Term 1 - 29 August 2025

Matters of Principal

Whole School

WELCOME BACK 
Welcome back to a new academic year at RST. Following on from the Principal's appraisal at the end of Term 3, one of the important findings was that many of you wanted to get to know Mr Grindlay more and to hear his views on the School, education and the next steps for RST.
So, from next Tuesday, 9th September and fortnightly thereafter, the Principal will be in Scrummy Café from 8-10am (with Khun Usa to translate if required) to meet and listen to you, the parents. Please do come along if you are able to.  

Mr Grindlay will also arrange some times in Pre-Prep, Prep and Senior to present on the strategic direction of the School as we gear up to our 10th anniversary in 2027. 

RSTPA UNIFORM SWAP
Due to popular demand, we will be running our RSTPA Uniform Swap next week in the Green Room. Please drop-off any clean and unnamed uniform to the Green Room on Tuesday, 2nd September from 15:30-17:45. You will then be given a voucher to swap for uniform in the sale on Thursday, 4th September from 15:30-17:45.

Items will also be for sale for those who would prefer to purchase uniforms and all money raised will go towards our School's charities for this year.

RSTPA COOKING CLASS
Our ever popular RSTPA Cooking Classes will continue this year thanks to the wonderful organisation of our RSTPA Rep, Alena and the first session will focus on cuisine from Russia. 

The session will take place on Monday, 15th September. If you would like to attend, please reserve your place by scanning the QR or contact: irbis2002@bk.ru / Line: Helen Cool / 0907694661

We have a maximum of 24 places and there will be a small fee of 300THB per session to cover the costs of ingredients, you will also need to bring some empty containers to take your food away.

CHRISTMAS CAMP 2025
This year's popular Christmas Camp will take place from 14th-20th December 2025 and is available for 7 to 12-year-olds. We have a range of discounts available to our community and our 15% early bird offer is exclusive for the month of September. This means that if you reserve your child's place now, you will be securing the best available price. 

There is also a 10% discount for RST families or past campers which can be used anytime however please note that these discounts cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

To find out more or register, please click here. 

COMMUNITY FUN RUN
Join us for the RST Community Fun Run on Saturday, 30th August at 07:30am on Field 1 - a perfect opportunity to get active and connect with our community.

CHARITY GOLF DAY 2025
On Sunday, 28^th September, the Parents' Association is hosting their annual RSTPA Charity Golf Day at Siam Country Club, Waterside. It promises to be a brilliant day, with prizes and a raffle to be won. You can register as a team or as an individual (individuals will be placed in a team nearer the time). We invite golfers of all ages and abilities to join us at this brilliant event. All proceeds will be donated to an RST student-chosen charity and the event is open to the entire RST community and friends.

To find out more or register, please click here. 

If you would like to find out more about sponsorship opportunities, please click here. 

If you would like more information or to get in touch with the organisers, please contact events@foremanagement.com.

2nd SEPTEMBER:
RSTPA Uniform Swap in the Green Room from 15:30 - 17:45

4th SEPTEMBER:
RSTPA Uniform Swap in the Green Room from 15:30 - 17:45

15th SEPTEMBER:
RSTPA Cooking Class - Russia

28th SEPTEMBER:
RSTPA Charity Golf Day 

PHYATHAI SRIRACHA HOSPITAL INTERNSHIP
We are incredibly grateful to the team at Phyathai Sriracha Hospital who welcomed two groups of students from our Senior School to their internship programme. The hospital's medical team had planned an excellent schedule for our students to learn and gain hands-on experience. We are very proud of our aspiring medical professionals Chidchaya, Deepshikha, Sieun, Chawin, Noph, Rute, Mathis and Gangwon who demonstrated punctuality and enthusiasm throughout this fantastic opportunity. 

Senior

A MESSAGE FROM MR GROVES
I would like to extend a warm welcome to all new and returning families. It does not seem that long since we were waving goodbye to the Class of 2025 and a few weeks ago we were delighted to celebrate their results.

The graduating class set new records at RST, with nearly 1 in 3 grades being an  A* and over half of the grades being A or A*. These graduating students are now embarking on starting their life at their chosen universities across the world. Record-breaking became a theme as the results came in: the new Year 13 received their AS level results, which were also a new record, with 15 students achieving straight A grades. 

The IGCSE results were also a record for RST, with over half the grades at A* or A. Congratulations to Chi, who got 10 straight A*s and to Rute, Iyara, Max, Ethan, Matthew, Don, Amara, Deepshikha, Mario, Narna, Nudi, SiEun, Mimi, Olya and Chawin, who all received more than seven A*s and As at IGCSE.

In education, we enjoy seeing students do better than they thought possible and become the best version of themselves. All students take standardised assessments that analyse their maths, English and computational skills. These are compared to students worldwide to give exam predictions and I am delighted to share that we outperformed these predictions. For example, at IGCSE we were predicted 12% A* and achieved 28% A* grades. We were predicted to receive 43% A*–A and received 52%. These improvements are what we are most proud of. Cambridge’s Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) rated us in the top 7% of International Schools for how much we improved our students’ grades.

This is a testament to the hard work of the students, the support and care of the teachers and the importance of character education through developing the Rugby Learner Profile attributes.

My best wishes to all our families — and a challenge to every student: make this the year you become the best version of yourself. Twelve months from now, be able to say you did all you could. Small actions, done consistently, drive big change: ask a teacher when you need help; seek answers when you’re curious; fill in your planner and pack your bag each evening; join a club and take part. You get out what you put in.

Let’s aim for another record-breaking year together.

KEY DATES
A reminder of key dates for the 2025/26 academic year can be found here. 

5th SEPTEMBER:
House Shirt Friday

12th SEPTEMBER:
Parent Information Session: American and UK Universities

OPPIDAN MENTORING CELEBRATION
The Sixth Form 'Collingwood Centre' came alive this week as we celebrated the achievements of our Year 13 mentors and mentees from Years 10-12. This year’s gathering coincided with a visit from the Oppidan mentor training team, who were on campus to work with our current Year 12 students.

Meghan, a visiting mentor and barrister from the UK, spoke about the programmes impact saying "We have been truly impressed by the students’ engagement. Achieving a Bronze award for the programme’s efforts last year is a tremendous accomplishment.”

Mrs Pearce, our Head of Year 12, also recognised the support and care demonstrated by last year's mentors and challenged the newest group of mentors to build on this strong foundation. With their newly refined skills, our mentors are ready to guide and support the next generation of Senior School students through this year’s programme. Last year’s cohort successfully completed a ten-session programme and its impact has been clear as students shared how the experience helped them to develop confidence, communication skills and a sense of responsibility. 

To learn more about our partnership with Oppidan, please click here. 

Prep

A MESSAGE FROM MRS HOWELL
A huge welcome back to all of our students and families. The last few weeks have been full of energy as our teachers and staff have worked hard to prepare for the year ahead. It has been a great pleasure to welcome our Year 3 students and all the new faces joining the Prep School community this week. The School has been buzzing with excitement and we are thrilled to have everyone back.

As you walk through the School, you will see some exciting improvements. Our playground and CGA have been revamped to provide safe and fun spaces for everyone. We have also installed new display boards, murals and seating around the School to make our environment feel even more welcoming and fresh.

This year, we will be especially focused on a number of strategic priorities designed to enhance your child’s experience. These include professional development for our teachers to ensure they have the best tools for the classroom, new reports for Years 7-9 to better track student progress and a new 'Rugby Challenge' in Years 7 and 8. We are also continuing to develop our languages curriculum across the entire School.

We will share more details on these initiatives at our upcoming Parent Presentations. 

CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
We are currently updating our Curriculum Overviews, which will soon be shared with you. In the meantime, you can access last year's guides through the below links:

Years 3 and 4
Years 5 to 8

INSTRUMENTAL OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAMME (IOP)
The new School year sees the return of our Instrumental Opportunities Programme (IOP) - an affordable way for students at RST to explore various orchestral instruments, find their natural talent and begin their musical journey. The 8-week programme includes small group lessons and a beginner ensemble. Please note, this programme is only offered in term one.

To find out more about the IOP, please click here.

Trial sessions will be held on Tuesday, 9th September. To register your interest, please click here. 

PREP MUSIC RECITAL: WEDNESDAY 1st OCTOBER
Enrollment is now open for the first Music Recital of the academic year. This recital is open to all Prep students who learn an instrument and have a piece ready to perform. Registrations will close on Friday, 19th September. 

Students who have external instrumental lessons can register here by uploading a video of their performance. 

Students who have instrumental lessons at RST will be registered by their music teacher if they are ready. 

All parents will be notified of their child's participation on Friday, 26th September, via the newsletter and email. If unsure, please contact your child's instrumental teacher.

PARENT HANDBOOK
The Prep Parent Handbook can be accessed here. 

KEY DATES
A reminder of key dates for the 2025/26 academic year can be found here. Parents are encouraged to regularly check the Touchline calendar in case of changes.

SCHOOL EQUIPMENT
Please ensure your child has all of the correct equipment for School. This helps them to be organised, independent and prepared for learning. A full stationery list can be found here. 

SCHOOL UNIFORM
The below poster is a reminder of our high expectations with School uniform. Please support us in meeting these high standards.

2nd SEPTEMBER:
Year 8 OEC Visit (Students must wear their PE kit and School hats. Please remember to bring your water bottles, insect repellent and sun screen)

RSTPA Uniform Swap in the Green Room from 15:30 - 17:45

4th SEPTEMBER:
RSTPA Uniform Swap in the Green Room from 15:30 - 17:45

5th SEPTEMBER:
Year 7 OEC Visit (Students must wear their PE kit and School hats. Please remember to bring your water bottles, insect repellent and sun screen)

9th SEPTEMBER:
Year 6 OEC Visit (Students must wear their PE kit and School hats. Please remember to bring your water bottles, insect repellent and sun screen)

17:00-18:00: Instrumental Opportunities Programme Information Session (Music Room)

12th SEPTEMBER:
Year 5 OEC Visit (Students must wear their PE kit and School hats. Please remember to bring your water bottles, insect repellent and sun screen)

House Day - all students should wear their House tops

PREP SPEECH DAY 2025
A full photo gallery from our Speech Day is available for parents to view online. Please follow the below links:

Speech Day / House Music / Leavers Lunch

Awards Ceremony

Pre-Prep

A MESSAGE FROM MISS SARAH
It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces return after the Summer break and truly lovely to welcome all the children back. I have enjoyed catching up with them about their holidays and new classes and have been pleasantly surprised by their eagerness to share their news.

We also extend a warm welcome to all new children and families joining the Pre-Prep. We hope you will settle in and adapt quickly to your new environment. Over the next two weeks, our focus is on ensuring children feel safe and comfortable as well as building strong relationships with staff and peers. It is normal for some children to take time to adjust and tears are to be expected. Your child's class teacher will advise you if your child is struggling but please give them time; some settle in two weeks, while others may take many weeks, as every child is different.

As you can see, the Pre-Prep underwent significant improvements over the Summer, including a brand new Splash Pool, new grass in The Oval, internal and external painting, a walkway at the drop-off zone, new shade covers over the playgrounds and much more. The building is now buzzing with children and staff establishing new routines.

I hope everyone has had a good first week and feels ready for the term ahead. As always, my door is open if you have any questions. Feel free to reach out via email at sshuttleworth@rugbyschool.ac.th or at the gate each morning. 

A huge, smiley welcome back to everyone.

FIRST AID TRAINING
During the holidays our Early Years Teachers and Teaching Assistants were trained in Paediatric First Aid. This covered choking, seizures, burns, general accidents, CPR, allergic reactions and the use of a defibrillator. This enables us to comply with the new Early Years regulations that a qualified Paeditaric First Aider should be present when children are eating. This was a full day course delivered by an external company as well as the in-house First Aid training that all of our staff receives every year. 

FOOD SAFETY IN THE EYFS
We have been following up on the UK food safety requirements for our Early Years children and have reviewed which foods can and cannot be served due to choking concerns. The way in which we prepare food has also been reviewed (for example, slices rather than chunks) and changes have been made in this area to ensure we provide the safest food for the smallest children.

This now means that the following foods will no longer be served to EYFS: watermelon with seeds, popcorn, small oranges, baby tomatoes, grapes, raw egg, beans and nuts.

In order to prevent choking we have considered food preparation and made the following changes: small round fruits like strawberries should be chopped into quarters while bigger food such as tomatoes, apples and melons should be sliced. We have also removed all beans and kernels from our classroom play areas. 

HEAD OF YEAR MESSAGES
YEAR 2
We are so excited to welcome all of our new and returning Year 2 children to the Dolphins, Red Pandas, Kangaroos and Lions classes and are all looking forward to an exciting year ahead as we continue our educational journey. It has been wonderful to see so many happy, smiling faces settling back into our Year 2 environment. Our teachers and teaching assistants have been working hard to create a fun and stimulating space where everyone feels safe, valued and ready to explore. We have been so impressed by how quickly the children have adapted to their new classes, making new friends and engaging with the wide variety of activities on offer.

If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s class teachers in person at drop-off and pick-up times or via email:

Red Panda Class: Mr Sethi - sdeclercq@rugbyschool.ac.th
Dolphin Class: Mr John - jheath@rugbyschool.ac.th
Kangaroo Class:  Miss Sasha - Snarang@rugbyschool.ac.th 
Lion Class: Miss Rhiannon - rtimbury@rugbyschool.ac.th 

YEAR 1
It has been wonderful welcoming the children back to School this week and getting to know both them and you. We have had lots of fun together as the children have settled into their new classrooms, made new friends and started to find their way into our Year 1 routines.
The children have shown great enthusiasm and curiosity, and it has been a joy to see their confidence growing already. From exploring new learning activities to enjoying playtime together, they are quickly adapting and showing us what an exciting year lies ahead.
We are really looking forward to all the learning, creativity and fun that this year will bring. Thank you for your support in helping the children settle so smoothly—it makes a big difference.
Here’s to a fantastic Year 1 journey together.

If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s class teachers in person at drop-off and pick-up times or via email:

Bears Class: Mr Chris - caspinall@rugbyschool.ac.th
Hedgehog Class: Miss Wendy - wwilms@rugbyshcool.ac.th
Flamingo Class: Miss Lurica - lfourie@rugbyschool.ac.th
Shark Class: Mr Niall - nwatts@rugbyschool.ac.th

RECEPTION 
We would like to wish a very warm welcome to all of our Reception children, who have impressed us incredibly during this first week of the new School year. It has been a pleasure to see so many happy, smiling faces coming into School each day, ready for new adventures up on the second floor.

Our team have been working hard to create a nurturing, stimulating and vibrant environment where every child feels safe and ready to learn. We will continue to develop the shared spaces over the next few weeks, as the children settle and learn how to use these areas safely. We are so proud of the children and are excited to join them in their adventures this year.

If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s class teachers in person at drop-off and pick-up times or via email:

Hippo Class: Miss Jade – jmolloy@rugbyschool.ac.th
Fox Class: Miss Nikol – nhellebrandova@rugbyschool.ac.th
Owl Class: Miss Carmen – cgonzalez@rugbyschool.ac.th
Toucan Class: Miss Jenny – jperkins@rugbyschool.ac.th

NURSERY
We are so thrilled to welcome all our new and returning Nursery children to the Butterfly, Elephant, Monkey and Zebra classes. It has been lovely to see so many smiling faces settling into our Nursery environment. Our dedicated team have been working hard to create a nurturing and stimulating space where every child feels safe and ready to explore.

If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s class teachers in person at drop-off and pick-up times or via email:

Butterfly Class: Miss Jessica - jcasarotte@rugbyschool.ac.th
Elephant Class: Miss Amy - awilson@rugbyschool.ac.th
Monkey Class: Miss Angela - acassidy@rugbyschool.ac.th
Zebra Class: Miss Lauren - lklinmee@rugbyschool.ac.th

We are looking forward to all the fun and adventures we will have in Nursery this academic year.

PRE-NURSERY
Welcome to Pre-Nursery - we are all looking forward to the exciting year ahead as your children take their first-ever steps into their educational journey. We have been very proud of how the children are settling in so far, they have been so brave and strong as they learn to say ‘good-bye’ to their parents for the first time. We have two classes in Pre-Nursery; Fish and Rabbit Class. Take a look at our class family photos and see if your child can find their teachers and say their names.

If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s class teachers in person at drop-off or pick-up times or via email:

Rabbit Class: Miss Maxine - mmaguire@rugbyschool.ac.th
Fish Class: Miss Sophie - scorr@rugbyschool.ac.th

We are looking forward to all the fun and adventures we will have in Pre-Nursery this academic year. 

Back to School

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KEY DATES
A reminder of key dates for the 2025/26 academic year can be found here. Parents are encouraged to regularly check the Touchline calendar in case of changes.

SCHOOL UNIFORM
Please ensure that children are complying with our uniform policy - long hair should be tied up and there should be no extreme hairstyles. Please see our parent handbook for further information. 

2nd SEPTEMBER:
Rugby Rascals starts
Year 2 Curriculum Meeting for parents - in your child's classroom 08:30-09:00am

3rd SEPTEMBER:
Year 1 Curriculum Meeting for parents - in your child's classroom 08:30-09:00am

4th SEPTEMBER:
Reception Curriculum Meeting for parents - in your child's classroom 08:30-09:00am

5th SEPTEMBER:
Tapestry workshop for new parents in Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Reception at 08:30am in the Assembly Hall

8th SEPTEMBER:
Year 2 Bikes to School (scooters/bikes) - Helmets must be worn, please ensure bikes and helmets are named. Bikes can stay at School for the week for children to use at breaktimes. 

15th SEPTEMBER:
Year 1 Bikes to School (scooters/bikes) - Helmets must be worn, please ensure bikes and helmets are named. Bikes can stay at School for the week for children to use at breaktimes. 

17th SEPTEMBER:
Pre-Nursery Coffee morning to discuss life in Pre-Nursery - 08:30am in the Assembly Hall 

FOREST SCHOOL TRAINING
During inset, some of our Pre-Prep staff were busy taking part in Forest School training with Sarah Blackwell and Robin Handle from Archimedes Forest Schools Education. We are pleased to share that our KS1 Teaching Assistants and Miss Kirsty successfully completed Level 1 training while Miss Lurica and Mr Declan are working on their higher level certification after attending a 5 day course. 
It was a fantastic week of learning and developing skills that will help us bring the Forest School approach to life here at RST. We are really looking forward to getting the children outdoors more often, giving them the chance to explore, take risks and learn through nature. 
We can’t wait to see the children benefit from these experiences in the year ahead.

Boarding Life

Welcome back to our boarding community. It has been fantastic to see lots of new and old faces in each of the Houses, and to have so much life on campus again. If you're interested in boarding, it's not too late. Get in touch to book a tour or a free trial night: admissions@rugbyschool.ac.th

This week in Marshall House it was all about settling into House life and getting to know each other. We had an evening of fun and games that helped each of our House "teams" bond, while challenging themselves mentally and physically. It made us very proud to see our old boarders looking out for the new starters. We finished the week with a reflective exercise, where every boarder delved into the values that matter to them, helping us to build a picture of our community as a whole.

Community Events

CONSCIOUS LIVING - RST COMMUNITY DISCOUNT
Conscious Living combines ancient Thai wisdom with modern microbiology to revolutionise how we care for our body, home and environment. Our personal, home and baby care range, Innocence by Conscious Living, are fermented using 100% plant-based ingredients (with absolutely zero chemicals added) sourced and produced by farmers in the North of Thailand. For over a decade, we have been driven by our mission to support local communities in creating quality products that are beneficial for the entire ecosystem.

The RST community can now benefit from a 10% discount on all items from Conscious Living Thailand and Innocence by Conscious Living. The discount can be accessed through the following channels:

Order on Lazada and click this link to claim a 10% discount voucher or order via the official website and use code “Rugby2025/2026” to get a 10% discount plus free shipping. 

Social Media and More

Keep up to date with all that's happening at RST via our social media channels and our website blog section.