ACADEMIC REVIEW 2024
We’ve had a lovely time, my son’s been looked after, taught well and had a wonderful experience. It’s brilliant to have a result like today and have a future to look forward to.
Parent of A Level student
I appreciate all the support from the staff here at RGS who have helped me get the grades I wanted.
GCSE Student
An RGS education is for life, not just for school days. It’s about more than passing exams; it is about learning. It is about being a good sport, not just being good at sport. It is about understanding not just the price of things, but the value of the many wonders our world offers. With those foundations, we can ask these impressive young people to use the benefits of a great education to make the world a better place.
Shaun Fenton, Headmaster
REMARKABLE GCSE SUCCESS AT RGS
43% at grade 9
3/4 grades at 8 or 9
90% grades 7 - 9 across all subjects
This year’s GCSE results continue the tradition of outstanding achievement at Reigate Grammar School. With 43% of grades at 9, 73% at grades 8-9, and 90% at grades 7-9, our students have once again set new records. These remarkable results reflect not only their academic excellence but also their commitment to a rich and balanced school life. Supported by a diverse curriculum that includes languages such as Mandarin, Latin and German, alongside rigorous Science, Arts, and Humanities courses, these students are well-prepared for the exciting challenges of Sixth Form and beyond.
“These results are a testament to the RGS community – great teachers and staff, supportive families, hardworking students and a group of young people looking after each other, lifting one another up to be their best selves. That is the RGS way.”
Headmaster,
Shaun Fenton
KEY STAGE 4: THREE-YEAR GCSE PROGRAMME
Reigate Grammar School students benefit from a threeyear GCSE programme, a system which has proven results for enhanced academic attainment and increased depth of learning.
RGS students are already working at a level ahead of national expectations and for those students who join us in the First Form (Year 7), RGS helps students to work quickly through the important foundation stage in the first two years. This allows RGS to support students to work at the higher level of GCSE study a year earlier than at most other schools.
The extra time available in the Upper School means that we are able to offer an electives programme. This innovative programme of modular options is a key component of our Upper School curriculum and contains a wide range of studies and life skills that are valuable and form part of a great education. Students in the Third and Fourth Forms will spend a double lesson each week in their chosen elective which rotates every half term.
Students may choose to try something new, such as film studies or stand-up comedy, alternatively they may prefer to develop further an existing interest
Students’ higher level of ability and the support framework provided by the school sees RGS students working at GCSE level from the start of the Third Form (Year 9) rather than waiting until the Fourth Form (Year 10), as in most other schools. Having three years to work at GCSE level means students have three years to do what other schools rush through in just two years. The extra time supports higher attainment and higher GCSE grades that will open up additional opportunities as students apply to top universities. The extended three-year GCSE course also enables RGS students to enjoy significantly greater breadth and depth in their learning.
e.g. website design or photography. The elective courses give students the ability to choose what they learn without the pressure of an examined course. A small number of elective choices offer accreditation for the work undertaken.
Whilst the electives available will vary over time, examples might include a new language started ab initio, an art related elective in clay modelling or special effects prosthetics, a programme of enterprise and entrepreneurship, linguistic challenges, stop frame animation, film appreciation or forensic psychology.
MODEL UNITED NATIONS (MUN)
All students have the opportunity to participate in MUN, which gives a platform to engage further in areas of interest. First to Third Formers join the Junior Committee, where they are mentored by Sixth Formers and staff, and Fourth to Upper Sixth Formers make up the Senior Committee.
MUN allows students to explore a diverse range of issues: from History and Politics, to Geography, Science and Technology. During meetings students simulate United Nations by debating and discussing a number of different issues, allowing them to be exposed to and engage in a worldwide view of relevant events. MUN helps students grasp complex issues from multiple perspectives and promotes consensus building, a key diplomatic skill.
Students attend MUN conferences, where our delegations meet with other students from a variety of schools to try and solve real world issues through the lens of their designated country. They also prepare for, and host, our highly anticipated annual ReiMUN and Junior ReiMUN conferences.
In addition to the academic gains, MUN provides valuable experience for university applications and employment, and serves as a stepping stone towards qualifications like the Extended Project Qualification.
The electives programme also encompasses the RGS Outreach and Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural (SMSC) provision encouraging and enabling students to be involved with and create benefits for the local community. Every student will undertake a rotation of Physical, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHEE) as one of their elective choices. Upper School students will also continue with PE and games lessons each week alongside their academic studies and electives choices.
TSI FRIDAY!
RGS’s popular series of talks Thank Science It’s Friday covers topics as varied as snowflake formation and the blue blooded horseshoe crab. From the physics of auroras to mercury poisoning, eukaryotic cells to the inner workings of personal computers.
Talks are given by students, Reigatians and staff and offer a chance to go beyond the syllabus and take a deeper dive into scientific topics.
TSI Friday talks are open to students in the Fifth and Sixth Forms.
ELECTIVES PROGRAMME
Nathan joined RGS in the Third Form after studying in Hong Kong and quickly adapted to life at RGS. He has shown that making the most of extracurricular opportunities is fully compatible with the commitment and academic finesse required to achieve an outstanding 11 Grade 9s in his GCSEs.
A passionate musician, Nathan has captivated audiences with concerto and diplomalevel repertoire, both at school and beyond. He has won 1st prize at local music festivals, been a lynchpin of RGS String Quartet and has participated in numerous school events. Memorable highlights include choir tours to cathedrals in Cambridge, Ely and St Albans as well as performing in front of the Vietnamese Ambassador to London. Nathan also enjoyed taking part in drama productions such as Oliver and Hansel and Gretel and being involved in Cabaret Night
RUBY D
Ruby joined RGS from Reigate Priory Junior School and has made an outstanding impact both academically and through extracurricular activities. Achieving an impressive 10 Grade 9s in her GCSEs, Ruby’s success reflects her hard work and dedication.
She embraced her passions for music and debate, performing with both the Senior Girls’ Choir and RGS Godfrey Searle Choir in prestigious venues such as Queen Elizabeth Hall and Cadogan Hall. Ruby also thrived in debate club, winning Best Public Speaker twice and delivering a TEDx talk. She contributed to The Castle student magazine and was runner-up in the Bevis-Hillier writing competition. Ruby also volunteered at the Stripey Stork charity, completing her silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
Nathan has embraced other opportunities at RGS, including trips to Iceland and Thorpe Park and completing his Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s awards.
He is excited to continue in the RGS Sixth Form, studying Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Music, and looks forward to pursuing engineering in the future.
Reflecting on his time at RGS, Nathan said:
“I am truly grateful for all the opportunities RGS has given me in the last 3 years, and I look forward to embarking on many more in the Sixth Form.”
Looking ahead, Ruby is excited to study English Literature, Politics, Theology & Philosophy and History in the Sixth Form, with aspirations to pursue English Literature or Politics at university and a career in journalism.
Reflecting on her time at RGS, Ruby said:
“I feel incredibly lucky to have been given the outstanding resources and support supplied by my wonderful teachers. Now, I just feel so excited to continue to grow academically and socially at RGS in the Sixth Form, supported by this amazing community.”
Sarah joined us from Reigate Priory Junior School, earning both an academic and a choral scholarship. Achieving an impressive 9 Grade 9s and a Grade 8 in her GCSEs is a testament to her hard work, particularly in light of her dyslexia diagnosis in Year 10.
She has been an integral member of both the Junior and Senior Girls’ Choirs and has served as a Senior Chorister in the prestigious RGS Godfrey Searle Choir, which led to her performing in some of the UK’s most iconic venues, including St Paul’s Cathedral, Ely Cathedral and King’s College, Cambridge. In Drama, Sarah has performed in a range of productions, taking on leading roles in notable performances, such as Sister Conception in Educating Marmalade, Hope in Anything Goes in Adventures of Beeper. Her dedication to Drama earned her a Drama Scholarship for the Sixth Form.
Sarah has completed the Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze and Silver Awards with plans to pursue Gold. She also dedicates time each week to volunteer at her local church, where she helps organise and lead sessions for the children’s group.
Looking ahead, Sarah is excited to begin her A Level studies in Chemistry, Biology, Maths and Drama, with aspirations of pursuing a career in medicine.
“During the second year of my GCSE studies, I was diagnosed with dyslexia. My dyslexia effected my ability to remember key information and made essay subjects harder, however school has supported me enormously and I have learnt to view my dyslexia as a power and not something that can hold me back.”
NATHAN T
SARAH P
RECORD BREAKING EXAM RESULTS 97% OF GRADES AT A*-B
77% of grades awarded at grade A* or A
97% of grades A* - B
95% of student applicants secured offers from word-class universities
“I could not be prouder of these young people, not just for their results but for the individuals of great value they have become. These young people will shine for much longer than the glow of exam grade success because they truly are people of great substance, of great worth. What they have achieved so far is testament to their amazing teachers and RGS
staff, the supportive families in our community and, of course, to the hard work and nurturing ethos of the student community here at RGS.”
Headmaster, Shaun Fenton
WHY DO WE USE THE MEASURE OF A*-B GRADES?
Our students hold university places where the grade requirements are almost exclusively all A*-B grades. Therefore A*, A and B grades create life chances and secure university places that are aligned with the aspirations of RGS students. It is also the same as national benchmark tables.
Zac joined RGS from our junior school Chinthurst School and is leaving to study Music at University of Durham after an incredible journey here. Zac has been an outstanding member of our community, not only excelling as a musician but also serving as Head of School, where his leadership and passion have inspired students across the school. A talented flautist, Zac’s love for music was nurtured through his involvement in school ensembles, choirs, and performances, as well as his role as a mentor to younger musicians.
Zac’s time at RGS has been filled with memorable experiences, from conducting the school orchestra in a lively performance of The Typewriter, to playing in venues like the Royal Albert Hall, QEH and Symphony Hall.
Zac’s leadership extended into various aspects of school life, from setting up his own chamber ensemble, to contributing to environmental initiatives like reducing single-use plastics as an elected Form Captain on the School Council. We are incredibly proud of everything Zac has accomplished at RGS, and we cannot wait to see the impact he will have at Durham and in the wider world of music.
“I think over the course of the last two years we have been privileged to mix school life with so many different extracurricular opportunities. The opportunity to find like-minded friends has been rewarding for all of us and something we will cherish and take forward into university.”
Jemima joined RGS from St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Dorking and is heading to the University of Bath leaving RGS with outstanding results.
Jemima’s passion for architecture began with Sims 4, where she discovered the joy of designing spaces. At RGS, she pursued this interest by studying GCSE 3D Design. Her A Level results (A*AA) earned her a place at the University of Bath to study Architecture.
Beyond the classroom, Jemima was a key member of the RGS choir, performed solos, and took on leadership roles as House Captain and Senior Prefect. She also completed the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, shaping her resilience and leadership.
“I’d like to thank the DT department; I couldn’t have done it without them! They were so helpful with my project. I’d also like to thank the Music department. I have performed in a lot of concerts which I will really miss. I would say to students joining RGS, take all the extracurricular opportunities you can, because that’s what you will always remember, it is a lot of fun and that’s how you make friends. There are so many different things to do here. I have made lifelong friends through the RGS Music department.”
Congratulations to Connor, who is heading to the University of Bath to study Management with Marketing after achieving a distinction in his BTEC Business Studies at RGS. Connor’s interest in enterprise blossomed into a passion for business throughout the Sixth Form. His studies allowed him to explore key business functions, pitch innovative ideas and even launch his own streetwear microbusiness.
Connor joined RGS from Merstham Primary School with the support of a bursary and quickly became an integral part of the school community. Outside the classroom, Connor’s dedication to making a difference led him to work with the recruitment team for Surrey County Council, where he shared his personal experiences as a foster child. Through this role, he conveyed how his journey from trauma to finding a family for life has shaped his resilience and drive to succeed. As a dedicated athlete, Connor played rugby for nine years, was a key midfielder for the 1st XI football team, and contributed to the sports committee to boost participation in sports and introduce lesser-known sports to the RGS community. Connor’s resilience and leadership shine through in everything he does and we know he will continue to excel at Bath and in his future career.
“Thinking back to his first day...I can now say the whole journey for Connor at RGS has been outstanding. He has succeeded all the way through. I am incredibly proud of him and grateful to the school and RGS Foundation for the opportunities the bursary has given him. His pathway has been set thanks to everything RGS has done for us.” Cindy, Connor’s mum
ZAC S
CONNOR M
JEMIMA C
LEAVERS’ DESTINATIONS AND CAREERS
95% OF STUDENT APPLICANTS SECURED OFFERS FROM RUSSELL GROUP OR TOP 20 UNIVERSITIES
95% of student applicants received offers from Russell Group or top 20 universities
Excellent blue chip degree apprenticeship places
Record number Oxbridge applicants receiving offers
POPULAR UNIVERSITY DESTINATIONS
POPULAR UNIVERSITY COURSES
ECONOMICS
MEDICINE
BUSINESS/MANAGEMENT/MARKETING
ENGINEERING
COMPUTER SCIENCE
GEOGRAPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
MATHS
CHEMISTRY
ENGLISH
ACCOUNTING/FINANCE/BANKING
POLITICS
VET
ARCHITECTURE
CAREERS
Every member of the Fifth Form (and their parents) has a meeting with a senior member of staff to discuss their individual progress, A Level choices, university and career options. Careers and Higher Education profiling is available, including interviews from external experts for our Fifth Form and Sixth Form students.
Careers specific information evenings include: Art and Design, Health, Accounting and Finance, Engineering, Law and Green careers. We also hold a careers convention
and higher education evening and include apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships.
Students from the Second Form upwards are invited to careers talks, academic extension societies and careers evenings, all featuring external experts in their field.
There are careers lessons within the PSHEE programme for every year group, with Fourth Form and Lower Sixth students attending a compulsory careers course with the Head of Careers.
All year groups have access to Unifrog and numerous careers activities.
Careers/UCAS lessons are provided in the Sixth Form, as well as a Q&A with an expert in university admissions. Former students come in to take questions from Lower Sixth Form students about their chosen paths. Dedicated members of staff advise on alternatives to university, applications overseas, interview preparation and Oxbridge applications.
THE GLOBAL REIGATIAN NETWORK
Reigate Grammar School has always been about forging strong bonds, and the RGS Foundation continues to build and develop these connections through the Reigatian Hub, an innovative online platform. Designed to support RGS students in their career choices and foster networking among Reigatians worldwide, the Reigatian Hub offers opportunities for all Reigatians to reconnect, grow professionally, and stay engaged with the RGS community.
THE PROFESSIONALS HUB
Central to the Reigatian Hub is the Professionals Hub, a space dedicated to helping Reigatians navigate their professional journeys with the support of our global community. The Professionals Hub includes:
• Mentor/Mentee Platform: Whether offering guidance as a mentor or seeking advice as a mentee, these connections provide invaluable support through every career stage.
• Work Experience and Jobs Board: Whether entering the workforce or considering a career change, the Professionals Hub platform is a valuable resource to gain experience, share skills and find employment.
• Business Directory: Listing Reigatian-owned businesses across various industries enables those looking to hire, collaborate, or support fellow Reigatians in their professional ventures.
• Resources: The Professionals Hub also shares a variety of professional development materials, to help you stay informed and advance in your career.
Please register for the Reigatian Hub here: foundation@reigategrammar.org
THE COMMUNITY HUB
Beyond professional development, the Reigatian Hub nurtures the personal connections that make the Reigatian community unique. Over time, the Community Hub will offer spaces for Reigatians to connect based on shared
experiences, interests, and passions, from sports and the arts to volunteering and travel. In recognition of our 350th anniversary, an online archive of the school's history will also be accessible here.
OVERSEAS NETWORK
From New York to New Zealand, we have ambassadors around the globe who are happy to be a point of contact, offer advice or even provide job opportunities for recent RGS leavers that are taking a gap year or moving abroad.
Please contact us if you think we may be able to help: foundation@ reigategrammar.org
RGS Foundation events are held all over the world and offer opportunities to network, reconnect, and simply have fun with fellow Reigatians. Always well-attended, these gatherings are not just social events but also chances to create meaningful opportunities. Registering with the Reigatian Hub will enable online booking for events, such as reunions, golf days, sport, music and drama.
Whilst I was at RGS, the RGS Foundation and RGS Professionals were incredibly helpful with initiatives we were running and recently the team helped me find work experience and put me in contact with people who can really help out and make a difference.
Tom Dénecé (Former student)
ACADEMIC MATTERS
A school with a kind heart where happy pupils thrive.
The Headmaster is “a great captain of the ship: an innovator, dynamic, personable, terribly impressive with a constant flow of ideas.”
Tangible happiness in and out of the classroom, exciting lessons, phenomenal extracurricular offerings, and fantastic relationships between students, staff and parents.
The Good Schools Guide delivers a glowing review, highlighting Reigate Grammar School as “a school with a kind heart where happy pupils thrive.” Written by Susannah Cannell, the review captures the school’s warm ethos and dedication to student wellbeing.
Headmaster Shaun Fenton OBE is praised as “a great captain of the ship: an innovator, dynamic, personable, terribly impressive with a constant flow of ideas.” He is admired by students as being “fair and fun,” while parents credit him as the “driving force behind most of the good stuff”.
Here are some key highlights:
• “Academically ambitious but without pressure, happiness is the RGS way. Each student forges their own path.”
• “Students are engaged and happy. Tangible happiness in and out of the classroom, exciting lessons, phenomenal extracurricular offerings, and fantastic relationships between students, staff and parents.”
• “Underpinning everything is the conviction that happy pupils thrive and do well.”
• “Consistent with its general ethos of tolerance and acceptance, inclusivity is in this school’s DNA.”
• “Pastoral care is prioritised and is top notch”. It is “magnificently good.”
• “Parents are proud to be part of the RGS family: “With something this good, it’s important that as many children as possible benefit.”
• “Children flourish at RGS. There is laughter in abundance, intense concentration and focused debate.”
• “The Headmaster is very big on the personal touch, personalised welcome cards for all joiners, birthday cards, and tea invitations for those turning 13.”
• “You can’t have real excellence without diversity of thinking,” reflecting the school’s proactive approach to neurodiversity.”
• “Highly competitive, serious sport is there for many, but fully inclusive sport engagement is there for all.”
• “Relationships, not rules, dominate the behaviour code, illustrating the school’s emphasis on community and mutual respect.”
BEYOND THE GRADES WELLBEING
PRIVATE EDUCATION AWARDS
WINNER - Most Nurturing School
The Private Education Awards is a distinguished awards programme that celebrates the best of the best in the private education sector, aimed to recognise the outstanding institutions and educators.
TALK EDUCATION AWARDS
FINALIST - Community Engagement and Charity Fundraising
Talk Education awards are designed to celebrate the schools who are changing the face of independent education by forging ahead with new, revolutionary ideas. The Community Engagement and Charity Fundraising category is for a school that has found a new way to open its doors to the wider community, or pioneered a new approach to raise money for charities at home or overseas.
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2024
FINALIST - Contribution to Social Mobility
These Awards celebrate the life-affirming, life-enhancing benefits which an independent education delivers to its students, and to highlight the enormous contribution schools make to the wider community.
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS PARENT AWARDS
FINALIST - Contribution to Social Mobility 2023
These highly-regarded awards recognise and celebrate the amazing experiences and opportunities for students in independent schools across the UK.
SCHOOL HOUSE MAGAZINE AWARDS
FINALIST - Pastoral Care
The School House Magazine celebrates the less tangible benefits that independent schools are developing and recognises those who have gone beyond the standard and focused on the most important one of all: happiness.
MUDDY STILETTO’S BEST SCHOOLS AWARDS
FINALIST - Best Learning Support
The Muddy Stilettos School Awards celebrate the best in education across the UK. These awards highlight outstanding schools in both the independent and state sectors.
Reigate Grammar is the sort of school that will pause lessons for snowman-building and install a fairground in the summer term to ease exam-season anxieties.
wellbeing
noun: the state of feeling healthy and happy.
Reigate Grammar School’s groundbreaking Wellbeing Programme was recognised as the best in the country by the Times Education Supplement (TES) Independent School Awards.
The judges were impressed by RGS’s whole-school approach to wellbeing for staff and students, based upon a belief that happy and healthy children go on to become high achievers.
The school’s focus on relationships rather than rules enables RGS students to achieve far beyond expectations while exploring and understanding their own physical and mental health and wellbeing during their years at the school.
RGS wants every student to have an emotional toolkit to help them take on the challenges and opportunities of the modern world.
Each student has a personalised support network of form tutors, mentors and buddies. There is a Wellbeing Centre where students can take time out, Mindfulness forms part of the curriculum, and a dedicated wellbeing festival features external speakers, exercise and nutrition advice and volunteering and fundraising activities.
“Wellbeing is at the core of everything we do at Reigate Grammar School. Children need to feel valued and understood, secure amongst friends and looked after by adults.”
Shaun Fenton , Headmaster
Reigate Grammar School, Reigate Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 0QS 01737 222231 admissions@reigategrammar.org reigategrammar.org