The Rosarian Recorder - Rickmansworth School

The Rosarian Recorder
Issue No: 02
I must begin this edition of the Recorder by
paying tribute to Mrs Coombs who retired
after 29 years at Rickmansworth School. 29
years in the profession is a long time, but in
one school is something very rarely found
these days. Mrs Combs, came originally to
teach PE in 1986, progressed to Head of PE
and then to Head of Year which became
Director of Learning three years ago.
Many past students, some of whom are still in
the local community, remember Mrs Coombs
respectfully and fondly. She is very studentcentred, always placing the students’ interests
and welfare first.
Only on the Thursday
afternoon before she retired she went to pick
up a student who, due to unforeseen
circumstances, would not have been able to
make it to Rickmansworth for a public
examination. She was straight in my office as
soon as she knew of the problem asking my
permission to collect them.
I am sure that you all would join me in
thanking Mrs Coombs for her many years of
dedicated service and wish her all the very
best for the future.
I would also like to pass on my congratulations to
Mr Thomson who has been awarded the Silver
Pearson Teaching Award for Science Teacher of
the Year. He has now been nominated for Best
Teacher in Secondary Education in all disciplines
nationally. Good luck for October.
********
Peter
Rowland,
a
founder member of
staff in 1954, sadly
passed away in March
2015. We wish to
e x p r e s s
o u r
condolences
to
his
family.
Peter
was
a
very
popular and influential
member of the school
community and will be
sadly missed.
He joined the School as a senior English Master
until he was internally promoted to Deputy Headmaster in 1959. He stayed with Rickmansworth
Grammar until 1962 where he left to take up a
headship at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in
Horncastle, Lincolnshire.
On the last page of the newsletter is the agenda
for the reunion on the 27th June. I’m looking
forward to seeing those of you are attending.
K Douglas, Headteacher
Where are they now?
Dick Chapman student at
Rickmansworth
School
until 1958.
I left the School in 1958, at the age of 16 having
decided not to go on to A levels ( my family had
no tradition of staying on to further education). I
had enjoyed my stay very much and won school
colours at rugby and cricket and captained the
school chess team. I’d stood in awe of my form
master Peter Rowland, who must have been the
only person in the world who could have got me
interested in Shakespeare enough to obtain a
GCE in English Literature, being the fifth GCE
needed to enter my later Professional career.
Peter died recently, and I am pleased that, a few
years ago, I met him and thanked him for the
important part he’d played in my life; he was a
man of true integrity.
I joined a bank for a couple of years before
wanting to see the world via the Army. In the
following twelve years I saw service in Germany,
Hong Kong and Sarawak before obtaining
Professional accountancy qualifications and
working as a lecturer on finance courses at the
Royal Army Pay Corps HQ in Winchester. Whilst
there, I co-authored and published a book which
was to become a best seller and the start of a
new career in publishing Business and
Accountancy books for students.
Now retired, I live locally in Watford with my
good lady of 52 years, and spend a lot of time
with my grandchildren who live round the corner
from me, and where I have the contract for
vegetable growing. I am also very active in the
world of U3a (Google it) where I’m involved with
German Conversation, Chiltern walking, Snooker
and International Chess by email.
I’ve also returned to publishing, having recently
self- published a book of short stories on
Amazon Kindle called ‘The Ripcord: 50
extraordinary
stories,
each
having
a
moral.’ ( you can Google that too, via Amazon, if
you wish!)
Nigel
Atkins
Rickmansworth
1965.
student
at
School until
After a full seven years of both academic and
sporting activity—Nigel was school hockey
captain and county player- he joined Britain’s
then main construction contractor George
Wimpey as a five year indentured management
trainee. Nigel met Wimpey at a school career
conference.
His training was throughout the United Kingdom
and obtained the Higher National Diploma in
Business Studies at the now Thames Valley
University. In 1971 he was asked by
Rickmansworth School to teach A level
Economics when the sixth form teacher Stan
Goodman took a years sabatical leave.
Nigel met his French wife to be in London in
1971 and decided to make a career move to
France. Wimpey recruited him for their new Paris
office as Commercial Manager. In 1982 he was
appointed their French Chief Executive. He
developed the French business and amongst his
assignments was representing the British side in
France of the Channel Tunnel Consortium.
In 1992 Nigel decided to set up his own real
estate company in Paris and Prague. Twenty
three years on he still has active business
interests. Amongst his projects are the
International School of Prague and several inner
city regeneration developments in the Paris
Region. His new project in Prague is a hundred
unit seniors residence called RoSa ( after a
Czech anagram !)
In 2007 Nigel was appointed Associate Professor
at the Sorbonne university in urban planning in
Paris and Abu Dhabi and now lectures at the
Paris Business School.
In 2014 he was elected Deputy Mayor in the
Parisian suburb town of Chatou and in 2015
General Secretary of the Paris Region Mayors
Association. Nigel has two children Jean Marc
and Karine both in medical professions in Paris.
Nigel says that his French career can be traced
to his O level French at Rickmansworth with
Commander Tottenham!
Watersmeet Exhibition
We are very proud to have presented our first
external
Art
Exhibition
at
Watersmeet,
Rickmansworth in collaboration with Three
Rivers and Artistmeet.
The exhibition included a selection of drawings
and paintings from the School’s 2014 End of
Year Show as well as work from some of our
current GCSE and A Level Art & Design
students. Some 15 students had their work
selected for display representing a broad range
of artistic styles.
It was a privilege to welcome David to our
School and to hear of how he has approached a
relatively new role in policing. Our students
found it very informative and now have a good
idea of the actions they can take at this stage
to pursue careers in this field in the future.
Rickmansworth Retain Chess Cup
Last term saw the tenth annual rugby match
between the two schools, with Rickmansworth
going into the clash as defending champions
after their dramatic last minute try win 12
months ago.
St Joan of Arc started positively, scoring a try to
take 5-0 lead. Rickmansworth got themselves
back into contention with a try from their pacey
winger Alex Busby and a conversion from the
captain Henry Hindley. St Joan of Arc were not
behind for long as they battled hard to score
another try and conversion from Josh Harnett
making the score 12-7 to St Joan of Arc at the
break. Not deterred, Rickmansworth came
roaring back onto the pitch in the second half
after an inspired half time team talk by their
coach, Mr Crane.
‘This was such a great opportunity for the
School and Art Department to showcase the
amazing talents of our students and to share
and celebrate their achievements with the local
community and wider audience. We are really
pleased to have formed this partnership with
Three Rivers and Watersmeet and hope that the
exhibition can become a regular annual event.’
Mrs W Parks, Head of Art & Design Faculty
Students quiz Herts PCC
The Police and Crime Commissioner for
Hertfordshire, David Lloyd, visited us in March
to talk about his role and ask our students for
their views on policing and crime in the area.
The Commissioner discussed his role as a
politician, in setting policing priorities for
Hertfordshire Constabulary, public service,
volunteering and his views on policing in
general. The students asked questions about the
legal system in
general and about routes into
a career in the police force.
A well-worked try saw Henry Hindley break
through St Joan of Arc’s defense to score to
endeavour to level things at 12-12. Two tries
from winger Ollie Scott (one converted) in the
second half saw a turnaround in momentum on
the scoreboard, with Rickmansworth leading
24-12. Rickmansworth weren’t finished there,
they finished off their opponents with a second
try for Alex Busby before St Joan of Arc scoring
a try, to end the game with a score line 29-17.
Hindley was rightly named man-of-the-match
for Rickmansworth, with Alex Hill picking up the
same accolade for Joan of Arc. The game was
refereed by George Selwood, an ex-student
from St Clement Danes School who was
fantastic. Selwood is an international referee
and past
winner of the School Sports
Partnership leader
of
the year
award.
Rickmansworth’s
coach
Mr
Crane
said
afterwards: “The Chess Cup is such a fantastic
event for both schools,
demonstrated by the
amount of supporters here today. Today’s game
was of a superb standard and credit to both
teams”
Jason Ling, School Games Co-Ordinator, Schools
Sports Partnership
Rickmansworth School
Rosarian Reunion
Saturday 27th June 2015
12:30pm to 3:00pm
Programme of events:
12:30
Rosarians arrive welcomed by the
School band. Drinks served.
12:45
Headteacher, Keith Douglas, to give
a brief introduction.
13:05
Tours begin.
14:00
Food and refreshments
served.
Rickmansworth School, Scots Hill, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, WD3 3AQ Tel. 01923 773 296