The Chronicle - A Year at RSM

CHRONICLE THE

A YEAR AT REIGATE ST MARY’S 2023

Angela Zheng, Year 6

FROM THE HEADMASTER

When families visit us, they often comment on the school’s warm and friendly atmosphere and the happiness of the children. School days here are full of exciting activities, both inside the classrooms and outside in our extensive grounds - there is always something imaginative and fun happening. The school’s supportive ethos, strong community and wonderful buzz of liveliness makes Reigate St Mary’s (RSM) a very special place to be.

The Independent Schools Inspectorate visited RSM in March 2023 and once again rated the school "Excellent in all areas". The Reporting Inspector commented particularly on the warm relationships that were evident between children and staff and the exceptionally high IT skills across all age groups. All the children were found to be achieving extremely well both academically and in extracurricular activities and were confident and curious learners with excellent communication skills. The inspectors noted that the children’s positive attitudes and the school’s ‘have-a-go’ culture gave them a willingness to think outside the box, empowering them to make mistakes in order to learn - a key factor in building resilience.

An important part of school life at RSM is the Education for Social Responsibility (ESR) programme which aims to develop the essential character traits that children need to successfully navigate a world where sustainability and protection of the planet are fundamental to the wellbeing of society. For children to thrive, they need a holistic and well-rounded education that will allow them to empathise and engage with tomorrow’s issues. Employers need people with integrity who work effectively in teams, have excellent communication skills and the ability to think creatively and independently. The RSM ESR curriculum is designed to develop these character traits and help our children to be game changers and change makers and to flourish in an uncertain and challenging future.

The following pages provide just a small window into the exciting and varied school lives the children lead here. I hope you will see that their enthusiasm and happiness shines through in everything they do.

Marcus Culverwell Headmaster

HEADMASTER’S WELCOME THE EDUCATION FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY CURRICULUM IS DESIGNED TO HELP OUR CHILDREN BECOME GAME CHANGERS AND CHANGE MAKERS OF THE FUTURE.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Community outreach is an important part of RSM’s values and philosophy. From large events to small gestures of kindness, reaching out to others has an overwhelmingly positive impact on children, improving their feelings of self-worth, self-esteem and empathy. We allocate time within the curriculum to discuss the needs of others and think of ways to support people, enabling the children to carry out their suggestions whenever possible, so they know that they have a voice and can realise positive change.

Throughout the year, the outreach programme includes collecting donations and raising funds for local charities (including Loveworks, Stripey Stork and Sal’s Shoes) as well as supporting charities further afield. The annual whole-school water-walk in aid of the Bakiga Project has taken place for many years and is always a highlight of the outreach calendar.

Families join us for Harvest and Remembrance services at the Church and teachers plan a fantastic inter-House charity day in the summer term with fun challenges and interactive games.

EARLY YEARS

Our Green Shoots, Kindergarten and Reception classes form the Early Years at RSM where the focus is firmly on fostering early thinking skills, developing independence and having lots of fun. The children go outside at every opportunity, making full use of their own exciting play areas as well as the school’s extensive grounds.

Interesting topics bring learning to life and creative activities encourage gross and fine motor skills, building the essential foundations for reading and writing. Technology in the classroom supports and enhances learning and the children love to use Easispeak microphones and recordable whiteboards as well as coding Codapillars and mark-making on lightboxes.

The Early Years is very much a part of the whole school. There is a joined-up curriculum and the children are involved in sports days, assemblies and performances. The children move seamlessly up to their next class each September as they are already familiar with routines, staff and buildings and know they belong to the wider school community.

"Early Years children rapidly gain a broad range of skills as they engage wholeheartedly in activities that cover all areas of learning."

ISI Inspection 2023

CHRISTMAS NATIVITIES

Every year, parents, grandparents and other members of our extended community are invited to watch fun-filled Christmas performances. Appreciative audiences are dazzled by the children’s fantastic singing, confident speaking and sparkling festive costumes. Coffee and mince pies help to make it the perfect start to the Christmas season for everyone.

THE ANNUAL MUSICAL PRODUCTION

There are many opportunities for the children to hone their performance skills throughout the school year. Our busy programme of events ranges from small informal concerts and assemblies to larger productions and end of year celebrations. Parents are always warmly invited to attend. The annual Year 5 and 6 musical production in the spring is keenly anticipated by the children and is always of an exceptionally high standard. Rehearsals are lively and enjoyable and often provide some hilarious moments which the children talk about for months afterwards. The production provides a memorable highlight to the year for everyone.

RESIDENTIAL TRIPS

YEARS 4 AND 5

At RSM, we always encourage the children to persevere and not to fear mistakes, as risk taking is an important and essential part of their learning journey. Residential trips are a fantastic opportunity to further extend and develop this well beyond the classroom in challenging and fun environments

Children in Year 4 and 5 take part in a residential trip in the summer term. During their stay, staff are there to support and guide them, helping them to step out of their comfort zones. This helps to build their independence and self-confidence, the benefits of which can be seen long after they have returned to school.

"New friendships are formed and old friendships deepen as the children become more confident in their ability to tackle the challenges set. It is outdoor learning at its very best."

Mr Austin, Year 4 Teacher

RESIDENTIAL TRIPS

YEAR 6

Our Education for Social Responsibility (ESR) curriculum focuses on the wellbeing of each child individually, the wellbeing of the teams within which they will work and the wellbeing of the planet. It is woven into every aspect of school life at RSM from the very beginning of a child’s time with us.

It culminates in a transformative Year 6 week-long residential trip to Snowdon in the autumn term. The children take part in a number of challenging activities (including climbing Snowdon) and also have time for reflection and meaningful discussions, gaining a sense of the natural systems we all depend on.

The itinerary is designed to harness the power of a new environment to bring about new thinking. During group discussions and challenges, the children have brilliant ideas for solving issues that face us all and recognise that they must protect the planet, put people before profits, equality before excess and care for their local and global neighbours. It is also lots of fun and the children make memories that we hope will last a lifetime.

MUSIC

Music is a central part of life at RSM. From choirs and ensembles to peripatetic music lessons and informal concerts, the children have plenty of opportunities throughout the year to enjoy a wide range of musical experiences. We are an official ABRSM exam centre and a large number of children take exams annually. Curriculum music lessons are great fun and an important part of the weekly timetable for all year groups.

“Pupils have won many awards at local music and drama festivals and have been represented in the National Youth Choir and National Children’s Orchestra.”

ISI Inspection 2023

CHORISTERS

RSM was founded in 1950 in the house of the former choirmaster Godfrey Searle, and the school remains one of only 46 schools in Great Britain to be members of The Choir Schools’ Association. The choristers’ annual performance calendar is varied and includes regular services at St Mary’s Church, singing at events in London and performing further afield.

FOREST SCHOOL AND OUR WONDERFUL GROUNDS

RSM is set in 15 acres of grounds with plenty of room for the children to run around, build dens, roll down hills and have adventures. All year round, good use is made of the playgrounds, nature reserve, EDEN area (for quiet time), vegetable patches and pond. Outdoor learning is an integral part of life here for all of our year groups.

The children also have timetabled Forest School sessions in a special area of the school grounds. Forest School fosters independence, resilience, confidence, problem solving and creativity. The children’s progress and development is closely monitored by our highly trained practitioner, Miss Peters.

SPORT

In games and PE lessons, the children participate in a wide variety of sports, and develop new skills outside in the fresh air, working in teams with their friends.

First and foremost, we help them develop a lifelong love of physical activity, with all the benefits to wellbeing that this will bring to them as they grow.

In the Upper School there are many competitive fixtures throughout the year in all the major sports including football, netball, rugby, hockey and cricket, as well as competitions in cross country and swimming.

Every child from Year 3 upwards represents RSM in one of the many teams we have for each age group and their hard work and excellent efforts during training sessions are reflected in the fantastic results they achieve. Regular House sports competitions are highly competitive, tightly contested and extremely popular amongst staff and children alike.

"Physical activity brings with it a whole host of benefits, boosting everything from performance in the classroom to all-round mental health and wellbeing. When children participate in sport, they inevitably face challenges and setbacks. However, if they are willing to persevere, they learn that they can overcome challenges and achieve their goals, not only on the sports field, but in life well beyond school."

Rob Forsyth, Head of Sport

TECHNOLOGY, STEM AND LEGO LEAGUE

"Pupils demonstrate advanced digital expertise in programming and robotics."

ISI Inspection 2023

Technology is embedded in all areas of the children’s learning. From their weekly IT lessons and robotics classes to iPads, green screens and Lightboxes, technology is used in the classroom to enhance the children’s understanding and enjoyment of the curriculum. STEM lessons draw together science technology, engineering and maths skills into practical sessions that encourage the children to be imaginative problem solvers. Our Education for Social Responsibility programme recognises the importance of applying STEM creatively to tackle real world problems and this year, we have partnered with businesses to help develop educational resources to support this.

Each year, we take part in First Lego League, a competition which challenges children to develop STEM skills and encourages them to think like scientists and engineers. Our teams have an excellent record of success in the national tournament and again this year, they made it through to the UK finals having won the regional competition in March. During the competition, the children demonstrated fabulous teamwork, comprehensive technical understanding and accurate, ice-cool piloting of their robot.

HOLIDAY CLUBS

There are exciting clubs available throughout the school holidays at RSM.

We run our popular Early Years Holiday Club for children in Green Shoots and Kindergarten throughout the holidays with a different theme of activities each week. For children from Reception upwards, we run a special holiday club for some of the vacation weeks and the children enjoy swimming and going on trips as well as playing and riding their bikes around our lovely green campus. Both clubs are run by familiar RSM staff.

For children from Reception upwards for the remaining holiday weeks, we have partnered with Camp Beaumont which runs its popular holiday clubs at RSM.

FAMILY EVENTS

We always enjoy inviting families into school for shows, open classrooms, sports days and carers’ breakfasts.

RSM parents also organise a host of family events for the whole community to enjoy throughout the year. The Friends of St Mary's Association (known as FOSMA) plan fayres, fireworks displays, visits from Santa and his elves at Christmas time and the Easter bunny at the end of the spring term, discos for the children, a school ball and an activity hub for dog walking, book clubs etc.

KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH US Facebook facebook.com/ReigateStMarys Instagram Instagram.com/rsmprepschool reigatestmarys.org | 01737244880 | office@reigatestmarys.org

Reigate St Mary’s, Chart Lane, Reigate, Surrey RH2 7RN 01737 244 880 office@reigatestmarys.org

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