next generation of digital creators, problem-solvers, and innovators. 🚀.

📢 Important Update: School Timings Next Week!
As we prepare for our upcoming Open Evening, please note the following adjustments to the school day schedule for next Thursday and Friday:

📅 Thursday 24th September (Open Evening)
School will finish early at 2:00pm (right at the end of lunch). Please ensure collection or transport arrangements are made accordingly.

📅 Friday 25th September (Morning Adjustment)
Following the event, students are expected to arrive and be in their Tutor rooms by 9:30am for Tutor time. Lessons will then resume as normal starting from Period 2. Thank you for your understanding and support as we welcome prospective families to our school! ✨

📢 Save the Date! Parents, staff, and friends of Riddlesdown Collegiate are invited to the SORC Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Come and learn more about our Supporters of Riddlesdown Collegiate and upcoming events. We welcome new volunteers and will elect next year’s committee members. This is your chance to get involved and make a difference! We look forward to seeing you there.

📅 Date: Wednesday 14th October
⏰ Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
📍 Location: Gallery, CPA Building

Please look out for further emails with full details.

Huge congratulations to Vanisha for being awarded a place on the prestigious Royal Academy of Music Inner Ear programme this summer! 🌟

During this intensive two-week course for aspiring composers, Vanisha collaborated with professional musicians, took part in hands-on workshops, and refined her portfolio for post-18 applications.

The tutors were blown away by her talent, sharing:
"Musically strong and thoughtfully developed... [we were] pleased to see the clarity of your creative ideas and your commitment to refining them."

We couldn't be prouder of Vanisha for making such a fantastic impression on one of the top musical institutions in the world. 👏🎵

Admissions 27/28 - Visit us to see our school in action.

Parents and Year 6 children are invited to join us for our Open Mornings to experience the Collegiate during a normal working day and see the high quality of work from our pupils and staff. Advance booking is essential. Time: 9:15am – 11:00am

🗓 Monday 14th – Friday 18th September (Daily slots available)
🗓 Tuesday 29th September
🗓 Wednesday 7th October

⚠️ Places are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Only pre-booked visitors will be able to attend. If your preferred date is full, you can join the waiting list via the form and we’ll contact you if a space opens up. 👉 To book your place please visit our website https://riddlesdown.org/

Alternatively, our main Open Evening requires no prior booking. Come along to tour our facilities, speak with our subject teachers, hear from the Headteacher, and chat with our current students about their experiences.

🗓 Thursday 24th September 2026- 5:30pm – 8:30pm

We look forward to welcoming you!

A huge, warm welcome to our new Year 7s starting their secondary journey today, and our Year 12s taking on Sixth Form! Take today to settle in, meet your tutors, and find your feet.

To everyone else, enjoy your final day of freedom, because EVERYONE is back tomorrow! ⏰

A reminder:
Wednesday 2nd September for Years 7 and 12 ONLY. Please note the staggered start times:
Year 7 - 10.40am-3pm
Year 12 (new joiners only) - 10.30am-12.45pm
Year 12 (internal students) - 11.10am - 12.45pm

Thursday 3rd September - all students 8.30am-3pm.
All students should return in full school uniform, fully equipped for learning.

See you all very soon!

The countdown is on! We are getting excited to welcome our students back next week, as well as meet our new Year 7 and 12 cohorts! 🎒✨ A brand-new school year brings fresh energy, new goals, and endless possibilities.

Enjoy these last few days of summer break - get plenty of rest and come ready for an amazing year of learning and growing together. See you all very soon! 👋