As summer comes to a close, a new school year is about to start at Riverside School. There will be a staggered start to autumn term to allow Year 7’s induction on the first day. Only Year 7 students starts school on Tuesday 3rd September 2024, while Years 8-13 students start school on Wednesday 4th September 2024.
As we look to a new fresh start in the life of academia, it is important to reflect on what was achieved in the past year so that targets and goals are set to the highest standard possible. For the last academic year, both pupils and teachers worked hard to deliver some of the best achievements from our local outstanding school (as rated by OFSTED!).
To the Year 13 A Level and BTEC students and Year 11 GCSE students – who would have received their results in August – congratulations in completing such amazing milestones on your educational path.
During the 2023/24 academic year, Riverside sports teams played over 200 fixtures. Impressively, the under-15 girls football team reached both the semi-finals in the Essex cup and national cup. The Year 9 netball team won the borough league with an undefeated record, a superb achievement!
For the first time a Riverside student representing LBBD in the Essex Athletics Championships won gold in the 100m final: congratulations to Shalom in Year 7.
Coach Onireti, following his first full year as director of Riverside Basketball Academy, said: “It has been an inspiring first year with over 150 students participating.”
Year 7 and 8 boys both won the borough leagues, U14s girls basketball won the LBBD tournament. The 16+ academy had a good first season, winning games as the season progressed. The highlight of the year was Pearl (a Year 8 pupil) representing England in the Tri-Nation tournament, the first basketball player from Riverside to represent their country.
Furthermore, 166 students completed the Duke of Edinburgh Award this year, including a record 19 students who will achieve the prestigious gold award. Hats off to all those students who passed. Mr Roberts, the school’s headteacher, thanks Ms Reid for leading the programme and her team of volunteer staff who generously give their time to support the expeditions, particularly during a year when the weather has not been camping friendly.
Also, during July, Riverside Mandarin Excellence Programme students went on a 10-day immersive trip to Tianjin, China (see front page). They practised Mandarin while developing a greater understanding of China’s people and culture.
2024 will also go down in history as the year that Riverside’s talented drama students and dedicated staff performed the world’s first ever school production of ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ (see The RiverView’s spring issue). A resounding success that inspired the visiting West End producers with wizardry, imagination and phenomenal acting!
Wishing all students and teachers a great fresh start of the new academic year. Great success for another year to come at this outstanding school!
By Venilia Amorim, local resident, school governor and REB member
