The Rydal Penrhos community looks forward to Founders‘ Weekend 2025, taking place on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 September.
This year, it is our mission to welcome more alumni than ever before. We hope you will join us for what promises to be a truly memorable weekend.
From sporting fixtures to musical performances, archive exhibitions to reunion gatherings, the programme offers something for everyone.
This year, Founders’ Weekend will be our most ambitious celebration yet – and we would be delighted for you to be part of it.
The full schedule for Founders’ Weekend is:
Friday 12 September 2025
08:45 – Founders’ Day Service
15:30 – Hockey – Inaugural Match on the New Astro
17:00 – Football – Alumni vs Staff and Parents – and BBQ
Saturday 13 September 2025
09:00 – Official Unveiling – Heads of School Board
10:00 – Netball – The Natalie Kate Moss Trophy
10:30 – Hockey – First XI Boys vs Rydal Penrhos Dragons (11:00 Pushback)
10:30 – Campus Tours
12:30 – Lunch
Friday 12 September 2025, 08:45
(Doors open at 08:25)
Join us at St John’s Church for a traditional service that blends reflection, reverence and a deep sense of school heritage.
Led by our School Chaplain, Rev’d Dr Beamish, the Founders’ Service is a treasured Rydal Penrhos tradition, paying tribute to the enduring legacies of our founders, Thomas Osborn and Frederick Payne.
Friday 12 September 2025, 15:30
2025 marks a historic moment for hockey at Rydal Penrhos, with the unveiling of a brand-new astro turf.
To celebrate this exciting milestone, we are proud to host an inaugural match featuring a combined team of Rydal Penrhos pupils and alumni, who will take on a specially selected invitational side from Hockey Wales.
Whether you intend to play or support, join us for what promises to be a thrilling encounter and a fitting launch for this state-of-the-art facility.
Friday 12 September 2025, 17:30
A much-loved feature of recent Founders’ Weekends, the Friday evening football match returns – this year, with an exciting new twist.
We are inviting alumni of all ages, including the Class of 2025 leavers, to join forces in a match against a team of current staff and parents.
The game will take place on the historic New Field and Blackburn’s Piece, providing a fitting stage for what promises to be a lively and entertaining contest.
After the final whistle, you are warmly invited to enjoy a relaxed barbeque dinner from the Pavilion – a perfect way to round off the evening.
Whether you are playing or cheering from the sidelines, we welcome all alumni, pupils and parents to come along, reconnect, and be part of the fun.
Saturday 13 September 2025, 10:30
Join us for a guided tour of the Rydal Penrhos campus, offering a unique opportunity to explore both our historic buildings and the latest developments.
Highlights include the brand-new Astro Turf pitch, the extensively redeveloped Prep School, and the transformed Hunt House, showcasing our ongoing investment in outstanding facilities for our pupils.
Saturday 13 September 2025, 10:00
We warmly invite enthusiastic alumni netball players to take on the First VII in this well-established fixture, held in memory of Natalie Kate Moss, a much-loved former pupil who attended Rydal Penrhos from 1996 to 2003.
This special match promises to be not only a great sporting occasion, but also an opportunity to raise awareness of the Natalie Kate Moss Trust and the vital work it undertakes in helping to prevent brain haemorrhages and fund research into their treatment.
Saturday 13 September 2025, 12:30
Join us for a memorable Reunion Lunch in the iconic Osborn Hall – the former Dining Room and Library at the heart of Rydal Penrhos.
Enjoy musical performances from talented members of our community, and reconnect with familiar faces; from teachers and staff to fellow alumni and current pupils.
You will also have the chance to explore fascinating archive displays, featuring incredible materials that celebrate the rich history of Rydal Penrhos.
As part of this year’s Founders’ Weekend celebrations, we are inviting you – our alumni and wider Rydal Penrhos community – to take part in an exciting, one-of-a-kind musical collaboration.
Our pupils will be performing a powerful arrangement of ‘Calon Lan’ – and we are opening it up to our whole community to join in, either in person or virtually.
You can take part in Founders’ Weekend in one of two ways. Option 1 is to perform live on Saturday 13 September 2025 at Rydal Penrhos School in the Memorial Hall. You’ll need to arrive at 11:00 for rehearsals, with the live performance taking place at 12:30 during the Reunion Lunch. To confirm your participation, use the link below.
Option 2 is to perform virtually. First, complete the Microsoft Form at the link below. Then, record your performance (either video or audio) and send your recording to alumni@rydalpenrhos.com by Monday 2 September 2025. All recordings will be edited together into a single alumni symphony, which will premiere during Founders’ Weekend and be shared with our global alumni community.
Tel: +44 (0)1492 530 155
Fax: +44 (0)1492 531 872
Email: contact@rydalpenrhos.com
© 2024 Rydal Penhros School