School News

2021 continued to be a busy year at the RGS, notwithstanding the restrictions of the pandemic, and new ways were found to rise to the challenges and opportunities this created both in the classroom and beyond. School academic events such as the Independent Learning Assignment, Model United Nations and the Scholarship Conference continued to flourish and there were also individual and group achievements across an eclectic range of activities. Here are a few highlights:

Firefly Technology were crowned 2021 Young Enterprise (YE) UK winners! Mentored by their business advisor Max Beech OG 2015 and YE Ambassador, and beating over 720 teams from around the UK, Firefly are the first Surrey team to take the title in 17 years, and the first RGS team ever. They went on to represent the UK at the European YE Finals, against the best teams from 40 other European nations. Firefly Technology designed and manufactured a range of technically complex ‘smart signs’ – such as Do not Deskturb – from scratch, which automatically light up when you are in a meeting to prevent interruptions. Matt, MD of the team, won one of the five leadership awards from 40 nominations across Europe in recognition of his extra initiative and leadership.

Team Firefly Technology

Back in November 2020, Ruth Waters RGS Head of Geography and Liv

Timberlake, Careers & Outreach

Projects Lead and Head of Business Enterprise launched the RGS Earthshot Challenge to the third form. Based on The Earthshot Prize, launched by HRH Prince William and Sir David Attenborough, they challenged the boys to come up with creative, engaging solutions tackling environmental issues in the Guildford area. Judges James Miller OG 2020 and Dick Seymour, former RGS Head of Geography, were hugely impressed with the quality of the submissions. Finalists were Pollution Control who focused on installing more water fountains in the town and addressed the importance of these to vulnerable groups and the benefit to health whilst reducing single use plastic, The Earth Avengers with a plan to rid the rivers of waste with specially designed barriers and pump systems and The Tree Climateers with a range of ideas to tackle traffic pollution in Guildford. The boys generously donated their £100 prize money to charity.

RGS Staff and U6 supporting Movember 2021

Team Stonkbusters, a fifth form RGS team reached the final seven in the virtual final of the London Institute of Banking & Finance Student Investor Challenge 2020. This was a great success as 9,840 teams signed up for the competition. A group of third form pupils decided to group together in order to “cycle the Great Wall of China” to raise money for all the School’s nominated charities. They decided to cycle every day of the week over a two month period to reach the distance of 2,435 km. Many congratulations to Peter White, former Director of Music at the RGS, on being one of the first recipients of a new award from the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey for services to the community. The award recognised over 35 years of dedicated contribution to music in Surrey. When Peter first arrived in Guildford in 1984 he immediately joined the steering committee of the Guildford Festival. He set up the Ryedale Festival and, over the years since, has conducted Guildford Opera, Loseley Opera, Woking Pops Chorus, the Guildford Philharmonic Chorus and many other local musical groups.

We’ve enjoyed two wonderful Musician of the Year competitions, in February 2021 and 2022, both of which showcased the extraordinary depth of musical talent among the pupils. Accompanied as always with great skill and sensitivity by Jan Newman, Head of Keyboards, the performers included pianists, brass, woodwind and strings, all playing to a very high standard. The winner in 2021 was Stan U6, trumpet and in 2022, violinist Joseph 3rd form.