Events
We offer our school community a varied and dynamic programme of events and traditions throughout the year. Our calendar of events can be accessed here and can be synced with the calendars on your phone so you always have the latest, most up to date information.
Coffee mornings
We host a Welcome Back Coffee Morning on the first day of each term to which all parents are invited. This is a great opportunity for new parents to meet existing parents and for current parents to welcome new parents. We also have regular parent coffee mornings on a Friday throughout the year to give parents the opportunity to socialise and meet informally with Mrs Norville. All coffee mornings are held from 8:00 - 9:00 unless otherwise notified.
Bake sales
Bake sales take place for each class once per term and are organised by the FRHPS via Class Representatives. Proceeds for each sale are added to the class budget which is used to purchase items chosen by the class.
Sporting events
A number of sporting fixtures take place during the school year, and parents are always welcome to attend and cheer Rydes Hill on! We also host an Invitational U10 Netball Tournament in the Spring Term. Several local independent and state schools are invited to participate in this event which normally takes place on a Saturday. Parents of all players are encouraged to attend.
Open classrooms
In the half term where there is not a Parents’ Consultation Evening, we hold open classrooms. These are an opportunity for you to come into school at the end of the day, with your child, and see both their classroom and their books. Although this is not an opportunity to discuss your child's progress with their class teacher, you can find ways to do that here.
Open morning
We usually hold one Open Morning a year, in the Autumn term. This is for both prospective and existing parents and gives you a chance to enjoy a fun, family activity day at School. You have the chance to see your own child’s classroom as well as visit the classes they will move up to in the future. Form One pupils are all given a position of responsibility and as part of their role they are expected to attend Open Morning (in uniform) and will be given duties on the day.
Christmas concerts and nativities
Christmas is a wonderful time of celebration at Rydes Hill. All classes will have an opportunity to perform a Christmas celebration for their parents in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Nursery perform a Nativity Play, while children in Kindergarten to Lower Preparatory stage an impressive Christmas performance. Middle Preparatory to Form One host a moving and reflective carol concert.
Christmas fayre
The Christmas fayre is an annual event which is organised by the Friends of Rydes Hill Preparatory School (FRHPS or The Friends). The fayre takes place on a weekend during the Autumn Term and is a fun day for Rydes Hill families to get together and enjoy a host of festive activities.
Founder’s day
Our school was founded in 1945. The founding Sister, Sister Patricia, celebrated her feast day on 17th March (St Patrick’s Day), and this was adopted as our Founder’s Day. Each year the day starts with a Mass which is followed by a range of activities throughout the day. In keeping with the traditions of the nuns, there are usually sweet treats such as iced buns for tea. We also enjoy a fantastic Founder’s Day Concert, showcasing talents of our older girls.
Crowning of Our Lady
May is the month of Mary and as part of our Catholic tradition we celebrate this each year with a ‘Crowning’ ceremony. Children are invited to bring small posies of flowers or bedding plants that are used to decorate the school grounds. Girls who have made their First Holy Communion wear white dresses and present flowers at the statue of Our Lady. There is a short service that the whole school attends and parents are warmly invited.
Sports day
Every child in the School takes part in Sports Day which takes place in the Summer term. Children compete in their Houses and a cup is awarded to the winning House once all children have competed (click here to see more information on the Rydes Hill Houses). Parents are invited to attend and encouraged to participate in the ‘Parents’ Race’. A range of refreshments are served throughout Sports Day. As British weather cannot always be relied on, we schedule reserve dates for Sports Day which we revert to in the case of inclement weather.
Summer concerts
Mrs Flude, our Director of Music, organises a Summer Music Concert so pupils throughout the School have the opportunity to come together and demonstrate and celebrate their talents. The concert has a mix of solo musicians as well as our Orchestra, Junior and Senior Choirs. Our Peripatetic Music Teachers also showcase their pupils progress to their parents with their own Concerts at the end of the Summer Term. In Upper Transition where the pupils are given and learn the violin for the year, Concerts are held each term for their parents to demonstrate their progress in playing the violin as a group and reading music.
Summer fayre
The Summer fayre is an annual event which is organised by the Friends of Rydes Hill Preparatory School (FRHPS or The Friends). The Summer fayre takes place on a weekend during the Summer term and is a fun day for Rydes Hill families to get together and enjoy a host of activities.
Summer production
Our annual production takes place at the end of the Summer Term each year and involves every girl in Middle Preparatory, Higher Preparatory and Form One. These are spectacular performances and families with younger children are encouraged to bring them along to see what they can aspire to as they move through the School. Some of our past productions have been: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland, and Cats.
Prize giving
All children take part in prize giving at the end of each academic year. This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the successes of each child.
In Pre-Preparatory (Kindergarten, Lower Transition and Upper Transition) this is a relaxed ceremony where each child receives a certificate and a book. There is a short paragraph read out about each child and their achievements that year and some cups are awarded for outstanding efforts and achievements.
For our Preparatory School (Lower Preparatory, Middle Preparatory, Higher Preparatory and Form One), this is more formal occasion where the girls wear white gloves and white ribbons in their hair. There is a procession, the school songs are sung, and a guest speaker is invited each year to address the children. Each child receives a certificate outlining one of their achievements that year and cups are awarded for a range of achievements.
At our prize giving ceremonies, a cup is given to one child in each class for the Spirit of Rydes Hill. This celebrates kindness and is the most prestigious award that is given out each year.