Congratulations to Maisy Kohl in year 9! This half term she won a regional Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competition. This was all the more impressive as she stepped up 3 divisions to do so and fought a girl 15kg heavier than herself. She won in an incredible 4 seconds, forcing her opponent to tap out from an arm bar.  Well done Maisy, we are all very proud of you!

On Saturday 15 th June 2025, Mr Vinda and Mr Goyette lead the Barking and Dagenham district team to compete in the County Championships at Melbourne park in Chelmsford. With Robert Clack winning so many events at the Barking and Dagenham Championships 2 weeks before, it was no surprise that Robert Clack athletes made up the majority of the team. There were over 20 athletes from Robert Clack between year 7-10 competing. All of our athletes showed a high level of skill, physical fitness and outstanding behaviour. They represented themselves and the school with honour. Special congratulations must go to the following athletes for excelling in their individual events and bring back a county medal. Joshua - Gold - Discus Keziah - Bronze - Hurdles Denzel - Silver - 200m Dre - Silver - Hurdles Well done to all who participated.

Essex selection for National championships. Track and field athlete Josh B (year 9), has had the summer of his life with individual achievements and he's not finished yet. This year Josh was our highest point scorer in the English Schools athletics competitions, but his success does not stop there. Barking and Dagenham championships 100m - Gold Discus - Gold Relay - Gold Essex Championships Discus Gold Selection for Essex multi events team, competing in the national championships in Northampton in the following events; Hurdles, Long jump, high jump, shot-put, 800m. Reached national standard in both hurdles and long jump.  Will represent Essex in the hurdles for Essex in the National individual championships. Josh thoroughly deserves the plaudits he is receiving as he works so hard. In the gym before school, not missing a club after school and working hard at his club outside of school. Well done Josh! We are all very proud of you.

29 Years and counting!  At the start of this half term, the Robert Clack Athletics squads (boys and girls, years 7-10) attended the Barking and Dagenham secondary school athletics championships. The events were held over 2 days at the Cricklefields stadium in Ilford. As defending champions we knew that the rest of the schools in the borough would be gunning for us and we would be in for a tough year. Our athletes once again stood up to plate and put in some magnificent individual and team performances to ensure that we came home with the title for an unprecedented 29 th year! With 12 competing schools the results make impressive reading and are testament to what our staff and students achieve with months of hard work and practise. Year 7 Boys - winners Girls - runners up Year8 Boys - winners Girls - winners Year 9 Boys - winners Girls - Runners up Year 10 Boys - winners Girls - winners

On Thursday, 10th July, the Art Department held a vibrant and inspiring art exhibition at the Gosfield Road site. The event featured artwork created by students from the Art Club across all three school sites. Students have been working hard throughout the year to produce a wide range of creative pieces, and it was a fantastic opportunity for their efforts to be recognised and celebrated. The exhibition gave staff and fellow students the chance to view the incredible talent and dedication shown by our young artists.

31 of our girls from year 7-10 attended a 'Girls Physical Activity and Wellbeing' event at the Becontree leisure centre on Friday 11 th July. The event was organised by the Barking and Dagenham School Sport Partnership and funded by the Park Charitable Trust for Girls. Our girls got to take part in five different activities, boxing, martial arts, box-jam, dance fit and a healthy eating workshop where they got to make their own fruit kebabs.

The Science Department launched a Gardening Club this term, and I thought I would share some photos of what’s been happening over the past few weeks. Students have been busy painting plant pots, sowing seeds, transplanting seedlings into the garden patch, and keeping the garden beds neat and tidy. I have attached some photos to include for the newsletter, and ensured all students included have the relevant consents in palce. It’s been lovely to see their enthusiasm and teamwork outdoors!

On Monday 7 th July we had our biggest summer dance show yet, with 120 pupils taking part! There were a wide range of dances from contemporary, street and even had had a nod to musical theatre. In the finale, we had inflatables, sunglasses and flower lei's to bring the summer vibe. It clearly was a fantastic show! Everyone that has taken part in dance extracurricular this year, should be immensely proud. Continue to work hard and we look forward to what 2025/26 has to offer.

Our Key Stage 3 Junior Debate Club took part in the annual summer Bingham Competition, hosted by South Hampstead High School. The event brought together pupils from all three of our school sites. Both Squad A and Squad B showcased their exceptional debating skills, securing victories in two rounds each. The motions covered topics including neurodiversity, workload, cheerleading, feminism, and parental spyware. The dedication and eloquence demonstrated by the students were truly commendable, reflecting their commitment to excellence in debate and representing our school with distinction. The day began bright and early at 7:00am and concluded at 7:00pm. A 12 hour day but the pupils persevered! Pupils competed in multiple rounds and had the opportunity to watch a showcase debate in the finals. They also enjoyed a rooftop soft drink social with peers from other schools. Their behaviour, energy, and enthusiasm throughout such a long day were genuinely inspiring.  Congratulations to all participants on their outstanding performance, and thank you to the organisers at South Hampstead—especially Mr Hepburn—for hosting such a fantastic event.