A beginner’s guide to Summer Term

As we enter the final stage of this academic year, I wanted to give the newer members of the community a chance to understand the unique school events left on the school calendar.

Music

Before we get into the more specific events, I thought it would be good to quickly promote some of the music events left on the calendar. Firstly, for those of you who want a little bit of Mozart in your life, or perhaps ‘Carmina Burana’, then feel free to come along to the Chapel Choir’s Summer Concert on 20th June. Additionally, for those who are more into modern music, why not come along to the Summer Gig Night? It is another chance to hear your friends singing and the final performance for many leavers this year.

Let us now move on to the whole school events coming up this term.

Leavers’ Songs of Praise

The name makes this event sound more unique than it truly is. However, this is essentially a normal Divisions and Chapel, followed by Sports Day. Although, at this time of year, I would be very cautious during Divisions, as this is when the number of people fainting tends to peak due to the heat. Make sure to drink plenty of water and keep your energy levels up with regular snacks.

A subtle tip for the longer stationary periods of Divisions is to try wiggling your toes, as this supposedly keeps your circulation going and reduces the chances of fainting. This method really does work, it has got me through six years so far.

Sports Day

This is a favourite event for much of the cohort and a great chance for some roaring house spirit, complete with face paints and a plethora of snacks and treats presented by the incredible matrons. Suncream and shorts are essential, weather permitting. If this week is anything to go by, it is not looking particularly promising…

From high jump to javelin, shot put to track, there really is something for everyone, so I would recommend getting involved as much as you can to truly embrace the school spirit. Even if you are a pro at a particular event, why not try your hand at something different too? It can be quite entertaining attempting something completely outside your usual skill set.

Top tip: if you are thinking of being part of the relay team, either sign yourself up for lots of sports to keep you occupied or make sure your parents bring along a huge picnic to fuel you up. This is usually the final event, so it can be quite an agonising wait all day (trust me, I have had many years of experience).

Another tip is to make full use of the food that your house provides. Sometimes all you really need to get you through the day is a nice ice cream or homemade cake, so definitely check out your house stall. Also, for further sweet treats, I would recommend visiting the philanthropy stall. Not only will you gain a little more sugar, but you can also give back to charity, a truly perfect situation.

Finally, listen out for the makeshift band, who provide great background tunes to keep spirits high. It is always very spontaneous, so do not judge any wrong notes…

Enrichment Week

This is a brand new event for this year, so I am afraid I cannot impart my wisdom on it. However, it will be exciting to see what this week holds in store for us all and whether it becomes a new school tradition.

Speech Day

Now we reach the pinnacle of the term: the final day. By this point, people are running solely on adrenaline and the thought of the holidays, as most have reached complete exhaustion. Be prepared for many grumpy pupils and teachers who are all mentally battling through to the end of the day.

The day begins with the prize giving, which will be held in the Greenwich Hall for the first time. Hopefully, this will be a lot cooler than the marquee, where most people would resort to chugging their water within minutes and using the programme as a fan. Among an array of prizes, hours of clapping (your hands will ache), and many speeches, there will also be moments of music, slides of photos, and videos wrapping up the year, which are always very entertaining.

This is followed by Divisions with a twist. During this Divisions, we get a small snippet of the Guard Display and Drum Display from Sunset for those unable to watch it earlier in the term. Then, finally, the emotions start to hit as we watch the Year 13s slow march up the steps and into the school. Remember to bring tissues because sometimes the waterworks hit you dramatically, and it is uncontrollable once it starts, particularly with the emotional tune of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ repeating in the background. I can confirm that some of us have already been tearing up during band rehearsals for this piece, as it reminds us of the sadness of watching everyone march off.

This is a particularly special and notable moment in your time at RHS, not only watching it but one day being a part of that single-file line yourself, knowing it is your final day at RHS.

Anyway, I must move on before the emotions hit again.

Next up, another popular element begins: the picnics. Yes, another one! Be prepared to have your picnic baskets fully stocked throughout the next few weeks, as they will likely come in handy at most school events. This is a great chance to spend time with your friends and family and indulge in some M&S delicacies or treat yourself to a school picnic (the scones are a particular favourite of mine).

To wrap up the rather exhausting day, a final Chapel service commences in the usual fashion, with beautiful choral pieces throughout. Sorry to those not interested in choir, but I should warn you that these pieces are often the longest we sing all year, so be prepared to be serenaded for at least ten minutes of the service. Again, the emotions usually hit most of us, with the service concluding as the leavers (both staff and pupils) walk out of Chapel while everyone applauds.

Finally, if the tears had not quite hit you, or if you thought your eyes had become too dry from crying, the day concludes with the final hurrah: the Gidge throwing. You have likely seen photos of this iconic scene on the school’s social media, and it is one of my favourite moments of the year, as we come together to say our final goodbyes to the school leavers.

To summarise, Speech Day is often a day of tears, tears, and, you guessed it, more tears.

I hope this gives you both an insight into what is to come, as well as some top tips to make the most of these special events. This term may be busy, but these moments are the ones that stay with you into adulthood, so make the most of them and truly embrace the school spirit that surrounds them.