The Review 2022-2023

The annual review of the Royal Grammar School, Guildford

School Values

The RGS is a kind, inclusive, tolerant community where diverse opportunity, personal development, high achievement and collaborative partnership define who we are, and where our values underpin all we do.

Inclusivity

We remain loyal to our founding principles to educate bright local students, irrespective of background or financial circumstances, and we inherently believe in establishing a culture of diversity and acceptance, and in educating our students in a welcoming, tolerant community where each individual is valued and enjoys a deep sense of belonging.

Scholarship

We encourage the growth of intellectual curiosity, independence, creativity, innovation and habits of learning within a scholarly community through inspirational subject specialists who provoke and stretch the students’ minds and inculcate a lifelong love of learning.

Integrity

We promote the development of self-discipline and responsibility, spirituality and a personal moral code, and cultivate an ethos where enduring qualities of decency, honesty, courtesy, humility and good humour are celebrated.

Respect

We nurture an atmosphere of mutual respect between all members of our community, and foster self-respect and self-esteem in terms of physical health, emotional maturity and personal well-being, while establishing lasting friendships in a positive, happy environment.

Courage

We develop leadership, teamwork, resilience and life skills through a diverse range of activities where all students, regardless of their talents and attributes, are encouraged to challenge themselves, take appropriate risks and work hard to fulfil their potential.

Collaboration

We work closely with others for mutual enrichment, and encourage a spirit of generosity and service, a sense of perspective, and a firm belief that we can work in partnership with others, locally and internationally, to make a difference and have a positive impact on society.

FROM THE HEADMASTER

For a school with a rich 500-year history the mantra of tradition and innovation seems particularly apt. A culture of restless reinvention represents a mindset of continuous improvement, adaptation, and innovation but certainly not revolution. The success of the RGS is built upon remaining true to our ethos and values: the cornerstones of an education which has served students so well for generations and nurtured humble and yet confident individuals who can be themselves, can think independently, and have a desire to make an impact upon society. A curriculum of traditional, rigorous subjects, a passionate commitment to the co-curricular life of the School, and a focus on teamwork, leadership and community remain established parts of our DNA.

And yet, in the 21st-century, institutions need to constantly reassess and refine. Supported by dedicated

and professional staff, I am proud of this restless culture and we continue to improve all aspects of school life, always with students at the very heart of our strategy and decision making. I would argue that the RGS has never been so committed to widening access, to student experience and well-being, to diversity and inclusion, to celebrating individuality, to multi-faceted pastoral support, ultimately to ensuring that our students – despite the pressures and challenges of the modern age – are happy, emotionally aware, tolerant and comfortable in their own skin.

Our values of inclusivity, scholarship, integrity, respect, courage and collaboration are therefore the lifeblood of our school; they are what makes the RGS, and our students, so special. Although harder to illustrate than headline public examination results or achievement on the sports field, success lies in our ongoing commitment to nurturing a culture of respect for all, to being kind and supportive, to having an altruistic outlook, to being resilient and flexible, to embedding those transferable skills – our Learning Habits – which allow our students to thrive in the modern, global world and to be competitive in securing places on the leading courses at the top universities: all of these are aspects of which I am extremely proud.

As I look through this edition of The Review and as I walk around the RGS on a daily basis, it is the vibrancy, joie de vivre and energy of our students which always strike me. Friendliness, laughter and smiling individuals characterise the classrooms and corridors of the RGS. If our students are happy then they have the potential to harbour the most ambitious of aspirations and then to achieve their goals, and if this edition of The Review is anything to go by then our students could not have a more exciting future ahead of them. And that is a culture which I very much expect to stand the test of time.

Dr Jon Cox Headmaster

“If our students are happy then they have the potential to harbour the most ambitious of aspirations and then to achieve their goals...”

Illustration on the front cover: The entrance to the courtyard of our historic Old Building

Scholarship

We encourage the growth of intellectual curiosity, independence, creativity, innovation and habits of learning within a scholarly community through inspirational subject specialists who provoke and stretch the students’ minds and inculcate a lifelong love of learning.

ACADEMIC REPORT

Academic enrichment is about so much more than grades and percentages in public examinations, never more so than in the current climate. The growth of intellectual curiosity, independence, creativity, habits of learning within a scholarly community are all at the

heart of an RGS education. Our students are encouraged to embrace and maximise every opportunity both within and outside the classroom. Our students enjoyed notable successes in national essay competitions and science Olympiads providing opportunities to embrace the true spirit of a love of learning.

H Scholarship Conference: Our theme for this year’s Scholarship Conference, now in its sixth year, was Revolution, as our eminent set of speakers tackled the topic from a range of perspectives: energy sustainability, social activism to challenge the status quo, Darwin, astronomy, to name but a few. The depth and diversity of the talks – and the probing Q&A – perfectly illustrated the philosophy behind nurturing a love of learning, irrespective of individual’s particular interests and passions.

H 200 Seconds: The prompt for this year’s competition was David Attenborough’s quotation, Nature is our biggest ally and greatest inspiration. Our junior students were challenged to inform, engage and inspire the audience with a presentation which lasted just 200 seconds! With the students demonstrating extraordinary maturity and insight, the finalists gave extremely informed, passionate presentations on this topic.

H World Book Week: World Book Week provided the perfect opportunity for our students to both immerse themselves in reading and in the shoes of others, and then discuss and debate what they had read. Thought-provoking, challenging and broadening, the books recommended by various RGS departments covered everything from The Reluctant Fundamentalist to Robert Schumann’s Advice to Young Musicians, from Why we kneel, how we rise to We are all made of molecules

H Independent Learning Assignment: The ILA is a research task carried out by all members of the Lower Sixth, focusing on a topic of their choice; likewise, the ORIS (Original Research in Science) award allows students to spend at least two weeks at an academic institution under the guidance of a leader in their chosen field.

The ILA/ORIS final saw presentations on these research tasks of the very highest quality: gene therapy, world famine, global economic sanctions, neural networks, interpretations of emojis, anarchy and violence, and the ubiquity of Fibonacci, amongst others!

Individual Highlights: Two Upper Sixth Form students received international recognition. Freddie Weir was a member of the UK team which won Gold in the 16th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics in Poland. The UK team achieved a sweep of five gold medals for the first time ever in the UK’s history for a STEM Olympiad. Tom Postance was part of the UK team which competed in the International Biology Olympiad in Dubai. Tom was awarded a Silver medal, putting him among the top 100 student biologists in the world.

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS

GCSE RESULTS

RGS students were rewarded for two years of impressive endeavour, disciplined application and rigorous preparation with an outstanding set of GCSE results.

“The most common grade achieved by our students was the gold-standard grade 9; in total 742 grade 9s were achieved, 45.4% of all grades. 470 grade 8s were also secured by our students. 74% of all grades were at grade 9 or 8. 61 students achieved ten or more grade 8 and 9s. 22 students secured 10 or more grade 9s.”

➢ 45.4% Grade 9

➢ 28.6% Grade 8

➢ 15.3% Grade 7

➢ 10.7% Other

“I am delighted that our students continue to study in significant numbers the performing arts, the creative arts, classical and modern languages, humanities as well as the traditional STEM subjects.”

“With the relentless pace of change in the 21st century and the number of global issues in the political, social, environmental and economic spheres, it is all the more important that we nurture dynamic, innovative, and flexible problem solvers, team players and leaders.”

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS

A LEVEL RESULTS

We could not be more impressed by the way our Class of 2023 have conducted themselves. Sitting high-stakes A Level examinations, after the significant succession of disruptions caused by the pandemic and having never experienced formal public examinations before, placed real demands on our students.

41.5% A*

The most common grade achieved by RGS students was the A* with 41.5% of all grades being the top, gold-star standard.

75.4% of all grades –or in total 347 grades –were awarded at A* or A.

75.4% A*/A

“Our students have responded stoically and resolutely to each and every challenge.”

“ From a cohort of 142 students, 36 boys achieved 3 or more A*s: an incredible achievement in traditionally robust, rigorous subjects. ”

“These [results] have allowed them to secure places on the most competitive courses at the leading institutions in the country: all the more remarkable at a time when the media has been filled with foreboding with lower grades and increased competition for university places.”

“Their hard work, dedication and scholarship have been tested to the full and they have emerged with results – and a work ethic, passion for learning, and range of transferable skills – of which they can be rightly proud.”

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS

UNIVERSITY DESTINATIONS

TOP DEGREE COURSES

Bath, Cambridge, Durham and Exeter have been in the Top 5 destinations for RGS students for the last eight years.

94% 94% of all offers held to UK institutions were to a Russell Group or Times Top 20 Institutions.

106 Over 250 students have received Oxbridge offers in the last 10 years.

106 students went to their first-choice institutions: securing places on the most competitive courses at the leading universities in the country.

Inclusivity

We remain loyal to our founding principles to educate bright local students, irrespective of background or financial circumstances, and we inherently believe in establishing a culture of diversity and acceptance, and in educating our students in a welcoming, tolerant community where each individual is valued and enjoys a deep sense of belonging.

OUR RGS COMMUNITY

Our relationship with the students does not end with the completion of their education. Every year we hold many lively events which celebrate the friendships forged at the school with students, staff and parents. These include reunions, sporting and musical events and supporter receptions. Our diary includes socials for university students and those who left the school decades ago, and we welcome parents and staff at many of these evenings. Many former students return to the School to share their knowledge of what happens next, or to give insights into their chosen career, to current students. We also provide a closed digital network platform - RGS Connect - accessible after A Levels that gives members direct access to over 2,500 former students, staff and current parents. When you and your son celebrate finishing the end of their A Levels at the Leavers Ball, it is not so much a farewell, more a “Hello … and welcome to the OG & RGS community.”

Three OGs from 2015 Calvin Ngwena, Will Cowie and Jack Bell kindly returning to the RGS to speak to, & inspire, our current students.

Ollie Shorthose OG‘14 took time out from his DPhil at Oxford University to talk to the RGS students on his studies into robotics and artificial limbs, specifically building a soft robotic arm with long term prosthetic potential.

Angus Groom OG’10 (Olympian & Boat Race Champion) giving an assembly on determination, hard work and belief it takes to get to the top of your game.

School Value:

Nigel Gillingham OG’72 & current RFU President supporting RGS rugby at Bradstone Brook.

OGs return to Bradstone Brook to support 1st XV rugby team at their first match of the season.

Summer Guildford reunion for RGS undergraduates.

Staff reconnect with Durham & Newcastle students at an OG reunion in Durham.

The Headmaster bowls as the OGs take on the Headmaster’s XI at the annual Cricket Match.

Simon Lazenby OG’93 and Sky Sports F1 presenter as guest speaker at the King’s Lecture.

OPENING THE DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY

The RGS Guildford is a school committed to widening access and opportunities to all promising local young people, irrespective of their financial circumstances.

In 2016, Dr Jon Cox, the Headmaster, unveiled our long-term goal of being able to offer a place to any student who has earnt it. An RGS education opens doors and creates a network of opportunities. By investing in these young men, we create the innovators, the leaders and the changemakers of the future who in turn will make a difference in their communities and in the world. A brighter and more promising future for all.

The RGS community currently provides assistance to 21 gifted young students, and we are dedicated to expanding this support. Our Development Team is led by Monica Popa, an experienced Development Director who joined us from Oxford University in 2021. We recently introduced the Road to 2035 - our fledging endowment fund - and many of our community wish to leave a legacy and support the education of RGS students in perpetuity.

Throughout your sons’ time within the School, you will learn more about our ambitions and Campaigns. Importantly, we hope you will become a part of our journey and help open the doors of the RGS to another bright, local, student.

Our Summer Supporters’ Reception is our chance to thank everyone in our community. Dr Jon Cox (centre) and Monica Popa (right) host an evening reception that celebrates all the Bursary Campaign has achieved. It also gives a platform for bursary students such as Dan Hatton OG 2011 (left) to thank our supporters in person and illustrate the difference your contribution can make.

You can read more at www.rgsg.co.uk/support-us or reach out to Monica directly by emailing mpo@rgsg.co.uk

The RGS values ability and willingness to learn and potential to exceed. Financial assistance is available to all those who need it, and if you would like to find out more and how you can apply, please visit our website here - www.rgsg.co.uk/admissions/bursaries

Integrity

We promote the development of selfdiscipline and responsibility, spirituality and a personal moral code, and cultivate an ethos where enduring qualities of decency, honesty, courtesy, humility and good humour are celebrated.

Just another year at the rgs

Courage

We develop leadership, teamwork, resilience and life skills through a diverse range of activities where all students, regardless of their talents and attributes, are encouraged to challenge themselves, take appropriate risks and work hard to fulfil their potential.

DESIGN & TECHNOLGY

The John Brown Building houses our stunning Design and Technology Centre with stateof-the-art rooms and cutting-edge technology. This environment has allowed the students to continue to innovate, to refine and develop a range of practical skills and to realise their ambitious designs in various media: whether it is junior students participating in the Great Egg Race or older students completing more advanced projects and design.

ART

The stunning architecture and design of the Art School, and the inspiration and guidance of the staff, once again provided the inspiring setting for work of quite extraordinary quality and originality from our students, the climax of which was the annual Summer Exhibition. A wide range of style and media from GCSE and A Level students, as well as submissions for competitions such as the Smoothey Competition, was very much in evidence as work of remarkable diversity, innovation and maturity was produced throughout the year.

That most important outcome of artwork, self-expression, is best achieved for students through a training in technical skills; they are encouraged to work as ambitiously as possible.

CO-CURRICULAR

The exceptional range of co-curricular activities is one of the greatest strengths of the School. Such activities are central in developing the character of the students and in nurturing teamwork, leadership, independence and resilience. Equally importantly, the diversity and richness of experience allow each student to find their passions and follow their own path, wherever that may lead them.

OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM:

“ On our five Field Days each year, the normal teaching timetable is suspended; every single student and member of staff is involved in cocurricular pursuits.

”

“ The range, number and diversity of Clubs and Societies continues to impress catering to every interest and passion, for the active and the cerebral equally!”

The First Form enjoy getting to know each other on their Bushcraft weekend.

RAF cadets prepare to go flying in the Grob Tutor.

CCF Army cadets (and staff) compete in an inter section tug of war competition.

The thrills of Thorpe Park for the First Form after end of year exam week. School Value: Courage

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During the last 12 months over 200 students have taken part in Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions; we have also presented 14 Gold,, 12 Silver and 64 Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards.”

“

Every Monday afternoon, the co-curricular life of the School takes precedence during Period 8 activities; half the students are involved in the Combined Cadet Force and Outdoor Pursuits. ”

RAF cadets being briefed on the Chinook on a station visit to RAF Odiham.

DofE Gold expeditioners enjoying the view in the Brecon Beacons.

A Silver expedition team finish their practice expedition in the New Forest.

Our ski race team at the British Finals.

CCF RN Cadets on parade.

Climbing during EXAD sessions.

Period 8 Lifesaving Group in Cornwall on Field Day 4.

DRAMA

An exciting year for drama saw a diverse range of plays being staged – from traditional classics to original productions – maintaining a commitment to provide access for all to experience and contribute to every aspect of the creative process from page to stage.

LORD OF THE FLIES

The Odyssey

Right from the very opening, the production of Lord of the Flies was every bit as enthralling as it was uncomfortable as the talented cast maintained an edgy intensity, capturing every nuance of Golding’s dark tale. From the youthful exuberance of schoolboy leaping and howling to night-time disquiet and the sinister power of imagination, fuelled by each other’s angst, the audience lived every moment of the drama and tension as the boys go progressively more tribal. Sharp choreography, ritualistic movement, and slow-motion sequences, as well as compelling elements of dance and physical theatre, utilised to full effect the set’s various levels as it sloped down to the beach. Indeed, the claustrophobia of the small island was perfectly captured by the congested confines of the staging. Menacing and touching in equal measure, the production provided a timely and topical reminder of the fragile veneer of civilisation that continues to bind us. Dark, thrilling and intense, an appreciative audience was left to reflect that, 70 years after it was written, the messages remain to this day as relevant and topical as ever.

From the opening scene depicting drunken suitors encamped at Odysseus’ palace in Ithaca playing football and singing Sweet Caroline, the tone was set for a highenergy, fast-paced, creative performance of Hattie Naylor’s modern version of Homer’s Odyssey. With humorous touches and a succession of colourful characters, and yet also a poignancy and sensitivity, the audience followed Odysseus and his crew as they sought to return home after the Trojan War, facing many perils, struggles and temptations along the way. Innovative staging was particularly successful with the muttering, unnerving, bone-crunching (and belching) depiction of the Cyclops; the silhouetted contest of the bow; the storm-wrecked crew of Odysseus as their boat sank; the alluring presence of Circe’s attendants turning his men into pigs; and the drifting Shades in Hades creating a haunting atmosphere. As Odysseus was reunited with Penelope in the palace, the audience showed its appreciation for a joint RGS and Guildford High School production which proved that The Odyssey’s appeal remains as enduring as ever: a tale of adventure, resilience, hope, love, and certainly lashings of fun. Truly epic!

Les Misérables

OTHER PERFORMANCES

The MFL Department staging of this powerful, emotive story proved an incredible success as the talented cast brought Victor Hugo’s original story vividly to life, all delivered in fluent, confident French, and the actors did, indeed, prove to be unequivocal masters of the house. For a historic tale of French revolution – a time of loss and poverty, power and corruption – the atmospheric Big School provided the perfect setting: haunting shadows, creaking floorboards, evocative notes, moody lighting. From the opening scene, the black-and-white, vintage-style film reel of Jean Valjean stealing a loaf in the cobbled streets of Guildford, the student-led production maintained the cohesion of the plot by balancing the key songs from the hit musical with brief dramatic vignettes, cleverly knitted together by the Narrator. This exceptional cast delivered plenty of passion, engaging performances and rousing, heartfelt vocals that – with the proximity of the audience – fully immersed each individual in the experience and proved to be a memorable and powerful production. A true classic indeed. Nay, a tour de force Bravo!

Another inspiring year for music at the RGS incorporated performances in settings from the intimate to the grand scale, from local to further afield, from the Recital Room, St Mary’s Church and Guildford Cathedral to Winchester Cathedral. The quality of musicianship impressed appreciative audiences and further cemented the School’s established reputation for musicianship at the very highest level.

Musician of the Year

Now in its twenty-third year, the Steynor Prize or RGS Musician of the Year has justifiably become one of the highlights of the RGS musical calendar. Established to showcase the extraordinary abilities of the some of the School’s most able musicians, this year’s finalists were no exception: Peter Jones (flute), Felix Johnson (violin), Joseph Howes (piano), Rohan McCauley (clarinet), Max Kaczor (trombone),

and James Dicker (piano). Together they performed a recital that was astonishing, not only in its breadth of musical programme, but also for the outstanding levels of musicianship on display. By the narrowest of margins and after lengthy reflection, the adjudicator Miranda Francis, Head of the Junior Department at the Royal College of Music, awarded The Steynor Prize to James.

Musical notes

A full and varied programme included a succession of highlights: the Joint Schools’ Chamber Choir, in conjunction with Guildford High School, ventured to Clare College, Cambridge for their first visit to sing Evensong in the Chapel; GLive saw the massed forces of RGS and GHS school choirs and orchestras as well as the combined Parents’ Choir performing Requiem from both Rutter and Mozart; Holy Trinity Church staged both the stunning Concerto and Symphony orchestral concert delivering a repertoire of extraordinary diversity and sophistication as well as the Concerto Concert with Southern Pro Musica where seven performers took to the stage in what was simply an outstanding display of musicianship; and Rockfest at The Boileroom as RGS rock bands raised the roof with amazing energy, originality and musicality.

SPORT

The philosophy of Sport for All was very much in evidence throughout the year as over 20 teams regularly played competitive fixtures against other schools each weekend. Wide-spread participation, energy and passion, sportsmanship and fair play, diverse opportunity, along with elite coaching and performance continued to be the hallmarks of RGS sport.

SPORT

SPORTS DAY

With perfect blue skies, cotton wool clouds, and beautiful sunshine, Guildford Spectrum was the picturesque setting for a day of competitive athletics, with a lovely spirit of sportsmanship and camaraderie throughout. An incredible seven school records were broken, including three relay track events. With the House competition tight right up to the very last event, Hamonde House finally emerged triumphant to win the Sports Day shield. House Captain of Hamonde, Boldi Paladi-Kovacs, was awarded the shield by the Mayor of Guildford.

KODAK

KODAK

KODAK

KODAK

Collaboration

We work closely with others for mutual enrichment, and encourage a spirit of generosity and service, a sense of perspective, and a firm belief that we can work in partnership with others, locally and internationally, to make a difference and have a positive impact on society.

TRIPS

One academic year. An incredible range of opportunities. Academic, adventurous, cultural, sporting trips. All year groups. All corners of the globe. All unforgettable opportunities and experiences. The following are just a few, very selective highlights.

Greetings from Italy

Greetings from Berlin

Greetings from Italy

Greetings from Seville

Greetings from France

Greetings from Dubai

Greetings from Vietnam

Collaboration

RGS students and staff continued to make an impact upon the world outside the RGS as they seized the initiative to involve themselves with humour, energy and enthusiasm in community and charitable events as well as volunteering and conservation projects.

Collaboration, altruism, perspective, and generosity of time and spirit remained the hallmarks of students determined to make a difference, an incredible £36,808.47 was raised during the year: a phenomenal achievement.

Nominated Charities

With over 50 charities put forward by staff and students and over 700 votes, the phenomenal engagement in this year’s charities spoke volumes for the desire of the whole community to make a difference to others. In addition to individual events which fund-raised for Transform Housing and Support and the Disasters’ Emergency Committee, our nominated local, national, and international charities were as follows:

Ukraine Unity (local) which focuses on providing support for those affected by the current situation.

Papyrus (national) which promotes positive mental health and emotional wellbeing.

WWF (international) which ensures that people and nature can thrive

Sleep Out

Just under 50 students and staff braved the elements to sleep out in the Quad to raise money for Transform, a local charity based in Leatherhead. After setting up their makeshift camps, students enjoyed football and other games on North Court before heading to “bed” at about midnight. With incessant, heavy rain, it did give a taste of what it must be like to sleep outside, making the experience more meaningful for the students. With over £5,000 raised, the event was a great success.

Bake Off

For the ultimate test of tenacity, creativity, precision, imitation, independence and reacting positively to failure, the ninth annual Great RGS Bake-Off once again provided to be the ultimate test of all of these and more! This year’s theme was The Beautiful Game which was interpreted broadly and imaginatively – a range of sports, boardgames, computer games, childhood and playground games were all on show! There were some very impressive bakes and, once again, the standard across the board from staff and students was extraordinary as the panel of judges rated the cakes on taste, presentation, originality and wow factor!

Events

RGS students enjoyed getting involved in various community projects as they gave generously of their time for the benefit of local residents. Initiatives included trips to Pilgrim Wood, Sunrise Senior Living and Signature Care Homes, among others where the junior students engaged with and entertained locals. RGS students energetically threw themselves into a range of conservation projects for the benefit of the local environment. In addition there were a number of charitable events including the Senior Management Team Midnight Marathon, non-uniform days, the Christmas Fair, the Sleep Out, Sponge the

OUR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

Our international community has grown extensively over the past three years and we are delighted to welcome our fourth international school, RGSG Muscat, to the RGS family from September 2023. In a short time, our schools have become established and respected in their local markets and RGS Guildford students in our schools overseas now total over 2,600.

This summer saw our first graduates from both RGSG Qatar and RGSG Nanjing. Many of the Nanjing cohort are planning to continue their studies within the UK and the US. Our core reasons for our international schools remain to not only to provide a good income which is used to support our school and students in Guildford but also to engage in global cultures; to encourage partnership; and to further enhance the strong reputation of the School.

RGS Guildford

Opened 1509 Students 1311 (Prep and Senior)

RGSG Doha

Opened Sept 2016

Students 800

RGSG Dubai

Opened Sept 2021

Students 1200

RGSG Muscat

Opened Sept 2023

Students 100

RGSG Nanjing

Opened Sept 2020

Students 600

We were delighted to have been able to connect in person with all of our schools over the past year with a series of quality assurance visits by members of our leadership and international teams.

This year has seen many other collaborative activities within our community both virtually and in person including: In March we welcomed students from both RGSG Dubai and RGSG Nanjing to visit us here in Guildford. Students enjoyed a football festival, school tours, team-building exercises, and talks about life in their respective schools.

The RGS annual International House Photography Competition. The task was to photograph something that represented where students live. We were delighted with the large number and fantastic variety of entries received.

Our first inter-school podcast took place focusing on the direction of teaching and learning with topics such as our shared values, specific pedagogies and cognitive neuroscience discussed.

Respect

We nurture an atmosphere of mutual respect between all members of our community, and foster self-respect and self-esteem in terms of physical health, emotional maturity and personal well-being, while establishing lasting friendships in a positive, happy environment.

STAFF

Schools are synonymous with their history and their buildings, their traditions and successes; at their heart, however, they are about individuals and personalities. The staff have a deeply profound and lasting impact upon the students who pass through the School and their legacy is a lasting one.

The RGS has always been fortunate to have loyal, committed staff who have in their own colourful, idiosyncratic ways inspired students through their passion, pride and loyalty. This year saw the retirement of eight long-serving members of support staff who, in their own ways, made a phenomenal impact on our community.

We bid a sad farewell to a number of staff including Dax Patel (Physics) who retired after 16 years at the RGS, and also long-standing members of staff Sarah Besly-Quick (Classics), Elodie Hudson (Biology), MarieLucie McCarter (Modern Foreign Languages), Craig Mullon (PE), and Garth Williams (History). They were united by their dedication to the students, their professionalism, and the fact that they embodied the values and ethos of the RGS. These staff, and our other leavers, will all be sorely missed.

As the Headmaster Dr Jon Cox commented: “The School is indebted to each one of our leaving staff and their impact upon the RGS cannot, for a second, be underestimated. Although being very different personalities, each of them has been united by an innate loyalty to the School and steadfast devotion to our community. We wish them all the very best for the future.”

ISI Inspection

At our most recent ISI Inspection in February 2022, the inspectors spoke in glowing terms about all aspects of school life. The School was awarded “Excellent”, the highest possible rating, in every category.

The report celebrated the quality of our boys’ academic and other achievements, as well as their personal development.

In particular, the inspectors captured the essence and spirit of the RGS which makes us such a closeknit and special community where the richness of opportunity, as well as the culture of humility and decency, tolerance and mutual respect are noted as defining qualities.

High levels of self-esteem & selfconfidence

A mature understanding of, and respect for, cultural diversity & tolerance of individual differences

An academically challenging, positive & welcoming community where they can develop & flourish as true individuals

Passionate, motivated & enthusiastic

Effective & frequently reviewed systems & measures in place for promoting pupils’ well-being

A clear & deep understanding of what is right & wrong

Scholarship for all, growth of intellectual curiosity & the opportunity to establish important life skills

Providing challenge & being challenged intellectually

Places inclusivity at its core which permeates every aspect of school life

Respectfully confident & display a natural, polite, & engaging way of communicating

THE FINAL WORD

Previous school: Westward School.

Couldn’t survive without: My 3-wood.

Sporting highlight: Victories over Epsom College and Cranleigh School for rugby 1st XV this year.

Most enjoyable aspect of being School Captain: Having the younger students mock me for not being loud enough in assembly! I think it really captures the sense of community we have in the school!

Favourite meal at the RGS: Chilli con carne.

Favourite item from Sainsbury’s: Meal Deal: duck wrap, prawn cocktail crisps, peach ice tea.

First thing I’d do if I was Headmaster for the day: Allow students to walk on the Headmaster’s Lawn!

One thing that makes you proud of the RGS: The sense of community.

As a child what did you want to be when you grew up: A professional rugby player.

If you could be any cartoon character who would you be and why: Road Runner: I’d love to know what it is like to be quick!

If you were a superhero what super power would you choose and why: Teleportation. I could have more of a lie-in in the morning and then seconds later be wherever I need to be!

Karaoke song of choice: Love Story by Taylor Swift.

Final nugget of wisdom: Always enjoy what you are doing.

Louis Wilby School Captain