The Pilgrim Review Spring Summer Edition 2023

REVIEW THE PILGRIM

SPRING

SCHOOL OF THE YEAR

FIVE YEARS RUNNING TOP CO-EDUCATIONAL INDEPENDENT DAY SCHOOL IN THE SOUTH-EAST

NEW HEALTH AND WELLBEING HUB OPENS

MESSAGE FROM HEADS OF SCHOOL

FROM THE HEAD GIRL AND HEAD BOY

Happy New Year! I hope that you have all had a restful break.

Who do you want to be in 2023?

Many of us may have set goals and wishes this new year which are centred around grades and school and work. However, I would like to urge all of you to take a step back and think about what you truly want, outside of academic success. Don’t let the illusion of happiness just because of good grades or success hide or diminish what you actually want and can achieve.

What else can you take the time to enjoy?

Maybe you joined a new club last year and really loved it, so you choose to carry it on this year. Or maybe you finally pick up that instrument you’ve wanted to learn forever. Or perhaps you’re simply aiming to say thank you more. To your teachers, your parents, anyone in your community; but more importantly, I want you all to take a moment to thank yourself. Allow yourself some time to relax without feeling guilty or that you should be doing something else. While we always want to be kind to those around us, I hope you will be kind to yourself too, and maybe rediscovering a lost hobby or taking up a new one is exactly what you need to make yourself the best version of you.

I hope you all know that, whether it is with the knitting needles you told yourself you will master this year, or in academics, your talents will get recognised and your hard work will pay off.

So, who do you want to be in 2023?

An A* student? A master knitter? A kinder person – to others, but more importantly, to yourself?

I look forward to hearing all about the talents you choose to take up this year. Have a wonderful 2023! All the best,

Neyha Kamaluddin Head Girl

We have pushed ourselves to new heights and seen amazing achievements across the school. At the start of 2023 I hope we all continue to look for new opportunities. I thought this would be a good moment to let you know what Neyha and myself have been looking at so far.

Over the past couple of months, we have made a new connection with the student leadership team in RGS Vietnam to forge a relationship between the student bodies. We hope this will be the start of a lasting collaboration between our schools in the future. Together we have together made some exciting plans for the year ahead.

The opportunity to expand our community internationally has been a real focus of our contribution in many areas. We hope that the integration of student bodies across the two schools will be a great first step towards working globally and realizing that there are no boundaries to our opportunities. With efforts being seen all across the school this year to support those who are not close to home, our decision to focus on this was driven by the confidence in knowing that RGS plays a valuable and recognized part in our local community, closer to home.

Our involvement in the Earthshot initiative has also been an exciting success, with the Swishing event and the second lecture in the Earthshot series about “Ocean Plastic” highlighting the high standards of sustainability we are striving to achieve here at RGS. The continued support around this initiative is inspiring and we are feeling confident Earthshot in many forms will remain as a part of our school life for years to come.

We know how fortunate we are to be part of the RGS school community - especially for us, as we only have a few months here now - the importance of continuing to establish and expand our community is feeling even more important.

We are looking forward to the rest of this year!

James Cameron Head Boy

AS WE STAND AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE PRIDE WE CAN ALL HAVE IN THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WE HAVE ACHIEVED SO FAR.

Reigatians delight and amaze me.

I love the way that this Pilgrim Review captures a sense of fun and excitement but also good purpose. That is The Reigate Way. Contributing nearly 15,000 hours of volunteering across our staff and student body every year, it is super to see a generosity of spirit and commitment to making the world a better place that drives the school community. Competing in thousands of sports fixtures across dozens of sports, Reigatians managed to maintain the values of being good sports not just good at sport: they celebrate winning but not at all costs. The vision for sport laid out for Reigate Grammar School prioritises forming good people through sports. That encapsulates our vision and our purposes across all areas of school life from professional-standard performances to moving pieces of fine art and from sophisticated debates to adventurous activities. Our staff and students have been awarded a School of the Year accolade in a range of areas of school life every year since 2018. That is truly remarkable. This academic year it has been an honour to receive the School of the Year award for our engagement with the community, for the way our students work with those beyond RGS preparing themselves for life after school and helping to make a difference in the community. However, all of those awards put together are not as important as the daily

HEADMASTER’S WELCOME

experience of each child in our care as they learn more about themselves and learn more about the world. When independent and professional judges hold our provision in such high regard, I hope that all members of the Reigatian community can feel affirmed in our determined efforts to get things right for each child.

Behind the awards and headlines, our priorities continue to be the pastoral care of our children – keeping students safe in real life and online, looking after their wellbeing, preparing them for careers and life beyond school and with a big emphasis on embracing inclusion and diversity in our school.

I hope you enjoy this Pilgrim Review. It captures that RGS is part of the global village, it captures the sense of fun and opportunity that is typical of a Reigatian day. Most of all it underlines our commitment that there is so much more to a great education. We are lucky to have such amazing adults and childrenReigatians delight and amaze me.

Shaun Fenton Headmaster @rgsheadmaster

FROM THE HEADMASTER

I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS PILGRIM REVIEW. IT CAPTURES THAT RGS IS PART OF THE GLOBAL VILLAGE, IT CAPTURES THE SENSE OF FUN AND OPPORTUNITY THAT IS TYPICAL OF A REIGATIAN DAY. MOST OF ALL IT UNDERLINES OUR COMMITMENT THAT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO A GREAT EDUCATION.

SCHOOL OF THE YEAR

We are delighted to have been named School of the Year once again for 2022-2023. RGS has won the award for exceptional work in the local community led by Assistant Head, Mrs Caroline Lawson. The judging panel from Education Today celebrated the work we do which makes a difference every day in our local community through our outreach programmes, inclusivity and diversity programmes, extra-curricular activities, and charity work. Caroline Lawson, Assistant Head and Director of Community Partnerships, said:

“It is a real thrill that the school has been recognised for its achievements in community engagement. At Reigate Grammar School, we take an outward-facing view locally, nationally and globally - we strive to be part of the wider community, wherever that might be. It is part of our DNA to have a moral purpose in everything we do. Students do thousands of hours of volunteer work every year, and the whole school body - parents, staff and governors - contributes to our efforts.”

TOP CO-EDUCATIONAL DAY SCHOOL IN THE SOUTH-EAST

RGS once again featured as one of the top three co-educational independent day schools in the country - and top in the South-East - in the Sunday Times annual Parent Power Schools Guide supplement for 2023. For nine years in a row, Reigate Grammar School has been the highest achieving co-educational day school in Surrey for academic achievement. Headmaster Shaun Fenton said,

“League tables only measure half of what makes a great education, RGS students grow personally, enjoy their childhood and secure fine qualities of character – not measured on any league table! Nonetheless, I hope the staff and students are pleased to receive this huge affirmation of their dedication and hard work."

A project run by Third Form students in conjunction with Surrey Wildlife saw a pop-up stall selling Christmas cards, bakes and crafts in the Harrison Centre fundraising for RGS Wilder. £213 was raised. The elective RGS Wilder works in partnership with Surrey Wildlife and participants are committed to taking action for nature at school. The money raised will help us to create a new wildlife area on site with raised beds for pollinator plants, bucket ponds and a bird hide so watch this space in 2023. Thank you to all the elective students who helped to create and make the produce for sale, and to all the students and teachers who came to the stall.

Have you always wanted to try Gospel singing?

The London Community Gospel Choir (LCGC) visited RGS in November and the entire First Form had fun joining in a singing workshop. Driven by the altruistic vision

of peace, love and unity, LCGC came together in 1982 to spread their message through music. Pioneering the sound of British Gospel Music, they soon rose to fame, and went on to become Europe’s leading Gospel band and one of the most in demand choirs across the globe. LCGC has performed at many UK prestigious events. We were delighted to welcome them to the Music Department at RGS for a different type of musical experience to remember!

Activities Day

We look forward to welcoming back Onatti Theatre Company in the spring term with both Spanish and German plays. These live theatre shows are written to complement students' foreign language learning. The carefully constructed dialogue is woven into visually entertaining stories and is a wonderful way to engage students and enhance their learning.

On Monday 7 November, First to Fifth Form French students were invited to watch a play performed by the Onatti Theatre Company, called La Maison Hantée. The play is set in a creepy haunted house in the woods in which two friends take shelter from the rain. But soon, some strange things start to happen! To begin with, the play was rather eerie and scary, yet as it progressed, it was clear that there was quite a lot of comedy within it as well.

The play was clearly set out, so that it could be understood, and it helped to reinforce our French vocabulary, while also

enabling us to learn new words that we would not necessarily have come across in our normal lesson time.

The fact it was interactive and funny made it enjoyable and interesting to watch. The actors regularly broke out of character when things went wrong, turning this seemingly frightening play into an hilarious farce. Orla M

HEADMASTER IN THE NEWS!

RGS Activities Day takes place every year in the autumn term and there are a range of activities with something for everyone. Every student in the school took part in an activity on Friday 7 October 2022, ranging from Bushcraft and Go Ape to visiting museums and flying planes. The First Form went off on an exciting two-day residential to Cuffley Camp where they took part in bushcraft activities and camped overnight. The Second Form had a fun-filled day on the high ropes at Go Ape whilst the Third Form took part in a range of outdoor activities including archery and team building at Walton Firs. Fourth Form students were out doing their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh qualifying hikes and the Fifth Form had an Enterprise Day, designing a festival to take place at Hartswood. Read more about the Fifth Form festival challenge on Page 38.

Our Lower Sixth Form students enjoyed various departmental trips (mostly in London) including a tour of Harlequins RFU training facilities, the V&A Museum, and a Westminster walking tour. The Upper Sixth Form worked on their important UCAS applications in the Harrison Centre. Students across all year groups who are in the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) were flying at Redhill Aerodrome (RAF), sailing at Aqua Sports (Navy) or taking part in a range of woodland experiences at Tangier Wood in Kent (Army). Watch the video at http://rgs.to/activitiesday to get a glimpse of highlights from the range of exciting activities students enjoyed as they settled into the academic year.

LCGC Workshop

Onatti Theatre Co.

On Friday 11 November the whole school community stood in respect for our annual Remembrance Service honouring those who have given so much. Students and staff were joined in the playground by 15 former students for the service led by Reverend Phil Jackson. We were honoured to have Flight Lieutenant James Harris (RGS 19781984) read the Act of Remembrance and lay a wreath in the Memorial Garden. The bugle call of The Last Post conducted by students from CCF Corps, signalled the two-minute silence.

We were proud of the RGS CCF cadets who represented the school at the annual Reigate & Banstead Remembrance service at Shaws Corner, Redhill on Sunday 13 November 2022.

“At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.”

RGS REMEMBRANCE DAY 2022

WORKS OF ART

The First Form focused on the artist Michael Craig-Martin’s use of colour and line in the autumn term. They developed drawing skills and experimented with printmaking creating a variety of colourful compositions inspired by the artist’s work.

ART

BEACHCOMBER

Examples of Second Form work based on natural form, found on the beach. Using watercolour, gouache, black ink, white paint pen, faux gold leaf and collage.

SECOND FORM

The Second Form focused on the architectural designs of Antonio Gaudi for their art project last term. They created mixed media drawings of Gaudi’s towers and recorded their observations of natural forms producing these colourful wax resist paintings of seashells.

ART

Byron W

Rohan E

Sheha

WORKS OF ART

Jacob L

Maebh G

Charlotte G

Meli G

Daisy A

During last term we introduced the Third Form students to light sensitive paper. They used a contact method to create lumen prints and cyanotype and they looked at an early form of photography using pinhole cameras made from biscuit tins.

Luka B

Pinhole

Finley B Cyanotpe

Maddy M Cyanotype

Monty R Lumen Print

Maddy M Pinhole

PUBLIC SPEAKING

REIMUN 26

Students from twenty other UK schools, both state and independent, ensured a diverse range of backgrounds and ideas. As ever, the event focussed on collaboration, support and sharing: “Be the catalyst”, this year’s theme, was expounded by our Secretary General Maame O, who linked the idea of chemical change with social change for her own recipe of international cooperation and mutual respect.

Younger students from schools such as Bishop Thomas Grant in London were enthralled by the atmosphere. “I love bringing my younger delegates to this conference,” said Miss Gray, MUN Advisor, “as their ideas will always be well received and it is a wonderful experience for them.”

RGS was allocated the United Kingdom and Afghanistan –clearly, two vastly different regimes! Students had to spend time researching political policies on topics such as the illegal drug trade, mandatory vaccination, and international laws on punitive justice.

Led by Secretaries General, Maame O and Azsvin M, the secretariat was comprised of Presidents of the Assembly Luca W and Phil B, as well as student chairs: Rohan S, Demi M, Josh G, Juan M, Gautam C, Jake B, Aadi C, Roman T-L, Iris M, Nijay S, Amelia S, Iman Y, Olivia M and Austin B.

Impressively managing the chairs and admin assistants was Krish P supported by Joe F and Ayush S, as Head and Assistant Head of Admin.

Student admins who kindly gave up their time for the day were: Robert G, Ella S, Mollie F, Esther F, Anjuna S, Oscar H, Julia P and Eliot D-G. We were also delighted with the energetic debate from our two delegations. The UK, represented by Piers C, Hannah S, Ruth C, Krishna K, Arun L, Cara C and Max K; and our Afghanistan delegation Dominic T, Elenor A-W, Hector G, Lauren B and Alex K.

A huge debt of gratitude is owed to Iris M and Georgia R for writing and delivering our keynote address: the first time RGS students have done this. They truly represent the voices of the next leading generation. Further thanks to Thomas J who masterminded the spreadsheet and all things technical as our Head of Special Operations, as well as Ms Fullalove, Mr Li, Miss Byrne and Ms Anderson.

“MUN is a great training ground for law and politics at university,” said Maame O. “I came to this school to do MUN and it has been brilliant.”

Maame O

‘October saw the largest take up in places at our annual ReiMUN Conference for five years! With over 350 students in attendance, the day was full of fun and fruitful debate on a myriad of topical, complex international issues.’

Ms Fullalove, MUN Director.

DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S GOLD AWARD

The Gold Expedition students traversed the Cambrian Mountains over four days in August between Llanidloes and Borth. They thrived in the hot weather and ascended the 752m Plynlimon peak where they enjoyed breath-taking views of the picturesque landscape. In total, they walked over 75km to finish at the beautiful Welsh coast. During the expedition, students were able to implement the camp and navigation skills they have gained through their DofE journey, allowing them to manage their way through the remote terrain. Afterwards, they gave presentations in which they addressed the successes of their expedition and how

they achieved their expedition aim, which varied from investigating biodiversity to re-enacting scenes from superhero films.

All groups were highly successful in completing the expedition. The group organisers were delighted to have given students the opportunity to push themselves and encourage perseverance, resilience, and teamwork.

Everyone involved with DofE is especially grateful to the work of Mr Collins, whose dedication and enthusiasm toward the programme will be dearly missed. We wish him the best in retirement.

ROHAAN S AND JAKE B

‘I could not have completed my Bronze if it wasn’t for my two Upper Sixth Form award leaders - I remember seeing a Trangia and thinking it was a weird machine thing for distilling water! Because of this, I decided to be an award leader for the volunteering section in my Gold experience, and what an experience it has been. My group was entertaining to say the least, but I enjoyed watching them use their common sense and knowledge to overcome all the obstacles Bronze DofE raises. Walking with them on their first expedition was truly hilarious and I do hope they go on to do Silver. My advice for future Award Leaders is to have fun with their group! Get to know them and enjoy their company because they will respect you more (and of course, teach them that a Trangia is an outdoor stove for cooking!)’

EMMA B, GOLD AWARD LEADER 2021-22

DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S SILVER & BRONZE AWARDS

BRONZE & SILVER EXPEDITIONS

155 students embarked on their Bronze expeditions in early May in ideal hiking weather. Groups had numerous different routes which took them across the Surrey countryside around Reigate on a 30km hike over two days. The groups performed navigation skills very well indeed during the day and their camp skills were excellent, leaving no trace of their overnight stay.

On the first day each Bronze group was accompanied by an RGS student who was a Gold Award Leader who were there to train groups in navigation and expedition skills.

The following weekend was the Silver qualifying hike for our Fifth Form students. This time they were hiking a length of the South Downs Way, all the way from Lewes Station to Arundel Station. Groups showed superb resilience on this hike with torrential rain making the last night of camping quite a challenge. The students made incredible time on the hike with many reaching camp with plenty of time to relax, plan for the next day and enjoy a delicious meal of (mostly) pasta!

Alongside the expeditions, all DofE participants complete many months of volunteering, learning new skills, and sport activities. Volunteering at RSM has been extremely popular with our Bronze students, with many helping younger children with activities such as chess, football, gardening, Lego and cricket (to name a few!).

Our December conservation volunteering activity was a success enabling many students to finish their volunteering activity for Bronze. The day was a cold and snowy one, but everyone gave

it their all, chopping down laurel hedges to improve the natural local environment at Redhill Common. In the last year, RGS students have dedicated an incredible total of 6435 volunteering hours to the local community in all their forms of volunteering! An incredible contribution!

Congratulations to all DofE students on all your activities and achievements this year.

COMBINED CADET FORCE

The story of the Royal Hospital Chelsea begins over 300 years ago during the reign of King Charles II, whose vision for a home for veteran soldiers was brought to life by Sir Christopher Wren.

In 1681 King Charles II issued a Royal Warrant authorising the building of the Royal Hospital Chelsea to care for those 'broken by age or war'. Situated adjacent to the River Thames in the countryside of Chelsea, Sir Christopher Wren was commissioned to design and erect the building. The residents of the Royal Hospital, known the world over as Chelsea Pensioners, have all served as soldiers in the Armed Forces at some point in their lives, and now, in their later years, find a warm welcome amidst their fellow veterans. The RGS Cadets paid them a visit in October.

We arrived at Royal Chelsea Hospital and were greeted by one of the Chelsea Pensioners. We had a whistle stop tour around the grounds which the cadets found very interesting, especially learning about the history of the hospital. We first saw the 7.5 foot tall statue of King Charles II, originally cast in brass and later gilded in bronze. The cadets had a tour of the Wren Chapel and admired the mural on the ceiling, followed by a tour of The Great Hall where the pensioners eat their meals. After finishing the tour, we all got changed into our barrack dress and red tunics and performed a sequence for the Chelsea Pensioners. Overall, it was an amazing day out where the Corps of Drums cadets learnt about the history of the Royal Chelsea Hospital and got a chance to perform our rehearsed repertoire for a military audience. Cadets especially liked learning about King Charles II’s statue in the court and loved experiencing the hospital’s chapel. Being able to play in such a historic place was a fabulous experience for cadets of all ages. The whole corps would like to say thank you to the Chelsea Pensioners for inviting us to perform for them and letting us look around the grounds. Hannah S

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

The clocks shown here are the practical outcomes of one of two projects in the Second Form D&T curriculum.

Students learnt about the evolution of design since the Victorian era, looking at the forms, colours, and materials in a range

of design movements, and use their findings to inspire and influence their own design work. Their ideas are first sketched and then modelled in materials such as paper, card, and EVA foam. The chosen designs are scanned and then reproduced and manipulated using 2D CAD software, and the parts are made from a range of materials using our laser cutters.

Designing and creating a lamp is a practical task in the Third Form curriculum which helps students to embed GCSE-level skills and knowledge such as 3D CAD, computer-aided manufacturing, electronics and making skills.

The students make most of the parts from drawings which are provided, however the lampshades are all unique due to the use of 3D printing. 3D printing allows us to manufacture shapes which would be impossible to produce by any other means. The materials used are PLA or UV-cured liquid resin and we can use a variety of colours, including translucent. PLA is popular for 3D printing as it can be produced from sustainable resources and

composted or recycled at end-of-life. The light is produced by low-power LEDs which switch off automatically due to clever electronics.

Watch out for the RGS Summer Exhibition at which we will reveal some impressive work from students in the upper school.

Clocks by Second Form class 2GFB

Lamps by Fourth Form Jay W, Luca S, Aime M, Chloe M, & John F

In October, the Lower Sixth Form Psychology cohort took a trip to the Royal Courts of Justice and The Old Bailey in central London.

We were met by our fantastic guide, Tim Wood, who gave us an incredible insight into the goings on at the Royal Courts of Justice as he used to be a reporter based there. The students were fortunate enough to hear about the architecture of the building itself, including fun facts such as the ‘unfinished column’ as the architect was devoutly religious and believed that only God has the right to create anything perfect. Tim also explained some of the historic cases that the Royal Courts has dealt with such as the land discrepancies following the Great Fire of London and the more recent Coleen Rooney “Wagatha Christie” trial!

We were taken around the building and spied some ongoing trials in courtrooms we passed. Finally, we were shown the Bear Garden with all the original furniture intact and told that the smooth, spherical shapes on the ends of the seats were originally

pineapples, but that it has become superstition within the courts to touch them for luck. We all touched them and kept our fingers crossed for the Psychology A Level 2024!

At the end of the tour, we separated for lunch and met up again at The Old Bailey to sit in on some real-life trials. We heard closing arguments in a murder trial and saw how the lawyers appealed to the jury by using evidence from the case to urge them to reach a verdict. For psychologists, this was a great opportunity to see some of the many career paths that Psychology can lead to, as well as how eye-witness testimony is used in criminal law, which is a module that the Lower Sixth Form has studied. Overall, it was an incredibly exciting and educational trip, enjoyed by both the students and staff.

Fran Lee, Psychology Department

On Thursday 8 December Business Studies students from the Lower Sixth Form had a fantastic day at the Museum of Brands in Notting Hill, West London.

The Museum of Brands uncovers the evolution of brands, from the from the 1930s to the present. It possesses over 15,000 products on multiple displays demonstrating the changes in product design and packaging over the years. Students were able to recognise key changes in branding to reflect social changes and apply the marketing knowledge they obtained in business lessons, to a customer profiling workshop. In the workshop students acted in the role of marketing manager, providing customer profiles for given brands. Students were asked to identify the target market of brands including Ecover, Mr Muscle, and Tofoo.

The Upper Sixth Form went on a trip to London to further their understanding of the UK’s finance and banking sector.

It was a wonderful experience, and the students were an asset to the school, approaching all the activities with enthusiasm and intellectual curiosity.

We started the trip with a walking tour of London’s financial district, with fascinating insights into how the original banks started on benches in the street and the progression of the insurance market from coffee shops on the quays to Lloyds of London.

We also visited the Bank of England Museum, where we cracked codes, completed quizzes and ‘steered the ship’ of the UK economy, to further explore the role of the central bank in controlling interest rates, regulating the financial sector, and keeping the UK’s financial system stable.

“The whole experience really bonded the class together. We were able to apply the theory explored in lesson to brands we engage with. It was nice to see the class come together outside of the school environment and to make memories together”

Edward D, Lower Sixth Form

Did you know that the term bankrupt comes from the Italian for ‘broken bench,’ because those original bankers who failed had their benches smashed?

It has been a particularly fascinating year to study this area of the macroeconomics course and we look forward to taking future years on this fantastic trip!

Alexandra Ryzak-McGhee

TREASURE

It was all swash and buckle in the Concert Hall in December as the Christmas Drama production of Treasure Island played to sell-out crowds.

The company was led by Emma B as Jim Hawkins, Liberty T as Long John Silver and Annie J as Grandma, in their final performances after seven years of appearing on the RGS stage. Other stand-out performances came from Billy R, Caitlyn F, Emma T, Alex C, Harry H, Julia P, leading a fabulous ensemble cast, as well as Eva P debuting as Deputy Stage Manager. A particular highlight was a rapt audience of local year 5 and year 6 pupils, who cheered for every sword fight and cowered at the pirates.

ISLAND

On the surface, the characters are seeking gold – wealth beyond any of their wildest dreams. But each has their own reason for the journey. For the Squire, it is status and acclaim – he already has gold enough but now he’ll be an admiral. For Long John, it is reputation and legacy – she will have bested her old master and tormentor and will go down in legend. For the doctor – the wisest and most rational member of the team, a chance to prove that women can be just as useful as men in difficult situations. And finally for Jim – initially the adventure itself is enough. A chance to leave her hum-drum life and sail the seas with pirates is all she ever dreamed of. But when confronted with moral choices, double-dealing and temptation, she has to decide which treasure means more – the physical gold or the friendship, loyalty and family she would be leaving behind.

This adaptation also puts women at the centre of the narrative in a way the original story doesn’t, and we took that even further in our production. Robert Louis Stevenson went as far as to say that the story was ‘for boys only’, and the only woman in the original book is Jim’s mother, who ruins everything by fainting. We don’t think that’s appropriate for a story that we want all ages to see and enjoy. History suggests that female pirates were more common than film and television would have us believe, and we have loved exploring how our perceptions of sailors, pirates, fighters and mercenaries are tied up in gender stereotypes and can be exploded without much effort at all. As usual, we took our lead here from A Muppet Treasure Island, where Miss Piggy blazed a trail as Benjamina Gunn!

It was an unalloyed pleasure to work with this group of shipmates on this show, and to create a space for their creativity as we explored the play, its themes and how to walk the thin line between fairy story, horror film and moments of awe and wonder.”

Hugh Edwards, Director

“Treasure Island is a fascinating story for me, because it explores several thematic ideas through the lens of a traditional adventure story.

DRAMA

KIEREN A Second Form

How and when did you first get into acting?

I got into acting when I was five years old through LAMDA. My teacher is a great inspiration to me as I wouldn’t be doing what I love to do without her help over the years.

She has helped me so much and we are currently working towards grade 6 for LAMDA.

This summer I was chosen to appear on BBC’s CBBC Saturday Mash-Up! where I had to compete against another student answering questions. It involved getting pied in the face with shaving foam ‘pies’ but I won so it was worth it in the end!

I recently auditioned for a BBC series called “The Sixth Commandment” for a small part and after being selected I am looking forward to the filming at the end of August.

One of the best experiences I have had was this summer when I was one of two presenters who compèred for my acting agency’s annual monologue slam competition at a West End theatre. I was quite nervous talking to hundreds of people, but the feeling was incredible.

In the future I would love to act in a blockbuster movie alongside some famous actors.

When I’m not acting, I love hanging out with my friends and playing cricket. To balance acting and academic work I have a schedule to help me enjoy both with enough time to succeed in them.

Finally I’d say the best school lunch in my opinion is nachos, guacamole, salsa and sour cream.

STUDENT FOCUS

COMING SOON TO RGS DRAMA

MARMALADE ATKINS

Marmalade lives the life that most children dream about: little to no parental supervision, magical pets which take her on adventures and, best of all, she does whatever she wants, whenever she wants! But, Marmalade Atkins is the worst girl in the world. Her parents are at their wits end! Should they send Marmalade to the all boys’ school? Should they send Marmalade to a convent? Or just send her off into space? Is the world ready for Marmalade’s dreadful deeds? The cast is underway with rehearsals for the show on 8-11 March 2023.

CALL MY AGENT

An exciting opportunity to showcase your talent in front of a panel of judges, including a casting agent! Win a place or apply to perform at this showcase of RGS talent on 23 March 2023.

DARE TO BE DIFFERENT

A devised production celebrating the lives and stories of those who have pushed the boundaries and refused to conform, and who have changed the world as we know it. Featuring the entire First Form and performed at the Harlequin Theatre on 23 May 2023.

MAGIC WALNUT

Terry is terrified...of everything...especially flying...which isn’t great if you are a swan. Being afraid of the one thing that you really are meant to be able to do is a bit of a downer. Terry’s past holds the key to his predicament, but will he be able to overcome his Terrifying Phobia? or ‘Terryflying-phobia’? (thank you) and make the flight on migration day, or will he be left behind? The Second and Third Form will perform at The Leatherhead Theatre on 21-23 June 2023.

HOUSE NEWS

RUN REIGATE

The RGS House teams kicked off the year by volunteering at the Run Reigate water stands. Each House spent the morning providing the runners with much needed refreshment and did a brilliant job of cheering them on and helping them complete those gruelling miles.

BIRD WIN HOUSE SINGING COMPETITION WITH AN 80’S CLASSIC!

It was wonderful to be able to get the whole school together for the annual House singing competition. Each House performed a small group a cappella harmony and a whole House unison song. The Upper Sixth Form House Captains had worked incredibly hard, along with their staff Heads of House, to prepare their Houses and the results were fantastic! The atmosphere was vibrant with the whole school singing together and celebrating each other’s successes. Huge congratulations to Bird who secured the overall winning position with a brilliant rendition of Rick

Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up and Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics.

ESPORTS

Students from every year group took part in the third annual House eSports event played over the course of a week in October. As last year, we played Mario Kart and all the players showed off their incredible talents with some close races that often came down to the last corner. Thank you to Mr Saunders for running the event and well done to all the racers and their very noisy supporters!

JUNIOR BAKE OFF

Following the theme of The King’s Coronation there were some delicious creations baked and decorated in under one hour! We had a real variety of bakes, from giant scones to individual cupcakes topped with crown biscuits! Well done to everyone involved and thank you to Mrs Bader, Mr McShane and Mrs Thomas for running it for us. Williamson took first place, followed by Hodgson, Bird and Cranston.

CHRISTMAS TREES DECORATED WITH ANTIBULLYING BAUBLES

A highlight of the non-competitive House events is decorating Christmas trees around the school. It is a fantastic way for the teams to come together and get into the festive spirit (with some Christmas songs playing in the background!) Each House brought their individual style to the event. This year some of our decorations were made by students in their House families where each family came up with an antibullying pledge that embraced the RGS ethos. Students pledged to be inclusive, to spread kind words and positivity, and most importantly stand up to any behaviour that is not expected from RGS students. This was a wonderful end to anti-bullying week with a festive twist!

SENIOR DEBATING

The first round of senior House debating kicked off on Wednesday 30 November in the Old Library. All Houses were well-placed for victory as

WINTER SPORTS

teams comprised seasoned speakers well versed in this age-old art of “verbal rugby”. As usual, the debate was topical with “This house would not support participation in sporting events which take place in countries deemed discriminatory or anti-democratic.”

The two tables saw Bird versus Williamson, whilst Cranston fought Hodgson. Both sides were fiercely contested, a real credit to the effort in training teams by the student-led RGS Debating Society. Results for the first round: Bird and Cranston took the table on their debates. The eagerly awaited Round 2 takes place next term.

Our talented young writers have been busy creating reviews, opinion pieces, recipes, and more for the fourth edition of the student magazine The Castle. There is something for everyone in the magazine, as topics range from feminism to the launch of Artemis I.

“As we usher in a new year, we leave behind one that has been filled with uncertainty and change. The magazine is an opportunity to keep up to date with current events, reminding us that we all have a voice. Articles focusing on mental and physical health are especially valuable as we navigate an often unpredictable world. Well done to all the new students for settling so quickly into school life!”

From the Sixth Form editing team – Sofia L, Iris M, Amelia S, Demi M, Kanika K, Georgia R and Cristiana H.

MASTERCLASS

The First and Second Form Enterprise Club has busy this term. Businesses being developed include meme merchandise, resin accessories and pancake making packs. Some groups took their businesses to the Children’s Business Fairs in Orpington, Guildford, and Farnham.

Sam Rogerson, Founder of Children's Business Fair delivered an enterprise masterclass to interested First Form. He spoke about what makes an entrepreneur, how to maximise profits and the importance of research. A lively discussion was had about what makes a good product and through reviewing examples we concluded that they stem from an entrepreneurs' passion and skill, and from meeting needs and solving problems. Entrepreneurship is not just about starting a new business, it is about displaying the skills of grit, determination, problem solving and resilience; skills which our Enterprise clubs are developing as they build business plans for their products which they hope to sell at the next fair. The key message for success: Work hard, have fun and never, ever give up!

‘In enterprise club, three of us formed a company called ‘Wonderful Woodland’. Enthusiastically, we designed and made handmade cards and wooden keyrings, to sell at the Children’s Business Fair in Guildford. On the day of the fair, after setting up our stall, customers started to arrive and buy our products. We kept a record of our sales and costs and learnt how to interact with our customers. Lots of fun was had, and we even gave our first interview! Overall, we made a small profit and decided to donate 10% to the Woodland Trust. But most importantly we learned how to run our own business.’

Rachel B, Sophie L, Sophie P

WONDERFUL WOODLAND

JAUNE & CO. JEWELLERY - ARCHIE M, IMOGEN D, LORDIA O, ELOISE C

MASTERCLASS CHOCO-STIX - HRITHIK R

THIRD FORM ENTERPRISE CLUB

The Third Form has been working hard generating fantastic ideas including magnetic bookmarks, charity raffles and a plan for a Lower School disco. We are extremely excited to see how students develop these ideas next term and start to implement their marketing plans to stimulate demand. They are also aiming to take part in the Young Enterprise 10x business challenge

FOURTH FORM ENTERPRISE ELECTIVE

In the Fourth Form enterprise elective, students have been focusing on developing businesses with a purpose.

Students begin by considering what they think their futures will look like, compared to what they want them to look like. They then use this and research on consumer trends to inform the development of a business idea focused on solving an identified issue that could affect our futures. The aim is to be part of the change through developing innovative, customer focused, purpose driven businesses. Ideas have included sustainably grown tomatoes, gyms with focused nutrition and exercise advice and safety products for women.

FIFTH FORM FESTIVAL CHALLENGE

Fifth Form students took part in an enterprise challenge day where they were

set the task of planning a one-day festival, with their ideas being displayed and pitched to a potential investor at a festival fair. The students displayed outstanding teamwork, organisation, planning, financial and creative skills throughout the day and produced high quality displays to showcase their work. Festivals ideas included The Grotto Christmas Festival, Scarefest, Neon, Opulence, Inclusivity and Midnight Metal. Gary Beeston, Reigatian and Director of Gary Beeston Events and Theatre, had the difficult job of judging the winners. Old and Gold (Polly A, Harry H, Ori C-S and Lizzie S) were announced as runners up, and winners were Nebula (Matthew T, Tom C, Charlotte G and Diya P) for their unique ideas and detailed presentations.

WINNERS - NEBULA

RUNNERS UP - OLD AND GOLD

FIFTH FORM ENTERPRISE CHALLENGE

CAREERS UPDATE

Students hoping to study medicine, dentistry or pharmacy were put through their paces by 20 members of the teaching staff for mini interviews in November. Students had 5-minute interviews with ten teachers each, and were put through a variety of questions, role plays and scenarios. It is hugely important to put them under pressure in this way so that they are really well prepared and are not caught out in the real thing. I am grateful to the teachers who gave up their time to do this. I think the students enjoyed it!

The Accounting and Finance Evening was a tremendous success and well attended by students from RGS and local state schools. Many thanks go to Adekemi Adebajo (parent of Reigatian), Marcus Sotiriou (Reigatian) and Jess Munnery of Grant Thornton for their hugely interesting and insightful presentations. We also held a Q&A and my thanks go to Iain Dewson, Jamie Mehmood and Maggie Stilwell (all RGS parents) for joining us for this and offering their experienced insight. Really useful, consistent messages came out of this evening: most notably, apply for jobs and courses early and, if you decide to go to university, focus on studying something you enjoy!

In December we held a Vet Science evening online with Reigatians Katy Cassin, Lucy Broderick and Luke Greenland presenting on How to get into Vet School as well as covering the various stages of a vet medicine degree. It was a hugely enjoyable and insightful evening, and we are grateful to the three of them for their time.

Abby Cox (RGS parent) presented online to students and parents on CV writing and interview skills. It is not easy to make a topic like this entertaining, but Abby managed to do so, and this was an informative and well-received evening.

Dr Gompels runs the Medical Discussion Group - a forum for students interested in medicine, vet science or dentistry - each week to discuss current issues in these fields, listen to presentations from each other and from outside speakers, and to share experiences of interviews and applications. It has been a key factor in our continued success at helping students to get into university to study these subjects.

We hosted an Apprenticeship Evening for students and parents from RGS and local state schools. The event was well attended, and we were able to drill down into the advantages of the apprenticeship route, but also look at things that students ought to think about before embarking on programmes such as these. We were grateful to Karen Frimley (degree apprenticeships in engineering and other areas at Thales), Jack Grant (Reigatian, degree apprenticeship at UBS and University of Exeter), Morgan Stannard (Reigatian, school leaver in tax at EY) and Jamie King (degree apprenticeship in technology at PwC) for presenting on these varied options with such enthusiasm. A Q&A included Ethan Woolsgrove (Reigatian, digital marketing degree apprenticeship at Accolade Wines and Aston University) and Josh Lloyd (degree apprenticeship in quantity surveying at Huntley Cartwright and London South Bank University). The evening was an enormous success in showing the range of routes that are available at 18.

We have been delighted to welcome a number of lunchtime careers speakers in addition to those at the careers evenings. These included Ella Harland (Reigatian) who gave a fascinating talk about how to set up your own business. Ella set up Griddle, a company that makes healthy waffles. Do check them out on here.

Mr Chevalier led a workshop on ‘How to prepare for interview’ for the Upper Sixth Form.

Dr Pat Morgan (RGS parent) led a discussion with medical students on current issues in the NHS and medical ethics

Damian Shaw (RGS parent) presented on careers in the food industry. It was interesting to consider just how many options there are.

"We are hugely grateful to all of those who gave up their time for these events. Please do keep an eye on the Careers and Enrichment newsletter in the Headmaster’s weekly bulletin for more events such as these along with a host of other careers related information."

Matthew Buzzacott

HISTORY & POLITICS

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

In October, to coincide with Black History Month, First Form students produced an independent research project into the lives of individuals from some of the groups that have been under-represented in the UK History curriculum. They investigated their lives and the impact that these people made on the world in which we live and presented findings to their classes. We were delighted by the impressive quality of the work they produced and everyone, including the teachers, learnt a lot of new and inspiring things.

UPPER SIXTH FORM POLITICS TRIP

Upper Sixth Form Politics students attended a conference at the new US Embassy in London coinciding with election day in the USA, where Americans were voting in the crucial mid-terms. The conference consisted of six university-style lectures from leading academic figures. These talks were supported by a Q&A session with two ex-members Elizabeth Esty (D-CT, 2013-2019) and Robert Woodall (R-GA, 2011-2021). Esty gave a powerful talk about being a politician in Connecticut at the time of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, while Woodall explained the difficulties that some Republicans had during the Trump presidency. Our students asked questions on topics ranging from the impact of interest groups in US Politics and recent decisions of the US Supreme Court.

WESTMINSTER WALK ON ACTIVITIES DAY

‘This trip involved a tour round many sites and buildings in Central London which were relevant to politics. Our first visit was to the Supreme Court - it was an odd feeling sitting in the large chairs that you often see important people sitting in online! We then had a look at the statues outside in Parliament Square and their historical significance, before walking past No.10 Downing Street and through Whitehall to Horse Guards Parade. Throughout all of this we stopped every five to ten minutes for a few facts and interesting points about the places we were visiting. The day was popular with students who were not even studying politics for A Level!’ Noah W

In November, RGS Music ensembles put on a spectacular performance for the annual RGS in Concert at Dorking Halls with a record number of 338 performers. This year’s theme was A Night at the Movies. The concert involved all the First Form and many musical groups ranging from symphony orchestra to swing band and choir. For many of our musicians, this was their first concert as RGS students.

MUSIC

The autumn term was full of musical performances, and we were enthralled by students who performed at the RGS annual Cabaret Night organised by the Music department in November. The night showcased a range of songs from musical theatre including Chicago, Cabaret, Phantom of the Opera, Grease and Footloose sung by students from the First to Upper Sixth Forms with a phenomenal live band. It was an amazing night featuring the talent of our students – well done to all those who performed. View at http://rgs.to/cabaretnight

Performers: Eleanor B, Tyra L, Toby M, Sophie M, Krishna K, Nathan T, Jemima

C, Georgia R, Edie Whittam, Ben A, Lola

S, Caitlyn F, Emma T, Henry F, Jake H, Jayashree N, Eleanor M, Izzy S, William

L, Ruby S, Isabelle S, Anya H, Nithya

S, Jemima H, Elliot D-G Band : Caitlin

R, Miranda S, Henry F, Ella H, Jake H

Backing Vocals: Eleanor B, Elliot D-G, Jemima H, Krishna K, William L, Ruby S, Edie W

This year’s autumn choral tour for our senior singers and choristers took in beautiful Cambridge and Ely. Students enjoyed a busy schedule including a workshop in St John’s College Chapel with Ralph Allwood, a former director of Music at Eton College and Queen’s College Chapel Choir, who is hugely experienced in coaching young singers in the art of singing sacred choral repertoire. As well as having the opportunity to sing in wonderful buildings such as Ely and Peterborough cathedrals, students were privileged to stay in the stunning surroundings of Madingley Hall and enjoy a guided punting tour past The Backs, taking in the sights and history of the individual colleges, whilst drifting gently along the River Cam in the autumn sunshine. The tour was a wonderfully rewarding experience, both musically and socially.

STUDENTS RELAXING BY THE RIVER CAM IN THE GROUNDS OF ST JOHN’S COLLEGE

THE CHOIR IN ST JOHN’S CHAPEL, ENJOYING A CHORAL WORKSHOP

The good times continued to roll in the world of RGS Music throughout the autumn term.

St Matthew’s Church in Redhill played host to instrumentalists, Polyphony and the RGS Godfrey Searle Choir in two lunchtime recitals. It is always a joy to share the talents of our musicians with the local community, especially when their performances are as warmly received as at these two events.

Music infuses our ethos and is an integral part of each school day, whether it be performances in assembly, performing at a community

event or taking part in one of the plentiful concerts that fill our calendar.

The autumn term was no exception with a number of Informal Concerts in the Recital Room, a Piano Showcase, an Instrumental Concert, and a Strings Showcase.

This year’s Music Unplugged saw a rich display of beautiful, expressive and creative musicianship from singers and instrumentalists from First Form through to Upper Sixth Form. Have a look at our YouTube video for excerpts from a wonderful evening of acoustic song covers. View at http://rgs.to/unplugged

STUDENT FOCUS AMELIE C

Amelie C was one of 15 musicians selected to perform a violin solo at the Royal Academy of Music in October, as part of their Strings Solos Platform Amelie performed the second movement of Vivaldi’s concerto in A minor. Her younger brother, in Year 3 at Chinthurst, was also selected to play cello.

‘I felt honoured to have been selected to perform amongst many talented musicians. The Royal Academy is so prestigious; I felt so exhilarated whilst playing, and for a long time afterwards!!’ Amelie C

GODFREY SEARLE CHOIR MATTY

MAEBH G AND EIBHLIN G

NITHYA S

PERSONAL, SOCIAL, HEALTH AND ECONOMIC EDUCATION (PSHEE)

OUR NEW HEALTH & WELL BEING HUB OPENS!

It was an exciting term as we opened our new Health and Wellbeing Hub, housing the School Nurse, Pastoral Support Workers, Counsellor, Chaplain, Learning Support Department, and the school office. This provides a one-stop centre for students to access any support or help that they might need during the day and space for a breather if needed.

Themes around diversity and inclusion were also celebrated through studentled assemblies in Black History Month, a visiting speaker for Diwali, and a thoughtprovoking assembly around issues surrounding the World Cup in Qatar.

An extensive range of PSHEE and personal development events took place for all year groups. From antibullying workshops, drugs and alcohol presentations, lessons on relationships and consent, exploration of themes around body image and a focus on health and safety. Key events included Safe Drive, Stay Alive for the Lower Sixth Form, and a presentation from police to the First Form on road safety.

We also celebrated World Mental Health

During the week beginning 21 November, we held a Drop Everything and Read Week to promote the pleasures of reading for enjoyment, adventure, enrichment, and fun, not to mention reading about shared experiences, feelings of otherness, and the trials and delights of navigating those teenage years!

During this week, only reading was set for homework to allow our students to embrace this opportunity.

Alongside this, we raised awareness around wellbeing and students finding what makes them feel good. We encouraged students to think about their 5 a-day for mental fitness, as

Day as well as Drop Everything and Read and Wellbeing Week , raising awareness of ways to get your 5 A-Day for Mental Fitness

In the spring term we started off with Try Something New Week! The first week back in the new year encouraged students to try a new club or activity as a part of the co-curricular programme. There was no need to sign up, students just turned up and had a go.

We aim for every student to be involved in the co-curricular programme at RGS as an important addition to their learning. If there is a club you would like that is not currently offered, please contact Mr

well as providing opportunities to learn more about anxiety and the chance to attend a breath and relaxation workshop. Students enjoyed a Wellbeing Weekend, with Friday 25 November off school, to pause, relax and maybe enjoy a little time out in nature or with friends and family, or indeed carrying on their reading streak!

The library is open from 8am until 6pm every school day.

Our Library Assistants, Mrs Horsfall, Mrs Fenton and Mrs Archer are available to help you find what you might be looking for. Laptops are available for homework and school work but there are no computer games allowed until 2pm each day. The library room (next to the library) is available as well for silent study - students are welcome to use this at lunchtimes.

REMINDER!

Our catering van is open by the Harrison Centre every morning before school for hot drinks and breakfast.

School Council has been meeting to discuss a range of issues and we are extremely grateful for the students’ feedback. Based on their contributions, we have made various changes including those below.

„ Having more seating and under-cover areas around the school for use at social times

„ Displaying the prices of food and drink in the catering venues

„ Introducing more gluten-free options at break and lunchtime

„ Having the time displayed on clocks in the PMH

„ Improving the studio café so it can be used like a common room by Upper School students

„ Widening the emphasis of anti-bullying week

MOON BY ARIANNA E

RGS POET OF THE YEAR 2022-23

This is the second year of the RGS Poet of the Year competition, and this year’s entries have been hugely impressive in terms of both quantity and quality. The judges’ job was extremely difficult as well as an absolute delight – visiting poet and guest judge Harry Baker remarked on the wealth of talent on show in poems that tackled the theme of The Environment with astute observation, intelligence, and creativity.

Longlisted poets had the opportunity to redraft their entries after attending a workshop with award-winning poet Harry Baker, and from this longlist the following students were shortlisted:

SIXTH FORM

The Dreaming by Niamh D

Uprooted by Georgia R

A Story from India by Nithya S UPPER SCHOOL

The Tree by Alex C

The Spirit by Ellie B

My Environment by Harry B

Syrian Summer by Dahlia A LOWER SCHOOL

Moon by Arianna E

Picture Perfect by Sophie M

Seasons by Sam D

All the poems were fresh, authentic and imaginative and it was extremely hard to whittle the shortlist down to just three winners all of whom receive a prize and their names engraved on the RGS Poet of the Year trophy! The winners are… NIAMH D, ELLIE B AND ARIANNA E

In November the English department played host to a world cup champion – not of football, but of poetry! World Poetry Slam champion Harry Baker took time out of his current UK tour to perform his poems for students at RGS, including ‘Perfect People’ which as Harry pointed out is officially, technically, the best poem in the world (‘according to five random judges’). His poetry reflects his love of language, patterns and play – a Maths graduate who is also a fluent German speaker, Harry demonstrated brilliantly the importance and richness of making connections across the curriculum and in life, and students had time to contemplate the improbability of bees’ flight, the woeful choice of colours for men’s wellies, the beautiful weirdness of prime numbers and the fact that a slug, in German, is a naked snail…

Harry also ran a workshop on the longlist for the RGS Poet of the Year Competition. This was a fantastic opportunity to create, edit and share work and the students left buzzing with ideas and confidence in their own unique voices.

HARRY BAKER, POET

INTERVIEW WITH POET HARRY BAKER

BY NIAMH D

Having just attended a workshop with the masterly poet and performer, Harry Baker, and witnessed the whirlwind of comic candidness that is his latest poem about wellies, I was excited to dig a little deeper into his creative inner workings. We chatted about the technical, the tender and the tumultuous nature of poetry over katsu curries.

To begin, what is your favourite poem in general, and that you have written?

My go-to poem of someone else's is by Lemn Sissay, it's four lines long, and it says,

‘“How do you do it?” said night.

“How do you wake and shine?”

“I keep it simple,” said light.

“One day at a time.”’

I just think it is perfect and so succinct and lovely (it is also one of the only poems that I can memorise). In terms of my poems, it really varies. I think whatever is new feels most meaningful. In terms of all time, I've got a poem that goes through the whole alphabet, and it feels very playful in terms of language, but I was able to sneak my kind of philosophy of life in there. So, in terms of what I want to do with my poems, it feels both playful and like there is heart in it as well. I think when you can do both, that for me is the sweet spot.

Where do you find most of your inspiration? It could be literary, or otherwise.

I take my notebook with me everywhere. I find live performance really inspiring, whether it is poetry or not. It could be music, it could be theatre, but I think there is something about the act of being in that shared space and giving something of yourself and the audience meeting you there. I love seeing other performers and if I am ever stuck, that is always my go-to. There's a quote by Mary Oliver, who is one of my favourite poets, and it is under the heading Instructions for Living a Life. It says, ‘pay attention, be astonished, and tell about it’. And I really love that. I think for me it is a reminder that you can write about anything in a way that feels tangible and meaningful.

Can you talk me through your creative process? When you sit down to write what happens?

It always starts with play. Even if I know I am going to try and write something that's more heartfelt, there'll be an element of nudging the words around, seeing what happens. And then once I've got a spark or a theme or something, it is like all systems go, write as much as you can. Whether or not it's going to end up in the final thing, I think there’s something about just giving yourself permission to be unrestricted, put it down, see how it feels. And then it’s about slotting all those ideas into place. And that for me is when some kind of narrative will emerge from it. I'll speak out loud as I'm writing it because for me that's how I get a sense of the flow of it.

What advice would you give a younger you, just starting to write?

I think… to trust your gut because writing is such a personal thing. Whether or not you are being autobiographical, the fact that it comes from you and you're willing to share it with people is inherently vulnerable.

STUDENT INTERVIEW

FIFTH FORM TRIP TO THE GLOBE THEATRE

The English department's recent trip to Shakespeare's Globe in London was a great success as students participated in a series of GCSE study day workshops to complement their GCSE literature text, Macbeth. Under the instruction of professional actors our students were able to don the costumes of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth and explore the impact of the spoken language. Students had the fantastic opportunity to participate in a guided visit of the Globe Theatre exploring social, historical, and cultural context of the play whilst sitting in the very seats that have held captive audiences for centuries.

HARRY BAKER, POET

STUDENT FOCUS

Riya - congratulations on becoming a published author, what a fantastic achievement! Well done!

When did you discover your passion and talents for writing?

From a really young age, I always loved telling and making up stories, but I never wrote them down or had any plans to do so. It was in the first lockdown; I was bored so I decided to write a story for fun and that is when I discovered that I was quite good at writing. I started writing a short story but then it just got longer and longer, and I added more to it; and then eventually it became the first draft of my first book!

How does it feel to be a published author?

Most of the time I don’t think about being an author as I feel the same as I did before! But when someone reminds me, I feel proud and happy at what I have achieved at my age. Sometimes when people say I’m an author I take a moment to process it because it still feels surreal.

What or who motivates you to succeed and flourish in writing?

My parents always motivate me when I am writing, and they encourage me to flourish. They are usually the first to read what I have written; they give me honest feedback on it..

What

are your ambitions for the future?

In the future I want to write more books and be a children’s author; however alongside that I want to have some sort of job that involves writing – whether it be fiction or non – fiction.

Who inspires you?

There are loads of authors who inspire me and influence my writing but one of the main ones has got to be Enid Blyton. When I was around nine years old, I read all the books in the Famous Five series and after that I always dreamt of someday writing adventure stories like the ones she had written.

What are you currently reading? Tell us your favourite book and why?

I am currently reading Hidden by Megg Jensen and I am really enjoying it as it hooks the reader in from the first chapter. My favourite book is A tale of Witchcraft by Chris Colfer. I read this book quite a while ago, but the ending is one that I have never forgotten… The book was a sequel to A Tale of Magic and the two books are prequals to the Land of Stories series. I absolutely loved this book because it was packed with so many plot twists and it kept me so hooked, I read it in one sitting! The author wrote in such a way that you never know what is going to happen next – that is why this is my favourite book.

Tell us about what you like to do when you are not reading, writing, or studying?

When I am not reading, writing, or studying, I enjoy playing netball for a few hours a week (more during season); I play the piano; do LAMDA once a week and I swim at academy level. I also love playing with my pet bird and spending time with my friends and family. Taking it back to school life tell us...

How do you balance academic work and time for writing novels?

During the school term, I am normally busy after school and on weekends, so I tend to write short stories and plan novels. During the holidays, if I have free time, I write or continue novels that I have started.

What are your top tips for anyone who would like to be a budding author like you?

Before you start writing your novel, write it all as a short story and then expand it to the level and length of a proper book. Do not always stick to your plan as around 75% of the stuff I wrote in my novels was made up on the spot. Make sure you have a clear idea of what you are writing – plan well and thoroughly. Ensure that just because you know what is going on in your story, it does not mean that the reader does. If you are not enjoying the story you are writing, just stop and write something else. Write a story about something that you would enjoy reading.

And finally, take your time when you are writing because if you rush to finish then the quality of what you have written will not be the best it could be.

INTERVIEW WITH RIYA M PUBLISHED AUTHOR

FOYLE YOUNG POETS WINNER

SCHOOL NEWS

pluviophile noun; definitiona lover of the rain.

i love the rain. am i a pluviophile? what is it that makes the crystal-like drops falling from the sky comforting? maybe it’s the soundi’ve never liked the silence. the quiet makes the voices start to talk insidehaunting, louder and louder, the absence of emotion terrifying. or perhaps it’s the beauty that comes from the swirling streaks running like the tears down my face, the liquid drops that can change within a second to become lashing showers hurtling onto my bare skinsharp and cold.

in an odd wayit makes me feel less alone and more alive. the sudden cool upon my cheeks, slowly dripping from my hairit helps me forget.

the sun can’t do that, nor the wind or the snow or the fog. it is the majestic rain that falls from above, holding the power to heal and erase.

i think i am a pluviophile.

a lover of the rain.

a person who derives joy from it. not because its poetici’m rather a person wanting to feel.

OUTREACH MASTERCLASSES

PLUVIOPHILE

BY NITHYA S

The English department is immensely proud of Nithya S, a talented Lower Sixth Form student who has been named one of 100 winners of the Foyle Young Poet’s 2022 competition, out of an astonishing 13,500 entries! Here is her winning entry, Pluviophile Outside of studying STEM A Level subjects, Nithya finds it very relaxing to put a pen to paper and get some lines down. She is keen to keep writing and get involved in the arts at RGS.

Our extensive outreach programme incorporates a selection of Masterclasses, aimed at our local state primaries as enrichment for students with specialist interest in a variety of subjects. These Masterclasses are run by RGS staff and Sixth Form students. This term we are running a Sport Enrichment Programme including netball, rugby and hockey sessions.

During September and October, twenty-four Year 5 pupils from local schools came to RGS for a series of Poetry Masterclasses, run as part of our Outreach Programme. During the workshops, students engaged in a variety of activities designed to boost their knowledge, confidence, and imagination as they explored the fundamentals of this ancient, vital art form. Learning was wide and deep – from epithets to distillation via etymology and Latin! Students practised paying attention and noticing things and used their observations to create their own poetry. Such was the level of brilliant creativity that families were invited to the final workshop to hear the children read their work in the form of a vibrant, epic, group poem. Afterwards the children went home with their own poet’s notebook – and the tools required to fill them!

POETRY MASTERCLASS

Our support to local charities has recently included The Giant Pledge, Loveworks, Stripey Stork and The Orpheus Centre as well as Renewed Hope and many more .

In December a group of Third Form students helped Loveworks with a street collection in Reigate. The students are part of an Electives programme where they have been learning about the work of foodbanks and why they are needed. As part of this they have been to Loveworks warehouse in Merstham and have helped to sort and shelve food as well as packing up boxes to go out to families in need later that day. They have also designed and produced a publicity campaign to raise awareness about what Loveworks does and what food they need right now.

Tyra received generous support from many shops and businesses including Sainsbury’s, Priory Farm, Inside Out Health, Oliver Bonas, Reigate Tennis Club (Russell Dykes), Flower Hut, and Dish in Reigate. The raffle was attended by the Mayor of Reigate and Banstead Frank Kelly, David Jay from Susy Radio, and many people from local schools and within the community who helped in selling raffle tickets in Reigate.

Currently the RGS community has several outreach partnerships with local charitable organisations such as Stripey Stork and Loveworks, and we will continue to support Tyra and her fundraising efforts alongside exploring ways we can further collaborate with Woodfield School.

We had a wonderful response to our winter coat appeal for Stripey Stork with nearly 200 coats collected, thank you to all who donated unwanted or outgrown coats.

Stripey Stork is a local charity supporting vulnerable families across Surrey. As winter approached and the effects of the costof-living crisis were felt more and more, the demand for good quality winter coats rose with many families unable to afford new ones for their children. The coats collected helped the Stripey Stork team to include a coat in every clothes pack so that every child they help has the essentials to stay warm and dry.

Fifth Form student Tyra L, a committed young philanthropist, has continued to work tirelessly to fundraise for Woodfield School for young people with Learning and Additional Needs (LAN) where her brother attends as a pupil. In September, Tyra had a guest spot on local station Suzy Radio talking to David Jones about her fundraising campaign and met with Reigate and Banstead Mayor Councillor Frank Kelly, to discuss ways of helping raise awareness and funding for Woodfield School.

Tyra organised a non-uniform day at RGS selling Krispy Kreme doughnuts which was a huge fundraising success and enjoyed by students on the last day before the October half term.

Continuing her efforts Tyra and her family organised a Christmas raffle event at their home which was a spectacular success. £660 was raised and more than 40 prizes were won.

2023 is set to be a wonderful year for all in the Reigatian community. A full and thriving school family with happy children doing great things, enjoying every day packed with lessons, sport, clubs, activities, music, art and drama. Reigatians volunteer every week in so many aspects of the community: raising money, helping out, giving back.

Shaun Fenton, Headmaster

Our annual charity calendar featuring RGS student events in 2022 raised almost £500 for local charities The Giant Pledge, Stripey Stork and Loveworks.

NON-UNIFORM DAY WITH KRISPY KREME DOUGHNUTS FOR CHARITY!

Over the October half term, a group of Geography A Level students experienced the excellent opportunity to spend five days in Norway

"We did so many amazing activities including climbing, a zip wire through a forest and hiking into the mountains, amongst many other fun things. Personally, some of my highlights were kayaking on a fjord, seeing the spectacular scenery from our cabins and the coach, and travelling into the mountains to see a huge reservoir and lots of snow! We even managed to have a dip in a fjord, although not for long – it was so cold!

From a geographical perspective, we all benefited hugely from the trip to Norway. On the human geography side, we had a

tour around the Sima Hydroelectric powerplant, which can produce enough clean energy every year to supply around 300,000 houses. We also were able to visit the huge dam and reservoir that supplied it with water. The scale of the process was astonishing! In addition to this, on our last day, we had an amazing tour around the city of Bergen. It is an unbelievable place, surrounded by mountains, with stunning views. The city tour links very well with the ‘changing places’ part of our course, I am sure we will all be able to take something invaluable away from it for our A Level. On the physical geography side, we were all spellbound by the landscapes around us on every side, that have been created by natural geographical processes. This includes a number of breath-taking waterfalls, glaciers, mountains,

not to mention the fjords.

Overall, the trip was a fabulous opportunity for us, we all loved it, and it is not something I will be forgetting any time soon!"

Sophie M, Lower Sixth Form

SPORT

VISION FOR SPORT

Sport continues to evolve at RGS with increasing emphasis on our vision to develop great people through sport. The stories from sport this year have been increasingly rooted in a values-based and behavioursdriven approach, where sport is about being part of something bigger than yourself. While we want individuals to shine, we also want students to embrace the Team Reigate spirit.

Our key aim is to develop great PEOPLE through sport. We created the following acronym as a useful reminder for what we hold as most important. It is our mission for the Sports department and the basis for our success criteria:

We want to nurture risk-taking, determination, authenticity, selflessness and adaptability in all students as we believe this is how we will enable students to flourish. As we strive to deliver a modern approach to coaching sport in school we emphasise:

• Students making decisions themselves, through collaboration with team mates to encourage selfsufficiency and to develop creative problem solvers.

• It is important that students learn during competition through both their reflection and the support of their peers. You will see less concurrent teacher feedback from the side lines as students get older.

• The best players will not necessarily have more important roles than others. We want everyone to develop and therefore we must share opportunities with all students.

Our intention is to create an environment where every student on the pitch has a great experience, both RGS students and our opposition. This means we want competitive games where the result hangs in the balance until as late as possible in the game. This keeps students engaged and enjoying sport as the perception of competence is important to all. We put collaboration with opposition above competition against opposition. We love watching students succeed and often winning a narrowly contested game brings smiles and excitement. But we need to remember that sport is not a zerosum game where there must always be a winner and a loser.

PERFORMANCE SPORT

Enabling our students to aspire for the best they can be, irrespective of their starting point, and with a long-term view of success is fundamental to our vision for sport. As part of this experience and to supplement the excellent coaching during games and after school sessions, the High Performance Hub provides access to experiences and performance habits that are designed to support and challenge in equal measure.

The High Performance Hub has continued to be a thread that many of our students use to support their sporting development. This term, the HPH has included lunchtime sessions every Friday, exploring sleep habits, psychological skills, and student workload awareness, as well as a nutrition seminar where students were able to apply some theory into making their own healthy, energy packed snacks! These varied experiences have prompted conversations and interventions across students and staff, and we look forward to further opportunities through the spring and summer terms. This focus on holistic development and developing great people through sport has underpinned the approach throughout.

For our senior male and female cricket scholars and our highperformance indoor hockey squads, there have been weekly (or more) sessions throughout the off season to enable them to prepare for the upcoming competitive phases of their respective programmes. These have been well attended and allowed our coaches to provide an individualised and bespoke programme of development. In a similar vein, the Athletic Development Programme has enabled students to access sessions before, during and after school. It has been great to see so many First and Second Form students in particular attending these, laying the foundations for great movement and engagement in sport as they move through the school.

ENGAGEMENT SPORT

We acknowledge that students will come to RGS with a diverse range of sporting experiences, abilities and strengths. Through our Vision For Sport, our commitment to Team Reigate is to continually broaden our range of sports and activities. Engagement at RGS has four main pillars within sport and PE:

PE AND GAMES LESSONS

These are the foundation blocks for our engagement and are the entry point for all students to engage with sport at RGS. Recently we have introduced a student driven pathway in PE where from

the Third to Fifth Form onwards students are able to determine which intensity rating the are working at, using a chilli heat scale.

This has allowed greater focus, higher activity levels and given students greater autonomy of their PE journey.

Our games programme is built upon a traditional model where team sports are on offer to all. However, our commitment to broaden the offering allows the programme to be supplemented by introducing individual and contemporary sports. As students reach our Sixth Form the programme is totally student driven, where they can select their sport/activity of choice. The Sixth Form games options for spring 2023 include traditional team sports such as hockey, netball, football and rugby 7s along with individual sports such as golf, squash and mountain biking. We continue to work with our students to provide them with their sports and activities of choice and are proud to include yoga, dance, open fitness sessions, and spin bike classes based on feedback from recent student voice sessions.

AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS

After-school clubs and activities programme continue from where the games programme stops, we now offer over 60 weekly sports clubs where students can further develop their passion in sport and physical activities.

FIXTURES/COMPETITIONS

We acknowledge that many students want to participate in competitive sport, and we encourage all our students to represent RGS in their time here. We arrange fixtures and competitions within the RGS House community as well as with local schools to allow our students to showcase their skills.

George Browning, RGS Director of Sport

SPECIALIST SPORT

English finals we certainly put RGS on the map in terms of ski racing with an impressive overall fourth place for the girls and sixth place for the boys. This result meant the girls qualified to represent English schools in the British Championships. On top of this our boys qualified to enter the British Schools Championships: an incredible achievement. Closer to home, we had some equally impressive results in the Surrey Schools with Tallulah W finishing second in her age group, Thomas S finishing third and an excellent first place as a mixed team. Our fantastic team includes: Tallulah W, Lizzy M, Amy B, Thomas S, Lawrence Y, Robert G and Oliver L.

FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS

We have made some large steps forward introducing new sports at school:

This year has seen the beginning of our new Specialist Sports Programme and there is much to be excited about.

SQUASH

The U18 boys team, consisting of Rory C, Oscar G, Tom L, Gus L and James C, has enjoyed remarkable success in the National School Squash Championships. Following a fantastic warm up match against Charterhouse and Bishop Wordsworth School, the team played well in the first round of the National tournament (against Epsom College and Felsted). We finished in the top half of the draw in this round and have progressed through to the next round in January 2023.

SKI RACING

The ski race team has built on its success in the previous academic year, and we have seen some incredible personal improvements in both confidence and racing ability. Both the boys and girls U13 teams made it through the regional qualifier championships to race in the English finals with the girls coming first in their age group and the boys coming third. At the

Equestrian – we now have five students registered with the Nationals School Equestrian Association ready to compete. Dance – led by an external specialist, Dance club continues to be popular .We have been able to include dance as an option for senior games where they learn a variety of dance disciplines.

Ballet – as a standalone dance discipline, our ballet club is well attended and enjoyed by all. Led by an external instructor, it is exciting to see the progress our students have made.

Judo – run by our very own Mr McCarten, judo club has been popular and continues to grow with a number of students regularly attending. We are exceptionally grateful for the gift of the judo mats from the PFA.

Trampolining – our new lunchtime club has started with a bang in the Lower School, it is growing in popularity.

Fencing – with taster sessions planned for January 2023, our links with new, external fencing clubs looks to be an exciting new option. Watch this space to sign up to one of these taster sessions.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: GABI H

This annual award was launched in 2006 and looks to shine a spotlight on the achievements of Britain’s brightest young sporting prospects. In November 2022 Gabi H was revealed as one of the top ten British athletes to make the shortlist. Previous winners and members of this illustrious ‘Hall of Fame’ includes Tom Daley OBE, Hollie Arnold MBE, Courtney Tulloch and Alex Yee MBE, who between them have already amassed over 50 senior medals from Olympic and Paralympic Games, World and European Championships, and the Commonwealth Games.

The ten athletes were selected from around 1,000 rising British stars, supported by SportsAid, across more than 60 different sports during 2022. Each year, athletes are nominated by their sport’s governing body on the strength of their talent and potential, demonstrating why the One-

ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT

The students who attend Athletic Development/Strength & Conditioning (S&C) sessions have been provided with programmes to follow throughout the term. They have two alternating sessions to follow for a four-week block and at the end of each block the students will receive a new set of programmes. The students have covered six programmes this term involving: strength, power, and capacity exercises.

The benefits of a good Athletic Development/Strength & Conditioning programme will vary for every individual, depending on their abilities and goals. However, the programmes at RGS are designed to suit every individual with alternative exercises to match their abilities.

When surveyed, the top reasons given for attending Athletic Development sessions were: improved performance, injury prevention, enhanced general health and enjoyment.

It has been great to see not only the level of progress that has been made throughout the term but the enjoyment and support they give one another.

The students and I look forward to continuing Athletic Development/S&C sessions in 2023.

Lucy Hoad, RGS Athletic Development Lead Coach

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

NAME: KATIE A

Katie A took part in The Junior European Open in Spain in November.

The Junior European Open is widely regarded as the toughest test in junior golf and is the most keenly contested junior golf tournament in Europe, with 45 regional finals taking place at venues throughout the year across the UK and Europe, and the champions week finals taking place in November. Katie had a brilliant week, made lots of new friends and was universally known as the girl who skipped down the fairway after a good shot by the tournament organisers, her fellow competitors, and their parents! The extremely challenging nature of the tournament made for some tough rounds of golf for everyone, and Katie played with both maturity and enthusiasm throughout. Katie eventually finished 20th and was the youngest girl to qualify for the final, making the cut with a score of 171 (23 over) after playing the best round of her life on the fourth day. She also won the International Pairs event to become the first person to qualify for the 2023 final which is expected to be held at La Manga Golf Club, Spain in November 2023. Everyone at RGS is enormously proud of Katie and wish her continued success on her golfing journey.

to-Watch Award has gained such a strong reputation for identifying the best up-and-coming prospects. This is Gabi’s third year of being supported by SportsAid’s partner Royal Bank of Canada, and the first time a modern pentathlete has made the One-to-Watch shortlist. Congratulations to Gabi on such a great achievement! It is wonderful to see students excel and RGS is always committed to supporting students both in and out of school.

• Silver in the women’s individual at the European Pentathlon Championships (Under-19s)

• Silver in the women’s relay at the Youth World Pentathlon Championships 2022 (Under-19s)

• Fourth in the women’s individual at the Youth World Pentathlon Championships 2022 (Under-19s)

"Qualifying to play in the Junior European Open final turned into the best holiday that I have ever had. I made lots of new friends, played on two amazing golf courses and ate some fantastic food! I cannot wait to go back this year!" Katie A

RUGBY

Rugby has continued to thrive this season with more than 150 fixtures played since September. It has been a busy term for all the students and staff and one in which we have focused on several new areas in our delivery of the rugby programme focused around both Performance Rugby and Engagement in Sport

With Mr Burgess joining the coaching team as lead coach for the U12s and assisting Mr Cooper with the 1st XV, as well as Mr Emmerson leading the U15 Rugby team who are currently preparing for their regional knockout game in the National Vase in January, we have strengthened our coaching team significantly and now have four RFU Level 3 coaches operating across each games session of the week. This allows us to have at least one expert coach for every group whether that is the performance squad or the non-contact group, in an effort to drive student development and engagement across all participants.

The seniors this year have really come together as a team with their National Cup run being the highlight of the season. This included a hard-fought victory over local rivals St John’s, which was their ninth consecutive victory of the season. Matt W has been a tremendous captain and continues to thrive in the Harlequins Academy Player Development Group (PDG). My

thanks go to all the Upper Sixth Form who missed out on their last game due to freezing weather conditions; they have been a credit to themselves and to the school. The U16s have once again shown what hard work and application can bring. With smiles on faces and enjoyment at the core of what they do, this has allowed for some tight victories, and they ended the season with six wins and two draws from their twelve games.

The U15s have had a positive year with the A team progressing through to round 5 of the National Schools Vase which takes place in early January. The B team has progressed well over the season with a number now pushing hard for a place in the A team. A highlight for them was the tight 17-15 victory over Reed’s in early December. Five players continue with Harlequins Developing Player Programme (DPP) with several more hoping to progress to this level soon.

The U14s have progressed well, and the A team had another positive season with hard fought victories over Gordon’s, City of London Freeman’s and Emanuel. The B team continues to perform well and has produced some sound results including close games with Sevenoaks and Worth. With three players being selected for Harlequins DPP already, it will be exciting to watch how they progress in the coming seasons.

The U13s have been unlucky with injuries this year but have

produced some strong performances and learnt a lot. For the A team their performance against a strong Skinners School and the close games with KCS Wimbledon enabled perfect learning opportunities. The B and C teams developed well and improved their knowledge of the game tremendously over the course of the season.

The U12s have been fantastic this season. With many new to the game, it has been great to see us regularly able to put out four teams. The highlight for the A team was their performance at the Surrey Festival with strong performances against Dulwich College, KCS Wimbledon and RGS Guildford. The Bs, Cs and Ds all had positive seasons, and many have made the transition into the teams having developed their understanding for the game itself.

We now move into the busy Sevens season which will be a fantastic opportunity for all players to develop skills and learn even more. Rosslyn Park National School 7s will bring our rugby season to a close towards the end of March, which is just after our own Reigate Junior 7s.

Our thanks go to all the players and parents for their commitment over the course of the season and a massive thank you to all the staff who enable such a positive programme to run.

"We have made a concerted effort to empower students by encouraging them to take more ownership of how they train and play. Teams have been running their own pre-match routines and we have even incorporated parental postmatch feedback with the seniors. This has allowed us to develop the student’s independence, leadership potential and problem-solving abilities."

Doug Cooper, RGS Rugby

CRICKET

RGS students continue to flourish at Surrey County Cricket Club.

Along with Emily B, Lily F, Lucy H and Rosie F, several other students have been selected for Surrey CCC Age Group representation: Amelia H, Lauren P, Jennifer L and Ishi S for the girls programme; Bertie M, Shubhan K, Benji H and Tommy R for the boys programme. They have been working hard since the end of the summer term and in the off-season and will continue to train over the winter. In addition, Emily B has been selected for the South East Stars Academy Squad 2022/23. Well done, Emily!

Lily F, Lucy H and Rosie F have been selected for the South East Stars Emerging Player Programme Squad 2022/23. RGS represents a third of the group! The girls EPG is an enhanced training programme for players deemed to have high potential and who have stood out within their County Age Group (CAG) squad. It provides additional coaching and resources to promote their development and there will be links with the South East Stars Pathway staff throughout, which is the level that Emily has now reached with Emily and Lily representing the academy squad during fixtures last summer. Well done to all the players!

James Leck, RGS Cricket

‘Cricket is very much part of the sporting offering for boys and girls here at RGS. We have excellent facilities at Hartswood, including three grass pitches, one artificial wicket, six artificial nets and grass practice wickets. The standard of coaching is high, and we cater for players of all abilities.’

James Leck, Head of Cricket

U15 GIRLS NATIONAL CUP

HOCKEY

The autumn term started with a warm pre-season with the focus on team values as well as improving our skills on the pitch ready for the season ahead. As well as teams focussing on high performance for our block fixtures and cup runs.

Johor Cup in the autumn. Both Mr Taylor and Mr Russell (who coached with us last year) continue to train with England and we hope to see them in some international matches in 2023. We are incredibly lucky to have coaches at RGS who are at the top of their game and can bring the latest ideas and training methods from England Hockey to the playing fields of Hartswood.

We have a number of successes among our own students who have gained selection at a higher level in Hockey. This is a process that for many of them started in the summer with a lengthy process of trialling. They have gained selection at either county or regional level, and this is the first step on the England Hockey pathway system.

RGS students selected for Surrey Hockey: Samuel A, Naomi B, Alex B, Bobby G, Freddie H, Ellen H, Alex J, Harry J, Aurelia N, Tilly PD, Alexander W.

This year England Hockey’s pathway system has changed with Talent Academies in regions replacing the former Regional Performance Centres. These students have made it through a lengthy Regional trials process: Samuel A (Surbiton), Felix F (Guildford), Freddie H (East Grinstead), Martha C (Guildford), Lucy D (East Grinstead).

We are immensely proud of all of these students, and we look forward to hearing how they get on in their representative matches in 2023.

All this success shows the Hockey programme at RGS continues to go from strength to strength. We offer students both the opportunity for elite performance as well as engagement and fun.

We also held our very own Festival of Hockey where all were encouraged to join in and have fun with their friends whilst looking at problem-solving on the pitch in a different way through a number of challenges by gamificiation. (This is the incorporation of video game style incentives into the learning environment. This includes elements such as points scoring and rewards for certain types of play, peer competition, alternate scoring tables and moving to the next level.)

In the girls’ cup competitions, age groups from U13 through to the U18s have either played in the England Hockey or Independent Schools Hockey Cup competition – a wonderful opportunity to experience playing teams that we do not meet regularly in our block fixture matches. Many of the teams made it through several rounds of the competitions but were beaten in a closely fought match in their last game, and currently the U15 girls are still in the competition and into the 3rd round of the ISHC Plate.

Indoor Hockey has flourished during this term with the morning training sessions for boys and girls and RSM pupils. These sessions were a chance for the seniors to learn and practice skills needed for the indoor game and the juniors have used it to practice outdoor skills indoors or an opportunity for the boys to get a bit of pre-season in before their hockey season commenced.

Mr Taylor has joined our coaching team. He is part of the England Men’s Hockey programme and represented GB in the Sultan

Rebecca Wickham, RGS Hockey

GEMMA S

AMELIA H

NETBALL

The new school year brought new netball captains. Lauren D stepped brilliantly into the lead role, superbly supported by vice-captains Scarlett H and Juliette C-W. We welcomed new students to the courts and our first form after school training sessions were very well attended. It has also been wonderful to welcome new players into the older age groups; we passionately believe that netball is a game for life.

This past autumn term, RGS netball has offered both participation and performance opportunities; after school training sessions for all ages groups have proved popular and prepared the students for our upcoming fixtures and cup squads from U12s to U19s played competitive matches in the Sisters n Sport and Independent Schools Netball Cup competitions. Going into the spring term, our U12s and U13s are still in the Sisters n Sports Cup and both teams look forward to playing exciting matches in January. Our U15s and U14s are going strong in the Sisters n Sport Plate and we await how far they can progress in the knock-out competition. The U19s, U16s and U15s have qualified for the Country Finals in March, and our U12s and U13s hope to join them, following their qualifying rounds early next term.

We have our highest number of students selected to train with franchise pathways in London Pulse or Surrey Storm: Ini A, Antonia H, Anna M, Evie R, Talia F, Emma B, Leila B and Abi R. Evie R and Olga S-A are progressing well with Surrey Country and Talia F plays for the Sussex County team that won the U13 National Championships.

During half term, four staff and three senior teams jetted off to the United Arab Emirates for the Dubai Netball Tour 2022, it was a sporting trip of a lifetime. The students benefited from high level matches against Jumeirah English Speaking School, Dubai College and top Dubai netball clubs. The tour culminated in the Saxo Bank 7s - a superbly organised rolling substitutes tournament, which was a new and exciting way of playing the game for many of our athletes. Our netball players were inspired to meet former England international and Roses head coach, Tracey Neville. We experienced incredible excursions, including a desert safari, high adrenaline water park rides and an authentic cultural lunch. The girls also performed to a very high level in the sport of shopping, frequenting the many Dubai malls. Lauren timed her 18th birthday perfectly, giving us the perfect reason to celebrate and thank her for all she has contributed to RGS netball over the years. My huge thanks to Mrs Trewinnard, Miss Lee and Miss Hoad for supporting such a memorable tour and to all the girls for being excellent ambassadors of RGS on the international stage. Tania Hillsdon, RGS Netball

DUBAI NETBALL TOUR

Annis W took part in the U16 girls Majorca Cup in Spain in October half term. There were 300 girls taking part from all over the world in the tournament, many who have played for their respective national teams. Annis’s team, Crystal Palace girls, was the only non-academy team competing. In their group they played Real Madrid, Diamenty Warszawa from Poland and Boo FF from Sweden in the first round. They got through to the quarter finals but lost out to the winners of the plate having drawn Nordsjaelland, the best team from Denmark in the second round. The cup winners were Barcelona who beat Real Madrid in the final.

Q. Which team do you play for?

I play for U16 girls team for Crystal palace.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

NAME: ANNIS W

Current Team: Crystal Palace

It is my second season there.

Q. What position do you play? Goalkeeper

Q. How often do you train?

I train twice a week and play every weekend.

Q. What is your ambition?

My goal is to play professionally one day.

Q. Do you have a football hero who inspires you?

One of my heroes is Mary Earps - a professional goalie. Mary plays for Manchester United and as a regular in the Lionesses squad was one of the stars of UEFA EURO 2022.

Q. What did you enjoy most about the trip to Majorca?

I enjoyed the whole experience of the trip. The tournament enabled me to spend more time with my teammates, and to experience playing with amazing female players from teams in other countries, including Real Madrid and Barcelona! Overall, we played four games and got through to the quarter finals which we were immensely proud of. There are lots of strong female players in Europe, so it was an amazing experience to play matches at such a high standard.

Q. Do you have any tips or advice for other young players who want to play for a football club?

Just turn up at trials! I went to try out at Chelsea at age nine and I had no idea if I would be good enough to get in but then I got offered a space in the academy!

Over thirty students took part in the Whitgift Biathlon in November. All the students had an enjoyable day and produced some excellent times both in the pool and on the run. Well done to all who took part. Our medal winners were: U12 boys Gold (Matthew B, Laith W and Lucian W), U12 boys Bronze (Harry K, Ryan D and Hugo F), U14 girls Bronze (Erin H, Rithika K, Emma B), U18 girls Gold (Eva M, Ellie H, Isobel R). Individual Medals: Golds U18 Eva M, Silver U12 Matthew B, U14 Rithika K, U18 Ellie H, Bronze U12 Lucian W, U15 Sam A, U18 Isobel R. In the Surrey Relays Championships in September, we won four Bronze medals. U13 boys (Ryan D, Daniel K, Danyal H and Lawrence Y) Medley and Freestyle Relay

Senior girls (Emi W, Lauren A, Gabi H and Ellie H) Medley and Freestyle Relay

The U13 boys qualified for both events in the National Finals and the Senior girls qualified for the Freestyle Relay. The Senior girls placed 23rd in the Freestyle Relay and the U13 boys placed 23rd

SWIMMING

in the Medley Relay and 22nd in the Freestyle Relay. These are fabulous placings in this prestigious National competition.

We held a fun internal gala with over 40 students in First, Second and Third Form taking part in mixed age group teams. We have swum in close competitions with CLFS, Caterham, Reigate School, RAAS and Sevenoaks.

In December we took a mixed team to a water polo training session and match at St John’s. It was a fun morning with students picking up new skills. In the last hour we played a mixed school round robin of matches with students ranging from 13-17 years old from RGS, St John’s and St Dunstan’s. It was a thoroughly enjoyable occasion.

We look forward to finding out who has qualified for the Biathlon National Finals and competing in more friendly galas, the Surrey Individual Relays Championships, Independent Schools U18 Bath cup and Junior House Swimming.

Claire Cline, RGS Swimming

FOOTBALL

Football at RGS has been on an exciting trajectory this year for both girls and boys programmes. With continued and increased involvement from all our students, we are consistently provide weekly football for over 300 students a week.

Our Boys football programme saw us compete on an increasingly busier fixture calendar, with our U18 First XI reaching the last 16 of the Trinity Cup with an exciting win against Latymer Upper during the cup run, as well as registering outstanding wins against Caterham School (8-1) and Box Hill (4-2). An outstanding contribution from James M (Upper Sixth Form) with a return of ten goals in four games (three consecutive hat-tricks) meant that we were a continuous threat going forwards. Henry R (Lower Sixth Form) can be proud of his continued hard work with AFC Wimbledon and we wish him every success for the rest of the season.

Our U15 boys and U13 boys entered the Surrey School District tournaments which has enabled us to guarantee more fixtures throughout the year and has given us structure

GOLF

for training. This has also strengthened our relationships with the surrounding schools and has enabled our students an opportunity to compete against many of their friends from outside of school. The experience gained in the leagues so far has been very positive and has allowed us to begin forming our own RGS football identity.

Our girls footballing programme has seen a significant uptake. We consistently fielded girls teams in every year group and our numbers continue to grow each week. The U18 girls have progressed to the second round of the ISFA Construction Cup and the U13 girls won the first District tournament of the year, having gone undefeated for ten games already. We have two students whose football talents have been recognized: Annis W (Fifth Form) is at Crystal Palace and Orla M (Fourth Form) has recently been selected by Chelsea. There are exciting times ahead for football at RGS and I thank all our students and staff who have contributed and passionately continue to raise the profile of an ever growing sport.

Charles Forbes, RGS

U13 GIRLS FOOTBALL - TOURNAMENT WINNERS

Football

The golf programme at RGS continues to grow with eight single figure players in the school and many more learning the sport for the first time in First and Second form. For those new to the sport we support the start of their journey through weekly lessons at Packersham Golf Club on Monday nights. These are lead by the golf professional at the club and by Mr Rutland, Head of Golf at RGS. The golfing journey includes touring with students heading to two PGA standard courses in Norfolk last summer, which they will be looking to repeat again this year.

At the performance end of the golf programme we have seen significant successes this year. In the winter term, pupils from RGS won the prestigious Smarden Bell Golf Tournament. The Smarden Bell is a scratch golf tournament with some

of the most renowned golf schools around the country taking part with significant South East presence. The RGS team of James M (capt.), William A, Finlay M, Katie A and Caelan D played the Heaver Castle golf course superbly well to record a total of 125 points as a team, enough to comfortably take the win. They beat previous winners Epsom College, Tonbridge School and Dulwich College among many others in the process. This is the second time the RGS team have brought home the Smarden Bell after their first triumph in 2015.

The Junior Team impressed at the British Championships where RGS won the pairs event with Caelan D and Chloe A playing exceptional rounds, with Calean picking up second place for the best individual performance.

Ben Rutland, RGS Golf

CROSS COUNTRY

The September sunshine turned into crisp, autumnal October, then came the torrential rain of November and finally December snow; our RGS runners of varying ages and abilities have trained and competed in all weather this term.

although both were still determined to compete on the day. The team was inspiringly captained by Josh E and five of the six runners are eligible to compete for this age group again next year, so the future for this team looks especially promising.

The girls had to brave torrential rain for their District Cross Country Championships but none-the-less produced super performances and were hugely supportive of each other. Congratulations to the medallists: Florence T (Gold, First Form), Florence S (Bronze, First Form), Lara G (Gold, Second Form), Rithika K (Bronze, Third `Form), Gabi H (Bronze, Fifth Form), Lucy D (Gold, Senior), Eva M (Bronze, Senior). In the overall team results, First Form, Second Form and Seniors came first, and Third Form, Fourth Form and Fifth Form placed second. Well done girls!

The Cross Country Club has been popular, particularly with the Lower School students, and an increasing number of students have competed in team and individual events.

We entered girls and boys across the school into the English Schools Athletic Association (ESAA) Cross Country Cup and were delighted that the Junior boys won the Country Finals (Josh E, Wilfred H, Benji H, Findlay W, Laith W, Ollie T) and the junior girls came second (Lara G, Florence T, Florence S, Lara T, Ava F, Macey C). Our intermediate boys (Matt A, Sam A, Tom T, Ethan E, Tommy W, Freddie H, Michael R) and senior girls (Gabi H, Lucy D, Neve P, Ellie W) also qualified for the Regionals.

At the Regional Finals in Kent, our runners produced incredible performances on a very wet course - this was the first time many of our junior athletes had competed in such a prestigious event. The junior boys team came an outstanding second and ran themselves into the National Finals. The junior girls narrowly missed qualification to the Nationals by one place.

The junior boys team of Josh E, Wilfred H, Benji H, Findlay W, Laith W and Matthew B headed north to Leeds for the ESAA Cross Country Cup Finals - the first time a RGS team has reach the Nationals and we are incredibly proud of the team’s outstanding achievements. A huge thank you to all the parents who supported the runners and joined us for the overnight trip. Unfortunately, two of our top runners were battling viruses,

The downpour on the day of the Boys District Cross Country Championship eased off just before the races began and the event saw some outstanding results from our athletes. In the overall team positions, the First Form, Third Form, Fourth Form and Fifth Form and Seniors placed first and the Second Form placed third. Well done to the medallists: Wilfred H (Silver, First Form), Benji H (Bronze, First Form), Josh E (Silver, Second Form), Matt A (Gold, Fourth Form), Sam A (Bronze, Fourth Form) and Gus L (Bronze, Senior).

We are delighted several RGS athletes have represented Surrey County Cross Country and continue to perform brilliantly for their clubs in top national races. January brings more to look forward to as we have a greater number of athletes than ever before selected to compete in the Surrey Schools Cross Country Championships: Lucy D, Eva M, Neve P, Imogen G, Gabi H, Cara K-R, Olivia H, Megan R, Lara G, Rithika K, Kaia H, Erin H, Florence T, Florence S, Lara T, Macey C, Ava F, Gus L, Matt A, Alexander W, Sam A, Sammy T, Rio M, Josh E, Bruno B, Wilfred H, Benji H, Findlay W, Lucian W, Matthew B, Alexander H, Laith W and Sam D. Well done and good luck to you all for the race in the New Year.

A special mention goes to Eva M, this year’s cross country and athletics captain. Eva has competed across seven years for RGS and her dedication to the team and support for younger athletes is inspiring. We look forward to following her success as a GB pentathlete and wish her well in her final year at school and beyond.

EVA M

FIRST FORM BOYS DISTRICT CHAMPIONS

JUNIOR GIRLS ESAA REGIONALS

RGS FOUNDATION UPDATE

We are delighted to announce some exciting recent appointments and developments within the RGS Foundation.

We are developing an exciting RGS 2030 campaign, linked to our school’s 350th anniversary in 2025. We will be more ambitious than ever for our school, for our wider community and for our social mobility programmes.

To lead the team and this new campaign, Jonny Hylton (RGS 1992-99) has been promoted to the role of RGS Foundation Director, working directly with Shaun Fenton Headmaster. Sean Davey’s role has evolved and he will continue to provide invaluable support and consultancy as Head of Foundation, whilst focusing more on the important growth of our global village of school partnerships

The team has been strengthened by the arrival of Tracey Thornton (RGS Parent) as Foundation Executive. This new role will complement the great work already carried out by Catherine Hutchison (Foundation Executive) as we look to further strengthen friendships, engagement and fundraising with the Reigatian Community.

We also welcome Jodie Lazarus, who takes over as Reigatian Community Officer. This role is vital, and Jodie will take the lead on events including Back to School Day, annual reunions, community fundraising activities and collating content for The Reigatian magazine. In addition to these new appointments, Clare Adams has been promoted to RGS Foundation Office Manager in recognition of her outstanding contribution over the past

few years. The RGS Foundation team is an important part of the wider RGS school team and exists to engage and connect with our Reigatian Community and to support RGS students, staff, alumni and RGS families by harnessing the power of our global community. We do this in several ways through events, networking, community activities and philanthropic endeavours. We are here to help.

"We can prepare a new, ambitious 2030 strategy and celebrate our school’s 350th anniversary because of the phenomenal success of our Changing Lives campaign under the incredible leadership of Sean Davey, hitting all our 2025 targets three years early. Thank you to all who have helped make a difference and transformed the life chances of children who otherwise would not have benefited from an RGS education. As Jonny Hylton steps up to lead the RGS Foundation, with the other outstanding new and existing team members, I can’t wait to see what we can do over the next seven years.”

Shaun Fenton, Headmaster

FROM LEFT CATHERINE HUTCHISON, SHAUN FENTON, CLARE ADAMS, JONNY HYLTON, TRACEY THORNTON, SEAN DAVEY, JODIE LAZARUS

Launched in 2014, the Changing Lives campaign set a target of raising £4m and funding 50 bursaries at RGS at any one time by 2025. With the incredible help and support from the Reigatian Community, we have achieved this target three years early, supporting 92 children through this initiative, with 58 currently at RGS.

We now have the exciting opportunity to recalibrate our thinking and launch a campaign which focuses on a 2030 RGS vision linked to the 350th anniversary of RGS in 2025. Please contact the Foundation office if you would like to be involved in the early stages of this exciting project. Keep up to date with future events by visiting rgs.foundation for more information.

COOKBOOK LAUNCH!

We are delighted to announce that Hari Ghotra, mother to Head Girl, Neyha K, is launching her enticing new cookbook, entitled Indian for Everyone.

As a valued contributor to the Reigatian Community and having previously held curry workshops, Hari continues her support of the Foundation, by kindly donating all profits from these sales to the Changing Lives Campaign. Available to order at http://rgs.to/harighotra for £18.99 (hardback).

Keep up-to-date with the latest news from the RGS Foundation by downloading the RGS app or via social media channels: Facebook facebook.com/groups/reigatiancommunity

 FoundationRGS

instagram @RGSFoundation

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Founder’s Day, celebrating our Founder, Henry Smith, will take place on Friday 5 May 2023, near Henry Smith’s birthday. This year’s Foundation Charity Golf Day will take place at Reigate Hill Golf Club on Thursday 15 June 2023

To register for this event, please email foundation@ reigategrammar.org

Ellis Mekki (née Clarke RGS 2006-2013) talking at the launch of the Changing Lives campaign in 2014.

JOIN OUR RGS PROFESSIONALS GROUP

The RGS Professionals group brings together members of the Reigatian community – including parents, former students and friends of RGS – and aims to foster meaningful friendships and networks.

The group supports the school by providing a pool of experienced professionals willing to provide guidance and work experience, internships and job opportunities to current students, recent leavers, university graduates and those taking their first steps in their chosen careers.

If you have not yet joined the 2000+ members of this connected group, please join the Reigate Grammar School Professionals Group on LinkedIn to receive the news of future events and to share any opportunities you might have.

We have lots of exciting events planned for 2023. If you have an opportunity you want to discuss or need any further information please contact us at foundation@reigategrammar.org

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE WITH THE PENNY GROUP

In October, The Penny Group - a fully chartered financial planning practice with a raft of nationwide clients – hosted an RGS Professionals networking event. Huge thanks to Michelle Davey (RGS 2011-2013), Senior Administrator, for her help in organising the event.

The Penny Group highlighted the importance of relationships and networks in business and identified a similar ethos and culture to the one that is engrained at RGS and in the Reigatian community.

RGS Professionals has been under the guidance of Chairman, Mark Elsey (RGS 1974-1978) for the past ten years but with Mark’s new role as Chairman of the RGS Board of Governors, Mark felt

it was time to pass on the role and we are delighted to announce that Matt Lowe (RGS 1992-1997) is the new Chairman of RGS Professionals . Matt is a proud Reigatian who has lots of experience in the world of business. He had this to say,

“Mark, huge congratulations on the establishment and growth of the RGS Professionals group. You leave it thriving and I am hugely proud, excited, and privileged to take over the baton. I am looking forward to standing on the shoulders of giants and having some fun along the way!” Matt Lowe

Mark Elsey (RGS '78) installing the new Chairman of RGS Professionals , Matt Lowe (RGS '97)

RGS Professionals networking event at The Penny Group

NEW PARENT WELCOME DRINKS

After three years of waiting, we were finally able to welcome new RGS parents to our Reigatian Community drinks reception at the magnificent Bankside Gallery.

On arrival, parents were treated to some fantastic live music from RGS bands Take Five and Shades of Yellow, who played a variety of solo and group pieces featuring everything from Adele to sing-along West End classics.

Surrounded by award winning pieces of art, Headmaster Shaun Fenton spoke with great passion about the history of RGS, the importance of being a Reigatian in the modern world and the opportunities to get involved with our work in the community. He then went on to introduce Adam Gosnold, a parent who has had three children pass through the doors of RGS (the last leaving in 2021).

Adam spoke with first-hand experience of the benefit of getting involved with the Reigatian community, the professional network that his three children have utilised, friendships his family has forged and the satisfaction received from being involved with our Changing Lives campaign as a member of the Henry Smith Club.

Adam is a true example of a Reigatian!

We would also like to thank Ralph James for their support with this event.

New Parent Welcome Drinks at Bankside

RGS Ambassadors

Guest speaker Adam Gosnold (centre)