REVIEW THE PILGRIM
AUTUMN / WINTER 2017
SPELLING BEE GETS RAVE REVIEWS
SUNDAY TIMES & TELEGRAPH
RGS DRAMA WINNERS AT LEATHERHEAD DRAMA FESTIVAL
NEW £8M HARRISON SIXTH FORM CENTRE AND STATEOF-THE-ART UNIVERSITY STYLE LIBRARY NOW OPEN
RECORD NUMBERS OF RGS STUDENTS SELECTED FOR NATIONAL AND COUNTY SPORT REPRESENTATION
TOP CO-EDUCATIONAL DAY SCHOOL IN SURREY
RGS FOUNDATION RGS AWARDED FOR DRIVING SOCIAL MOBILITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY The Reigate Grammar School Foundation has been awarded the prestigious IDPE Fundraising Campaign of the Year award at the Institute of Development Professionals in Education (IDPE) Awards Evening at Whittlebury Hall. Legendary journalist and newsreader Michael Burke was host for the evening and presented the award to the RGS Foundation recognising the work of the Changing Lives campaign and the effect that this bursary campaign has had in driving social mobility within the local area. Changing Lives exists to change the lives of those whose potential is far greater than their means, supporting a wide range of deserving students through immediate bursarial support. Inspired by the philosophy of our founders, we recognise that such benefaction enriches our school, enhances academic standards, is socially inclusive, and widens educational opportunity.
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WELCOME
LIFE AS A REIGATIAN IS A BUSY, FULFILLING AND FABULOUS JOURNEY THROUGH CHILDHOOD TO YOUNG ADULTHOOD.
FROM THE HEADMASTER This Pilgrim Review is just a snapshot, a collection of examples of the many ways that students can explore their talents, enjoy themselves and make friends. This publication should be read alongside the Academic Review because exam results clearly matter: they open doors of opportunity at university and beyond. However, there is so much more to a great education and it is so often in their activities beyond the classroom that students will develop the qualities of character that will leave them well placed for a happy and successful life beyond their school days. This Pilgrim Review celebrates some of the achievements of our students over the last few months. They are thrilling and exceptional. However, I am almost more pleased with the examples included of leadership and teamwork, of fun and friendship,
of compassion and charity. I am most pleased with the way that the values of being a Reigatian burst from the page. In the Arts, in cultural, in community activities, in the UK and overseas – I always hope that RGS is a school known not just for being good at sport but also as a school of good sports. I hope Reigatians are known not just for achieving great things but also for the manner of their achievements. I suppose it reminds me of a reference to the Hufflepuff house motto from the Harry Potter series of books, shared with me by an RGS student recently, he told me that their motto is, “it is nice to be important but it is also important to be nice”. I liked that! I hope that you enjoy this terms edition of the Pilgrim Review. Shaun Fenton Headmaster 01
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SCHOOL NEWS RGS HEADMASTER FUTURE CHAIR OF HMC Mr Shaun Fenton, Headmaster of RGS has been elected to be Chair of the HMC (the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference) for 20182019 and will serve as Chair-Elect from September 2017. This is the first time that the Headmaster of RGS has ever been Chair of the HMC in the 148-year history of the HMC and we believe it may be the first time that any school in Surrey has held the Chair of the HMC. HMC schools are some of the biggest and most successful independent schools in the world. They are characterised by their excellence in pastoral care, cocurricular provision, academic standards and classroom teaching. Members include Eton, Wellington College, Royal Grammar School Guildford, Winchester and Harrow. Recent campaigns and work of the HMC have included securing a sustainable arrangement with the Charity Commission around public benefit (before the 2016 Green Paper), securing changes in exam board/Ofqual regulations and negotiating directly with Government about the best way to manage the proposals in the recent Green Paper. The HMC has representation
at MCC, the FA, the RFU, exam boards, ISI and many other important organisations who welcome the prestige and contribution of HMC schools. Mr Fenton has been engaged in the HMC for some years. He has been privileged to serve on the Universities Committee, the Academic Policy Committee and the Education Committee and more recently, the Inspection Committee. He has also served as Chair of the South East Division twice. He does not foresee a significant increase in time commitment with the appointment of Chair, and this will certainly not serve as a distraction from Mr Fenton’s primary and most important role, Headmaster of RGS, now and for years to come. Mr Fenton voiced his enthusiasm for the new role: “I’m delighted that the Headteachers of some of the best schools in the country have seen fit to entrust me with this important role. I have twelve months before I become Chairman and will keenly support the current officers in the meantime but I am eager to play my part.”
He added, “I hope that my HMC role will benefit the education sector generally but it will also benefit Reigate Grammar School. In fact, everything I do is driven by my pride in, and passion for, the RGS community and my determination to see the school continue to thrive in this ever-changing world... For example, it will give us the chance to maintain and develop the profile of RGS in local and national media. We will be well placed to contribute to the national education policy debates in areas such as exam reform, curriculum development, pastoral care, teenage mental health and more. Also, as we offer approximately twice the proportion of bursary places as the independent sector average, we are especially well placed to offer some leadership in the use of bursaries to promote social mobility.”
ACORN ENTERPRISE CHALLENGE SUCCESS Over the course of six months, students competed in the Acorn Enterprise Challenge, run in conjunction with Fredericks Foundation. They could explore their entrepreneurial side, whilst being able to take advantage of the support and advice of entrepreneurs linked to Fredericks Foundation. Helios Calming Candles were adjudged to be the winning team and won a week’s work experience for their efforts. All participants of the challenge have learned some key life skills around working in a team, moving projects from ideas to implementation and some may even have discovered a real passion for the world of business. 02
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MODEL UNITED NATIONS With seventeen different students winning prizes, six different teams gaining awards and twenty-five schools being hosted at two conferences, 2016–2017 has been the most successful year ever for Model United Nations (MUN) at RGS. Dublin saw the four-day St Andrew’s International MUN conference, one of the largest and most prestigious conferences in Europe, which was attended by students from across the globe. MUN seeks to create a generation of young people armed with the tools to
build a better world. It achieves this with an understanding of global issues through discussion in the style of the United Nations, which strengthens participants’ skills in debate, leadership and diplomacy.
a demanding simulation of the Security Council, whilst another played the part of a judge hearing a case before the real-life International Court of Justice.
RGS students excelled at the conference, acquitting themselves brilliantly whilst discussing a variety of topics including indigenous peoples, the sustainable development of the Caribbean Sea and mental health in young people to name but a few.
Three RGS students won awards for their exceptional diplomatic skills and contributions to debate, while the whole team won a prestigious Highly Commended Delegation award for their performance throughout the conference and for the intellectual rigour of their proposed solutions to global problems.
One RGS student spent the four days in
Well done to all those involved.
CONSERVATION DAY Duke of Edinburgh’s Award students came into their own at Nutley Marsh on the penultimate day of term. Twenty-two intrepid students braved the marshes to clear the way for the insects and fish that live there. A particular higlight were the beautiful dragonflies which greatly appreciated the clear water created for them. Everyone got stuck into pulling out the bull-rushes resulting in a few particularly muddy students! 03
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SCHOOL NEWS
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL Eight RGS students were fortunate to be selected for the cast of High School Musical which was on stage at The Harlequin Theatre, Redhill during August. Tally G played the role of Susan, Freya M the role of Cathy and Grace B, Leah B, Tahlia CS, Eva M, Sereena P and Millie W played East High School students. The RGS cast performed in the YESOS Youth Musical Theatre production alongside young people from more than twenty schools across Surrey and Sussex. YESOS was the winner of a NODA award for excellence for their 2015 production of Les Misérables School Edition.
RGS AWARDED BEST PLAY AT LEATHERHEAD DRAMA FESTIVAL Following the final performances of the heats, RGS Drama’s entry ‘The Darwin Awards’ was named Best Play at the 2017 Leatherhead Drama Festival. The drama event included eighteen entries from colleges, drama groups and theatre schools across Surrey. The play, devised and written by Fifth Form Drama students Sam A, Dan G, Alex M and Louis V, examines the fatal nature of male
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machismo through real life stories from The Darwin Awards. RGS Drama also won Best Play in 2015, as well as awards for Best New Writing and Best Actress at last year’s festival. The awards ceremony, featuring a performance of the piece, was held in May at The Theatre, Leatherhead. Congratulations to all those involved for such success!
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DANCE CHOREOGRAPHY SLAM The Choreography Slam was a fantastic celebration of dance and original choreography by students. Professional choreographer Hannah Gunning was invited to adjudicate the performances which included styles as diverse as Indian Dance, Ballet, Acro, Ballroom, Tap, Contemporary, Irish and Street.
a highly skilled Acro piece, Bella P and Eva M came third in the performance category with a sassy pop-style duet. Krishe T, Beth S and Zara B placed second for Original Choreography for their imaginative trio in a pop/commercial style, with the duo of Eloise J and Alex J coming third.
There were mentions for Best Original Choreography and Best Dance Performance. Puvaja S won the performance prize with a compelling Indian dance routine that she had choreographed herself. Caspar M won Best Original Choreography with his ballet/contemporary style dance to a piece called Pursuit from Sherlock. Hana B came second with
The standard of performance and choreography was outstanding across the board and it was an incredibly entertaining evening for the audience. The RGS Dance Club also entertained the audience with a sophisticated street dance routine taught by Fifth Form student Georgia R.
WRITING BIG: RGS POETS CHASING PRESTIGIOUS AWARD “Entering the Foyle Young Poets of the Year competition was one of the best things I’ve ever done” – Former Foyle Winner and 2012 Judge, Helen Mort. Since 1998, the Poetry Society’s Foyle Young Poets Award has kick-started the career of many talented young poets aged 11-17; now the RGS Creative Writing club are pursuing the glory of global literary recognition by joining over 7,600 other young people in entering the largest creative writing competition of its kind. The Foyle Young Poets Award has been globally recognised as one of the most prestigious awards for young literary talent, appearing on the professional biography of a myriad of published writers and journalists for the past nineteen years. Winners of the award are treated to a residential Arvon writing course where they develop their creative writing skills whilst having their poems published in the annual Foyle Anthology – 24,000 copies of which are distributed to practicing poets, teachers, students, libraries and arts organisations throughout the UK.
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Struwwelpeter
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Loosely based on the 1845 children’s book by Heinrich Hoffmann, Struwwelpeter is a set of modern cautionary tales for the social media age. Featuring the whole First Form as they took over St Mary’s Church, Reigate, the production was packed full of gothic horror, dark twists, tales of woe and advice for children and parents alike. This was an evening of wonders which will leave a lasting impression!
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DofE Reigate Grammar School has the longest continuously running and most successful school DofE programme in the country and, quite probably, the world! We have operated Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards and all our own independent expeditions, without a break, for fifty years! RGS students have achieved over five thousand awards, with many earning all three levels.
ANNUAL AWARD PRESENTATION The 2017 RGS DofE Annual Award Presentation evening in April saw more than a hundred RGS students receive their Bronze Award, fifty their Silver Award and over thirty students the prestigious Gold Award. The evening was run very effectively by three Lower Sixth Form Gold leaders, Barnaby C, Brooke HL and Mahin U as part of achieving their Gold Award.
BRONZE Hundreds of RGS students successfully complete our DofE expeditions each year. For practice expeditions, Bronze students are assisted by older Gold students who pass on essential DofE skills such as map and compass reading. Bronze expeditions follow routes around the North Downs and give teams a first taste of backpacking, navigation and camp craft. Box Hill is often their first conquered peak before the challenges of the Silver and Gold awards.
VOLUNTEERING Of all the DofE sections, many participants find the volunteering section the most rewarding, with some even finding inspiring work that changes their lives forever. Students are frequently pushed into doing things they would not otherwise have considered. Many help in care homes such as Eversfield nursing home, where the work is challenging but rewarding and enormously valued by residents. We often get glowing reports of the excellent voluntary work by our students in the local area. For the past ten years we have operated a conservation scheme in partnership with Conservation Volunteers and the Surrey Wildlife Trust. Under expert direction, students have undertaken valuable conservation work that has measurably improved the environment for the wildlife and people in the local countryside surrounding Reigate including Reigate Heath, Redhill Common and Nutfield Marshes. There have been notable improvements in these fragile habitats with some rare plant and animal species having made a comeback as a direct result of our students’ work. We can genuinely say that RGS DofE students are “Saving the World,” starting in their own back yard.
SILVER Silver expeditions take place in the Surrey Hills and the South Downs. Many find the three days of backpacking over hilly countryside significantly harder than the Bronze Award, however the feeling of success that comes with completing this longer expedition is incredibly rewarding. There is an additional option of mountain biking or canoeing which this year has seen a three-day expedition along the Thames from Maidenhead to Runnymede.
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GOLD
MOUNTAIN RESCUE
Gold expeditions are a serious challenge. Students backpack across wild country in mountainous areas where the conditions can be hazardous and the weather extreme. The practice expedition is to South Wales where students are trained in more advanced navigation by qualified and experienced staff.
During the July training expedition, one of our students fell ill whilst trekking and had to be airlifted off the mountain by a Coastguard rescue helicopter. Three mountain rescue teams and the Coastguard were involved in this rescue. Happily, the student made a full recovery in hospital. Our response and expedition organisation was highly praised by the Brecon Beacons Mountain Rescue Team. This experience serves as a useful reminder to all of the risks involved with all expeditions and the importance of the thorough planning, preparation and training that students complete before their DofE expeditions.
GOLD ASSESSMENT EXPEDITION For the Gold assessment expedition in August, fifty students trekked through the Cambrian Mountains in a remote part of Mid Wales. Finding themselves far flung from main roads with no towns or visitor attractions or any facilities apart from wild hills, lakes, rivers and forests, their camps were truly wild! Groups rarely saw other people during their four-day expedition that culminated in the ascent of Plynlimon, one of the top rated mountains in Britain. After an exhausting climb, students enjoyed amazing views of Cardigan Bay and the whole of the Dragon’s Back from Snowdon to the Brecon Beacons.
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Yet more Drama was enjoyed during the production of Tony Award winning musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee which received rave reviews from all who saw it. The story is a fast paced, wildly funny and touching story of an eclectic group of six young spellers who vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the kids spell their way through a series of words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing “ding� of the bell signalling a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter: one speller is crowned champion!
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COMBINED CADET FORCE
RECORD BREAKING CADET Youngest Cadet Sergeant at RGS achieves her Advanced RAF Proficiency Cadet Sergeant Alexandra J has achieved her Advanced RAF Proficiency a full year and half ahead of any other RAF cadet in living memory. Alex has achieved this by gaining Distinction in her Instructor Training Course, passing two high-level theory papers on flying related subjects and passing a high-level residential skills course. This has made her eligible to become the youngest Cadet Sergeant in living memory at RGS. Well done Alex!
EASTER CAMP Cadets had a fantastic time in Cumbria taking part in, amonsgt other things, activities such as climbing, paddling, clay pigeon shooting, go karting, high ropes and human bowling!
A CADET FOR A DAY As part of this year’s CCF taster day, students tried out archery, team challenges, laser tag, an obstacle course and a canon run in order to gain an insight into some of the amazing activities CCF cadets get up to. We were lucky enough to have lots of enthusiastic students, a yummy barbeque and good weather.
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BEINNIAL REVIEW Group Captain Derek North was the inspecting officer during the CCF Biennial Review. Following the parade at RGS the inspection continued at AquaSports where cadets took part in a variety of activities including kayaking, SUPing, shelter building, command tasks and archery, all of which demonstrated the fantastic team and leadership skills possessed by members of the CCF.
MESS DINNER The Corps of Drums (CoD) delighted guests at the Mess Dinner with a variety of pieces and some exciting lighting effects including LED drum sticks. We were thrilled to welcome back Group Captain Derek North to speak to the guests.
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CLIMBING WEEKEND CCF cadets enjoyed glorious sunshine, dry rock and quality routes. They developed their technical skill and challenged their comfort zones with some impressive single pitch climbing.
FIELD DAY The whole Contingent joined forces for an Army style field training exercise. Staying out in bashas, surviving on ration packs, electronic ranges and survival in the field were some of the highlights.
CCF NNAS WEEKEND Navigation, leadership and team skills, lots of smiles and even some sunshine on the CCF National Navigation Award Scheme weekend. Cadets trained at Bronze, Silver and Gold level in the mountains of Snowdonia.
ARMY SUMMER CAMP Congratulations to all our cadets for coming 3rd in the 11 Brigade inter CCF Competition. Competing against 16 other schools they achieved first place in the Leadership Competition and in the Skill at Arms Competition and gained a second place in Military Knowledge.
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GEOGRAPHY
This year saw the launch of new syllabi for both GCSE and A Level Geography. There have been a number of changes, in particular with the provision of fieldwork.
BELIZE IN CENTRAL AMERICA Sixth Form students travelled to Belize in February to investigate tropical ecosystems, development issues and tourism. They were based at Hillbank Ecolodge within the Rio Bravo conservation area, followed by a stay on the island of San Pedro. Students completed their Open Water scuba diving course with dives to the incredibly bio-diverse coral reef, the second largest in the world. Miss Godbold is currently planning a joint trip with the Economics Department next year to Shanghai, China.
GLACIER WALKS IN ICELAND Somewhat cooler than Belize, we travelled to Iceland to observe glacial and coastal landforms, tectonic activity and geothermal power. A highlight was the guided glacier walk complete with hard hats, crampons and ice axes.
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GEOGRAPHY STAYCATIONS There are great opportunities locally, including:
• Reigate (clone town survey) • Brixton (changing places and urban
regeneration) • River Mole at Gatwick (flood management) • Manor Royal industrial estate (economic activity) • Siemen’s Crystal and London Docklands (sustainability and regeneration) • University of London (conferences) • Tillingbourne stream (river channel characteristics) • Reigate Heath (recreational pressure on a fragile environment)
FIELDWORK ON THE ISLE OF ARRAN In May, geographers travelled to the Isle of Arran where field studies included rivers, coasts and the carbon cycle/climate change. Although Loch Ranza has the UK record for the fewest number of sunshine hours, the Geography students enjoyed summer temperatures and made the most of Arran’s stunning landscapes.
“I’M A GEOGRAPHER, GET ME OUT OF HERE!” In May, Mrs Dexter organised the annual “I’m a Geographer!” competition for local junior schools. The activities, all with a geographical theme, included construction of a model erupting volcano, an earthquake proof building, country dingbats and identifying famous places. The students’ enthusiasm was fantastic. Awareness of local, national and international events and issues is key to understanding the subject in a rapidly changing world. For all our geographers, we hope the curriculum has stimulated interest, fostered understanding and inspired you to make a difference. Of the 16 A Level Geography students who left this year, nine are continuing with Geography and geography related courses at university and we wish them all the very best.
“CLIMATE CHANGE – THE BURNING ISSUE OF OUR GENERATION” The RGS – Royal Meteorological Society Conference In November, the conference of world leaders in Marrakesh brought the issue of climate change back onto the international agenda. Whilst America may withdraw from the Paris Accord, the conference demonstrated a spirit of multilateral cooperation on climate change. It was particularly poignant then, that in March RGS’ Weather Club, in association with the Royal Meteorological Society, hosted a major A Level Climate Change Conference, attended by 100 students from schools from all around the South East and chaired by RGS’ George B and Hugo G. This was the first student A Level conference run by RGS. Top climate scientists, including a Nobel prize winning Professor of Environmental Change in the Arctic were invited from universities around the UK and gave fascinating but starkly concerning talks on different aspects of the climate crisis. Students broke off to discuss specific issues in smaller groups before returning to feedback to the conference. The confidence and quality of the feedback talks was notable and several were highly informative and inspiring, showing how much the delegates had understood of the crisis at hand. 15
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HISTORY
SECOND FORM HISTORY TRIP TO THE BATTLE FIELDS OF YPRES The Second Form visited the First World War Battlefields of Belgium and the frontier town of Ypres.
HISTORY TRIP TO BERLIN The Easter holiday trip included a walking tour focused on the Nazi party and involved sights such as the Reichstag building and Hitler’s bunker, as well as a visit to the 1936 Olympic Stadium and Sachsenhausen concentration camp. On the third day students visited key location sights of the Cold War, including a preserved section of the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie and the Stasi prison.
The trip gave students a vivid insight into day to day life on the Western Front by visiting preserved trenches and battlefields and by inspecting the equipment and weaponry used. They learnt about the impact of gas in the First World War and the measures used to protect against it. They heard stories of individual experiences and great feats of bravery and they learnt more about our RGS community by visiting the grave of Old Reigatian Joseph Perrin at Tyne Cot cemetery, where a small act of remembrance was performed.
In addition to seeing the sites there was time for students to sample German food such as currywurst, buy souvenirs and enjoy an evening’s bowling – an enjoyable and insightful trip.
No trip to Belgium is quite complete without a visit to the chocolate shop, and both students and their families very much enjoyed the sweet treats that made it back to Reigate.
BODIAM CASTLE
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LIVING HISTORY History students were delighted to be involved in a Living History event as part of the Golden Anniversary Reunion Lunch on Tuesday 29 August. Twenty students enjoyed afternoon tea with Old Reigatians who had returned to school fifty years after their last lesson here. Our guests chatted about school life at RGS in the 1960s – some aspects were quite a surprise and others not so different from today – and discussed their experiences of living through the height of the Cold War.
As part of Activities Week, the History Department took the First Form on their annual trip to Bodiam Castle. Students observed the defensive features of the castle and enjoyed workshops on medieval medicine and armour and weaponry which included lots of dressing up.
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HISTORY AND POLITICS READING GROUP A range of books including Mary Beard’s SPQR, Peter Frankopan’s The Silk Roads and Nate Silver’s The Signal and the Noise has ensured lively debate and discussion in weekly sessions, fortified by a steady supply of tea and biscuits!
HISTORY AND POLITICS SOCIETY This has been a year of many interesting topics including the US Presidential Election, the rise of Jeremy Corbyn and the left in the UK, political violence in Britain over time, why black history matters and the political theory of social justice.
RGS’S POLITICAL QUESTION TIME AND MOCK ELECTION RGS has a long and rich political tradition and many of its former students have gone onto take up careers in politics. Labour MP Sir Keir Starmer and White House commentator Andrew Sullivan are the most recent examples and they infact shared a classroom. We also have a history of student elections running alongside General Elections, indeed, a young David Walliams successfully ran an anarchic campaign in 1987 when he was a student at the school. Maintaining the tradition, RGS ran another mock election to coincide with the General Election on Thursday 8 June. As part of this we had a student-run Question Time of the prospective parliamentary candidates for Reigate (Crispin Blunt, Toby Brampton, Anna Tarrant, Jonathan Essex and Joseph Fox). The students also organised
campaigns for their chosen parties, which included posters and even light-hearted political broadcasts that were shown in assemblies. In the build up to Election Day, political chatter and debate dominated the corridors. The respective manifestos were shared and scrutinized. Of course Brexit dominated but issues such as reducing the voting age to 16 and the Green Party’s pledge of a four-day week were also heavily discussed. On the day of the election, our students enjoyed the fun and responsibility of voting. Considering that the Fifth and Sixth Forms were sitting public exams, turnout was impressive, with 357 students voting. The RGS result mirrored the national mood, with the Conservatives being the largest party though without an overall majority.
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
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The hilarious One Man, Two Guvnors by Richard Bean was yet another fantastic Drama production this year. Sold out houses were transported to Brighton, 1963, to witness the story of hapless Francis Henshall (Tom H) as he tries to juggle having two bosses at the same time. Alex P, Will T, Jo A, Holly B and James I were all hilarious in their final RGS show, ably supported by Izzy R, Ibi A, Camille DB, James G, Jack C, Harriet T and Tom B. The show was almost stolen by Goya V as the accident prone 87-year-old Alfie, but ultimately belonged to Tom H, who held delighted audiences in the palm of his hand. The improvisational flair of the whole cast was impressive and audiences commented on the slick and professional nature of such a complicated show.
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SCIENCE It has been another busy year both in and out of lessons in the Science Department.
BIOLOGY WEEK AND SCIENCE WEEK Biology Week in October and Science Week in March provided extensive opportunities for students to explore science. A particular highlight in October was a lecture by Dr Annels from Surrey University, in which she spoke about the function of the immune system and explained her research, which explores ways to utilise killer T cells as a treatment for cancer. Dr Annels presented prizes for both Bronze CREST projects and the Upper Sixth Form ecology poster competition. In addition, during this week Lower School scientists Skyped with a scientist from the Zoological Society London and TSI Friday was transformed to
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TBI Friday, where students enjoyed a series of short biology-focused talks from the Upper Sixth Form. Science Week began with the SATRO engineering challenge, designing amazing and futuristic looking shelters under time pressure. Biologists met the Animazing menagerie, which included a reticulated python and a rather large rabbit. They were all eager to hold some of the animals whilst learning about their specialisations and classification. The Third Form applied their scientific knowledge, and the inspiration offered by short talks from the department, to create wonderful stories,
videos and compositions during SciFi Day. Older students had the opportunity to learn more about the “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of Ophthalmic Surgery� in an excellent talk and dissection demonstration by Mr David Verity and Professor Jones delivered our keynote lecture in Science Week, How medicines are discovered and developed. This fascinating insight into pharmacology has inspired students to explore the subject further and raised awareness of the origins of the medicines we all routinely self-administer.
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MATHS
Congratulations to Connie BS who was accepted onto the highly prestigious PROMYS Europe (Program in Mathematics for Young Scientists), where she took part in a six-week Mathematics Camp at Oxford University alongside 19 other mathematicians from all over Europe. Connie studied in-depth Number Theory and received support from Europe’s elite mathematicians, scholars and mentors. It is a huge honour to have been accepted onto such a prestigious scheme.
SCIENCE CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES Science is a year round passion at RGS with a wide range of clubs. Science Club, saw a wide range of practical tasks and lab skills. A Science Book Club has recently started; students have read The Magic Of Reality by Richard Dawkins and The Time And Space Of Uncle Albert by Russell Stannard. Students have also enthusiastically embraced the CREST award programme where they work individually or in small teams to devise and carry out a scientific investigation. Projects have included building a cosmic ray detector, researching the susceptibility of bacteria to different antibiotics and exploring whether crops could be grown on kitchen wastes such as potato peelings.
Sixth Form scientists have continued to impress, presenting TSI Friday talks on such diverse subjects as molecular orbital theory, CRISPR and the development of Artificial Intelligence. Biologists have furthered their knowledge through both the Book Club where they have dissected The Sixth Extinction and have moved on to explore The Epigenetics Revolution. Biology Breakfast, the regular journal discussion group which explores a diverse range of challenging papers, entered its second year with explorations of the structure of scientific papers and the impacts of protein misfolding on disease being accompanied by pain au chocolat!
SCIENCE TRIPS Visits included the Natural History Museum and Nettlecombe Field Studies Centre, along with trips to London for a wide range of lectures including a Science Live! Trip, while both First and Second Form expanded their knowledge of Physics and Biology on a visit to Alton Towers. Chemists visited Southampton University where they conducted exciting practical work, extracting caffeine from tea and analysing the samples using infrared spectroscopy.
Earlier in the year a team of RGS mathematicians; Bertie C, Tianyi P, Lakith G and Estuardo DA, reached the national final of the UKMT Team Maths Challenge Competition which took place at Lindley Hall in London. They finished 19th out of over 1700 schools taking part in the competition nationwide. The Lower School has done exceptionally well in this year’s Junior Maths Challenge with nearly 120 Gold, Silver or Bronze certificates awarded. Following on from the Junior Maths Challenge, three students qualified for the Junior Mathematical Olympiad with Jake B and Lakith G achieving merits and Thomas K achieving a Distinction and a medal. Congratulations to all involved.
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ART
The Art and Design Technology exhibition was outstanding yet again this year, showing just how talented students at RGS are. The work of A Level Fine Artists and Photography students was displayed in The Wright Gallery and it is clear from this space alone that there is immense diversity in the work produced by students, from installations, large abstracts and more realist paintings, stitching and embroidery work. This area, along with the Concert Hall provided a vast and varied spectacle and an opportunity for the Art Department to showcase the works and projects students have produced throughout the year.
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MUSIC
SPRING CONCERT
DUET PHILHARMONIC
This year’s sell out Spring Concert featured a range of performances from Handel and Telemann string pieces, to a Samba drumming procession and a chart hit from Clean Bandit.
Congratulations to the seven students who represented RGS at the Royal Festival Hall during the Easter holiday as part of the Duet Philharmonic – a combined orchestra of players from twenty-two top independent schools. Violinists Anna A, Juliet A, Freya B, Bertie C, Sophia H, cellist Yasmin H and harpist Eleanor M all excelled themselves in performing repertoire including Mahler’s Symphony no. 5 in front of an appreciative audience of more than two-thousand. The students worked incredibly hard throughout the five-day course of preparation for the concert and produced an exceptional level of musicianship for the performance.
In addition to the smaller instrumental groups, the audience was treated to the Britten Choir singing in close-harmony, Polyphony showing their jazz credentials, ISO with refined Baroque playing and the Swing Band, who closed the concert with an uplifting set of three classic tunes.
REIGATE AND REDHILL MUSIC FESTIVAL This year the RGS Sax Ensemble won the Senior Ensemble class at the Reigate and Redhill Music Festival. This is a fantastic achievement and improves on last year’s joint first finish. Members of the group came from almost all year groups, from First Form right through to Upper Sixth Form: Maddy W, Ben S, Sophia H, Finlay N, Annabel L and Oscar H. They were awarded an outstanding certificate and a cup for their achievement. Many congratulations to them on this great accomplishment!
RGS UNPLUGGED The Spring Term saw the return of RGS Unplugged. The evening of music began with an acoustic version of Mr Brightside by Outside The Box, featuring the Unplugged String Quartet. There was a strong representation of all year groups from First Form through to the Upper Sixth Form providing an extremely enjoyable evening for all.
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COMMERCIAL MUSIC NIGHT
AN EVENING WITH THE SWING BAND
For this American-themed evening of contemporary music, the Recital Room became a chill-out lounge and the audience of students, staff and parents enjoyed food and drink as they listened to the superb performances. There was a wide range of musical styles, from film music to jazz, musicals and pop songs: the performances were confident all round.
What could be better than a relaxed summer evening of jazz music in the beautiful gardens of the Headmaster’s House. As the sun set the ever popular RGS Swing Band performed music from the likes of Glenn Miller and Billy Joel.
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TUSCANY CHORAL TOUR Over the summer 62 singers from the First to Upper Sixth Forms toured Tuscany in northern Italy as part of this music tour. Highlights included a trip up the funicular railway to the old town of Montecatini offering spectacular views; time in Florence touring the renowned Uffizi gallery; photo opportunities of the leaning tower in Pisa; exploring the picturesque towns of Lucca, Siena and San Gimignano, and sampling many of the region’s finest ice-creams! The tour performed at the Chiesa San Filippo Neri in Florence, the awe-inspiring Duomo in Lucca, and the Convento di Sant’Agostino with its beautiful courtyard, in San Gimignano. The choirs enjoyed performing items from the Fauré Requiem, Rutter Gloria and more. Vocal soloists represented the school with distinction: Edward C, Camille DB, Annabelle D, Goya V, Ben S, Tom F, Ava W and Lavinia H.
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ST JOHN’S SMITH SQUARE SUMMER CONCERT The Music department’s Choral and Orchestral Concert wowed a packed St John’s Smith Square audience in the heart of Westminster in what was a huge undertaking and great spectacle. The performance included 250 musicians with members of RGS’ First to Upper Sixth Forms, the Senior Choir from Micklefield School and the RGS Cantata Choir. The audience was thoroughly entertained during a programme of contrasts featuring the Senior Brass Ensemble, Concert Bands, Spring Orchestra, Junior Voices, Sixth Form Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra and RGS Singers. The concert day and the venue itself brought the very best out
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of all performers, who represented RGS with a huge amount of distinction. The galleries of the church provided for some exquisite antiphonal brass playing and the organ played a key part, particularly in the Fauré Requiem. Choirs of all ages and string players in large and small groups also enjoyed the acoustics and produced a fantastic sound. There were so many highlights, but a special mention goes to Sixth Form students Maddy W for her saxophone playing and singing, Nick I for his trombone and tuba playing and Alex P and Goya V for their solo singing.
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MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
SPANISH TRIP TO ANDALUCIA The 2017 Spanish trip to Andalucia really was an amazing experience to share with friends and the school, that I will never forget! As well as being a fun and relaxing break, it was also a rich cultural and educational experience for us all. I remember arriving at the hotel and the excitement of seeing the sea beside us. Over the course of the five days we explored many museums such as el museo Picasso, and discovered the ancient features of the fortress of El Gibralfaro, high up in the hills. We experienced both the old and the new from travelling to beautiful little towns such as Mijas Pueblo and then to the modern and glamorous port town of Puerto BanĂşs. Of course, we tried some Spanish food and enjoyed some tapas tasting in the centre of Malaga. We also explored the stunning gardens of the atmospheric Alhambra Palace in Granada. We managed to fit in lots of ice cream stops and some evening swimming in the hotel pool, and will always remember visiting the water park on the last day and having lots of fun on the terrifying water slides. I am so grateful to all the teachers and everyone who came with us for making it such a memorable and wonderful trip. Rosie B 3LWM
GERMAN EMBASSY CAREERS FAIR The Fourth Form German students attended the German Embassy Careers Fair in London. The fair took place at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and was jointly organised by the German Embassy London and German-British Chamber of Industry and Commerce. We had the opportunity to meet representatives of German companies, as well as British companies with important business links to German-speaking countries, and were able to discuss employment opportunities at these companies. Keeran K 5ELB 28
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SPANISH EXCHANGE The Spanish exchange students came to Reigate first for five days in February. Everyone got on really well with their exchange partners and had amazing experiences getting to know them. A month later, we headed to the north of Spain to La Coruùa, where our Spanish friends waited excitedly for us at the airport. In Spain, the weather was lovely – as were the people! We all had an amazing time eating churros, going shopping, bowling and visiting the city of Santiago de Compostela with its beautiful cathedral. We spent a day in the school Maristas and sat in on Spanish lessons. Rebeccca H 5SLC 29
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MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES FRENCH EXCHANGE We recently went on the French exchange; an enriching and cultural experience, which allowed us to make new friends with foreign students and immerse ourselves in a different lifestyle. The French students arrived on Friday and we spent the weekend with them in England, visiting renowned landmarks such as Kew Gardens, Windsor Castle and local heritage sites such as Polesden Lacey. On Monday, the French students visited Brighton and later that evening we met them in Crawley for bowling. The next day they attended lessons at RGS with us. It was great to interact on an educational level, giving them the opportunity to discuss the differences between the two schools. On Wednesday, we headed off to France with our exchange partners. On arriving in Lille, we met their parents, then some students went to their homes for the
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week. Meanwhile, we went to play a laser game, an exciting match between different teams, then later returned to our partners’ homes. On Thursday, we met up with our fellow RGS students to visit Arras – a trip organised by the French school. We visited the memorial of the 1917 Battle of Arras, the town centre where we climbed the Béfroi (the Belfry) and ate lunch at Flunch. In the afternoon, we visited the LouvreLens museum (the Louvre branch in northern France), containing many historic and precious artefacts. On Friday we participated in a regular day at the French school. We found it interesting to get an impression of life at their school, and discover their alternative styles of lessons and activities as opposed to ours. It’s safe to say we all enjoyed our afternoon of badminton, (resulting in partners revealing some
of their competitive streaks!) and it was fun to spend some time with our friends’ exchanges as well. Friday evening was spent with our partners, many of us heading out for trips to restaurants, cinemas and the like. The weekend became a mix of activities and outings, including trips to Lille, Bruges, Paris, le Touquet, Dunkirk and other established sites. We tried French cuisine, went shopping, enjoyed boat trips, wandered around museums and much more, whilst having ample opportunity to brush up our French accents and communicate with the locals. Come Sunday evening, many of us were saddened to be leaving our French friends behind. We returned to England laden with gifts and souvenirs to share with our families and unforgettable memories of our time in France. Louisa G 5DOC, Sofia G 5DOC Hannah C 5GBC.
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T&P
ENGLISH AND T&P
LANGAR MEAL
TRIP TO CANTERBURY
Students enjoyed a meal together to learn about the Sikh kitchen, known as a langar. Every Gurdwara has a langar where all people are welcome to a free meal regardless of their religion or background. Everyone sits on the floor together to eat, and the food is vegetarian to reflect the Sikh belief that everyone is equal.
The Second Form undertook their own pilgrimage to Canterbury. Although they were given the luxury of coach travel instead of making the journey barefoot, as many pilgrims have done over the centuries, the final leg of the journey was undertaken more traditionally (with shoes though!) Walking down the river towards the city centre, students followed in the footsteps of generations of pilgrims.
PLACES OF WORSHIP TRIP T&P students visited a mosque and a church to support our learning. The first place we visited was Croydon Minster. After that we travelled to the Baitul Futuh Mosque (the largest mosque in Northern Europe). The students were shown, in depth, the worship halls and learnt about contemporary Islamic attitudes to modern day issues such as gender equality and Jihad. After this we were given the opportunity to witness the act of Muslim Salah (prayer). Nicholas B 5JTH
Students have been studying The Canterbury Tales and took part in The Canterbury Tales Experience where they were conveyed from London to Canterbury via Chaucer’s tales; Tahlia CS said, “It was really interactive and cool how you were taken through each story.” Max W was impressed with the attention to detail, even the authentic smells, as everyone was transported back to The Tabbard Inn in the late 1300s. Students also took in a tour of the cathedral to help their study of pilgrimages in T&P. Rosie B said “there were lots of interesting facts and it was truly a majestic building.” The visit wouldn’t have been complete without the school song., To Be a Pilgrim; Mr Hare conducted students in a particularly atmospheric rendition in the Chapter House of the cathedral.
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HOUSE NEWS
SPRING TERM 2017 The overall House Cup is awarded as a results of placings in the Sports Shield and the Competitions Trophy. House Netball took place in games afternoons, with each House competing in A and B teams. It was exciting to see all girls representing their Houses and the results were the closest yet. Congratulations to Cranston for winning overall; Bird came second with Hodgson and Williamson close behind. Boys’ Hockey was incredibly close with some outstanding defending and attacking by all Houses. Again both A and B teams played and the boys thoroughly enjoyed being in opposition against their peers. The joint overall winners were Hodgson and Williamson, closely followed by Cranston and Bird.
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In House Chess the competition is always exciting and close. The Heads of House had their own competition, inspired by the quality of the students’ play! It was pleasing to see students from First to Upper Sixth Forms battling it out against each other. Congratulations to Hodgson who narrowly beat Cranston to this year’s crown, and to Williamson and Bird who were chasing at their heels. The House Golf competition was once again held at Reigate Heath Golf Club. After a fun afternoon there were only four shots dividing the teams, with Cranston finishing 3 under par, Williamson 2 under, Hodgson 1 under and Bird Level Par. With all the points gained from Easter 2016 - Easter 2017 added together there was only one point dividing first and second place positions. First place went to Hodgson with Williamson one point behind in second; they were closely followed by Bird and Cranston. Welldeserved congratulations to Hodgson for winning the 2016-2017 House Cup, and to all those that participated throughout the competition!
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SUMMER TERM 2017 The new term marked the start of a new House year, and it was off to a good start, with two packed sessions of House Swimming. A number of individual and relay records were achieved and the atmosphere was buoyant and goodspirited. The final scores of each year were added together with Williamson winning overall followed by Bird, Cranston and Hodgson. The Summer Term Sports events were held in a new format this year - a Senior House Sport evening for the Fifth and Sixth Forms and a Junior House Summer Sports Festival just before the end of term. The Senior event included Boys’ Cricket, Girls’ Rounders, Mixed Tennis and Mixed Ultimate (Frisbee). With it being their last opportunity to represent their Houses, Upper Sixth Form students threw themselves into the event. Their efforts and participation were rewarded with a barbeque at the end of what was a most enjoyable evening. Our combined Junior Summer Sports Festival included Cricket, Rounders, Tennis and Athletics. Hartswood was a sea of
colour as students wore their House tops and adorned themselves with face paint. The weather was superb, and the atmosphere cheerful and lively. Every House won a number of year group events throughout the day, with the whole school gathering to see the Sixth Form Tug of War and the staff versus Sixth Form Relay at the end. Congratulations to all students for their efforts. The atmosphere embodied just what the House System is about: having a go and enjoying yourself. The Cricket was won by Hodgson, with Cranston, Bird and then Williamson close behind. Williamson gained a win in the Tennis, followed by Cranston and Hodgson in joint second, and finally Bird. Bird earned a win in Rounders, with Cranston, Williamson and Hodgson close behind. Williamson won the Ultimate followed by Bird, Hodgson, and finally Cranston. In Athletics, Williamson had a narrow win over Bird, followed by Cranston and then Hodgson. On the final day of term we concluded the Summer House Cup with the Junior Quiz and Tug of War which saw the whole school make their way onto Broadfield Lawn to cheer on their House. Each year
group had a House team of four boys and four girls who gave their all to pull the rope over the line. True grit and determination was shown by every competitor as they tried to hold on for as long as they could. With the final scores added together there was a joint first place for Bird and Williamson, with Cranston and then Hodgson just behind them. The Junior Quiz continues to be most enjoyable as the whole school gathers to watch teams of four from each House amaze the school with their knowledge. In a tense buzzer contest, followed by bonus questions and an interval with a whole-school heads and tails game, the atmosphere was electric. Congratulations to Bird who won overall, closely tailed by Cranston, Hodgson and Williamson. The final rankings for the Summer Term put Bird just ahead with Williamson in second, Cranston in third, and Hodgson hot on their heels. With two terms left to go in this year’s cup, it’s still all to play for!
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R E IGATE G R A M M AR SC H OO L
THE ODYSSEY
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The last full week of term saw the final production of a packed year for RGS Drama, with the Concert Hall once again full to the rafters to see The Odyssey – a new take on the classic tale. Written and directed by Mr Jackson, it told the story of Oliver (Sonny C) as he struggles to cope with life at the KIDZ Club, where he’s been left by
his father (Daniel C). Soon he meets some like-minded friends (Caspar M, Henry M and Freya M) and they embark on an epic journey together. The sense of company was very impressive, with a cast of nearly seventy working as one to tell the story. Well done to all those who were involved.
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SPORT CRICKET Summer 2017 has seen an excellent season of cricket for RGS. More cricket matches have been played than in any previous year across all age groups. February half term saw the 1st XI Tour to the UAE. We had a successful tour of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where students were a credit to the school both on and off the pitch. While in the UAE students gained an understanding of the cultures that make up this unique society and benefitted from having a guided tour of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque (the largest in the UAE). A busy winter and Easter pre-season programme ensured that all teams were well prepared and able to hit the ground running, which they did with a vengeance. Against local rivals Caterham, all teams pulled it out of the bag with a 9-2 block win that included a number of convincing performances. Further successful blocks against CLFS, Tiffin and Eltham College set out the story of the season.
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The 1st XI enjoyed their most successful season for a considerable period of time, winning 11 out of 13 longer format matches. Notably, an emphatic victory over the MCC, chasing down a tough score of 220, with 108 runs from Sam H. Sam also represented Surrey 2nd XI, CAG U17, MCC Schools and took part in the ECB Super 4s in Loughborough. Elsewhere, the U15s had a fantastic season winning 12 out of 16 matches, including reaching the semifinals of the ESCA National Cup and the quarterfinal of the County Cup. The U14s took many positives from the season and have encouraging raw talent. The U13s played some good cricket throughout the season and had a particularly enjoyable tour in Jersey. The U12s had an excellent season, reaching the quarterfinal of the County Cup and winning 11 out of 13 matches. The future looks good, here’s to 2018!
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ULTIMATE Ultimate (Frisbee) has continued to grow this season at RGS. The addition of an evening indoor training session in the autumn and spring terms has allowed the players to develop their game in preparation for the National Indoor Tournament. This year we took one U17 team and two U20 teams to their respective National Indoor Tournaments in Wolverhampton. These two-day tournaments were a real test for the teams and allowed players to compete against some of the best Ultimate players in the UK. The U20 first team finished as the fifth best school in the country. This was a great success given it was the first time we had taken so many players to a national tournament. The outdoor season started strongly with RGS taking first and third place at Tonbridge’s Ultimate tournament. During the tournament four members of the Fourth Form made their school debut, performing well against much older students. Once again RGS competed in the National Outdoor Tournament in Birmingham with the U20 team placing third. At Hartswood we were pleased to welcome GB Player Lloyd Cheeseman who delivered a master class to our seniors. This year Williamson won the House Ultimate with a clean sweep of matches. We hosted our annual Old Boys match, and the Old Boys beat the school team!
BIATHLON The end of March saw nine girls and seven boys represent RGS at the National Schools’ Biathlon Championships at Crystal Palace and emerge as Bronze and Silver medallists in the team event. Our U13 Girls (Clara A, Lily FJ and Sara M) achieved a Bronze team medal, and our U14 Boys (Lakith G, Tomos K and Henry M) gained Silver. All students performed well, with nearly all achieving a run or swim personal best. Our most successful individuals were Eva M (10th U12 Girls), Clara A (13th U13 Girls), Tomos K (27th U14 Boys) and Owen K (8th U16 Boys). Other students who took part were Machayla D (40th), Jemima P (42nd), Sara M (56th), Elis K (57th), Ioan K (62nd), Thomas E (64th), Lily FJ (74th), Gemma S (91st), Olivia M (96th) and Elsie H (142nd), Well done to all who competed.
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NatWest Cup Victory RGS First XV wins national title On Tuesday 29 March RGS’ First XV Rugby boys secured the U18 NatWest Plate title winning 20-16 in a nail-biting final against Solihull School at Sixways Stadium. A home win over The Portsmouth Grammar School was followed by one of the best performances of the season, away against Downside. In the quarterfinal game against St Colomba’s, RGS really began to fire, winning 53-19. This led to a semifinal against an impressive Crossley Heath Grammar team, where the RGS boys shone through with a 38-14 victory.
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This win took the boys into the final against Solihull School at Sixways Stadium, Worcester, along with many students, teachers and parents supporting. It was a tense and nervous ending, but it was RGS’s day with the boys becoming champions for 2017, the second occasion in two years that RGS has been crowned national champions.
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NETBALL Netball at RGS continues to go from strength to strength. We have been fortunate to field twenty-three teams across all age groups, giving everyone the opportunity to represent the school. The First Form had an excellent first season and qualified for the County finals. In the Second Form the girls managed to accumulate a large number of victories against some tough opposition, including Hurst College and Colfe’s.
The Third Form has had a very successful season. After qualifying for and coming a close second in the County finals.
Congratulations go to the following girls who were selected to represent the county for netball:
The Fourth Form, along with the Third Form, enjoyed an action packed tour to Disneyland Paris where they received expert coaching and plenty of opportunity for competitive netball.
U16 Elite Netball: Sofia G U16 Netball Development Academy: Lucia B, Bernadette CW, Brianna E U14 Netball Development Academy: Simone K, Tally G
In senior Netball, the girls deservedly qualified for the County finals.
Bernadette CW was also selected to join the Surrey Storm U15 Netball Squad. Surrey Storm is the Netball Super League for London and the South East. This is an outstanding achievement.
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TENNIS The boys’ and girls’ Tennis teams have had a successful season playing in the Surrey League, Surrey Festival, National Independent Schools Tournament, the Aegon Team Tennis Competition and a variety of friendly matches. In our inaugural year of the U15 LTA Aegon Team Tennis, both the girls and boys performed well, topping their respective group pool matches, enabling them to go through to the semifinal stages of this competition. The girls entered the Surrey leagues in all five age groups and performed well across the board. Sofia, Grace, Harriet and Amelia also played in the Independent Schools Tennis Association (ISTA) tournament at Eton. Both pairs were placed runners up in their group, Sofia and Grace to Millfield firsts and Hattie and Amelia to St Albans girls firsts.
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The boys fielded teams in five age groups, all of which had some pleasing successes against traditionally strong opponents. At U12 level we had a large squad of capable and enthusiastic players. Thomas K was the leading player: he won the Boden Cup for U12 singles, played several times for the U13 team and also formed a strong partnership with Conor W in school matches, including an excellent 6-3 overall win against Trinity Croydon. Our U13 group is a similarly talented bunch, with a squad of nine involved in matches, which included a superb 6-3 victory over rivals RGS Guildford. At the ISTA Eton tournament, Tom D and Jamie D competed well to reach the quarterfinal stage in this high quality national event. The U14 boys played well as a group, captained by Maximus SP, who also played for the U15 team in the ISTA and Aegon tournaments. Their highlights included a
closely fought draw with RGS Guildford and an emphatic 8-1 success against Caterham. Our U15 group was motivated to do well as the first RGS team to compete in the LTA Aegon Team Tennis competition. They won their league and progressed to the Surrey semifinal round. A new initiative for the coming academic year is to provide the opportunity for Winter squad sessions using the facilities and coaches at Redhill LTC. We feel this will facilitate improvement in both individual skills and doubles teamwork, thereby hopefully enhancing the standard and status of Tennis at RGS.
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GOLD MEDALLIST SUSANNAH TOWNSEND COACHES AT RGS Olympic Gold Medallist Susannah Townsend’s Hockey Masterclass at RGS Hartswood offered students the opportunity to learn from her extensive experience and gain skills that will help them continue to succeed, as they have all year. Following the day’s activities, Susannah attended the annual Senior Sports Dinner at Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking. After a plethora of student awards, Susannah gave an inspirational talk on the challenges of becoming an Olympian and told the story of her route to success, one that has not always been easy. The whole day was a resounding success and we are extremely grateful for Susannah’s time and wisdom.
OLD REIGATIAN HARRIET MITCHELL WINS BRONZE MEDAL IN U21 EUROPEAN HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS
STEPH W REPRESENTS HER COUNTRY AT U16 ENGLAND HOCKEY Harriet Mitchell was a crucial member of the England Hockey U21 side that went through to win a Bronze medal in the European Championships in Valencia, Spain at the end of the summer. The young English team came through the group stage by topping the table, but went on to lose against Belgium in the semifinals. This lead to a third/fourth place play off against Germany, which they came through victorious to take home the Bronze. Many congratulations Harriet: everyone at RGS is very proud of you and you are a great inspiration to all the young Hockey players in the school.
Steph W has had an exceptional 2016-2017, culminating in selection to represent England U16 Hockey over the summer as an attacking midfielder. As well as training camps all over the country, she was included in England teams which toured and played three matches against Holland as well as a home series against Belgium based at Canterbury HC.
SURREY HOCKEY U17 PLAYER OF THE YEAR Aisling S has been named as the Surrey Hockey U17 Player of the Year! This is an amazing achievement and follows a huge amount of hard work and commitment. Well done Aisling!
Steph represented herself and RGS proudly as she competed with some of the best up and coming Hockey players of her generation, many of whom will go on to become Olympians. We are extremely proud of her and wish her all the very best for the future. 41
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BOYS’ HOCKEY The boys’ Hockey programme has gone from strength to strength this year. The boys have thoroughly embraced the ethos of training and match tactics and the coaching staff have been incredible. The amount of effort each coach has dedicated this term has been phenomenal. On the back of this, we have more individuals playing and more teams competing than ever before. The results have mirrored this effort and focus with some very impressive wins against more established Hockey schools in Surrey. The U12 teams all learnt valuable lessons and scored some brilliant team and individual goals. The U13s had some ups and downs but showed they have improved greatly since last year, achieving some impressive results against tough opposition. The U14s always face a tough challenge as they make the transition from 7 to 11-a-side formats. For them, the season started slowly but once they got to grips with the change, they began to achieve positive results. The U15s had a 42
brilliant season, finishing in the top four in Surrey and demonstrating at times how Hockey should be played. The linking play between defence, midfield and attackers was truly magical and those who were fortunate to watch them were treated with class. The seniors had a really positive season, winning more games than ever before. This culminated in the Bath Hockey Festival tour where they won all four of their matches – a feat which was a first! As a whole, the season has been a huge success and the RGS boys have earned themselves a well-deserved reputation on the Hockey scene. The future looks bright and with some amazing talent in the junior teams coming through the school, it is a very exciting time indeed.
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FIRST AND SECOND FORM BOYS’ TAUNTON TOUR For the first time the junior boys went on Hockey tour to Taunton this season. Over the weekend they played six games against some very strong opposition from the South West, including All Hallows, Wellington School, Queen’s College, Taunton School and Taunton Vale Hockey Club. As well as playing some excellent Hockey they also managed to fit in bowling, swimming and pizza! All the boys enjoyed the weekend away and returned home tired but happy.
OTHER HOCKEY INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENTS Scott J won the U18 Indoor Hockey Championships with Surbiton Hockey Club.
SENIOR BOYS’ HOCKEY TOUR TO BATH A squad of fifteen First team players travelled to Bath for the annual Hockey festival playing St Benedict’s, Haberdashers’ Aske’s, Ratcliffe College and Hall Cross Academy. The boys maintained a clean sheet of four wins with a total of 15 goals for and only four against. Top goal scorers were Scott J and Pete D with six goals apiece. In the final match, Reigate scored their first goal after just 17 seconds and with Rupert H’s first touch of the ball.
Peggy W was selected to play in the U15 Futures Cup, to represent Saxon Tigers. This is a competition which brings together the top players in the country, who train and play off against each other in regional matches under the watchful eye of the England selectors, for a chance to be selected for the National Age Group squads. Saxon Tigers did well coming fourth in the competition.
This was an excellent end to a successful season, the culmination of a great deal of training with some players, including Captain Josh Van Der Meulen, enjoying their third season of 1st team hockey.
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LEAVERS’ DAY
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The Fun Fair came to RGS again as a highlight of an emotional day for leavers and a fun-packed day for the whole school.
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RGS Hartswood Sports Ground
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