Old Ruthinian Association

The Council of Management has announced the appointed of Mrs Victoria Gamble to be the school's next permanent Head. She will join the school in September 2022 at the start of the next academic year.

Mrs Gamble is a highly accomplished educator with eleven years’ experience of school leadership. A biology and chemistry teacher by training, she has taught in schools within Wales and elsewhere, including boarding schools where she has been responsible for pastoral care. She is accomplished at leading schools for high achieving pupils, as well as those that are inclusive to the full range of academic abilities. Trained as an Estyn peer inspector, Victoria is well-versed with the regulatory requirements of Wales. Currently she is Deputy Head of JESS in Dubai. Prior to this she was Vice Principal of Cardiff Sixth Form College.

We are delighted that Mrs Gamble is joining the school. She has strong leadership skills and a passion for education that is infectious. Miss Sue Frencham has brought stability to Ruthin in the Interim role, and we are delighted that Sue has agreed to take on the role of Deputy Head (Academic). Now, with Victoria as Head, I am expecting the school to continue its fast pace of development – with a leadership team that is ideally suited to the task. We remain strong academically and are now strong pastorally. It’s this combination that pupils need and parents expect.

David Booker
Chair of the Council of Management

Raising £5,000 to help our former teacher’s family to adapt his home
to enable him to return after a life changing accident.

David Hughes, Graham Burke and Elwyn Jones are going to ride from Holyhead to Chester on Saturday 27th July to raise funds for the family of our friend and former inspirational teacher Johnny Johnson who are currently adapting his family home to enable him to come home after a life changing accident.

Johnny Johnson was one of our teachers and rugby coach at Ruthin School in the early 80’s. Whilst a good teacher it was his rugby coaching that has left a lasting impression on many of the pupils that he taught.

Having moved on to teach elsewhere after Ruthin he retired a few years ago and was enjoying an active retirement spending time with his wife Sheila and his children and grandchildren.

It was whilst out with them on a bike ride that his accident occurred. He tumbled off his bike and fell awkwardly into a ditch and was found unconscious. Luckily some medics were also out on their bikes and managed to stabilise him.

Unfortunately his injury was life changing and he has suffered a C2 spinal injury which means he has no movement from the neck down. He can talk quite naturally and is still the same character he always was, but he is desperate to return home as soon as possible.

We would like to help him achieve that goal and would please ask those that can to sponsor us on our ride.
Please click here for the fundraising page: JustGiving

Very exciting news.

We have received in the post this morning a letter from Buckingham Palace thanking us for the beautiful birthday card from the ORA which Barry Mason designed and sent to her Majesty.

As our birthday card showed a photograph (below) of the Queen when she visited the school, the letter gives special mention to this.

Some more fantastic news.

Each year we compete in the UK Schools Mathematics Challenge. We have been in the final for the past 5 years, always winning the Regional round in Chester.

Our recent performances in the final have been exceptional (2014: 6th; 2015: 8th).

Yesterday was the 2016 final - our team of 3 girls and 1 boy travelled to London.

And - we came 1st, achieving full marks in every question. Westminster School also achieved full marks - so we tie first place with them.

To be honest - this achievement is on a different level to all our other achievements. In UK schools are so many gifted mathematicians - and nearly all independent (and top state) schools enter this competition.

I'm incredibly proud of this one - and, again, our Head Girl Alice was part of the team. She's only just 16 - 3 years younger than most other students in her year. She was also in the Chemistry team that are the current national champions of Chemistry.

The team, last night, went to the theatre - and saw The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

Before returning to Ruthin today, they will visit the Houses of Parliament where our MP (David Jones) has arranged to see them and conduct a tour etc.

So - even champion mathematicians can enjoy culture etc!

Very good news today – The schools best year ever for Cambridge news.

We had 14 apply – and have 7 offers, 4 rejections and 3 unknown.

The 7 offers so far received are:

• Alice Ma (Head Girl) – Trinity – Mathematics
• Marshall Miao – St Johns – Mathematics
• Barry Wang – Christ's – Mathematics
• Nelson Wu – Pembroke – Mathematics
• Thomas He – Emmanuel – Mathematics
• Emily Vawdrey – Newnham – Geography
• Michelle Lin – Jesus – Law

We await the following:

• Ellen Wynne – Peterhouse – Medicine
• Frank Ling – Fitzwilliam – Law
• Jenny Xi – Gonville & Caius – Economics

A fantastic result for Ruthin School. The most offers we have ever had is 5 – and now we have achieved 7.