HICKIES/READING SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Young Musicians’ Competition 2025

Entries are now invited for the Hickies/RSO Young Musicians’ Competition 2025, which will take place on Sunday 16 March 2025 at Queen Anne’s School, Caversham.

The competition is open to instrumentalists and singers of school age who live or attend school within a 25-mile radius of Reading and who are of a standard equivalent to at least Grade 7 (Associated Board).  The panel of adjudicators will be led by Cathal Garvey, the musical director of the Reading Symphony Orchestra.  The competition winner will receive gift vouchers for Hickies Music Shop in Reading and a trophy, and will, if a suitable standard has been reached, be offered the opportunity to perform as a soloist with the orchestra in its 2025-2026 season.

The closing date for entries is 28 February 2025, but entries before that will be welcomed!     

I have attached an application form, rules of entry and a poster about the competition; if you would like any further information, please email 
Christina Beales, RSO Young Musicians’ Competition Secretary: 
christina@beales.ws

Young Musicians' Competition 2025 information

Entry Form 2025

Competition Rules 2025

100% ATTENDANCE WINNERS

Every term, we love to congratulate students who have achieved 100% attendance! All students who achieved 100% attendance are put into a random prize draw and names are picked to win a £20 gift voucher.

The winners for Term 2 are as follows:

• Year 7 - Alexis H
• Year 8 - Frankie P
• Year 9 - Riley L
• Year 10 - Keisha B
• Year 11 - Owen W
• Year 12 - Pinder S
• Year 13 - Grace K-A

Congratulations to the students above and to all students who consistently achieve 100% attendance!

SMILE PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION
Closes Tuesday 25 February

FREE PIANO TASTER SESSIONS
Year 7 - Year 9

Our piano teacher, Chris Stokes from Berkshire Music Trust, is offering FREE taster sessions.

To register for a taster session, please follow the link below and fill in the form, noting 'FREE TASTER' in the comments box. You will need to select a lesson length to register your interest, but this is only to complete the application: Berkshire Music Trust - Registration

If your child decides that they would like to start piano lessons, then Berkshire Music Trust will be able to communicate directly with you. 

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs Williams (née Roberts), Head of Music: ewilliams@littleheath.org.uk 

No notices this week - please check whole school notices

YEAR 11 LEAVERS YEARBOOK

We have been approached by a number of students who would like to create a Yearbook for this year’s Year 11 cohort. We sent out a survey earlier this week and have had over 100 students respond saying they would like to be included in the book and/or buy a copy. 

The Yearbook would include:

• Head of Year message
• Year 11 Tutor messages
• Question responses from each student participant featured in a short ‘Bio’
• The results of a 'most likely' vote 
• Blank pages for messages from friends and teachers

It would be optional if students would like to be included in it, and also optional if you would like to buy one. Students will only be included if we receive consent from a parent or guardian. The final cost would be dependent on the number of books we buy, but we estimate this to be between £10-£15 per book.

Can we please ask you to complete this short online survey by Sunday 2 March: https://forms.office.com/e/L1RykF7L3X. There is an opportunity to also express any concerns in the survey.