By Mr Daniel Osborne – Principal
Riddlesdown Collegiate: A Year of Excellence, Creativity, and Community
As we approach the final months of the academic year, it is a pleasure to reflect on the incredible energy, focus, and dedication our students have demonstrated over the past year. Riddlesdown Collegiate thrives on its strong relationship with the local area. From historic sporting triumphs and global excursions to creative showcases and local environmental initiatives, our students continue to make both the Collegiate and our neighbourhood immensely proud.
Creative Arts, Culture & Community Leadership
The Creative Arts are central to the wonderful experience our students enjoy and add so much vibrant energy to the daily life of the Collegiate. Throughout the year, our stages have come alive with spectacular events, including our festive Christmas Concerts, our talented vocalists competing in Choir of the Year, and numerous captivating drama performances and dynamic Dance Showcases. Our Open Mic Live Lounges have provided a fantastic platform for individual expression, while our stunning production of The Addams Family Musical truly showcased the immense dedication and theatrical talent of our cast and crew. There is still so much more to come,
with our highly anticipated Summer Concert just around the corner. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has attended and supported our shows this year, and we look forward to welcoming many more of you to a Creative Arts event very soon!
The Collegiate recently celebrated diversity with Culture Day, an event where students embraced different heritages through traditional dress and foods, raising vital funds for the British Red Cross. In the arts, over 100 students enjoyed an enriching West End trip to see Hamilton, which beautifully complemented the stellar talent on display at our recent Dance Showcase and Live Lounge. Our students have also shown immense compassion this year by raising thousands of pounds for Breast Cancer Care and Save the Children, donating mass supplies to the Purley Food Hub, and receiving formal thanks from the Croydon BME Forum for supporting the Hurricane Melissa Jamaica Relief Effort. Furthermore, twenty-four students across Year 8 and Year 9 successfully completed The Diana Award Anti-Bullying Ambassador Training, empowering them to lead vital peer campaigns focused on respect and well-being.
Join Us for the 2026 Summer Festival!
Riddlesdown Collegiate is delighted to invite all local residents to the 2026 Summer Festival, organised by the RDWN Creators and taking place from 9th–12th July 2026. This three-day, non-profit, community-based event is designed for local families, residents, and businesses to celebrate creativity and togetherness. We are anticipating between 1,500 and 2,000 visitors daily and would be thrilled to welcome local businesses and individuals to get involved through event sponsorship. If you would like to find out more about our available sponsorship packages, please contact theresa.ward@riddlesdown.org All proceeds from the event are reinvested directly into the festival to secure funding for the project’s long-term growth.
Riddlesdown PTA – Supporting Our Collegiate
We are excitingly re-launching our Parent Teacher Association (PTA) to build an even stronger bridge between the school and the wider community. We want to welcome parents and residents alike to collaborate with us on raising vital funds for school resources and shared community experiences. If you would like to get involved and make a difference, please get in touch with Miss Ward at the school by emailing theresa.ward@riddlesdown.org
Caring for Our Local Environment
As part of our ongoing commitment to being active, responsible neighbours, our students participate in weekly litter-picking sessions on the Downs and in the local area. This hands-on initiative ensures our young people are actively educated on environmental conservation, helping to preserve, clean, and care for our wonderful local green spaces.
Global Ambassadors: Learning Beyond the Classroom
Our students have travelled far and wide this year, acting as exceptional ambassadors both at home and abroad. Closer to home, they took full advantage of the cultural and natural wonders on our doorstep, completing challenging Duke of Edinburgh expeditions across the North Downs and attending inspiring theatre trips in the West End. Further afield, our young explorers crossed borders for truly life-changing experiences. These adventures included witnessing the Northern Lights and climbing glaciers in Iceland, examining particle physics at CERN in Switzerland, analysing the mathematics of forces and scaling in Paris, competing in a Football tournament in the Netherlands and tackling challenging alpine slopes on the school ski trip in Italy.
History Makers: Riddlesdown Claims an Unprecedented National Treble!
An extraordinary 48 hours of sporting excellence has seen Riddlesdown Collegiate secure an unprecedented three National School Cup titles. In a breathtaking display of talent, determination, and teamwork across both the girls’ and boys’ teams, our students have firmly placed the Collegiate at the pinnacle of national school sports. The historic run began on Thursday, 21st May, at the Lilleshall National Sports Centre. Our U15 Girls took to the pitch in the Sisters in Sport National U15 Girls Final against a formidable Alleyn’s School. Demonstrating incredible tactical discipline and composure under pressure, the girls delivered a flawless performance to secure a magnificent 2-0 victory, lifting the first national trophy of the week. Meanwhile, the drama shifted to Stoke City FC’s bet365 Stadium, where our boys’ teams were preparing to write their own chapters in the history books. On Thursday, the U15 Boys battled fiercely against St Joseph’s RC Academy in the ESFA EA FC Future’s Elite Schools Cup. In a tense, hard-fought encounter that kept spectators on the edge of their seats, a solitary, crucial goal proved decisive, sealing a spectacular 1-0 win. With two national titles already secured, the U15 Boys returned to the bet365 Stadium on Friday, 22nd May, aiming for the treble in the ESFA EA FC Future’s Schools’ Cup. Facing St Peters Catholic High School, the team put on an absolute masterclass in attacking football. In a dominant performance they secured a stunning 7-0 victory! To win one national title is a remarkable achievement; to win three in the span of two days is simply legendary. This historic treble is a testament to the immense hard work, dedication, and sportsmanship of our players, as well as the tireless support of our coaching staff, parents, and school community.