The Reigatian 2021

SOMO AWARD WINNER 2021

We are delighted to announce that Reigate Grammar School was named School of the Year at the UK Social Mobility Awards (SOMOs) ceremony on Thursday 14 October 2021.

The SOMOs (somo.uk), now in their fifth year, were set up to recognise and celebrate the people and institutions dedicated to leading the way in advancing social mobility in the UK.

Reigate Grammar School has received School of the Year accolades four years in a row, including for its work on pastoral care and community engagement, and now for its whole-school commitment to promoting social mobility.

Over 170 children currently receive some form of financial support at Reigate Grammar School, and the RGS Foundation raises millions of pounds through philanthropic giving to provide life-changing bursaries through the award-winning Changing Lives campaign.

In response to the pandemic, in 2020, the school launched the Nightingale Fund, providing bursaries for the children of low-paid NHS and front-line workers: part of our thank you to NHS heroes.

The RGS We Care project (p12) aligns the values and priorities of our wider Reigatian community. Over the last 18 months hundreds of students, staff and parents helped, volunteered, donated food or clothes and, in one way or another, were part of a national response to COVID – we recognised that those who were already less advantaged became even more vulnerable. These are the Reigatian values. The school provides support and opportunities to children around the community in sport, careers advice, art, music, drama, maths, literature and more.

Students also came up with ingenious projects to increase support for local charities, Stripey Stork, Loveworks, The Children’s Trust and others. Activities included a Christmas run to Santa’s Grotto at the North Pole, foodbank collections, donut days and more.

Tunde Banjoko OBE, Founder of the UK Social Mobility Awards, added, “We are delighted that the UK Social Mobility Awards show that there continues to be positive activity being conducted across the country, as corporate Britain comes together to drive forward social mobility. However, as much as has been done, we still have significant work to do, as, when it comes to social mobility, there is no limit to better. I would like to congratulate Reigate Grammar School for winning.”

“To receive such an award by a national body is truly wonderful and recognises our collective efforts, whilst further fuelling our passion to make an even greater impact. Reigate Grammar School, by design, is engineered to provide a transformational education. It is our responsibility as a Reigatian community, to ensure that such opportunity is available to children from all backgrounds.” Sean Davey, Head of Foundation

“The children and adults in our school were determined to show that whilst our doors were closed, our hearts were still open. This defines who we are as a school.” Shaun Fenton, Headmaster

Celebrating success – former bursary recipient, Dr Say Vivekanantham with Henry Smith Club President, Sir Peter Gershon