year groups have adapted incredibly well to their new environment and in many cases have already started to make exceptional progress All students now have the opportunity to enjoy some well earned rest with friends and family over the next week
This half -term we have been particularly proud of our 12 students who are applying early to university for Oxbridge, medicine, and dentistry They have been working incredibly hard in preparation for entrance exams and interviews, and we wish them the very best as they plan for the next stage of their lives.
Our Jack Petchey Speak Out year 10 students have also been making excellent progress in their speech writing, and our football and rugby teams in years 7-11 are performing well, securing some impressive wins- all the more pleasing when we manage to beat our local rivals!
Our students led high quality assemblies for Black History Month, receiving outstanding feedback from both staff and students They collaborated closely with staff to ensure thorough preparation, and practiced their presentations before delivering the assembly to every student in the school over 6 days A huge thank you to them for their hard work and commitment
The Gardening Club continues to be active, with staff and students working together to design and improve our shared communal spaces If you have any spare gardening equipment, please contact tpreston@rodingvalley net - thank you
Attendance has been a key focus this term Students started the year well but absences in recent weeks have crept up If your child's absence dips below a certain point, you will receive a letter from the school outlining our expectations. This letter also contains details about next steps should your child's attendance fail to improve Attendance to school is very closely linked to achievement at the end of year 11 and 13, so please do all that you can as a parent or carer to ensure that your child is in school Primary school attendance figures nationally are significantly higher than secondary schools, so it is very important that students lower down the school get into good habits from the outset Our whole school attendance for the year to date is 94%, however well over 200 students are now classified as 'persistently absent' which means their attendance is below 90% This means that they miss one day of school every two weeks This equates to 19 days lost every academic year, which would mean that by the time a student reaches the end of year 11, they will have missed 95 days of school It stands to reason that this will negatively impact their achievement in GCSEs
More people are now working from home, which has contributed nationally to lower attendance as it is easier for parents and carers to look after their child if they are not in school
Please do what you can to ensure that your child attends school every single day Finally, a reminder that students can not miss school due to family holidays We are receiving an ever increasing number of requests for students to miss school, particularly in the run up to school holidays Please do not schedule this for term time, as it is highly unlikely that your request will be accepted We appreciate that there is a significant price disparity but firmly believe that the education of your child outweighs the benefits of a term time holiday
If you are unsure whether your child is well enough to attend school, the NHS page below is useful for advice: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/
I also want to inform you about some important notices. The school will be changing management information systems in early December- moving from SIMS to Bromcom This is a huge project and significant work has been undertaken over the last 6 months to get us to the point where we are ready to migrate between the two. In the short term, there should be no change in how you engage with Edulink However, over the next 6-12 months we hope to begin to utilise some of the functions of the new system to help streamline platforms for staff, students and parents/carers. We will share updates as we navigate through the transition between the two systems
A reminder that your child should not bring their own fidget toy into school A number of companies are now selling what schools would consider to be 'banned items' under the guise of fidget toys Items including knuckle dusters, plastic knives, pellet guns and other similar items are now being sold on websites and marketed at children as fidget toys Please be aware that any student bringing similar or other banned items to these onto the school site, risks serious consequences Please refer to our behaviour and ethos policy for detailed information here
I’d like to end with another positive update Work to repair and refurbish our building affected by RAAC continues to be ahead of schedule, with an Easter handover expected We are finalising logistical plans and will communicate with you should this transition have any sort of impact on students Staff had a guided tour of the building and we are very excited to begin planning our move back into this state of the art facility with brand new art, photography, IT and maths classrooms as well as two new additional classrooms, kitchen and canteen and new office and student intervention space.
Stars of the Week
Year Group W/C 13th October 2025 W/C 20th October 2025
Year 7
Year 8
Year 9
Year 10
Year 11
Year 12
Year 13
Jack Dickins - For being the example of a fantastic student and settling in so well.
Alexander Vogiatzis - For his fantastic effort every day and for getting 399 Bedrock Points since the beginning of September!
Olivia Grace-Sotunde - For making such wonderful progress so far this academic year.
Mosun Tinubi Excellent ARE points and a great start as her role in student leadership
Beth Diamond Conway for having such an amazingly positive attitude and for creating the halloween quiz for the year group
Adelina Andrijauska - For an exceptional start to sixth form, including being a wonderful mentor to a younger student
Kavin Surenthiran - For being so organised in submitting his UCAS application early and receiving an offer from his first choice university already.
Emily Gigauri - For setting a great example in form time every morning and being a excellent role model.
Harriet Brown - For being such a fantastic role model in lessons, and around the school community
Owen Langford - Being an exceptional role model in and around the school.
Phoebe Glen- outstanding speech in the Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge
Tegan Smith for always being so positive and for looking out for her friend.
Mila Sadler - For outstanding contributions to sixth form life via MedSoc
Aiden Risbrough - For being a calm, kind and caring mentor to a younger student
Have a great half-term and we look forward to welcoming all students back from 8am on Monday 3rd November - the whole school line-up will be at 8 25am where tutors will meet and greet their tutees, and check uniform and equipment before their personal development lesson or year group assembly
Warm regards
Mr D Charlton Headteacher
Messages from Our Heads of Year Messages from Our Heads of Year
Our team is proud to be your child’s Head of Year and very much looking forward to supporting your child and with such a great cohort of students, we are sure it will be a great half term To ensure that you are aware of who your child’s Head of Year is and who to contact, please refer to their details below:
Year 7: Mr John
To contact Mr John, please email bjohn@rodingvalley net
Year 8: Miss Aston
To contact Miss Aston, please email caston@rodingvalley net
Year 9: Miss Burke
To contact Miss Burke, please email tburke@rodingvalley net
Year 10: Ms Wills
To contact Ms Wills, please email rwills@rodingvalley.net
Year 11: Mr Ryan
To contact Mr Ryan, please email fryan@rodingvalley net
YYear7News ear7News
Message from Mr John
We have reached the final week of the first half term Our year 7 students are now 1/6th of the way through their first year at Roding Valley. What a sensational start it has been forYear 7!The enthusiasm and commitment from our youngest students are truly inspiring Just look at the
evidence: my desk is practically buried under a mountain of completed 250 Reading Passports, which is a brilliant testament to the incredible amount of reading ourYea 7 cohort is devouring Their dedication to literacy is something worth celebrating!
Our success was formally celebrated during Wednesday's assembly, where we reco attendance, numerous instances of high house points, and outstanding sporting ache e e s ac oss e cohort We wrapped up the week with a very successful 'Meet theTutor' Evening onThursday This invaluable session provided parents with the opportunity to finally put a face to the name, building a direct line of communication with their child's form tutor The atmosphere was incredibly positive, reinforcing the crucial link between home and school and strengthening our community foundation as we head into the next half-term.
Bedrock scores have been through the roof this term! Congratulations to Sherman, Senad and Ayanti for being in theTop 3 of points scored in October
Sherman Cai 7Li - 347 points
Senad Sulaj 7Fl - 184 points
Ayanti Bhowmik 7Fl - 114 points
What a start for theYear 7 Boys Footballers!They've already punched their ticket to the next round of the Essex Cup after defeating Debden Park on penalties and recorded a massive 5-3 league victory over West Hatch
Making a memorable entrance, theYear 7 NetballTeam played their first game with superb energy and determination, performing brilliantly until the very end The resilience shown by these girls means they're destined for great things!
It is important that parents register their children for free school meals if they are entitled as the school receives additional funding known as the Pupil Premium to support the children’s learning. The use of the pupil premium is personalised to meet the needs of the children who are entitled to support, such as 1-1 tuition, additional LSA support and intervention groups, access to school visits, Learning Mentor, speech and language assistants, Family Support and counselling If you believe that your child is eligible for Free School Meals, please click here to use our Free School Meals Checker Your Certificate of Eligibility will then need to be emailed to finance@rodingvalley net
YYear8News ear8News
Message from MissAston
As we reach the end of this half term, I want to take a moment to celebrate all the fantastic things ourYear 8 students have achieved. It's been a busy few weeks full of learning, teamwork, and growth - and I am so proud of how each of you has embraced new challenges and supported one another.
I would like to remind everyone about two important reminders Firstly, too many students are arriving late to lessons and registration Please make sure that you move promptly between lessons, and arrive ready to learn Secondly the increase of Litter at break and lunchtimes Our school environment reflects our pride in being part of this community. Please use the bins provided and encourage others to do the same.
We have already seen some fantastic achievements this term! Special mentions go to:
8 Neon - they have been awarded the form with the highestAttendance inYear 8 for the past 2 weekswell done!
Students with the Highest House Points so far this year are:
8 Lithium are leading the House Points Competition inYear 8
All the students the100%Attendance students whose names were displayed in this weeks celebration assembly
The 6 Bedrock Winners from this weeks celebration assembly
Huge shout out to Viktor, Blake, Stevie and Henry who were part of the district winning team that beat Barking and Dagenham 7-1!
Enjoy a well-deserved break over half term!Take time to rest, recharge, and come back ready for another half term of learning and opportunities
And lastly please remember:
"Success begins with Effort" Together, we have got thisYear 8!
Punctuality to School
Dear Parent/Carers
If your child is late, you must ensure you call the school before 8.30am. We understand there may be heavy traffic on the road from time to time, please allow enough time to navigate the traffic. When a child is absent or late for school, this causes disruption to the rest of the class and causes your child to fall behind. Many thanks - Attendance team
YYear9News ear9News
Message from Miss Burke
As we come to the end of the first half term of this academic year, I would like to start by saying a huge well done to all ourYear 9 students for an absolutely fantastic eight weeks. It has been wonderful to see so many of you putting 100% effort into your school life each day striving to make a difference and to be the very best version of yourselves. I am incredibly proud of each and every one of you
Ahuge thank you also goes to our parents and carers for your continued support during this busy first half term back Your encouragement makes a real difference and is very much appreciated
This Sunday, I will be taking ourYear 9 netball team as we jet off to Marbella for a NetballTour!This amazing opportunity is a true reflection of what can be achieved when our students show such dedication, teamwork, and enthusiasm Their energy, motivation, and positive attitude towards learning have been exceptional, and I know they will represent our school brilliantly.
I hope you all enjoy a well-deserved rest over the Halloween break take time to relax, recharge, and get ready for the exciting run-up to Christmas
Thank you once again for a fantastic half term!
RVHS Pre Loved Uniform
Any parents/carers wishing to purchase some RVHS preloved uniform, please use this link to select & pay for any uniform you wish to purchase.
The process is quick and easy to use. You will be notified once your order is ready for your collection.
All orders will be processed during term time only
Do you have any old uniform your child has outgrown or no longer uses?
Please wash and donate back to our pre-loved uniform. This can be dropped into our main reception.
Message from Ms Wills
The half term has been a full one and I hope that your child is now settled into their GCSE courses.
We are looking forward to parent’s evening on the 20th November An email will be sent
after half term in regards to making appointments This will be a good opportunity to gain feedback as to how your child is settling intoYear 10 and any things they should now be working on
This week Mr Cocker has given students information in assembly on how to begin their preparation for exams using some useful websites and revision tips Even though the first round of PPEs are not until June, it is important to get into good habits early on
We have many things to celebrate as well this half term
Firstly, well done toTristan Sutton who is the U15s champion in the aspire regional squash competition.
TheYear 10s have also been leading the way in leadership and were a huge help at theYear 11 parents evening last week
Last week, 25Year 10 students took part in the Jack Petchey Speak Out challenge workshop.They were given advice on how to deliver a good speech and then prepared and delivered a talk on a topic which was important to them Well done to the following students on getting through to the next stage, where they will perform their speech to theYear 7s in December
1 Adam Findlay -Asthma
2 Joseph Roche – Stuttering
3 Phoebe Glen – Women’s Rugby – how’s it perceived?
4.Sophie Jones – Finding your ears
We will be holding another workshop in November and then all students selected will go through to the next stage, where one winner will be chosen to attend the regional finals
Finally, well done to the following students on being nominated Star of the Form this half term
10Ar - Louie Heath
10Be - Isabella McLoughlin
10Ca - Jackson Keen
10Fl - Harshita Pandey
10Hy - Kitty James
10Li - Zac Crawford-Kite
10Ma - Naveah Nisbeth
10Ne - Martin Georgiev
10Ox - Louie O’Kane
Star of the Form
Message from Mr Ryan
It's been a long and busy half term in year 11.The students have risen to the challenge and I have been very impressed with their Positive MentalAttitude over the last 8 weeks Now is the time to take a rest and reevaluate what has happened over the past couple of months
Students have participated in revision workshops run by Mr Cocker, where they were shown our tried and tested revision techniques. Interventions are well underway and these run either at lunch or after school. I would recommend that as many students as possible attend these extra sessions We have also had Parents' Evening which I hope you found useful and informative.The conversations I had were highly productive and positive If you were unable to see any teachers please contact them directly and they will be able to provide feedback.
After half term we have our PPE2's (Pre Public Exams). It is essential that the year group continue with their revision during this time The exams will be used to provide us with a clearer understanding of where your child is and what they need to do to reach their target grades We also have our Roding Valley 6th Form open Evening onThursday 4th December
Hear is the road map with key dates for your diaries: -
Message from Ms Wheaton & Mrs Curling
Year 12 returning to King Solomon to promote Roding Valley Sixth Form.
We were invited by King Solomon High School to attend theirYr11 student/parents fair for them to look at some nearby sixth forms Thank you toAziza, Mia, Eva, Victoria, Mia, Joel, Harry & Harrison for supporting Mrs Curling at the event
Photography Students
Thank you to our extremely talentedYr12 Photography students, who took some exceptional photos that we will use in our latest prospectus and annual publications Well done to Victoria, Edie, Daisy and Ryan
‘We extracted DNA from fruits, in particular strawberries and kiwis. First, we crushed strawberries and kiwis in a ziplock bag and added half a cup of water with a spoon of salt and liquid detergent mixed in it Then we mixed everything in the bag and filtered the mixture. The filtrate was put into a plastic cup and ethanol was added to it with a pipette while the cup was at an angle The DNA could then be extracted by a wooden skewer The DNA from the strawberries was easier to extract than the kiwi The process was really straightforward and clear Overall, the experience was a 10/10 and would definitely do it again!
‘On Friday we made bobas by coca-cola solution and sodium chloride solution. In a sodium chloride solution (after measuring it to the 0.2g) we added drops of coca-cola solution into the sodium chloride solution and waited for 4 minutes than collected onto the paper plate
I enjoyed it and it went really well! ‘
Maria Khan 10Li
Driti Chintalapalli 11Ox
‘We spent the last two weeks perfecting our recipe for slime We tried using contact lens solution, bicarbonate of soda, shaving cream, glue, and borax in different quantities to try and make the slimiest slime!
Clara Jaunky 7Li
Message from the school office
Flu vaccinations
Any students who have missed their in-school Flu vaccination can book a clinic appointment
Please see below the offered clinics & use this link to book
School Photographers
Message from Carmel Jane -There’s another opportunity to have photos taken at our studio onTuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 October th th
Just click on the link to book your time : Booking Link
We now ask for a small £5 00 deposit to secure a booking When you attend the shoot, you will receive a voucher that can be deducted from your order Please see our address
S5 Unit 5, Stubbers Farm Mountnessing Road Ingatestone CM4 0NY
Please note, children must be in school uniform for the session.
8
Year 9
Year 10
Alfie Essl Nichita pinzari
Jhael Guarnizo Year 11
Ralph Boudakian
Louis Cane
George Scott
Phoebe Elliott
Sofia Sattar
Henry Smith Mason Sayer
Gwen Collischon
Eden Murphy
Maria Ghounbaz
Olivia Jonker
Luca Borquez Tristan Sutton
Abi Chinnock
Noah Walters
Lea Horakova Fearne Johnson
StudentAbsence
If your child is unable to attend School for any reason, please report their absence by phoning the school number by 8 30am at the latest, you must also ring in each day of your child’s absence.
0208-508-1173
On their return to School, please ensure your child brings with them a letter or medical evidence if requested explaining the reason for the absence for our records.
MedicalAppointments
Please make sure you make any medical or dental appointments outside of school time If this is not possible then please try to ensure that your child attends before and/or after their appointment.
Holidays in Term Time
The school does not authorise any holidays during term time except if the Headteacher deems it an exceptional circumstance.A‘Leave ofAbsence’form must be completed (these are available at Student Reception) detailing your exceptional circumstances
Please be aware if the absence is not authorised and the holiday is taken, the case will be referred to the LocalAuthority who may issue a Penalty Notice for £160 (or £80 if paid within 21 days) to each parent for each child taken out of school.
For full details regarding attendance, please see ourAttendance Policy.
Who to contact
Should you have any concerns about your child’s attendance or punctuality please contact your child’s Head of Year or ourAttendance Officer MsAParsley (aparsley@rodingvalleynet)
Explore together: Ask your child to show you their favourite websites and apps and what they do on them. Listen, show interest and encourage them to teach you the basics of the site or app
Chat about online safety little and often: Young people are likely to want to explore new apps and websites this month, whether that is for learning or for fun Take this opportunity to talk to them about how to stay safe on these new services, and in general Ask if anything ever worries them while they are online Make sure they know that if they ever feel worried, they can get help by talking to you or another adult they trust.
Help your child identify trusted adults who can help them if they are worried: This includes you and other adults at home, as well as adults from wider family, school or other support services who they are able to contact at this time. Encourage them to draw a picture or write a list of their trusted adults
Be non-judgemental: Explain that you would never blame them for anything that might happen online, and you will always give them calm, loving support.
Talk about how their online actions can affect others: If your child is engaging with others online, remind them to consider how someone else might feel before they post or share something If they are considering sharing a photo/video of somebody else, they should always ask permission first
Parental controls: Make use of the parental controls available on your home broadband and any internet enabled device in your home You can find out more about how to use parental controls by visiting your broadband provider’s website
Direct your child to age appropriate information about relationships and sex: It’s natural for young people to start exploring their sexual feelings online and adolescents are more inclined to take risks. It’s important to understand this and to talk to your child in a positive way. Thinkuknow, Brook, The Mix and Childline all provide age appropriate information about relationships and sex that you can signpost your child to
Make sure they know about CEOP: Young people can report a concern about grooming or sexual abuse to CEOP at www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/ and get support from a specialist Child Protection Advisor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Support your child with CEOPEducation website
The age appropriate CEOPEducation website is a great way to start and continue chats about online safety and other issues. Click on the CEOPimage to access the site
The website provide open and honest guidance for young people on friends, relationships and the internet, covering topics like dealing with pressure; consent; and getting support when you are worried
If you are worried that a child or young person is at risk of harm online, you should call the police.Young people can make a report to CEOP
Other Recommended Resources
Brook: Information and advice for young people on sexual health and wellbeing, including staying safe online. https://www.brook.org.uk/
The Mix: Support service for young people with information and advice on sex and relationships.https://www.themix.org.uk/
Internet Matters:Auseful tool showing how to set parental controls across a range of devices and websites. http://www.internetmatters.org/parentalcontrols/interactive-guide/
NSPCC: Provides reviews and guidance on the most popular social networks, apps and games that children use. https://www.nspcc.org.uk/
Childnet: Information and advice for parents and carers on supporting people online. https://www.childnet.com/resources/supporting-youngpeople-online
How Can I Access Edulink?
EduLink can be accessed on any device – PC, laptop, tablet or mobile device – via the web browser or via the EduLink app. The link to access the EduLink login page on a web browser is www edulinkone com
Alternatively, you can download the EduLink App which is available to download for free on Apple or on Android.
Both the App and the web browser will display this log-in screen
The School ID is ‘Roding’ .
Parents/Carers will need to enter the Username and Password they have been provided with and click ‘Log in’
The displayed is dependant of the platform you are logged in to:
• Via Web Browser
• Via the EduLink App
How to Log on to Google Classroom?
Classroom
Students can log into their Gmail using their school email address and their password Their school email will be the year they started at RVHS started plus their first initial and surname @rodingvalley.net (example- 19plarkin@rodingvalley.net).
Once yourchild has have logged in, they will need to click on the google apps button and then select ‘Google Classroom’
Your child will then be able to see all of the classes they belong to. They will then need to click on the class they want to use resources for and take a look at everything that their class teacher has posted for them to work on. They will be able to download items and make comments on them Teachers will be regularly posting new work on their Google Classrooms
What to Do if your child is a Missing a Subject their Google Classroom?
If your childis missing a Google Classroom for one of their subjects, they will need to click on the addition symbol, followed by ‘Join Class’ and then enter the Class Code for their missing subject Class Codes are available from their subject teacher
Top Tips for Our Students
Students must keep up to date with their lessons by using Google Classroom every day
Use their workbooks to complete the work shown on their Google Classroom
Don’t slack on presentation! Keep their notes in order of the lessons on the Google Classroom
Year 11and 13 Students: There will be revision materials available on Google Classroom. Please use them.
U S E F U L C O N T A C T S
Year 7: Mr John - bjohn@rodingvalleynet
Year 8: MissAston - caston@rodingvalley.net
Year 9: Miss Burke - tburke@rodingvalley.net
Year 10: Ms Wills - rwills@rodingvalleynet
Year 11: Mr Ryan - fryan@rodingvalley.net
Sixth Form: Ms Wheaton & Ms Curling - awheaton@rodingvalleynet / lcurling@rodingvalley.net
