AUTUMN WINTER 2022 THE REVIEWPILGRIM WEEKCULTURALCELEBRATINGDIVERSITYATRGS SPORTS LONGRECORDDAY:BREAKINGJUMPMULTI OFWINNINGAWARDSCHOOLTHEYEAR
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The start of the new school year this time will be the start of my last ever year at school - a great moment of looking forward to all the opportunities to come and remembering the countless and varied experiences school life has brought over the years. I can't believe I only have this one year left... This does make me realise how precious our short time at school and RGS is and therefore would like to encourage all of us to make the very most of our time. If you are just joining RGS, throw yourself into school life and find the things that are for you – it is different for everyone, which is a good thing: we have a huge amount of choice here and every opportunity to create new ideas in our community. Apart from forging our own personal paths and aiming towards our owns futures, I believe keeping our eyes wide open to the bigger world is an ever-increasing part of our lives as the planet in general learns to move towards common goals. The Earthshot prize and the RGS schools abroad are good examples of the way in which we are already looking outwards and connecting to the much wider community. The Earthshot prize and our fellow communities in China, Vietnam and Morocco are the two things I would like to keep in my focus this year and ensure I develop my understanding of over the next academic year. Please look forward to a year ahead that you will remember and decide how you would like your path to be, while keeping our eyes wide open to our part in the global community. Here is to 2022/23 ! James Cameron Head Boy GIRL ‘CAN YOU COMPLETE ANY TSMILESREASON‘WILLSOMEONE’SANDACTSRANDOMOFKINDNESSBRIGHTENUPDAY?’YOUBETHESOMEONETODAY?’hestartofanewschoolyear is always an exciting time. September is a time of new beginnings, new targets and, if you’re anything like me, a whole new pencil case. Without dwelling on the past, I think it’s important to look back at our past selves and think about how we can improve over this new year. What have you learnt over the summer? What have you discovered about yourself? How are you going to put that in place to make this year the best one yet? So, after what’s been a very hot summer, I’d like to take a look at water. At 99 degrees, water is hot. But at 100 degrees, it boils. With boiling water, you have steam. And with steam, you can power a train. Just one extra degree makes a world of difference. I encourage you all to be that extra degree, whether in academics, everyday life, or the wider community. Can you complete any random acts of kindness and brighten up someone’s day? Will you be the reason someone smiles today? As we kick off this new academic year, I urge everyone to make the most out of all opportunities which come your way. Whether you try out a new sport, a musical instrument you’ve always wanted to learn, or simply a new outlook on life, throw yourself into it. Let’s immerse ourselves in everything RGS has on offer, and make this community a better place for everyone. Go the extra mile. Do the extra ten percent. Be the extra one Bedegree.thereason someone else’s day is a little bit better. I hope you all have a wonderful start to the term. All the best, Neyha Kamaluddin Head Girl FROM THE HEAD GIRL AND HEAD BOY
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Reigatians are well educated not just well-qualified and so their opportunities to learn about themselves and the world are invaluable. I am especially proud of the huge numbers of partnerships, community projects, eco initiatives, charity links and special events for good causes that are so formative for our young people – securing a moral purpose and a determination to make the world a better place. There are too many examples to list but I admit that I was so moved by the grateful responses of children from local primary schools enjoying and benefitting from the series of master classes our staff and students ran in a range of subjects.
There has been a Reigatian Rennaissance as lockdown learning saw us emerge last year and the year ahead will be the most exciting school year ever.
Shaun Fenton Headmaster@rgsheadmaster
I was a fan of the way grades in the last two years were based on more positive and affirming continuous assessment and teacher judgement. However, it has been good to re-start public examinations for students and Reigatians did so well. These are the best exam results in the history of the school and students have headed off to world class universities. Overall, recent years have seen growing success in our students' applications to elite and top 10 universities, medical schools and oversees universities such as in the US. These are exciting times for our students.
Our Sports Hall project has been designed so that it will benefit the whole community from local primary schools to community groups, from pre-school and toddlers to retired members of the community. It will be a major resource for families in Reigate for years to come. The best kept secret about the Sports Hall project is that it will mean that the old Sports Hall will be refurbished to become a top-quality Performing Arts Space benefiting the arts across the school and the wider community.
I hope that you enjoy this Pilgrim Review. It gives a glimpse into the Reigatian Rennaissance, it shows children enjoying their best life, making friends, having fun and learning for life – being well educated, not just well-qualified. That is the Reigatian Way.
FROM HEADMASTERTHE HEADMASTER’SWELCOME I AM ESPECIALLY PROUD OF THE HUGE NUMBERS OF PARTNERSHIPS, COMMUNITY PROJECTS, ECO INITIATIVES, CHARITY LINKS AND SPECIAL EVENTS FOR GOOD CAUSES THAT ARE SO FORMATIVE FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE –SECURING A MORAL PURPOSE AND A DETERMINATION TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
It will also transform the experience of RGS students with exciting developments including: a climbing wall, projectiles space, more indoor cricket nets, a competition standard indoor netball court, dance studio, state-of-the-art fitness suite, five a side football, badminton, trampolining, indoor hockey, basketball and so much more. The project will also see the outside play and sports areas re-developed, which will be a big bonus for RGS students and the community in terms of netball, tennis courts, five-a-side football and more. Amongst all this excitement, what matters most is that children are loved and looked after and I am delighted with the new Wellbeing Centre, accomodating the medical centre supported by key pastoral staff of the school office. Our commitment to pastoral care will always be our priority. Nothing matters more than that children feel safe, looked after, secure amongst friends and aware that older children are on their side.
REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 3 RGS Summer Festival 2022
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REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 5 SCHOOL NEWS
RGS TOGETHER
we
Launched during the summer term and a major priority for the year ahead, the first ever RGS Diversity week saw a wide range of activities from visiting speakers to traditional dress, from cultural art to young people giving testimony to their peers about their heritage backgrounds. Our student leadership committee on Diversity together with Miss Morris made it a great success. We also marked Pride Month with assemblies, poster campaigns, awareness raising events and Mr Fenton led an assembly about one of his heroes, Alan Turing. ways celebrate cultural diversity as a school community through the Junior Culture Club.
JUNIOR CULTURE CLUB Turn to page 52 to see more
Miss Korzinek, RGS student Ellie B and her mother took part in a flash mob orchestral performance in Trafalgar Square, London to demonstrate solidarity with the Ukraine. It was a really moving experience with over 200 musicians taking part. They played the Ukrainian national anthem and two pieces by Ukrainian composers who were believed (at the time) to still be in Kyiv, led by Jennifer Pike and David Juritz. Every gesture of solidarity proves the strength of our nations in the face of emergency situations that require special unity, thank you Reigatians for your
continued 2022FINALISTSAWARDSNATIONALsupport. THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE We continue to watch events in Ukraine with great sadness. In response, we have welcomed students from Ukraine into the RGS family: our junior school, main school and Sixth Form. As part of RGS’s ongoing commitment to support the wider community through the #RGSWeCare initiative, we put out an urgent appeal for donations of essential items to support the increasing number of refugees trying to escape the conflict in Ukraine and the response from Reigatians was incredible. We are full of pride that collectively with local schools, organisations and companies and with thanks to your generosity and willingness to help, we were able to fill not one, but two double-decker buses, and not one, but two big vans full of gifts to support people affected by hostilities in Ukraine. This was a huge response!
MUSICAL FLASH MOB IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE
6 No award matters more than the positive daily experience at RGS of each child in our care. Over the summer term we were once again announced as national finalists for School of the Year in the TES School Awards – having been nominated more than any other school in the country over the last four years. When that is added to RGS already having been awarded School of the Year in the SOMO awards for 2021-2022 it has been a great year! Congratulations to staff, students and parents for helping to form a caring community where all may be and do their best. Furthermore, we have been announced as national finalists for: Goldsmith Awards School of the Year for Community Engagement 2022 read more about this exciting day and hear from our students on page 59/60. Admissions, Marketing and Communications in Independent Schools (AMCIS) IMPACT Awards for 2022 (Celebrating campaigns which have made a significant impact on a school and its community). We have also recently been shortlisted for multiple awards across the 2022 Independent School Parent magazine awards.
NEW SPORTS CENTRE AND WELLBEING CENTRE
SCHOOL NEWS
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RGS SUSTAINABILITY MOVEMENT
During the summer considerable works have been undertaken around the site as a commitment to our priority for student wellbeing. The investment in the Wellbeing Centre (previously Cornwallis) is an example of our prorities and demonstrates our focus on school community cohesion. In addition, we have submitted a planning application to Reigate and Banstead Borough Council for the development of a new Reigate Grammar School Sports Centre on the Broadfield site. There is an educational need for these new facilities at RGS, together with an aspiration to create a new, high-quality sports centre that will allow the school to expand its commitment to a healthy sports and activity-based curriculum. The building will deliver the educational benefits of an on-site sports and PE provision for 1,100 senior school students. The sports hall will be a full sized six-court multi-functional space offering a wide range of indoor sports and activities that will support the wellbeing and development of our students as well as members of the community. In addition to transforming the sport provision for students at the school, these high-quality sports facilities will be made available to parents and neighbours through Club RGS with access to a fully equipped gym, fitness suite and yoga studio with evening and weekend classes for members outside of school hours. This facility will create so many opportunities for young people, families and adults in Reigate. It will benefit thousands of local primary school children, members of local sports teams and community groups and will be used by the wider community throughout the year.
OUR GLOBAL VILLAGE RGS continues to see its vision of growing a global village of Reigatians through further partnerships internationally as we cement our presence in the Middle East. What does this mean for our students? We are opening learning opportunities for our students allowing for personal growth and worldly experiences. For example, plans are in hand for a music tour to Vietnam next year. Meet the new Educational Director of RGS Vietnam Mrs Arabella Crook on page 96.
2022 saw the launch of RGS Earthshot by the previous Head Girl and Head Boy Jasmine F and Tom D. An exciting new RGS sustainable movement whose vision was inspired by The Earthshot Prize and knew it could be the foundation of our own environmental movement. Moreover, focusing on the negatives and the challenges associated with becoming more sustainable and working out what we can do as a community to make a RGSchange.Earthshot also launched its lecture series to huge success. 100 attendees from a range of local schools attended a talk led by former Head Boy and Reigatian, Simon Virley, who spoke about renewable energy and our impact on the environment. This is just the very beginning of RGS Earthshot: a project which will continue to grow over the years to come as more students, parents, and teachers become engaged as part of a whole school commitment to sustainability. Stay tuned to RGS social media and App channels for further announcements of future RGS Earthshot lecture series guest speakers.
8 THE RGS APP THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
8 THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022 Keep up to date with Reigate Grammar School
Prospective Reigatians, current parents and members of the Reigatian community can now download the new RGS app for on-the-go, up to date information, stories and Theresources.RGSapp provides an interactive mobile platform that: Connects members of the Reigatian community Answers all of your admissions needs Keeps you informed about school and RGS Foundation news and events Live streams RGS events Updates your tailored news feed with school community information For prospective Reigatians, the RGS app offers the opportunity to visit RGS virtually, via an interactive tour. It also allows you to sign up to open events and apply online. You can view all admissions publications, including the school's online prospectus and view guidance to help you with your application. For the Reigatian community, encompassing current parents, former pupils, former parents, staff and friends of RGS, the app provides a wealth of content from the school and the RGS Foundation. For current parents the app offers school news at your fingertips, as well as the school calendar and other important information and resources. You can view school updates and events on your tailored news feed just as you would with other school social media channels. It also offers an interactive mobile platform for members of the Reigatian community to connect with each other as well as receiving Reigatian news on-the-go. You can view information about the RGS Foundation and their work, receive push notifications for upcoming events and access live streams of Reigatian community events. To access the app, simply scan the QR code and set up your account indicating whether you are a prospective parent or a member of the existing Reigatian community.
REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL Laura B Rebecca H Niamh D WORKS ARTOF
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REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 11 FirstARTSecondFormglazedseedpodstructureshandbuiltinstonewareclay.Formlinoand transfer printed pieces based on the work of Angela Harding.
STEAM WEEK During STEAM week, a celebration of science, technology and creativity, the Second Form took part in a sculpture workshop, the aim of which was for students to create a sculpture based on natural and organic forms using willow Studentsbranches.werein groups of eight. Students worked together to create initial designs and then assign tasks to each other for the building of their sculptures. We worked on Broadfield Lawn creating sculptures for the morning, the students’ worked together brilliantly supporting each other in the activity. I also admired the resilience of some of the groups: when the sculpture wasn’t going quite as well as they had hoped, they were able to adapt, change and improve their work. There were some amazing creations ranging from a swordfish, to a wasp, to floral shapes and shells. It was a great celebration of the creativity in the year group and they all rose to the challenge with positivity and energy. The Second Form has been studying the work of Antoni Gaudi this year and have explored all sorts of techniques and materials to create these beautiful mosaic pieces inspired by the Park Güell and Casa Batlló in Barcelona, Spain.
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REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 13 PLATINUM JUBILEE RGS participated in a town-wide initiate to create a vibrant and eye-catching celebration of the Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee. Students in the Second and Fourth Forms created large flags, painted with imagery to reflect 70 years of the Queen’s reign. These were hung, alongside other school’s flags in Reigate. Additionally, many students created bold portraits of the Queen using carbon paper, printmaking and paint.
THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022 MONSTROUS STORIES Students had the unique and unprecedented opportunity to collaborate with the Drama department, creating expressive and emotive artwork for the production set inspired by the novel A Monster Calls Initially, respondedstudentstothe text and themes of the narrative in workshops, then moved on to create the flooring, blocks and props for the set. Elective groups and clubs were also involved in this large collaboration resulting in a fantastic team effort. The result was the creation of original and extraordinary visual responses to themes such as loss, grief, love and relationships. Using charcoal, ink and graphite pencil, large responses were drawn onto paper, or direct onto the set. Students were encouraged to explore themes or to work with quotes from the key characters of the narrative. The set was intended to be an expression of the main character’s inner world. “To see the students respond so freely to the story and to be vulnerable enough to express their responses was wonderful to see. Rarely do the students have the opportunity to work on such a large scale and with so few restrictions.” Mrs Wright. Art Teacher 14 CHECK OUT COLLABORATIONOURWITHDRAMApg31-32
15 PHOTOGRAPHYPhotographyinspiredbythekeymembers of F.64, a group founded by 20th-Century San Franciso Bay Area photographersOllie L
Beauty and destruction of wildlifeMarie J THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
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The PSHEE curriculum educates and nurtures Reigatians in essential life skills covering themes around health and wellbeing, relationships and living in the wider world. So many activities and highlights include a visit from Reigatian Police Sargeant Geoffrey Longstaff’s visit on safety especially to and from school. Themed days included consent, personal safety, puberty, body image and media influence. Robert Higgs delivered a drama presentation which highlighted the importance of inclusivity and respect in a message around anti-bullying. RGS E-safety expert, Mr Lobb spread the word to all form groups on aspects of online safety. Bereavement Counsellor, Rev Jackson continued to provide words of wisdom through his weekly Thought of the Day published in the Headmaster’s bulletin. In collaboration with Sparkfish, students were given the opportunity to visit and reflect mindfully in a specially furnished room which was transformed into a multi-faith space for a week during the summer term – an immersive and rejuvenating experience for all who visited. School Nurse, Mrs Harvey provided expert knowledge, guidance and assistance to students through presentations on puberty, cancer and treatments as well as providing hands-on healthcare and running vaccination clinics. Our new pastoral assistant Mr Nelson also assisted Mrs Harvey and the wider pastoral team in liaising with parents and GPs to manage students’ wellbeing issues at school. New provision this year included Enterprise education which equips young people with knowledge about business, media and the economy and enhances their skills in communication and collaboration. Third Form students became entrepreneurs for a day led by Mrs Lutwyche, teacher of Economics at RGS, during which they learned more about the underlying principles and purpose of enterprise. Cultural Diversity in our community was celebrated through film, food and fun, through international assemblies, quizzes, talks and films. The week-long celebration in May culminated in a mini cultural festival. RGS students and their families enjoyed culinary delights, presentations and activities raising awareness about the different nations that shape and influence Britain and way of life. Michael Ellis talk Cultural Diversity Week Participate & Celebrate! 23rd 27th May Cultural Diversity Week
PERSONAL, SOCIAL,
HEALTH AND ECONOMIC EDUCATION (PSHEE)
PSHEE ended with a flourish, with talks from nutritionist Mrs Polly Webb; Reigatian Michael Ellis spoke about turning passion to profession and resilience; Hannah Carbery and Liz Nissan from Gatwick Detainees visited the school during refugee week to raise awareness on topical news and current affairs regarding those who seek asylum and refuge in the UK from atrocities in Ukraine, Rwanda and other countries and civil court Judge Gumbiti-Zimuto shared his expertise on British civil and criminal law.
Once again we welcomed back Dr Sigman who delivered current up-to-date and informative presentations on matters concerning drugs, vaping, managing exams and related anxiety.
Sixth Form students took part in 6Plus and 7Plus studies which included PSHEE education at a more in-depth level preparing students for life beyond RGS for future study, vocational courses, and the world of work.
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18 FOOD &
pastry
dishes
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three dishes
many more! The
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pasta,
CELEBRATIONNUTRITIONTHEMES showcased their with everything being made from Homemade choux and were just of the on show, alongside some which made truly prepared with accompaniments which were suitable for a specific celebration. Choices ranged from Valentine’s Day, Easter, Platinum Jubilee, weddings and Third Form created and accompaniments which be served at an of their choice. With Britain, France and Italy being the
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The committees then started debating in separate groups there were debates ranging from ‘ SOCHUM (social, humanitarian and cultural) debating the Question of Child Marriage and the Question of Female Education; to Health debating the Question Protocols for Epidemics and Pandemics. You could feel the buzz inside the rooms, everyone's minds running with different questions and speeches, raising their placards, and learning more and more as the minutes passed by. What was great about the conference was the fact that everybody was free to speak their thoughts and opinions, everybody had the chance to make new friends amongst other schools too and everybody learnt something new that they could note down to add to MUN Conferences in the future. By Luka U - Second Form.
JUNIOR REIMUN CONFERENCE
The ReiMUN Conference took place on Saturday 7 May 2022 with 30 delegates taking part from schools across the South East. When you walk in the room you would think that there is a birthday party going on, people laughing, eating chatting, the whole atmosphere is filled with joy, excitement and maybe a little bit of nerves for the newer delegates. After everyone had prepared for the morning, the opening speech started. It started with warm welcome, an inspirational story, and a bit of tap-dancing on stage and ended with an informative History of MUN conversation. And with that, junior ReiMUN began. Delegates took part in activities, including how to write a great resolution and the essentials of good chairing. Plus an extra tower building contest (out of country placards). New Zealand won with the tallest tower, but France came close second with their Eiffel Tower.
PUBLIC SPEAKING
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RHETORIC DINNER The Rhetoric Dinner was held in recognition of the impressive endeavours of our young speakers and debaters at RGS across the school, be it MUN, RGS Debating, RGS Speaks or TED Talks. It was with great pleasure that we welcomed back former Secretary General of ReiMUN, Benedict Springbett who spoke with true warmth on the benefits and gains which students receive from taking part in Model United Nations at RGS. With an equal amount of pleasure, we also welcomed back Mr Sergeant, who kicked off the MUN programme at RGS almost 30 years ago and to whose continuing wise and dedicated guidance we remain indebted.
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Our second TEDXYouth event was another success, as we explored this year’s theme: “What makes us glow?” The many hours of rehearsals and coaching undertaken by the students paid off as the quality of the speeches was not only impressive but inspirational. The evening started with a heartfelt and crowd pleasing talk from First Former Phoebe M who told us, not only that her dog Ruby makes her glow, but she also explored the long-standing and symbiotically beneficial relationship between people and their furry friends. “Tonight’s performers were absolutely stellar,” said Tim Critchley, our keynotespeaker. Tim went on to tell us that he had come along to pass on his advice that people must always examine their opinions with rigour before sharing them with the world. “But these kids have beat me to it – they are clearly thinking through everything they say with great attention and detail.” Our Fourth Form Debating Society was superbly represented at the event. We were delighted by the return of Alleke A and Fazeeha M who, having spoken at last year’s event, delivered two entirely different but impactful talks on sport and empathy. Alleke’s involvement has taught her much and Fazeeha’s with basketball in the international arena homegrown exploration of how we develop empathy (based on conversations with her six-year-old brother) showed a wisdom beyond their years. Sasha H shared her beautiful artwork and led us on a journey of not just artistic appreciation but also a fresh insight into the power of the viewer. Ruth C explained the gaps left behind by the last wave of feminism and encouraged us to take another look at its usefulness to all of us. Alex C ’s rather lighthearted approach to the “Third Child Syndrome” examined the blessings and curses of sibling rivalry and had us in hoots of laughter.
PUBLIC SPEAKING “What a credit these speakers are. I am most impressed by the intelligent and fresh perspectives they are offering about subjects we may have thought we already knew everything about – this is sharing at its best!”
Mrs Fullalove, Head of Public Speaking
TEDXYOUTH@RGS
Sixth Form Debating students took the stage following the interval showcasing impressive skills and flourish in the art of oration. Joshua S delivered a deeply intellectual reflection on where our decisions came from and whether human nature allows for true freedom. The roots of Black history were literally explored by Georgia R as she shared her findings on how hair styles in the Black community have been influenced or dictated by political events. Maame O further examined the influence of culture on beauty and the culture of influencers on social Wemedia.were delighted also to be joined by Tim Critchley, Chief Operating Officer of Squared Up and RGS parent, who delivered our keynote talk on “The fromEntrepreneur:Accidental4LessonsaLifeinStartups” Tim’s energetic and motivating speech also delivered fresh insights – this time into the joys of living the techy life and working in the techy world.
Overseeing TEDxYouth@RGS was the student events team comprised of Lower Sixth students Iris M and Georgia R , Managing Directors, Joshua S as Programme Manager, Jemima H as Production Manager; they were supported by Fifth Formers Grace G and Zac S . All in, they delivered an exceptionally high quality performance with skilled transitions, ensuring the event had a professional flow as well as an exceptional content in the shape of our speakers.
2222 THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022 “ It was so brilliant being part of TED this year – I’ve loved it!” Zac S of the Organisers’ Team “ Being able to work alongside my peers – hearing them share their ideas and being part of the process of developing these ideas into shared experiences around the digital campfire is what truly made me glow!” Iris M, MD of TEDXYouth@RGS 22.
REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 23 DUKE EDINBURGH'SOF AWARD
24 BRONZE EXPEDITIONS 155 students embarked on their Bronze expeditions in early May in ideal hiking weather. Groups had numerous different routes which took them across the Surrey countryside around Reigate on a 30km hike over two days. The groups performed navigation skills very well indeed during the day and their camp skills were excellent, leaving no trace of their overnight stay. On the first day each Bronze group was accompanied by an RHS student who was a Gold Award Leader who were there to train groups in navigation and expedition skills. THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 25 DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S AWARD DOFE AWARD PRESENTATION EVENING The summer term also saw our first DofE Award Presentation evening for three years marking a triumphant return of our RGS students proudly earning their DofE Awards in a celebratory evening with parents and friends. At Reigate Grammar School we are proud that our DofE Award programme not only survived Covid-19 lockdowns but that the students used DofE to adapt their activities and continue to earn their awards. RGS students again earned more awards than any school in the country and our huge presence at the recent Gold Presentations at Buckingham Palace was testament to the incredible perseverance and resilience of our fantastic students to thrive during the pandemic. It was heartening to see groups back together outside on expeditions as soon as we were allowed to after lockdown ended. Unlike so many schools, none of our students lost out on cancelled expeditions and most went on to see their friends for the first time after the pandemic on their DofE expedition. For staff, it was a heartening and incredibly rewarding sight to see DofE groups back on track, enjoying the freedom and challenges of expeditions together.
DOFE CONSERVATION GROUP In March the DofE Conservation group continued our excellent record of habitat improvement locally on a visit to Redhill Common. Here the group received training on conservation activities, identifying invasive laurel species to cut down and remove, as well as native species to preserve. The group was fantastic and worked with great enthusiasm all day. Our partners, Reigate Area Conservation Volunteers, were most impressed with their hard work and the success of their first day of conservation work. 26 THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 27 COMBINED CADET FORCE
The RGS CCF kept busy throughout the summer term with a series of events. First, we recognised the dedication and hard work of our cadets with our promotion parade. The whole contingent gathered at Tangier Woods in Kent for its annual Tri-Service weekend. Although the weekend was very cold, spirits were lifted by the campfire that burnt all weekend. The cadets got to fire weapons, learnt about survival, and worked on their sniper skills. Everyone from the Second to Upper Sixth Form got involved and will have benefited from the weekend. The navy cadets had the opportunity to visit the damage and repair instructional unit. Imagine having to plug in holes in a sinking ship: a terrifying experience yet so rewarding.
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The RGS CCF annual Mess Dinner was a highlight of the term as we welcomed Madam Mayor of Reigate and her consort as well as various VIPs such as current serving members of the armed Throughoutforces. the summer, RAF cadets were given the opportunity to go flying or gliding with their unit. We were delighted to be able to resume the flying programme this year with a special addition, our own flying club every Friday lunchtime. We finished the summer term with a barbecue in the Headmaster's garden to say farewell to our senior cadets leaving the school this year.
The RGS CCF Corps of Drums had a fantastic summer term, starting with a workshop with the Corps of Drums of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards. It was a privilege to welcome such a prestigious corps of drums at school when one day they are in front of Buckingham Palace for the Changing of the Guard and the next day they are at the Tower of London for the Ceremony of the Keys. We were so fortunate they were able to spend some time with our own corps of drums and perform in our own setting. The Corps of Drums is going from strength to strength being invited to various events such as the school’s Annual Mess Dinner, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee event at RSM, a performance at the Beaumont care home in Reigate, sports day and Hartsfest. All these performances are creating lifelong memories and we thank the Corps of Drums for hours of practice. CADET FORCE
IRISH GUARDS VISIT RGS!
COMBINED
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I had the amazing opportunity to visit the naval base HMS Excellent on Whale Island in Portsmouth with the CCF, to participate in a firefighting workshop and a Damage Repair Instructional Unit (DRIU). We had a brief lesson on the different types of fires and how to deal with them, and then we had the chance to use fire extinguishers and water hoses to fight safety fires in the Royal Navy firefighting training unit. In the afternoon, we were given a tour of the DRIU – a training unit designed to imitate a sinking ship – and instructed on how to enter safely and experience the training. Once inside the DRIU, we had to use stakes and hammers to plug holes to prevent more water flooding in. Overall, it was a very exciting experience and the training was really useful and interesting; I look forward to going again next year. Petty Officer Rebekah B DRIU
REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 31 DRAMA
32 THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022 T he spring term saw the Drama department busy with preparations for exam performances, with both the GCSE and A Level students performing their work for public audiences. The Second to Sixth Form turned the Concert Hall into a story-telling forest for the production of Monstrous Stories , a devised work based on the Patrick Ness novel A Monster Calls CHECK OUT COLLABORATIONOURWITHARTpg14
REIGATE GRAMMAR DRAMASCHOOL I n the summer term, it was the Lower School in action, with the Second and Third Forms rehearsing and performing Hansel + Gretel in the Concert Hall, bringing the Grimm tale up to date. An elite group of Second and Third Form also produced an educational show about loneliness and bullying, which they toured to three local primary schools during activities week. The show continues to be workshopped ahead of performances at the Brighton Fringe Festival in 2023.
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To kick off can you tell us a bit more about what it is like being part of a television show? When I first started filming for the television show, it didn't sink in at first, because I only started serious acting classes last year in 2021. Also, I Ioved watching the TV series in lockdown, so then to be filming for one of the lead roles, as a series regular, was very surreal. Being part of the TV series is amazing and lots of fun. I miss my family as I must live away from home for three months with the rest of the cast and a team of chaperones, but living away from home with the cast, is like having another family. What has surprised you the most about the filming schedule so far? The number of early mornings has surprised me. My filming working day is nine and half hours long (so longer than a school day) but out of those hours, I am allowed to film for five hours a day. It is surprising how long it takes to film even one scene. What have you learnt from the experience of working with a full cast of actors on a TV set? You need to be very professional on set, but it is still a lot of fun filming and working with the other cast, as they love acting as well. I have also learnt to connect with the other cast as soon as possible, because then you can develop amazing chemistry with the rest of the cast, even before you start filming.
STUDENT FOCUS
Congratulations to First Formers Aviella B and Eddie B who won Best Actor Award trophies in the Junior Section of the Mark Jermin Management and Acting School Awards Ceremony at the Princess Royal Theatre in Wales over the Easter holidays. We caught up with them over the summer to hear about their acting successes.
What are your ambitions for the future? For the future, I still would love to keep up my passion for swimming and other sports, however, it would be great to book some more roles in TV and film. I had lots of fun filming for a feature film over the Easter holidays, which comes out in the cinema in 2023.
Thinking about how it all began, can you tell us about how you first discovered your love of performing arts. I did acting classes at Stagecoach from age four to seven and took part in some fun end of term musical theatre shows. However, I then found a passion for sports, particularly competitive swimming. During the 2020 lockdown, I was unable to do swimming training as the pools closed and so I started online acting classes with the Mark Jermin Stage School. I loved the acting classes and discovered my passion for TV and film acting.
Who inspires you? Several people inspire me in both the sports and the acting world. In the acting world, Millie Bobby Brown, the lead actress from 'Stranger Things' and 'Enola Holmes', is inspiring and how she strongly connects with her characters.
Finally, what would you say is the best thing on the school lunch menu? I really like the pasta and puddings at school.
AVIELLA B Actress
You are overseas on location is that correct? What’s a fun fact or something new you have you discovered about that country? I am very lucky to be filming most of the TV series overseas in Canada. I didn’t realise there was a time difference, between the UK and Canada of five hours. A fun fact is that the house where we are living in Canada is only an hour's drive to the famous and amazing Niagara Falls. Another fun fact is that the cast gets to go on sightseeing trips and shopping trips on the weekends in Canada.
Tell us about what you like to do when you’re not performing or studying? When I am not performing or studying, I love to go swimming training and compete in swimming races, I train five times a week. I also love competing in athletics, netball and hockey and I enjoy reading too.
Taking it back to school life tell us... How do you balance academic work and performing arts excellence? Do you have any tips for other students who may be in a similar situation? I try to be organised with my time, so that I can keep up with my academic work, swimming training, acting classes, and auditioning for TV and film roles. When I am away filming, I have a full-time tutor, who overseas my learning, when I am not on set filming. On longer filming projects, I must do around 15 hours of tutoring each week, in between filming.
STUDENT FOCUS
Learning these skills is important to me given my dream is to work in the stage or screen industry.
When working on school productions, the teachers at RGS are very understanding of the time I need to dedicate to the shows.
REVIEW 2022
Sometimes I have to plan my school workloads around shows outside of school, but my teachers are very understanding of this and are always excited to hear about what I am up to.
Through the Drama department I learnt about the National Youth Theatre (NYT) and the incredible back stage courses they offer. You have to be 16 before you can apply for the backstage courses, but I had to wait until I was 17 due to ongoing issues with my Applyinghealth.forthe NYT scenic construction and design and stage management courses was straight forward. An online interview took place where I had to talk about my hobbies and interests and explain all my creative ideas based around a provided extract from a play.
My motivation comes from the adrenaline rush I get right before curtain up, that moment of silence backstage before the live performance. I get excited not only being part of a production team, but watching as many different shows as possible.
In between school and theatre I relax and unwind by baking.
SOPHIE F Backstage ProductionTHEPILGRIM
In between school technical rehearsals, I love to grab a quick lunch from the Sixth Form café, I especially like their toasted sandwiches.
After two months I received the fantastic news that I could become a NYT member by completing the scenic constriction and design course.
A few days into the course I was proficient in the use of over eight different pieces of workshop equipment, skills I would not have had the opportunity to gain if not for the NYT course.
36
I was only seven when my dad took me to a rehearsal of ‘Titanic The Musical’ being produced by the Epsom Light Opera Company. I remember watching the performers and thinking ‘I would love to be part of this.’
After watching many local and west end shows, I started to consider studying drama at GCSE to learn more about performance work. After convincing my mum and dad to go to the GCSE drama option evening, I suddenly realised there was a whole other world hidden behind the curtains, backstage.
I was most looking forward to learning new skills and having a chance to operate machinery used in the theatre industry.
Recently I’ve found I love the process of baking anything sourdough. I’ve even named my sourdough starter Sammy! Of course anyone backstage on a production with me gets the opportunity to try some of my bakes.
I started gaining experience in many different backstage roles through school and local societies, gravitating more towards deputy stage management (DSM) and set design.
I find that always doing my best to be up to date with my work means that I am not under any last minute deadlines.
37 REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Students had a virtual visit from Sky News’ International Affairs Editor, Dominic Waghorn, who very kindly took time out between trips to Russia to talk to them about the role of persuasive writing in journalism and politics. Students were thrilled to hear him discuss a wide range of issues, including his rise to TikTok fame after a particularly bristly interview with the Russian Foreign Minister, and to receive his expert advice ahead of their own mock election. CASTLE
GUEST SPEAKER FOR THE THIRD FORM
Whether
CARNEGIE BOOK AWARD Junior Book Club (joined by additional keen readers in the First and Second Form) has been reading the eight novels which were shortlisted for the Carnegie Shadowing Awards. The students have met on a weekly basis to read, discuss and review the novels. The broad ranging themes of the novels have provoked interesting discussion and encouraged readers to explore texts which they would not normally read. As part of the shadowing, students have also enjoyed watching authors’ presentations on their texts and have attempted some of the individual challenges set by the authors. Following the advent of Covid-19, there was even a live Zoom Q&A forum which a couple of the RGS readers were able to join. It will be interesting to see whether RGS students are aligned with the judges in selecting their favourite novel!
ENGLISH CARNEGIE BOOK AWARD SHORTLIST STUDENT MAGAZINE: THE
The summer edition of RGS’ student magazine, The Castle , was produced by our team of talented writers who were busy both creating articles and preparing for exams. With topics ranging from genomic sequencing to the single-use plastic, these insightful pieces are sure to inspire. you are a student or a parent, the magazine offers a chance to discover new areas of interest and is a wonderful source for wider reading. The students behind The Castle are already excited for the next edition in the autumn term, so watch this space!
SECOND FORM BLIND DATE WITH A BOOK ‘Blind Date with a Book’ is a project designed to challenge students’ reading stereotypes and to encourage them to think about the book design process. Students are given a book (from the Carnegie Prize shortlists) based on the genres they enjoy. The book is wrapped in brown paper so that the front cover, title, author, and blurb have all been hidden. The idea is to ensure students cannot access information about the book. Students read their book and then design their own ‘book’ with a bespoke cover, title and blurb. They then must evaluate their “date” and discuss how reading “blind” changed their reading experience. Once completed there is a mass “strip” of the brown covers, the students compare their design to the actual book cover. Students then take part in a “speed dating” exercise to where they have two minutes to “sell” their book to their classmates.
READERSDIAMOND run by the National Theatre. Mrs Walker, who has a background in theatre and a Masters in Dramatic Writing, has been guiding students through the challenging process of putting their views on the world into the form of a 30-minute play, with expert advice from professional playwright Jasmin Ghomi. RGS has also sponsored two local schools to participate as part of our community outreach programme. The longlist was announced, and all three schools have a student whose work has made it to the next stage. We are particularly delighted for RGS’s Rebekah B whose brave and exciting play Panic explores a very relevant theme in an imaginative and powerful way. Handbook 21/22 Created by Jennifer Farmer, Nickie Miles-Wildin, Guleraana Mir, Brian Mullin and NT Learning
38 THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
The Diamond Book Readers club was launched to First Form students who have read 36+ books this academic year and have therefore received a Diamond Reader award. Students met bi-weekly in the library to share book recommendations and work on a bespoke booklist for First Form students. As an additional creative project, the group has made some wonderful book poetry and has set their sights on building a giant stack of books equivalent to what students have
I set out with a simile and the idea of the woman in mind and I built the story around the tableau of her sitting framed amongst the people. I take art in school and I think in quite a visual way, I find it easy to build stories around pictures I have in my head.
Who are your favourite recent authors? Currently, I’m reading a book by Neil Gaiman. He’s more of a younger children’s author but I think that I indulge in that sometimes as it’s a nice way to de-stress.
Why doesn’t the main character have the courage to start a relationship with the secret woman? I think that they are slightly apprehensive of breaking the bubble of surreal atmosphere that surrounds the woman and afraid of what might happen. I think they’re afraid of how they might interact and of how the situation might not be so idyllic anymore.
Lastly, what do you think the benefits of creative writing are and what advice would you give to budding writers?
I really think that it’s a way to organise your thoughts about the world and get everything you feel about your life and your experiences out so in a way it’s kind of a mindful experience even if you’re not writing to make something beautiful. But then again, it is important if you are a writer, to try and bring a bit of beauty into the world. If you have that talent, then you should definitely put it out there. And don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
What makes this stranger so different and special from the main character? With the attitude of the narrator I wanted to give them a snarkiness and a wit that highlights the cynicism of the world we live in nowadays. I wanted people to be able to see themselves in that character and realize that having a pessimistic attitude is not always the best way forward.
STUDENT FOCUS
What’s one book that everyone has to read? I’m sitting next to my bookshelf right now so let me just have a look. I recently read The Picture of Dorian Grey for the first time and I really liked it because it’s about the accessibility of art and I think that art is something that people should start to indulge in a little bit more. How did you start the story? With a character or a plot?
Where did the story idea come from? It started with a simile that I thought of when I was walking home from school, and I just wrote it on a word document and brainstormed a bunch of ideas. Then, I took the one that I liked the most, and that turned out to be the story. What does the secret woman mean to you? To me she is a symbol of beauty and the things that we can find beautiful in the world because it is a very chaotic world that we live in these days as I think I described in the story. And to just take a moment and look at the beauty that is in the world around you is very important.
NIAMH D
Is reading a chore for you? Absolutely not. I absolutely love reading. If I have time, which is scarce these days, I try to read every day. I really feel like doing reading, even in a non-academic sense is really relaxing and freeing.
REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 39 ENGLISH
The 2022 winner, Niamh D, wrote an incredibly poetic almost-love story caught in the shadow of the statue of Cupid and Psyche. She now takes her place amongst the more than a decade of incredible winning writers at RGS. The runners-up were Nihal S and Heulwyn K , with Highly Commended prizes going to Mollie F, Alex J , and Arun L
The Bevis Hillier award celebrates the importance of creativity beyond the constraints of the curriculum and the wonderful writing talent that the Fifth Form possesses.
WINNING ENTRY by Niamh D Museum supervisor is a wonderful job for a taciturn teenager. In my little fold-away chair Icould perch, vulture-like, looking singularly morose, until an ambitious aesthete breached thescuffed grey lines on the floor that cordoned off dreams, when I would squawk out the brusquecommand to ‘keep a foot away from the work at all times’. So I would spend my Saturdays,steeped in my own contrived melancholy, staring at the backs of peoples’ heads as they staredat art I knew they didn’t really understand. Not like I did, of course.The memory of the day I saw her is still crisp, well preserved. I was late to my shift on theRodin, and I shuffled in, black coffee in hand, trying not to attract the attention of theparticularly crabby woman who oversaw the room next door. Sweeping through the throng Itook my seat, which was squashed in, to rather comical effect I realise now, stiffly between twocabinets full of miniature nudes. I didn’t see her come in. I was too busy writhing in the chagrinbrought on by hideous echoes of ‘row-din’ which resounded out of the drone every now andthen. But I noticed how a silvery slither would dart between the cracks of bodies and disappearbefore I could catch it. The tilt and slope of a nose. The bridge of a long, tanned neck, crownedin choppy lengths, key-holed amongst the masses as she took a seat on the bench in front.The chaos of midday ebbed into lazy afternoon, the light softened, and the stragglers driftedaway like sand blown in a breeze. She and I were the only ones left, amidst the silent figures.The only movement was the swirling of dust, illuminated by a warm pool of sunlight dribbling inthrough the window. Almost involuntarily, I stood. Wearing an expression of overt nonchalanceto compensate for the eagerness of my strides, I moved around the perimeter of the bench.Each footstep reverberated around the high ceilings, and I winced at the breaking of the silence.She did not move. Conscious of my gangliness, I slid on to the end of the bench and stole aglance at her. She was draped over it, silken dressed, like mist laid over a hill. Her gaze was keenand fixed securely on Cupid and Psyche, who lay, hooked in each other’s arms, melting intomarbly white bliss before us. She was so still, her slender wrists posed elegantly, the contoursof her sharp elbows had a gazelle-like grace, her golden bob haloed round a sepulchral face. Ina slow articulation of the vertebrae of her neck, she turned to me, meeting my guilty eyes. Westared at each other; I rigid in my shame, she unwavering in her scrutiny. She did not smile, onlycocked her head, blinked, and bowed it away from me like a deer disturbed fromits grazing. I do not know how long we sat there, staring at Cupid and Psyche. It could have been hours,days. But I remember how at every shift I would find her sitting, engrossed, in Degas orModigliani or Redon. And after the noise and flap of the day passed, I joined her to bask sometime in her golden presence, simply sitting. We never spoke a word. We never touched. Eachtime I took my place, blood thundered dizzyingly up to my head as I deliberated breaking thesilence. Would this be the time I spoke, should I ask her name, should I prostrate myself at herfeet? But the time slipped out of my hands. One afternoon the room was cold, and she wasgone. My job bittered as the evenings came sooner and at last, I gave up my watchful post, myhope of her return. I never saw her again. I sit, in front of Cupid and Psyche yet again as theRodin exhibition makes its annual appearance, musing on what could have been. FORM RESPONSES
CREATIVE
40 BEVIS COMPETITIONWRITINGHILLIER - FIFTH FORM
THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
The annual competition is judged by renowned English art historian, author, journalist and Reigatian, Bevis Hillier. Mr Hillier spent a generous amount of time providing annotation and feedback on the submitted pieces and particularly noted that the winner's telling of the story was “admirable”, with many of the short-listed pieces leaving him impressed with the talent of the writers.
A NOVEL APPROACH – FOURTH
Forth Form students completed a creative response having read a challenging novel (approved by their teacher) and choosing a medium to respond to what they have read. Students can write the lyrics to a song inspired by a character; they can bake a cake and decorate it inspired by the events of the story; they can build a model town of the novel’s setting – the possibilities are endless. This year, for the first time, we had a papier-mâché brain. After the project, students present their creative responses to the class. This has been a great way of sharing book recommendations!
The Upper Sixth Form completed their A Level Product Design NEA work and showcased challenging design-and-make projects which comprise problem exploration, user research, creative design work, computer-aided design and computeraided manufacturing. The products are developed thoroughly using an iterative design process involving the testing of both physical and virtual protypes. Shown here are some of the final products in use and photorealistic renderings of CAD models. REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 41 DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY Will S Saiyan P Elliot F Ellie G Sanchin J
THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022 Theo H
ECONOMICS Economics students presented to their peers at the Anthropos Society on a broad range of topical issues this term. ‘Brexit means Brexit’ explored the full economic impact of the UK leaving the EU with a balanced hand and branched into some moral and political issues, such as the impact of a divided vote in different regions of the UK. In the best traditions of academic study, students picked up on this idea and explored it further with a debate on the North-South divide, probing the differences in key economic indicators like economic growth and unemployment levels, but also the broader differences in living standards, such as life expectancy and education.
REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 43 PSYCHOLOGY & ECONOMICS
PSYCHOLOGY Psychology students went on the Bedlam! Madness on the Streets of London! walking tour to find out more about the history of the Royal Bethlem Hospital and the treatment of mental illness in Britain over time. The tour started outside Liverpool St Station and immediately set off to the site of the original Bethlem hospital, memorialised by a plaque on the building that stands there now. Students, enjoyed an impressive walk across London investigating various sites of interest in the history of asylums and mental health in the city. We learned about The Great Plague, the four humours and some fascinating facts about the conditions in Bethlem hospital, the corruption of the people historically in charge of it, and how the treatment of mental health conditions have changed since then. The tour ended at St Bartholomew’s hospital where there is a prestigious mental health ward today.
MATHS MASTERCLASSES For the second time this academic year, Lower Sixth Form A Level Maths students have collaborated to plan and deliver Royal Institution (Ri) Maths Masterclasses to around thirty enthusiastic year five students from local primary schools. Our Sixth Formers were trained and supported by staff from the historic Royal Institution, enabling them to run the four-week masterclass series during the summer term. Our visiting young students were treated to investigations into properties of magic squares by Imogen G and Ellen M , analysis of the likelihood of winning the lottery by Jake B , Gautam C and Joshua S , and had fun encrypting and decoding cyphers with James B , Hope H , Alex J and Emily P We also welcomed Alison Eves from the Ri, who delivered a highly tactile dive into the properties of the Platonic solids. A huge well done to all Reigatians involved in this programme, which required a significant time commitment but was rewarded with glowing student feedback and a thoroughly enthused group of young mathematicians. 44 THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022 MATHS 71 8 9 10 1111141312 15 16 17 18 19 22212320 24 25 292726 30 31 3332 28 2 3 4 5 6 CROSS NUMBER ACROSS 3. The square root of one less than 10 Down 5. Factor of 10 Down 7. One less than a multiple of four and two less than a multiple of nine 9. Square of a prime number 11. Four more than the product of the digits of 7 Across 12. Highest common factor of 33 Across and 12 Across is three 14. Multiple of seven and one away from being a Fibonacci number 15. Twenty multiplied by 2 Down minus 25 Down 16. Multiple of 4 Down 21. Multiple of 3 Across and seven 22. Number divisible by eleven which is also a palindrome 23. The mean of 22 Across and 24 Across 24. Product of a power of two and a power of three 26. 31 Down minus five 27. 3p where p is a prime 30. 15 Across multiplied by 2 Down 32. 2 Down multiplied by sixteen 33. Number with only 4 factors DOWN 1. Half the difference between 10 Down and 8 Down 2. Remainder when 18 Down is divided by 4 Down 4. 2p where p is prime 6. Even number whose digit sum is twice the digit sum of 30 Across 8. The mean of 8 Down and 22 Across is 15 Across 10. One plus the square of a prime number 12. Half the sum of the factors of 14 Across 13. 10 Down plus three times 1 Down 15. Exterior angle of a regular polygon 17. One less than a multiple of nine 18. Two thirds of 27 Across 19. 35 less than nine times the sum of the digits of 15 Down 20. Multiple of 4 Down 21. Multiple of 7 25. Fourteen plus half of 22 Across 28. Seven times a square number 29. Twice 18 Down minus the first digit of 7 Across 31. Three less and ten more than a Fibonacci number
MUSIC 45
RGS GODFREY SEARLE CHOIR
The benefits and enjoyment to be had from being a chorister are well documented by high profile celebrities, such as Alexander Armstrong and Alastair Cook. The opportunity to sing with the RGS Godfrey Searle Choir is usually only open to RSM and RGS students but a recent initiative by the Music department, led by Mrs Glynne-Jones, Head of Choral Music and Director of the Choristers, opened the opportunity up to any child in the local area wishing to experience singing with the choir at evensong. Four girls from local schools attended Saturday morning rehearsals for six weeks in order to learn psalm singing and responses, a unique skill that they acquired quickly and allowed them to enjoy a full evensong in St Mary's Church on 8 May 2022. Their delight at singing with a professional organist, professional tenors and basses as well as the other choristers was clear to see and a well-attended service by friends and family was a pleasure for all involved. Mrs Glynne-Jones hopes that this will be the first of many projects that will hopefully ignite a love of choral singing in young people who might not otherwise have an opportunity to sing with a professional choir.
SMC CHORISTERS EVENSONG WORKSHOP
CHORAL RECITAL This year's Choral Recital was the first since 2019 and it was a joyful return to singing for all our choirs. The opening piece by Handel, Zadok , The Priest featured over 80 singers from the Upper School and raised the roof in the beautiful surroundings of St Mary's Church. The programme was eclectic and there was something for everyone from pop to Baroque and sacred choral pieces.
Friday 21 January saw the first Promotions Matins Service for members of the RGS Godfrey Searle Choir. On a bright and crisp winter's morning, St Mary's Church was full of students from Reigate St Mary's Prep School and their parents as choristers filled the building with beautiful singing. They celebrated the role of the choir in school life and the important significance of being in a dedicated team, making music together each week together through performing stunning choral music, supported by a professional organist and singers, coming together to make a glorious sound.
One notable feature of the evening was the increased number of boys singing in choirs, now evenly matched with the girls who have traditionally been more involved. The Boys' Choir sang three pieces, including a complex arrangement of the hymn Nearer my God to Thee - the music reputedly sung on the Titanic by those unable to escape the disaster. Another highlight was the Girls' Choir's beautiful rendition of Deep River, a piece filled with pathos that had the audience spell bound. Polyphony sang an a cappella version of the Billy Eilish hit When the Party's Over, creating a palpable hush by its Theclose.audience showed their appreciation warmly at the end as all 120 singers made their way to the front to take the applause.
Long standing and hard-working choir members, such as Niccoló V, Ethan W and Edie W all received positions of responsibility befitting their commitment and talent in a ceremony full of gravitas and tradition. The role of a chorister is full of benefits both musical and social and the Promotions services are a joyful reminder of what it is to be in this special choir.
REIGATE & REDHILL MUSIC FESTIVAL This year we had a varied and accomplished range of entries: • Nathan T won, with Outstanding awarded in the String solo section • The RGS String Quartet won the String Quartet section, and was invited to perform in the final festival concert • Wind Quintet gained a Highly Commended in the Mixed Ensemble section • Other solo successes included Callum S Piano, Isobel R Saxophone and Bronwen R Trumpet, who achieved the exceptional Overall Winner's Prize – awarded to the best individual among 700 entries
The Music department has hosted two instrumental and vocal evenings. The first started with performances from the Saxophone Ensemble, Horn Ensemble, Clarinet Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble. The second concert saw the turn of the Guitar Ensemble, Junior and Senior Brass Ensemble, Flute Ensemble and RGS String Quartet to take to the stage. performance last night was wonderful and uplifting and a real treat to be able to experience live music again. With such professionalism, I had to remind myself at times that they were students! … it was truly magical … Congratulations to everybody." Re-live RGS Music
46
at
INSTRUMENTAL AND VOCAL EVENINGS
"The
RGS IN CONCERT AT CADOGAN HALL
RGS Music was finally back in central London, sharing a brilliant night of performances given by a range of ensembles on the stage of this prestigious venue. It really was a night to remember: a superb standard of performance from an impressive three hundred Bookendedstudents! with extraordinarily exciting performances from Concert Band (medleys from Dear Evan Hansen and Hans Zimmer's extensive film catalogue) and Symphony Orchestra ( Hildegard and Mars and Jupiter from The Planets), this concert kept on displaying young talent through a remarkable Sinfonia where Pachelbel met Rick Astley, a toe-tapping Swing Band 2 and first-rate Swing Band. The massed RGS Chorus & Brass Ensemble's performance of Rutter's Gloria was simply astounding, both visually and aurally. We were delighted too to celebrate our new RGS Music Partnership Project through a joint performance with over a hundred students from RSM, St John's Primary School, Lime Tree Primary School and RGS Saturday Music College - an uplifting, joyful experience none of the students or staff will forget, I'm sure.
REIGATEMUSICGRAMMARSCHOOL
HARTSFEST Hartsfest was a big night for titans of the music world: Ed Sheeran was playing Wembley Stadium and 166 RGS musicians from the First to Upper Sixth Forms were playing Hartswood for Hartsfest 2022! What an incredible evening – not just the musicians but our fabulous audience too. Hartsfest is the opportunity to bring together our music community for one final huzzah, right at the end of the academic year. It just feels like a really fitting celebration of all that our musicians have achieved since September – whether it be at Dorking Halls, informal concerts, Choral Recital, one of the Showcase evenings, open mornings, Cadogan Hall, Headmaster’s receptions, local festivals, even class concerts and assemblies… the list goes on. The event showcased four hours of music on two stages from RGS Corps of Drums and twenty ensembles to a 500-strong audience beset with blankets, bunting and somewhat breezy weather!
The Old Library was the venue for the second ever live performance from the ‘Plugged’ concert series. The evening featured a range of songs that had been chosen by students to perform, ranging from two Fleetwood Mac songs, to Adele and Beach Bunny. There were performances from students who have performed in this setting many times before as well as those for whom this was their first concert. It was very exciting to see students as young as Second Form singing, showing that the future looks very promising for these concerts. The songs were ably accompanied by a predominantly student-based band and the concert was a relaxed and informal evening with a hugely appreciative audience. Beyond the rapturous applause, it was lovely to see the camaraderie, support and appreciation among the student performers themselves. Proof, if ever it was needed, of the positive social benefits that come from the process of making music together.
The Old Library was transformed into a club for an evening of songs from the world of musical theatre, with performances ranging from Showboat to Hamilton , Evita to Sweeney Todd . Accompanied by a phenomenally talented 10-piece student band, the singers – some veterans of the stage, some performing for the first time – rose to the occasion, giving, without exception, impassioned, risk taking performances in front of a packed house.
PIANO SHOWCASE Wednesday 25 May 2022 brought our first summer term Piano Showcase. Just over an hour of music where in addition to piano solos, there were three organ pieces played as a musical in just over an hour. Thank you to Richard Prophet who donated the organ and an oboe. All students showed fluent technical command and excellent sense of atmosphere and communication, in Grade 8 to Diploma repertoire. We look forward to seeing this RGS musical event flourish in the future.
JAZZ AFTER DARK During the summer term we were hosted by Kingswood Golf Club for Jazz After Dark – an evening of fantastic jazz and blues from Swing Band, Swing Band 2, Senior Girls’ Voices and soloists accompanied by a professional jazz trio. Toe-tapping performances of standards such as Birdland (Swing Band 2), Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (Ruby S) and Watermelon Man (RGS Jazz Septet) were contrasted by the serenity of Misty (Henry F), At Last (Izzy S) and All of Me (Senior Girls' Voices) and other great numbers including an incredible New York State of Mind (Elliot D-G and Toby M) and exhilarating Count Bubba (Swing Band).
PLUGGED
CABARET NIGHT
48 THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
What or who motivates you to succeed and flourish across your musical talents?
What do you like to do when you are not practising, performing or studying? Throughout my first year at RGS, I have immersed myself in most of the sports offered at after school clubs, including hockey, netball, cricket and tennis. I also train with and play for Purley Walcountians Hockey Club on Sundays, which along with my match commitments for RGS on Saturdays leaves little time left on weekends! Besides sports, I am learning the craft of oboe reed-making at home. Reeds are quite expensive and I enjoy trying to make them - even if they do end up cracking!
What are your ambitions for the future? I would really like to go into a profession involving conducting, composing or musical performance. Playing with a professional orchestra would be a great experience and something I would relish, perhaps touring Europe and beyond! Who inspires you? Hilary, my music teacher. She has shown me that the enjoyment and the pleasure derived from playing my instruments matters more than rushing through the grades. I would also like to credit the fabulous music teachers at RGS. Famous people that I aspire to be like are: John Williams, who has inspired me with his love of conducting and composing music - I admire all of his works as a composer; and Lang Lang, who is an extraordinary pianist - he becomes so absorbed in the music he plays and is really captivating to watch.
When did you discover your passion and talents for playing music?
STUDENT FOCUS P-H Musician
My music teacher, Hilary Dennis, who has been pivotal in helping me achieve two grade 5 distinctions on both instruments has been key to my musical success. She encourages me to play a diverse range of repertoire rather that simply learning the music for the next grade. She also has very high standards, which ensures that I am always challenged to be the best I can be. Furthermore, I come from a very musical household: there is always music playing. Whether from the radio or family members practising their instruments, this creates a very enriching musical environment in which I can flourish. Which musical instrument do you prefer and why? That is a really difficult question, but if I had to pick one, it would be the oboe because I find it more straightforward to learn a new piece quickly. Additionally, the attraction of the oboe for me is that, as an orchestral instrument. I can play with other musicians in ensembles and orchestras -the combined sound of all the instruments can be quite exhilarating. However, it can also be quite daunting as an oboeist as there are often many oboe solos! I was plunged into the deep end during my first term at RGS in the Symphony Orchestra when I was asked to perform an oboe solo in Danse Macabre by Camille Saint Saens. Despite my initial trepidation, I embraced the challenge and I thoroughly enjoyed performing at Dorking Halls.
ELLIE
I was six years old when I first started the piano and I immediately felt passionate about it. Often, my mum would play and I listened to the sound and tone of the keys; I felt inspired and knew that I wanted to pursue it. Once I had achieved a good standard on the piano, I decided to learn an orchestral instrument at age nine: the oboe. Soon, I was able to produce a high quality sound, which I realised was quite remarkable for a beginner, when Paul Harris (a renowned musician and educationalist) gave me feedback on my performance at the Coulsdon and Purley Music Festival in 2020. This spurred me on to compete in local music festivals on both instruments. Earlier this year, I achieved outstanding performances in both the piano and woodwind grade 5 classes at the Coulsdon and Purley Music Festival and was delighted to be awarded the Sheila Cup Memorial trophy in recognition of this.
How do you balance school work and music excellence? Do you have any tips for students in a similar situation? Sometimes, it can be quite challenging with homework demands in addition to music practice and my sports endeavours. I usually make sure that I have completed most of my homework during lunch and break-time, leaving a small amount for when I get home. I can also fit some work in at the school library after I have been to an after-school club and before my dad collects me from school. Then, when at home, I have hardly any work to do which leaves me time to practise my instruments. Therefore, my key tip for other students who aspire to excellence in any extra-curricular pastime would be to make the most of your lunches and breaks to complete homework. Always make time to nurture your talents as these are gifts! What is the best option on the school lunch menu? It has to be the roast dinner!
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When did you discover your passion and talents for playing and composing music? It feels as if music has always been part of my life and I genuinely cannot really remember when it was not. When I was five years old, we moved house and my parents bought a piano. I can remember having fun learning to play it as soon as it arrived and, just messing around, making up my own music. A couple of years later, I enjoyed hearing the sound of someone playing a cello in an assembly at my primary school, so I asked if I could also learn to play that. What or who motivates you to succeed and flourish across your musical talents? To be honest, music is just something I love being involved with, be it playing it, writing it or listening to it. What I enjoy most is the way you can create an atmosphere and make people feel a certain way just by how you play or write the notes. It does not really matter where you are from or what your background is, music is a language that anyone can understand.
Who inspires you? From a composition point of view, it is people who have the courage to write what they want to write, not necessarily what the establishment is expecting. I also admire people who can just write a really good tune. Recently
I have particularly enjoyed listening to Kendrick Lamar and the Beatles – I always try to listen to a wide range of artists.
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Tell us about what you like to do when you’re not practicing, performing, or studying? I do not have a lot of time for much else these days, but away from music I really enjoy travel, including watching or reading about where other people have been and planning and going on my own long distance journeys. I would love to be a contestant in a ‘Race Across the World’ competition one day….
Finally, what would you say is the best thing on the school lunch menu? It has to be the katsu chicken – with as much curry sauce as
Possibly a controversial question…which do you prefer composing music or the performance and playing of music? That is a very good question but quite a difficult one to answer! I guess it depends on what the performance or composition actually is. For example, sometimes when playing music (either with others or alone) it can feel like it all just gels together perfectly and at these times I would have to say the feeling and satisfaction from the performance would win out. Equally, if I have had a bad day, nothing beats playing (or sometimes listening) to music really loudly. However, the feeling you get hearing a piece you have written for an orchestra being brought to life (as I have been lucky enough to hear), is pretty incredible too. What are your ambitions for the future? I am not sure what direction it might take yet, but I would really like to have a career in music if that is possible. In the short term, I hope to carry on learning piano, cello and composition and get as good at all of them as I can. Longer term, it would be great to make a career out of writing music commercially in some way, but I would obviously not say no to becoming a successful concert pianist or cellist either!
STUDENTpossible. FOCUS MATTY O Musician THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
Taking it back to school life tell us... How do you balance academic work and musical excellence? Do you have any tips for other students who may be in a similar situation? This is a real challenge for me as I am sure it is for many people and it is getting worse as both my music and academic studies now seem to be needing more time every day. So this is going to sound boring, but I find prioritising, planning and scheduling my time carefully really is the only answer since there are simply a limited number of hours in the day. If I had to give people one tip, it would be to always do the thing you least want to do first, be it revision or a music practice session. Then you get it out of the way, feel good about getting it done and are more motivated about what else there is to come.
On the performance side, it is pretty similar, the people who inspire me are those who make the music their own and have something to say. There are loads of performers I could mention but I have recently been impressed with recordings of Rachmaninoff playing (he was an amazing pianist as well as a composer) and seeing cellist Rebecca Gilliver play live.
MODERN LANGUAGES REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 51
Onatti performed its foreign language plays to our students and it was wonderful to see students participate in small cameo roles in each language. We look forward to inviting Onatti back again next year!
ONATTI LANGUAGE PLAYS
A
BFI TRIP - IN THE SHADE OF THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR Sixth Form students attended a Spanish study day at the British Film Institute in London. The day was called ‘In the shadow of the Spanish Civil War’ and analysed the film ‘Pan's Labyrinth’ by Guillermo del Toro within its historical context. High praise goes to Rebecca W and Sam C for standing up and contributing their ideas in Spanish to an auditorium of over 400 students. We were very lucky to have the opportunity to watch a play in French called Mon Père Ne Me Comprend Pas when the Onatti Theatre Company came to visit the school. It was about a teenage girl who, on her birthday, wishes for her dad, brother and gran to be ‘cooler’, but when her wish comes true, she realises that she misses the old version of her family. I’ve been learning French for three years now, so some of the vocabulary was a bit hard to understand, but when you hear it as part of a play, the acting helps you to understand what is going on. Review by Orla M Third Form student.
Working at RGS as the Spanish language assistant was awesome! I felt comfortable as soon as I arrived with my friends and former assistants Marion (French) and Ecem (German). I am grateful to have met such great students and teachers. I will never forget Reigate! Also, living in England this year has changed my life, and now I love British culture and society. I encourage you to learn a foreign language to expand your mind and live international experiences such as mine!
SARAASSISTANTLANGUAGESPANISHFROMWORDOUR
Review by Karam S Upper Sixth Form
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One of our RGS teams was the final winning team of all the participating schools. Congratulations to Alice W, Daisy F, Harry J , Isabella Q, Millán P and Rose R !
JUNIOR CULTURE CLUB
MANDARIN SPEAKING COMPETITION FOR UK SCHOOLS In May, RGS students competed in the 2022 Mandarin Speaking Competition for UK Schools. Chloe A and Katie A went through to the second round and Amoz S came fifth in the final. Congratulations to all the students who have shown case their Mandarin speaking skills in the national competition.
We have been on many cultural journeys this year. Some of this year’s highlights have been weaving corn for a traditional British harvest festival, creating our own pancake relay course, trying to understand poetry from Robbie Burns, learning about the plight of koalas after the Australian bush fires, and generally having fun! The main success of this club has been due to diligent assistance given by our two main helpers: Rebecca W and Anuja S in the Lower Sixth Form. They are always on hand to help with craft activities and to find puzzling quizzes. We were lucky enough to have some guest speakers who were able to present their own personal experiences of attending a festival. Miss Sowa, Miss Carraro, Miss Shah and Mrs Fullalove provided us with a wealth of pictures and personal anecdotes. Some other members of the Lower Sixth Form ran activities based on the Day of the Dead and musicals from around the world: Rebekah B and Neyha K should be very proud of their presentations. Some First Form students delighted us with their cultural knowledge and in particular, Eoin H , Victor J , Sophie L and Ashwin S were highly commended for leading the sessions. The end of year ended with a royal fanfare as we wrote to the Queen to mark the occasion of the Platinum Jubilee. Thank you to all the members for being so curious about the world, its languages and its varied culture.
SIXTH FORM CERVANTES THEATRE TRIP Upper Sixth Form students visited the Cervantes theatre in Southwark to watch a production of La Casa de Bernarda Alba , a play that we study in-depth as part of the literature aspect of the A Level syllabus. Casa was written by famous Spanish playwright Federico García Lorca right before the Spanish civil war started in 1936. Lorca was later executed by the right-wing Nationalist forces as a part of their purge of intellectuals in Spain at the time that did not support the dictatorship.
Casa is a gripping play that has stood the test of time, having first premiered in Buenos Aires 77 years ago in 1945. It revolves around a very traditional family in rural Spain that is ruled by a tyrannical woman named Bernarda. The viewer is given an insight into their life under an eight-year mourning period, where Bernarda prohibits any of her five daughters from leaving the house and strips them of any freedom whatsoever. Several plots developed throughout the play culminating in a single plot-twist ending, and the production provides its own unique spin on who is responsible for the tragedy that ensues.
BUSINESS LANGUAGE EVENT - THE CHALLENGE OF CHINA
Some Third Form Mandarin GCSE students participated in a nation-wide online event: The Challenge of China. Mandarin learners from UK schools worked in teams of five or six on tasks relating to marketing an English product in China. Each team wrote their product justification, designed a promotional leaflet, made a phone call to “SIAL Shanghai” (one of the largest food exhibitions in China), wrote an email to the exhibition management team, and produced a television advert, ALL in Mandarin.
REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 53 “ I have made lanterns before, but this one is super fancy and authentic as I have all the zodiac animals and the symbol of Happiness labelled around it.” MODERN
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LANGUAGESCELEBRATING
THE YEAR OF THE TIGER
First, Second and Third Form Mandarin students celebrated the Chinese New Year in style through a range of fun activities such as calligraphy, dumpling making, lantern making and Tai chi. Hear what our students had to say: “ I loved working with professionals from Goldsmiths University to learn more about Tai chi and martial arts. It was not as easy as I thought but it was so much fun.”
I have achieved deeper cultural understanding through cooking and tasting Chinese dumplings, and I have learned how to order food in Mandarin too!”
CLASSICS SOCIETY
CLASSICS 54
“ Writing Chinese calligraphy is like doing meditation - the entire process is soothing.”
The Classics Society has been very active in 2022! In January we looked at the various national prize essay competitions which Lower Sixth Form students could enter and our keenest young classicists chose topics, including characterisation in Virgil's Aeneid and what lies behind the enduring appeal of the Roman world. We look forward to seeing the finished projects and maybe even winning some prizes! In February Mr Ingham invited students to compare Boris Johnson's leadership to that of the ancient Greek politicians Alcibiades and (Mr Johnson's own hero) Pericles, as well as the legendary Roman hero Cincinnatus which led to an interesting discussion about the nature of democracy, ancient and modern. Next, to mark International Women's Day, we looked in detail at the remarkable Persian commander Artemisia and how Greek historian Thucydides presents her, leading to a thoroughly modern discussion of gender. Later in the spring Lower Sixth Form student Rebecca W gave a very well-researched presentation on Roman aqueduct design and engineering. The ongoing debate of the Elgin Marbles has been a fruitful topic of discussion and debate on our ever-popular online Classics enrichment thread. At Classics Society we explored the real historical and political context behind the creation of the Parthenon Marbles, looking at the dark side of ancient Athenian imperialism and how that might impact our modern evaluation of the Marbles.
BUTSER ANCIENT FARM
An intrepid group of Second Form Latinists set out on a trip to Butser Ancient Farm in Hampshire. This amazing site of experimental archaeology has a variety of historical buildings all re-created with painstaking detail. It was particularly exciting to visit the site which had been used in filming the Horrible Histories Wemovie!loved seeing the Celtic roundhouses and Roman villa in real life, but also had a chance to have a go at some hands-on activities, including jewelry making and wall building! The day was a great immersive experience for everyone.
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REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 55
Thank you for all your support, Best wishes, Jasmine F RGS Earthshot also launched its lecture series to huge success, with over 100 attendees from a range of local schools attending a talk led by Reigatian and former Head Boy, Simon Virley, who spoke about renewable energy and our impact on our environment. We look forward to future lectures which will take place in the autumn term.
RGS EARTHSHOT
2022 saw the launch of RGS Earthshot by Head Girl Jasmine F and Head Boy Tom D. At the end of exam season, we caught up with Jasmine F to reflect on what they had achieved and to hear her thoughts on her hopes for the future as they hand over the leadership of the movement. The start of the spring term saw the first RGS Earthshot competition which was to ‘Design the best use of an item which could have been thrown away’, which encouraged everyone to think about what they throw away and transform old unwanted items into new creations. There were some innovative and creative entries, we were delighted with the response and look forward to the project gathering further momentum over the years. The two winners were Sixth Former Rebecca W for the most ‘creative’ entry, she created a top made from eight of her dads recycled shirts, and First Former Charlotte P for the most ‘useful’ entry, who made a compost bin using recycled broken fence panels from Storm Eunice, and so a huge congratulations to you both and everyone who took part.
Finally, during activities week in the summer term we launched the very first RGS Earthshot Workshop where we welcomed students from Chipstead Valley School, St John's Primary School and Wray Common Primary School for a day full of sustainability related activities. These included painting activities to upcycle old plastic bottles into some beautiful canvases of sea turtles and jellyfish, as well as lots of fun quizzes and a chance to walk around the school and have them tell us what we could do to become even more sustainable! It was brilliant to see them gain confidence throughout the day and develop a deeper understanding about what it means to be sustainable. We hope this is just the very beginning of Earthshot and that it become a project which only continues to grow over the years with even more students, parents and teachers becoming in engaged as part of a whole school commitment to sustainability.
One of the first challenges that the RGS Earthshot Student Council launched, was a competition to design the ‘Best use out of waste’. Students were encouraged to create a ‘new’ item from something that would have been thrown away. The Student Council was blown away by the creativity of the designs and awarded sustainable prizes to the winners. Creative inventions included new clothes made from old, storage made from litter and a composting system from an old fence. Students won reusable water bottles and Fairtrade chocolate, purchased from our local community Zero Waste shop, New Leaf based in Woodhatch. Eco Prefects worked alongside the RGS Earthshot Student Council to launch a Love Your Future campaign, an initiative to encourage students to bring reusable containers to school to minimise the waste created by single use boxes and cups. Students who participated were rewarded with stamps to be exchanged for a cookie. Thank you to the caterers, Chartwell Independent who supported this campaign.
56 RGS EARTHSHOT JOINING FORCES - RGS EARTHSHOT X ECO COMMITTEE
Following the successful launch of RGS Earthshot, the Eco Committee has joined forces to engage students with making changes both in school and at home to improve their impact on the environment.
THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
Lower Sixth Form geographers embarked on their independent fieldwork investigations for their non-examined assessment (NEA) which has involved them formulating their own enquiry question, sub-questions and designing the methods to collect their own primary data. To prepare them for this, students visited Camber Sands for coastal fieldwork experience and Dorking town centre for urban geography fieldwork experience. recently the Geography department ran trips as part of Week for Third Form students to Whipsnade Zoo and to Brighton for Lower Sixth Form
he summer term held a range of wonderful opportunities for RGS geographers to apply their classroom learning to the world around them. Second Form geographers who had studied coastal landforms and processes had a day trip to Cuckmere Haven in East Sussex. The students were able to identify local coastal management strategies and determine the role of local geology in shaping the coastline.
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Third Form geographers headed to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford where they witnessed the legacy of sports led urban regeneration. Students were taught about the sustainable design of the infrastructure and experienced the world’s longest tunnel slide at the ArcelorMittal Orbit.
REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 57
GEOGRAPHYstudents.
Fourth Form geographers embarked on their GCSE fieldwork on Reigate Heath and in the town where they determined the role of human activity in affection biodiversity as well as investigating local changes in housing quality. Students showed great resolve and initiative to collect some fantastic primary data on a very warm day!
Activities
peeled for new developments under the Charity and Outreach programme here at RGS. New initiatives, and continued growth of our Master Classes and mentorship amongst our local community and schools will be a focus for us into 2023 and beyond.
58 THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
It has been a busy term with outreach and charitable activity at RGS. We have run a multitude of successful Master Class Programmes, aimed at our local primary schools as enrichment for pupils with specialist interest in a variety of subjects. To date we have had Master Classes in Maths, Computing and Sustainability and have two more planned for the autumn in English and Classics. These Master Classes are run by RGS staff and Sixth Form pupils. Our extended Outreach Electives continue to grow from strength to strength. Students have been visiting local care homes, primary schools to help with reading and classroom activities and charity focused electives with Stripey Stork and Loveworks where our pupils help with food bank collection and fundraising and helping in the warehouse for Stripey Stork with clothes and items for vulnerable families and Thankbabies.youto
all who have contributed to our termly foodbank drops on a weekend for Loveworks Foodbank and regular calls to action for various items needed for vulnerable families for Stripey Stork, such as nappies, stationery and teenage clothing. This year we also initiated our partnership with the Orpheus Centre, a post-16 performing Arts School for children with severe disabilities and now do regular fundraising events for them. Including a treasure hunt for new year 7 students to raise funds and awareness for the Orpheus Centre. Non-uniform days continue to be a popular way to raise money for Children in Need, Save the Children, Stripey Stork and The Orpheus Centre. Starting this September a drama outreach elective will begin for Fourth Form students who will collaborate with students from Orpheus Centre to produce a joint Easter Keepperformance.youreyes
OUTREACH & CHARITY
Caroline Lawson, Director of Outreach
REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 59 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 2022 NATIONAL FINALISTS FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
RGS successfully made the National Finals of the Goldsmiths’ Awards for Community Engagement. The Goldsmiths' Company Awards for Community Engagement - introduced in 2018 - celebrate the largely underacknowledged work of schools in supporting local communities through charitable and voluntary initiatives. Six students formed an entry council representing RGS. They attended the Virtual Regional Finals presenting to five judges, and progressed to the finals held at the prestigious Goldsmiths’ Hall, London. The students were taken on a tour of the building, enjoyed a lunch in one of the beautifully ornate rooms and learnt of its history and the many films and TV shows filmed there including BBC series Bridgeton and Netflix Drama series Killing Eve. We are incredibly proud of these students who represented all who are involved in community engagement here at RGS and caught up with the students to ask them about their involvement in Community Engagement at RGS.
@ReigateGrammar
Therefore, I would love to raise money for this school and the way in which the RGS community can get involved is by simply either having a bake sale and a non-uniform day, or by letting me set up an event that I can have at school such as the Easter fair in the Second Form. In the future, perhaps we could enable students to visit Woodfield to help around the school. Tyra L
Beyond the school becoming National Finalists for the Goldsmith Awards 2022 in what ways are you looking to increase the impact of charity and outreach work next year at RGS?
THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
STUDENT FOCUS
Mrs WhatNairor who has inspired you to be involved in charity outreach work at school? Tell us about your own charity you are setting up and how the RGS community can get involved. I think the main aspect that has inspired me to be involved in charity outreach work is because of my brother and the fact that I am privileged to be in this school whereas many other students do not have the same opportunities. The charity I am setting up is for my brother's school and for children with severe disabilities. My brother's school (a local school to us called Woodfield) helps children learn life skills, and its amazing teachers have helped my brother progress so much that I would really like to help them in return. So even though this school has the nicest of teachers and amazing students the school doesn’t have significant funding and facilities to let this school have its full potential.
At RGS, we have the facilities and students to reach out and help others in our community. If we have the ability to make someone’s world a little better, then it is important to me that we do so. Besides, community engagement is great fun, it’s a brilliant chance to meet, connect, and understand a broader range of people; there’s an amazing experience that comes with actively reaching out and supporting those close to us, one which we should all strive to achieve. Kanika K
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I am really proud of all that we have achieved this year, in terms of charity and outreach. We have a wonderful and proactive Sixth Form Charity Committee, who have planned events and thought carefully about what charities they would like to support over the coming year. I would like to see us moving forward with continued student-led activities, so that students feel a greater sense of ownership over their own projects and events.
GOLDSMITH AWARDS 2022 What has been a particularly memorable moment from your outreach elective this past year and why? For someone reading this who didn’t select it, what would you say to them to persuade them to choose it next year? I think it is undeniable that going out into Reigate and raising money for Loveworks must be one of the highlights of the outreach electives. It was amazing to see the public's response to Loveworks. I would say you should give the outreach electives a go as they are such amazing experiences, and so much fun. Daisy F Why is charitable and community engagement important to you?
Four RGS students reached National Finals in recognition of their fantastic computer science achievements.
STUDENT COMPUTERFOCUSSCIENCE
CYBER EPQ Here at RGS we place great value on IT, computing and cyber. All students learn how to protect themselves from cyber threats throughout their school life, covering topics ranging from how to deal with suspicious emails through to identity theft prevention. Additional opportunities are available to all students to develop their interest in IT, computing and cyber by running robotics clubs and programming clubs regardless of whether they are studying for computing examinations or not. Every year over 50% of our A Level Computer Science students choose to complete the CiiSec Cyber EPQ course and are consistently awarded top grades. Ed has always shown a keen interest in computing, entering competitions such as the Oxford University BEBRAS computing competition and the PERSE coding challenge, and has always progressed beyond the initial rounds. He is now studying Computer Science at A Level and to develop his knowledge of cyber, he recently completed the CiiSec Cyber EPQ. For this Ed looked at Bluetooth in depth, and the associated vulnerabilities and attempted to use the exploits on a spare phone. He intends to study computer science after completing his A Levels and then pursue a career in cyber technology. Henry has always liked computing and has participated in several computing challenges, such as BEBRAS and Cyber Discovery. He recently completed his CiiSec Cyber EPQ. For this Henry researched free penetration testing tools and completed various tests on his own network using these tools to evaluate them. Henry is currently studying Computer Science at A Level and intends to study computing at university before taking up a career using his computing skills. Josh recently completed his CiiSec Cyber EPQ, looking at the best prevention methods for SMEs to reduce their risk of cyber-attack. He has since used this knowledge to help gain work experience placements at tech companies such as SquaredUp. He has also participated in computing competitions and recently gained a distinction in the BEBRAS computing challenge. On completion of his A Levels, including Computer Science, Josh hopes to go on and study Computing at university before finding employment in the tech industry. Emily is currently studying Computer Science for A Level and by her own admission is a bit of a techie, who loves to share her love of cyber and tech with others. She recently ran cryptography sessions for students from local primary schools as part of an outreach programme and helps run the robotics club at school with younger years. She is currently working on setting up a tech committee at school to support younger students with tech and develop their cyber skills. She has recently completed her CiiSec Cyber EPQ, for which she investigated digital forensics and data recovery, as another of her passions is digital crime documentaries. In addition to her A Levels, Emily is currently completing a virtual technology work experience and hopes to study Computing at university before taking up a career in digital forensics.
COMPUTER SCIENCE NATIONAL FINALISTS
Ed C Emily P Josh S Henry K
REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 61
62 OXFORD UNIVERSITY COMPUTING CHALLENGE
Over 450 students participated in the UK Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge. Students who were in the top 25% were invited to participate in the Oxford University Computing Challenge (OUCC) Round 1. Over 40 RGS students participated in Round 1 of the OUCC and nine were awarded a Merit or Distinction. Oli F and Luke S were the top students in their categories and were subsequently invited to participate in the final round of the National competition.
Intermediate National Finalist – Luke S 14th Place Senior National Finalist – Oli F 8th Place
THE PERSE CODING TEAM CHALLENGE
The Perse Coding Team Challenge (PCTC) is a competition with a difference as the students work in teams of mixed age groups and experience. This competition for UK and international secondary schools pits the teams of students in Years 7 to 11 against each other in a timed automated challenge across two rounds. The coding submissions (via an online interface) are supported in a number of different languages such as Python, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript and Visual Basic.Net. The questions receive one or more lines of input and produce one or more lines of output. Each submission is then subjected to automated tests to determine the points awarded. Code submissions must complete within the specified (usually 3) seconds of processing time for each test. The memory available to each submission is also limited which may be relevant to some later problems. Four teams of students entered from RGS, with one team progressing through to the final Nationalround.
Finalists – Oli F, Carter J , Tom W – achieved Distinction which is in the top 25% nationally. Congratulations to all our students who competed in two very different national computer science competitions. Oli F, Luke S
THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
The Second Form built upon their learning in the Fragile Earth topic from Junior Science when they spent a day creatively exploring the environment. They spent the morning working in teams to make stunning willow sculptures, producing fish, dragonflies, wasps, shells and mushrooms. This was followed by composition of poetry on the day’s theme and a litter pick, improving the school environment.
STEAM week would not have been possible without the students’ enthusiasm and incredible hard work by a huge number of staff across the RGS community. Thank you to everyone who was involved, and we look forward to another exciting week in 2023!
THE BLOODHOUND SUPERSONIC CAR TEAM VISIT
STEAM WEEK CHECK OUT COLLABORATIONOURWITHARTpg12 REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 63
JUNIOR SCIENCE FRAGILE EARTH EXPLORATION
The First Form enjoyed a visit from the Bloodhound Supersonic Car team, and learnt about the history of land speed records and the development of the Bloodhound design. After this introduction to aerodynamics and power, they collaborated in small teams to design and build their own cars from foam blocks. Their cars, propelled by an estes rocket, were raced on an outdoor track. The students were thrilled to see their cars zoom down the playground, and eagerly awaited news on whose was the fastest, courtesy of the speed sensors.
STEAM WEEK RGS celebrated Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths in our STEAM week. Students and parents had the opportunity to participate in a wide range of exciting activities and develop their knowledge of science and the environment. Captured over these pages is just a few highlights from a wonderful week of STEAM.
THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
BTS SCIENCE LESSONS FOR PARENTS! Parents also had the opportunity to join in, returning to school to experience a science lesson. From oxidising alcohol and making acid/alkali indicators from kitchen items, to building motors, the parents got stuck into their practical tasks and were great students. The lessons were followed by drinks and nibbles, which provided a lovely opportunity to discuss their children’s school experiences of science and to reminisce about their scientific studies at school and university.
SCIENCE FAIR PRESENTATIONS Students also gave their own presentations on aspects of science they had researched. At the Science Fair, Fourth Form students explained advanced biological concepts. Ruth C did an excellent presentation on the completion of the human genome project, outlining how this amazing achievement was possible.
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THIRD AND FORTH FORM Older students enjoyed a fascinating lecture by Professor Ian Walker from the University of Surrey. Prof Walker explained how psychological theory can be used to understand the best approaches to encourage individuals to engage in more sustainable behaviours.
Jasmine W and Elizabeth S Ruth C
Jasmine W and Elizabeth S completed a project on gene editing for dummies, discussing the CRISPR technology and the key advantages and ethical considerations of using such technology. Both presentations were thoroughly researched and beautifully presented.
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SCIENCE CLUBS We
TSI Friday is a chance for Sixth Form students and teachers to share aspects of science they find interesting. Every year we have a large range of topics, and this year was no different. We had talks covering: 'What Makes Faces Special' from Miss Byrne to 'The Effects of the Bends' from Mr Harvey. Student talks looked at topics as diverse as Chromosome Mutations to the Cosmic Distance Ladder. From The Neuroscience of Memory to The Engineering of Roman Aqueducts. The talks all demonstrated students’ thorough research and ability to convey complex scientific ideas to a mixed audience.
REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 65 Olympiad Medal Winners 2022
Students from the Lower and Upper Sixth Forms participated in the Biology Olympiad in March. This challenging competition tests students’ understanding of topics studied at A Level, as well as their wider biological knowledge. The participating students scored fantastic results and should all be proud of their achievements, especially the Lower Sixth Form students who tackled papers which are written assuming students are in their second year of study. Eight students scored particularly highly and received medals in theUppercompetition:SixthForm: Tom D and Oscar G achieved Gold; Sheen D and Lakith G achieved Silver.
challenge To round
Lower Sixth Form: Ruby S , Elis K , Ella H and Alex J achieved CongratulationsBronze.toeveryone who participated. have an exciting weekly junior science club, aimed at Lower School students, which meets to learn about and carry out different scientific experiments, focussing either on biology, chemistry or physics. A fantastic development is that it is now led by Sixth Form students. It is a fantastic way for our youngest students to learn about the different areas of science in a fun, practical way, and to be inspired by the leaders who share their passion for science. included: a Christmas tree circuit board liquid nitrogen experiment dissection by Sixth Form students engineering up, this has been varied, exciting and engaging - a truly fun way to understand more about the scientific world. Throughout the year Sixth Form students have met at Biology Book Club to discuss a range of titles, from ‘Vaxxers: The Inside Story of the Oxford AstraZeneca Vaccine and the Race Against the Virus’ to ‘She has her Mother’s Laugh’. Students participate in engaging discussions and are developing great confidence in applying their studies in the classroom to understand the concepts covered in the books. Form students have been participating in medical discussion group for years. We have been fortunate to have had a range of speakers exploring current affairs with students, including ethical dilemmas, as well as looking at practical aspects of what is involved to become a doctor. Students also lead discussions and share their passion for medicine. We have been lucky this year to have been able to offer, with the help of Sixth Form aspiring medics, Junior Medics. This club offers Fourth and Fifth Form students an insight into the medical application process and develops their knowledge of medical science through fun activities.
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Sam G , Lakith G and Oscar G did brilliantly to secure Gold medals, with Tom D, Sucharita P and Troy M-H achieving Silver medals not far behind. Of particular note was the sheer number of Lower Sixth Form students who perhaps daringly chose to take part: many congratulations to Catherine T, Hope H , Alex J , Emily P, Aadi C and Eleanor M , who were all awarded Silver medals, and a further 17 Bronze medals were awarded in that year-group despite them having covered less than a quarter of the requisite A Level content by that point in the year.
In September we were delighted to award plenty of medals for students’ excellent performance in the summer’s Cambridge C3L6 Chemistry Challenge, in which they demonstrated strong skills in applying learned AS Chemistry concepts in unfamiliar situations.
We had a busy term in the Theology and Philosophy department. Firstly helping the exam students on their way, we held a Pizza and Quiz night, attended by our Fifth Form GCSE students who had a pub quiz style revision competition as well as enjoying some takeaway pizza.
Omair
THEOLOGY & PHILOSOPHY
An infamously difficult annual Royal Society of Chemistry Olympiad for Upper Sixth Form students took place in January and in the estimation of the Chemistry department it contained by far the most challenging set of questions.
Ten students in the Lower Sixth Form participated in the Senior Physics Challenge in the spring term. They competed against over 5300 students from across the country in a competition designed to stretch and challenge the top young physicists in the country and RGS students showed impeccable problem-solving abilities. Callum S and Marcus M impressively achieved a Gold certificate and six students – Jake B , Lucy H , Anthony G , Jamie TD, Thomas L and Ellen M – were awarded Silver, which is an exceptional achievement. A further two students – Gautam C and Rebecca W received Bronze awards. The Physics department congratulates these 10 prize-winning students. We also took some time out to celebrate Eid al Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting. Everyone was invited and lots of students came down to help celebrate (and enjoy the food!)
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Congratulations to Eva P and Niamh D on their victory! Here is Niamh talking about the event: 66 “I am happy to say this year’s Eid party was a success and an unforgettable gesture on the school’s part. T&P has done an amazing job again with the fun food and drink selection while creating an informative experience for myself and others who came to join and listen to our discussions on Ramadan and our individual fasting experiences. I know that we have really appreciated the time that the school and the people who celebrated with us gave and will be a core memory of our time at school. I am proud to say this feeling has not been limited to the Eid party, it has also been appreciated that the school allocated a room for Islamic prayer allowing several students to congregate at lunchtime to pray, something that has been so important for us as it is a pillar of our faith. I hope that the Eid party will be celebrated every year so that all current and future Reigatians feel as content and included as we did.” S
Janice C , Sam G and Annie H were awarded Gold medals for their efforts; Genevieve H , Riley G , Ellie T, Sucharita P, Oscar G , Charlie H and Tom D were all awarded Silver medals; and a further 16 students were awarded Bronze. Michael L provided a particularly outstanding performance by also achieving a Silver medal despite being in the Fifth Form and thus having never studied any AS Chemistry!
“Recently the wonderful T&P department held a pizza-quiz night for the Fifth Form with the noble aim of helping us to revise. The emphasis fell rather more on the pizza than the quiz, but even the staff didn’t look too upset at this. After a thrilling seven rounds of pub quiz-style rapid-fire trivia, some particularly tricky questions, a picture round, many slices of Dominoes (and garlic sauce, for the brave), two emerged victorious, winning the coveted prize of a box of heroes. From the Fifth Form students to our dazzling hosts, thank you for a fantastic night - T&P goes out with a bang!”
REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 67 HISTORY AND POLITICS FIRST WORLD WAR Students in the Second Form spent the first part of this year studying the First World War in-depth. They now have a good understanding of the causes, social consequences and what life was like for soldiers on the front line from around the British Empire. As part of our topic, students are set the task of producing a creative response on the theme of ‘Life in the Trenches’ and they are given a huge amount of freedom in how they would like to do this. We have seen replica uniforms, poems, diaries, paintings, videos and trench models. This year, following two years of Covid restrictions, the History department was thrilled to see a return of the pupil-favourite ‘trench cake’ (sometimes original trench recipes!). As a department, we have been so pleased with the enthusiasm and efforts shown by all of the Second Form, most of whom fully embraced the opportunity to be creative and carry out some independent research into this ever-popular topic! Charlotte B Katy L Ben FDaniel BElla W
recognition and a few new buildings and facilities have been added, the fabric of the school remains the same (and, as the Headmaster commented, perhaps the smell is the same, too!).
For some, this was their first visit back to school since they left, and it provided a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with old classmates and take a trip down memory lane. It was an absolute joy finally to meet in person and we were particularly delighted to have three guests fly in from overseas. The icing on the cake was to have former teachers, Bob Harden (RGS staff 1961-1974) and Allan Sims (RGS staff 1964-2001), who still recognised many of their former charges!
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After tea, coffee and cake, our Third Form History students arrived. It turned out that their teacher had set them a challenge to discover the most shocking piece of information! Students sat with guests, and chatted about how life at RGS in the swinging sixties compared to life at the school now. This experience was absolutely fascinating for everyone, with older guests learning as much from the students as the students did from them.
Most of our guests opted to take a tour of the school with a changedschoolareasWhileFormourguidevolunteerfromSixthteam.someofthehavebeyond
After an action-packed day, it was time to bid everyone farewell, though guests were encouraged to come back and visit again soon. At the time this went to print we are still wanting to hear what the juiciest bit of gossip turned out to be!
In the Headmaster’s garden, talented musicians, Juliet C-W, Omar A and Megan T charmed guests with a mixture of classical music and their take on a few rock pieces.
Third Form Living history session
AND A LIVING HISTORY LESSON FOR OUR THIRD FORM HISTORY STUDENTS. THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
On Friday 24 June 2022, we were honoured to welcome back 50 former students and their partners for the Golden Anniversary lunch, celebrating 50 years since the Classes of 1970, 1971 and 1972 left Reigate Grammar School.
We look forward to the benefits this award will bring to our valued community. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Caroline Lawson, Assistant Head and Director of Community Partnerships What you said we are doing well More face to face arents venings and ee vents pp ost CovidEmail communication and protocols Guiding parents on ways to help their children with their learning and to learn alongside their children The way the school supports parents as their children move through or leave the School You identified the following ways in which we can be better: Areas you identified for us to focus on LPPA Parent Survey Summary 2021-2022 What's Next? Visit the Parent & Community Partnerships Hub page for regular updates on our CommunityWhat’sprogressNext?VisittheParent&PartnershipsHubpageforregularupdatesonourprogress REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 69
CATHERINE T Coaching Success
How did you first get involved in sports volunteering and what does winning this award mean to you? My first experience of sports volunteering was in 2006, helping my dad and brother run the Reigate Football Club Under 6 squad in Priory Park, Reigate. I’m incredibly grateful for the nomination and very proud to have won the award, it’s great to be recognized.
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Congratulations to Catherine T who was crowned Reigate and Banstead Young Volunteer of the Year! We caught up with Catherine to ask her about her coaching success. Having been nominated by Reigate Priory Hockey Club for volunteering on Friday nights to coach the girls U8 team. My role involves assisting the head coach and helping run activities and more recently, I have independently run a few sessions. I love coaching the girls and seeing them improve over the season and it's great to watch them grow in confidence and work as a team. I have also done a few seasons of volunteering with the Reigate Football Club U6 sessions in Priory Park and worked with the mixed hockey team that represented Reigate and Bansted at the Specsavers Surrey Youth Games in 2019 unfortunately the 2020 games were cancelled.
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Possibly a controversial question…which do you prefer coaching or playing sports? It’s a very close one, but I think I prefer coaching, just because it’s so rewarding to see the improvement in a squad over a season, especially at lower age groups where players are just developing their love for the sport.
Which are your favourite sports and why? I really enjoy hockey and football because every player on the pitch is always involved and integral to the success of the whole team, even off the ball, players could be marking the opposition or running into space to receive. Without communication, unity and good structure, it’s hard to become a good hockey or football team.
Finally, what would you say is the best option on the school lunch menu? Great question! I think that it has to be either the beef burgers or the chicken katsu curry, they’re both excellent!
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Who inspires you? I have always admired Taylor Swift with her positive ‘can do’ attitude and dedication to embracing herself and others for exactly who they are. Taylor has said, “People are going to judge you anyway, so you might as well do what you want,” and this has helped me gain confidence. I also admire how Taylor is so hard working and kind.
It is also amazing to see players build resilience and continue to try their hardest and enjoy playing, even after a particularly challenging match or tournament. Over a season, strangers become friends, players gain confidence in their abilities, and everyone learns to trust others within the team. There is nothing better than being there to guide a squad through all that progression and equip them with the skills to use in later life.
What or who motivates you to succeed and flourish in sport? My biggest sources of sporting motivation have been the excellent coaches and teachers I’ve been able to work with over the years, especially Mr Bowen with his unwavering optimism and encouragement, down to earth nature and brutally honest, but hilarious, half-time talks!
• Ella B: " It was a good team-building activity and it made us think about the wider world."
• Zac L: " Very engaging and enjoyable."
Third Form students spent a morning developing their business and enterprise skills through creating food box concepts. Considering carefully their target market and the importance of a strong, coherent brand message ideas generated and pitched included Farm2Fork, a box of plant-based produce with a linked farmer sponsorship scheme, Bites Around the World, a luxury snack business enabling customers to taste snacks from around the world, UniFood for students, Wonkey Food boxes with reusable packaging and Custom Cooking for customers with allergies. After much deliberation from the judges, the winners were World Feast, for the coherence of their idea and presentation and the focus on celebrating different cultures and Dumploo for their humorous, innovative, dumpling food box with a steamer as the box.
• Orla M: " I loved learning about things that will be really useful for the future and it was great fun designing our own food box!"
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STUDENT FEEDBACK
• Freddy T: " It was a really fun thing to do with my friends and we were able to be creative."
• Matthew A: " It was very interactive and fun. It gave us a chance to be independent in creating our own ideas."
• Oliver Y: " We got to collaborate with peers to create a unique and inventive idea which gave us a good taster of enterprise."
DEVELOPING FOOD BOXES
• Sajuthan S: " It is a very entertaining task and it helps us engage with our friends a bit more."
FIRST BUSINESSFORMCLUB First Form students have been developing their own product and service ideas, with three groups successfully applying to launch their businesses at a Children’s Business Fair being held in Farnham and Guildford over the summer holidays. Their entrepreneurial enthusiasm has been infectious, and they are refining their business planning skills as they go. Products include jewellery, bubble tea, dog treats and a writer’s blog to bring writers together. FOOD ON A BUDGET AND SELLING REIGATE Lower Sixth Form students, as part of their activities week carousel took part in an interactive workshop with Mr Hardy, our Executive Chef, discovering and cooking meals on a budget in preparation for leaving school. The students sampled Malaysian curry and quesadillas whilst Mr Hardy talked about his career path and having the confidence to pursue what you enjoy. He also gave valuable advice about the importance of taking care of everyone in the business, at all levels. They then took to the streets of Reigate to plan a fictional marketing pitch to the organisers of the Tour de France for Reigate to host the starting stage of the tour. They considered all that Reigate has to offer such a prestigious event and what makes an effective pitch. 72 THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
HOUSE NEWS The House Gun Run took place in the playground. Inspired by the Royal Navy's field gun competition – a contest between teams from various Royal Navy commands, in which teams of sailors compete to transport a field gun and its equipment over and through a series of obstacles in the shortest time – the House Gun Run is always an event to look forward to! This year, Cranston House won the final against Williamson House. GUN RUN RETURNS! REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 73
SENIOR HOUSE BAKE OFF MONSTER CHALLENGE Monster madness in the kitchens! House Captains eagerly requested original food decoration designs from all students based on the theme “Monster Challenge”. Students had to create the scariest food monster in 40 minutes in a sweet or savoury dish. Students constructed their ideas under the careful supervision of Mrs Bader, Head of Food and Nutrion. Thanks to vampire cakes and a monster cave, not to mention a spooky pizza, Bird House came tops. HOUSE NETBALL RGS House Netball 2022 was exciting. First up, were our First Formers who enjoyed an afternoon of matches in the sunshine. Well done to all the players on your super team spirit, amazing competition and having huge amounts of fun throughout! SENIOR HOUSE QUIZ The Senior House Quiz took part in the Old Library. Huge thanks to Mr Saunders, Mr Davies and Miss Shah for organising the event. The results saw Bird sweep to victory with 165 points, with the other houses achieving a remarkable joint second place on 80 points. Huge thanks to all who took part and supported. HOUSE CHESS Nail biting back-to-back games! PANCAKEHOUSERACES Fun for all! 74 THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
TheSPORTstoriesfromsport this year have been rooted increasingly in a values-based and behaviours-driven approach which continues to grow. We want sport to be about being part of something bigger than yourself and while we want individuals to shine, we also want students to embrace the community spirit at RGS. We want to nurture risk-taking, determination, authenticity, selflessness and adaptability in all students, as this is how we believe we will enable students to flourish. As we strive to deliver a modern approach to coaching sport in schools we emphasise: • Students making decisions themselves, through collaboration with team-mates to encourage self-sufficiency and to develop creative problem solvers • It is important to us that the students learn during competition through both their reflection and the support of their peers. You will see less concurrent teacher feedback from the side lines as students get older.
• The best players will not necessarily have more important roles than others. We want everyone to develop and therefore we must share opportunities with all students. Our intention is to create an environment where every student on the pitch has a great experience, both RGS students and our opposition. This means we want competitive games where the result hangs in the balance until as late as possible in the game. This keeps students engaged and enjoying sport as the perception of competence is important to all. We put collaboration with opposition above competition against opposition. We love watching students succeed and often winning a narrowly contested game brings smiles and excitement. But we need to remember that sport is not a zero-sum game where there must always be a winner and a loser.
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O – OPPORTUNITY – Opportunities to sample and then to stretch all students in sport.
Our mission is to develop great PEOPLE through sport. We created the following acronym as a useful reminder for what we hold as most important in sport: P – PURPOSE – Sport will have a meaningful and memorable effect on the life of every child.
L – LEARNER-CENTRED - Being learner-centred means putting the student first. E – ENJOYMENT – An unrelenting focus on positive experiences for all children and young people.
E – ENGAGEMENT – To ignite a passion for sport or physical activity in everyone that lasts a lifetime.
P – PERFORMANCE – Being the best you can be. The performance is always what matters, not the result.
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RUGBY
The school entered five teams into the national school sevens at Rosslyn Park this season. All teams produced some outstanding play over the course of the week. It was heart-breaking for the 1st VII who missed out on qualifying for the day two finals by three points. The U15 girls entered for the first time, playing four and winning two – incidentally the team included three members of the Old Reigatian RFC U15 national competition winning team. Our U14 boys had another excellent experience winning their group including victories against Sherbourne, Manchester Grammar School and Dulwich College and then won with the last play of the game against an excellent Berkhamsted team. This put the team through into the most challenging of knock groups with Sedbergh (eventual winners) and Warwick (semi-finalists) –it was a great learning experience for the boys and definitely one they should be proud of, despite ending in defeat. The week was finished in style by our U18 girls’ team who progressed through to the semi-final of the bowl competition, with a number of girls playing their first ever tournament accompanied by some experienced players from Old Reigatian RFC. The team worked hard for each other all day and made some great memories.
The growth of the girls’ rugby programme continued with this year being the first outing of our U15 girls side. We held a girls’ development day in partnership with UR7s (an organisation that supports the development of rugby players) at Hartswood with over 100 girls participating. With several girls playing for the first time this was a fantastic event and plans are already afoot for a larger event next season. The boys’ teams each had their respective county tournaments with some stand out performances from our U14s who were runners-up in the Surrey Plate and the U12s won their group and progressed through to the top tier round robin. All other year groups progressed well over the course of the season, most notably the U16s who had a tough Surrey festival but produced some excellent performances at the QE Barnet 7s as well as the national school sevens at Rosslyn Park.
INDIVIDUAL HONOURS U14 Harlequins Junior Academy: Jack N, Bertie M, Oli B, Zac L, Josh K U15 Harlequins Junior Academy: Lyle W U16 Harlequins Academy: Euan R U18 Harlequins Elite Player Group: Matt W U18 Surrey: Dom F U15 England Touch Rugby: Tilly PD The highlight of the sevens season is always our very own Invitational Junior Sevens Competition. The tournament is for the U12 and U14 age groups. 48 different teams attended which meant that there were well over 500 students at Hartswood playing. The RGS U12 team progressed to the semi-final of the plate competition (losing out to scoring second as scores were level at full time). The U14s progressed to the same stage but fell to eventual winner of the Plate in the semi-finals. The day itself was superb, with excellent weather which allowed form some fast flowing rugby to be played. The U12 tournament was eventually won by Berkhamsted School while the U14 tournament was won by a strong Tonbridge side. #TeamReigate 78 THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
SWIMMING AND BIATHLON Swimming at RGS continues to go from strength to strength. In January we took part in the Surrey Individual Championships and had a fantastic collection of results. In the Senior competition the girls were the overall winners and the boys placed second. Our intermediate team (Third and Fourth Forms) also were swam well placing third overall. When combined with the Junior scores we were the only school to place in the top three in both competitions. SUCCESSESINDIVIDUALWERE:IssyH Gold (U18 Fly) Clara A Silver (U18 Free) Gabi H Bronze (U15 Back) Emi W Bronze (U15 Fly) Toby S Gold (U18 Back) Elis K Bronze (U18 IM) Kieron A Bronze (U15 IM) Seb H Gold (U15 Fly) Danyal H Bronze (U13 Breaststroke) REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 79 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL U18 BATH CUP The U18 Bath Cup is a prestigious event in the swimming calendar and we were delighted to walk away with our highest results ever, placing in the top 10 in three out of four events. The boys reached a final for the first time ever since we began taking part nine years ago. The results were: Boys placed 9th (Freestyle) and 13th (Medley) with the girls placing 4th (Medley) and 8th (Freestyle). Congratulations to: Issy H , Clara A , Millie W, Eva M , Ellie H , Toby S , Jude P, Elis K , Brayden J and Seb H
#TeamReigate INDIVIDUAL CUP In the Individual Swimming Cups there were some very tight races as students competed in all four strokes. Two school records for freestyle fell during some excellent swims from Savannah N (13.07) and Aviella B (14.21). Individual Winners First Form: Danyal H and Aviella B Second Form: Rithika K and William F Third Form: Savannah N and Sam A Fourth Form: Seb H and Lauren A BIATHLON We have had a very successful year in Biathlon and following our successes in the October Nationals which were carried over from last year the students competed in a qualifier in Aldershot and then in the National for 2021-2022 at the home of Pentathlon GB, Bath University. All students performed well with a number achieving personal best times and everyone enjoying the experience. March 2022 Nationals Results U19 Clara A Silver, Lauren D 5th U17 Eva M Gold U16 Gabi H Silver, Ella S 25th U14 Megan G 13th U13 Aviella B 19th, Rithika K 36th, Erin H 39th, Gabi F 40th – 4th place Team U12 Micaela G 52nd U17 Elis K , Loan K and Lukas K Team Gold U12 Team placed 5th. Individual scores U19 James C 12th, U17 Lukas K Silver, Elis K 7th, Loan K 14th, U16 Brayden J 4th, Gus L 28th, U14 Sam A 11th, Michael R 34th, U12 Danyal H 15th, Lawrence Y 39th and Thomas J 43rd 80 THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
Issy, congratulations on your one in a lifetime opportunity and securing a place within the Team England Futures, how exciting!
The appetite for tennis at RGS has been clear to see with high numbers of boys and girls filling the courts during games and afterschool sessions throughout the year, hopefully laying the foundations for future successes. This year has seen us continue our partnership with Boom tennis as well as branching out into the local community. All students will have benefitted from the expert coaching of Russell Dykes and his team of specialist coaches from Reigate Priory Tennis Club. For many, Russell will be a familiar face due to his longterm relationship at RSM and we look forward to seeing these partnerships develop and strengthen in the coming years to provide top quality coaching for our students.
As got older, I started to do triathlons and these were completely different to swimming. I loved the challenge of three sports and how the race could change so much throughout, unlike swimming which is potentially won or lost in the first few seconds. It’s taken a long time to know triathlon is what I wanted to do.
How do you prepare mentally for competitions, and do you ever get nervous? When I was younger, I was terrible with nerves. I would feel sick before my races, and it would prevent me from competing at my full potential. However, as I’ve progressed to a higher level, I’ve learnt that nerves are a good thing as it shows that I care. I now use them to my advantage and get excited to start racing. Before a race I usually go through the different stages in my head, most importantly the different transitions such as where my bike is racked and how I’ll mount and dismount my bike. They say transition is the 4th discipline in triathlon which is why it’s so important to mentally know exactly what you’re going to do to get in and out as quickly as possible.
ISSY H Triathlete
TENNISThissummersawthereturn
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of a full schedule of tournaments and fixtures against external oppositions, it has been superb to see so many students enjoying the opportunity to represent the school. At the beginning of the term, we entered the boys and girls Surrey Schools Festival, with many strong performances. Special mention must go to our Second Form pair of Kaia H and Katie A who not only reached the semi-finals for their age group but were awarded the sportsmanship award by the tournament organisers, well done!
How did that come about? I was sent a letter from Commonwealth Games England, Team England and SportsAid to congratulate me for being selected to be part of Team England Futures. I was nominated by the Triathlon National Governing Body. This programme is a once in a lifetime opportunity. This is by far the biggest achievement I've received and is a huge step in the right direction as I'm no longer in a triathlon national programme, but a multi-sport programme, including parasport. It is hugely inspirational and extremely encouraging at this stage in my sporting career. Although I will be experiencing this amazing opportunity after leaving RGS, I will stay in contact and let the school know how it goes as I'll be witnessing such a unique experience and I'd love to share it with the RGS community. I look forward to updating you with what's to come as part of Team England Futures. Can we start at the beginning, tell us about how you first discovered your love of competitive sports and when did you know for sure that you wanted to be a Triathlete? I first started competing at swimming. This was my first love for competitive sport. My first race was in 2013 where I raced 50m butterfly when I was nine. I missed the warmup and was completely clueless however still came 4th! I loved the racing because I could spend the day being silly with my friends with a couple of seconds of racing thrown in every now and again!
Tell us about what you like to do when you’re not training, competing, or studying? I don’t usually get much free time but as soon as I do I walk my three dogs with my parents. I love it because I get to spend time with my parents, be outside in the sun and with my dogs. It gives me time away to not even think about anything else allowing me to have a mental break more than a physical one.
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What or who motivates you to succeed and flourish in sport? My motivation comes from myself most of the time. I’m very self-motivated and dedicated to my sport which is why I think I managed to make huge gains through covid when there was no coach or friends to train with but only myself. My motivation comes from wanting to be the best I can be and to see what I can achieve. The feeling you get after having a good performance is indescribable and addictive leaving me wanting more which is what pushes me to keep training.
Who inspires you? I’m inspired by two people. Firstly Alex Yee, on my England Camp I was shown how he progressed through the sport, and it was very similar to how I’m progressing. When I first started triathlon, I was so weak on the bike which meant I would finish around 30th. It made me think whether I was good enough however I stuck at it and has resulted in top three finishes so far this season. Alex Yee was lapped out on the bike the first year he competed and couldn’t finish the race, and now is Olympic silver medallist and world champion. He inspires me because he has shown me not all triathletes follow the same typical route, and you can achieve success if you really want it. The second person is my mum. She loves running however since she tore her ACL she has had multiple surgeries and multiple people telling her she won’t be able to run again. However, she has continued to run as it’s what she loves to do. Health wise this is probably not doing her knee any good and is rather stubborn yet it’s inspired me to continue to do what I love even when it seems impossible.
What are your ambitions for the future? I’d love to compete at a games, such as Olympic/Commonwealth as I’d love to race for my country with all the other sports competing there too. I’d also love to travel around the world competing at world championships and Superleague triathlon races, experiencing different cultures and exploring the world whilst competing.
Taking it back to school life tell us... How did you balance academic work and sporting excellence? Do you have any tips for other students who may be in a similar situation? I managed to balance schoolwork and training well. I would always do my homework the night it was set so it wouldn’t build up, I’d use car journeys to training and racing for extra revision and most importantly, I’d communicate with my teachers. Some days were busier for me than others, I kept communicating with my teachers taking the pressure off me when training was intense. This meant I kept stress to a minimum resulting in my schoolwork being of a high quality. My biggest tip would therefore be to communicate if you’re struggling but also don’t waste any time, keeping notes up to date whenever you can. Finally, what would you say is the best option on the school lunch menu? My favourite thing on the menu is probably the waffles! I usually bring my own lunch but the waffles were a perfect snack to boost my energy levels!
A real highlight of the term was our inaugural RGS international exhibition match. As support of our aim to drive performance hockey we invited seven current senior international players from England, New Zealand and Scotland to Hartswood, joining up with our performance boys and girls to create two all-star teams. This was a fantastic evening with RGS students getting the rare opportunity to play with some of the best players in the world. I would like to thank all the players for playing and special mention to those who ran coaching sessions for our first years before the match! Thanks also to everyone who came along to watch, I hope the evening was enjoyed by all.
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T
HOCKEY
he spring term saw the turn of boys’ hockey with some terrific performances from many teams. With the junior boys accessing preseason from October half term, the start of the spring term was met with great enthusiasm, with the junior sides fielding A-E teams. The senior sides also hit the ground running thanks to a programme of morning indoor sessions through the autumn term. The 1st XI, U16 and U15 boys enjoyed action filled cup runs, with the U14’s and U13's both reaching the Surrey finals. Special mention must go to the U13 B&C teams, the B's came 3rd in the Surrey plate competition, against many opposition schools A teams, and the C, were one game away from a perfect season!
Congratulations to the U15 girls who won the Surrey cup, a title we retain for the fifth year in a row. The U16 girls’ team had a fantastic cup run reaching the semi-finals of the England hockey tier two championships, narrowly missing out 3-2 to a strong Felsted team. Finally, the U13 girls reached the finals day of the ISH national cup, after beating a school based in Macclesfield, going on to finish in the top four nationally.
We had some exciting additions to the hockey staff this year with Miss Bourne continuing to work with our teams after her selection for the full senior England team. A fantastic opportunity for our students to learn from a current international player, we look forward to continuing to support her on her hockey journey and wish her well in this busy summer of international competitions. In December Mr Russell joined our coaching staff, currently playing with premier league club Holcombe HC and captain of the England hockey elite development programme, he has brought plenty of knowledge and enthusiasm to the training field at Hartswood and he is excited to work with both the boys and girls in September.
Many of our girls’ teams had great success this year on the county and national stage, resulting in playing hockey into the spring term to compete in the later stages of competitions.
Although for some there is a break from hockey until September, many students will be working hard on their skills over the summer months in preparation for county, regional and national representation and trials, we wish them all well. Sophia C Millie H
Sam A Leo CharlieF G Harry BobbyAlexNaomiFreddieHHBBG Martha C Alex J Lucy AmyTomOscarClaraDEGLR Amelie H Gabi H Leo F
The Girls U13 came 4th in Surrey and made it to the National Finals Day of the ISHC where they came 4th.This is the 4th year running that an RGS team from this age has reached the Finals Day.
INDIVIDUAL HONOURS: County NationalRegionalRepresentation:Representation:Honours:SophiaC selected for England U18s. Team Honours: The Girls U19 team reached the last 16 in the National Independent Schools Hockey Cup (ISHC) The U18 Boys reached the 3rd round of the England Hockey (EH) U18 Thecompetition.U16Girls made it to the EH Tier 2 semi-final. This was a first for the school and only narrowly missed out on going to the National Finals.
The U15 Girls became Surrey Champions, a title that the school has now retained for five years running. Both U14 Girls and the U14 Boys qualified for Surrey Finals.
The U13B Boys came 3rd in the Surrey Plate Competition. Felix S Mr Field
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OscarF G Matt #TeamReigateW Steph
Hartswood never looked so great, the first sports day after four years’ wait. Over 700 students gathered together for a day of sporting competition. Ultimate Frisbee added to the Team Sports programme as a new addition. Sun was forecast, in fact the hottest sports day to date. Exceptional temperatures, no breeze, dry ground; conditions could be great. Speed and stamina on the track, power and flexibility in field events, the performances were tremendous.
Pupil , Michael M ’s epic long jump leap of 5.37 could only be described as stupendous. Other records on the day, went to Ibrahim A and Bruno R both in the high jump event. Relay races on the track left many students (and staff) spent. Tennis was a hotly contested mixed doubles round robin tournament. Sixes , fours and wickets in the cricket competition were frequent. Determination , resilience and skill were in abundance on the Rounders field. An array of face painting and flags showing the RGS team spirit was a big deal. Year of 2022 will be remembered as the year we came back together, with memories already fading into the distance but ones that will last forever.
OOHRTSDAYUSESP SPORTS DAY 2022 REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 85
WINNERS:COMPETITIONINDIVIDUAL First Form – Heather K and Will M Second Form – Abigail R and Bruno R Third Form – Savannah N and Joshua K Fourth Form – Gabi H and Daniel R HOUSE COMPETITION WINNERS: 86 THE PILGRIM REVIEW 2022
NETBALL
Our netball programme provides opportunities for everyone to play and progress at participation, competition and performance level. This season, our courts have been a hub of activity during lunchtime, Games, after school and at weekends. We’ve had more students than ever participate and over twenty-five teams represented RGS in competitive fixtures. Our senior netball players, captained by Evie H and vice-captained by Freya T and Clara A , have been outstanding sports role models and have led superbly on and off the court. Evie, Freya, Clara and Rosie B have contributed 26 years to RGS netball between them and in their final season, the 1st VII won all but one of their Saturday and mid-week fixtures and were crowned champions of the U19 Eltham College Netball Cup Tournament. Holly T, Natasha S , Bella E and Beth B leave our 2nd VII, with huge thanks for all they have given to RGS netball and fittingly ended their season with a win in the U19 Eltham College Netball Shield Tournament.
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The U16 As had a super season, also winning all but one of their Saturday and mid-week matches. The U15 As were silver medallists in the Lingfield College Invitation Tournament, beating some top national teams on their way to the final. The U14s narrowly missed a place in the semi-finals on Surrey Schools County Finals day - they improved considerably throughout the tournament and in their last two matches won against very strong teams. It was wonderful to see our U12 and U13 teams complete their first full season of RGS netball, after the Covid disruption of the past two years. A number of our students are part of county academies. Freya H and Antonia H trained with the U19 and U17 London Pulse academies and Anna M has been selected for the Surrey Storm 2022 Long Squad for the School Games in September – a fantastic achievment. Talia F won the National Championships with the U13 Sussex County team.
The school season finished with our memorable House Netball tournaments in glorious sunshine. Forty-eight teams from across all year groups enjoyed competitive and inclusive tournaments, with plenty of face paint!
The cross country season culminated in seven of our athletes representing Surrey in the Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships; congratulations to Eva M, Lucy D, Matthew A, Sam A, Aviella B, Josh E and Lara G. Lucy and Matthew were selected to compete for Surrey in the English Schools’ Cross Country Championships - an outstanding achievement. Our First Form girls’ and boys’ teams enjoyed the electric atmosphere at the District Sportshall Athletics Championships placing first overall. It was great to be back on the track… and field, following two disrupted Covid seasons. Our Intermediate Girls, Junior Boys and Junior Girls teams reached the ESAA Track and Field Cup Regional Finals, with over forty personal best times and distances achieved by our students during the competition. In the Surrey Track and Field Championships, Dan S won the U20 High Jump and Michael M won the U13 Long Jump in a competition record-breaking jump of 5.19m, he then set a new personal best of 5.27m the week after!
ATHLETICS AND CROSS COUNTRY
Matt A was crowned Intermediate Boys 1500m District Champion and Sam A won gold in the Intermediate Boys 800m – both were inspiring runs and achieved in personal best times. Muna O placed first in the Intermediate Girls Shot and second in the Discus. Ben H gained a silver medal in the Intermediate Boys High Jump and Savannah N came third in the Intermediate Girls 100m. Eva M , Dan S , Hector G , Callum S , Ben H , Michelle O, Muna O, Ella W, Sienna C , Roman T-L competed for South Surrey at the Surrey Schools’ Athletics Championships. Muna won the Intermediate Girls Shot in an English Schools’ qualifying throw, Eva won bronze in the Senior Girls 1500m, Callum achieved silver in the Senior Boys Discus and Hector won silver in the Senior Boys Javelin. We were delighted to host fifteen schools at Hartswood for the year 7 District Athletics Championships. It was wonderful to see the supportive atmosphere and enjoyment of students, the majority of whom had never taken part in such an event before. Congratulations to the Girls and Boys teams for winning both championships.
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INDIVIDUAL HONOURS: Henry R – AFC Wimbledon Annis W – Crystal Palace Ladies
Football at RGS has enjoyed a year of change and a refocus of our efforts, with a success both on and off the field. A year of change has seen us merge year groups together for training in the junior and intermediate boys age groups, with Senior boys combining the Fifth and Sixth Forms. Girls football is high on the agenda and has seen us establish a Junior Girls team and a Senior Girls team. Since we have implemented changes to training, we have seen a tremendous increase in numbers which has led to competitive sessions and emphasized the ever-growing appetite for football within the RGS student community. The 1st XI boys enjoyed a great run in the Independent School London Cup, progressing to the Quarter Finals, as well as enjoying success against Caterham and Box Hill School. A strong team ethos of hard-work in both attack and defense allowed us to be competitive against strong football schools. Special mention must be made to Sam S for being excellent role-models and captaining the side with great aplomb. Special mention must also be given to James M for scoring eight goals in three matches. We also saw a small helping of fixtures across our other age group sides that demonstrated we are able to compete with much stronger football programs which gives the clearest indication yet that with more development and a continued investment from all involved, that we will undoubtedly have an exciting program ourselves within the next couple of years. Thank you to all involved so far and I am extremely excited for the footballing journey that lies ahead.
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Lily F – U17 Girls, 5/7 vs St Cat’s in County Cup
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CRICKET
Lucy H – U15 Girls, 101* vs Howard of Effingham in National Cup
GIRLS CRICKET In 2022, a hardball side from each age-group played every Saturday. The demand for hard and softball cricket continues to increase, and is something that we are looking to provide in 2023. It has been great to see the strength of depth putting out both an A and B hardball side at U12 and U13, something that we hope to be able to add to more of our Saturday block fixtures next year. Our U13 girls had a fantastic run in their County Cup, defeating Wallington High, Croydon High & Dunottar to reach the semi-final where they came across a tough Putney High School. Our U15 girls also had success in their County Cup, beating Croydon High and Caterham before coming second to Alleyn’s in the semi-final. They also had a great run in the School Sport Magazine National Cup, defeating Howard of Effingham and Alleyn’s before falling short against an excellent Kingston Grammar School with three balls to go. Our U17 girls reached the County Cup Final following victories over KES Witley and St Catherine’s, we hope to be able to play the final in September. Our U18 girls recorded victories over Kingston Grammar School and St George’s Weybridge in the School Sport Magazine National Cup. For the very first time, the senior girls also played against the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) at Hartswood. Where there was a great festival atmosphere, with over 80 children from local primary schools receiving coaching from the Surrey Cricket Foundation before enjoying a BBQ as the game got underway. Over 200 spectators watched the match, which was a great way to showcase the ever-improving quality of girls cricket at RGS and a fantastic way to bring the school season to a close. There were some brilliant individual standout performances of note as well, these included:
The 1st XI boys had their most successful season since the summer of 2017. Early season victories over Kingston Grammar School, City of London Freeman’s School and Emanuel got the term underway and built some good momentum. They pushed Langley Park and St John’s, Leatherhead all the way in their respective matches, in what were brilliant contests played in a good spirit. However, it would be the highlight to record victories over the all-boys schools of Trinity School and KCS Wimbledon, that particularly stood out. Before finishing the season beating Caterham and Churcher’s College on the final two Saturdays of the season. They concluded with their annual match against the MCC, where for the first time in over six years the 1st XI bowled the MCC out. Whilst a number of Upper Sixth Form students move on to pastures new, they leave a legacy behind them where there is plenty of strength in depth coming through.
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BOYS CRICKET
County Cup they recorded victories over Dunottar, Riddlesdown Collegiate and Trinity School before loosing to a very strong Epsom College side in the semi-final. The U14A boys went one better to reach the final of the Anderson County Cup, defeating Wilson’s, Trinity school and Whitgift before coming up short v Epsom College in the final. With plenty of potential for further development and success within the Upper School, the future looks bright for cricket at RGS. Not to be outmatched, both the U13s and U12s had good seasons. At RGS, we strongly believe in the power of sport to develop students into the best possible versions of themselves. Indeed, our vision is to develop great people through sport in a selfless, supportive and values-based environment where students strive to be involved in something bigger than themselves. We want to help nurture risk-taking, determination, authenticity, selflessness and adaptability in all students, as this is how we believe we will enable students to flourish. The score always comes second to the performance.
The U15A boys had unprecedented success reaching the semi-finals of both of their County Cups. In the ESCA T20, they defeated Lingfield College, Trinity and Caterham to reach Finals Day where they were beaten by KCS Wimbledon who deservedly went on to win the trophy. Whilst in the NatWest
The boys have had a brilliant season across the board this year. It was fantastic to be able to get eight full Saturday blocks out, uninterrupted by rain after a particularly wet summer in 2021.
• Students taking responsibility for their own warm-ups, to enhance leadership and organisation.
JERSEY CRICKET TOUR – U13 BOYS 24 U13 boys spent their half-term break touring the beautiful Channel Islands. Reigate’s U13 squad of boys set out with a mission to regain the Reigate GS-Victoria College trophy and retain the Reigate GS-De La Salle trophy amongst participating in a total of eight matches against clubs, schools and the Jersey Island XI. Not only did the boys succeed on the field, winning all eight matches, including some excellent team and individual appearances, but they also spent time at the beach, at the water park, watched the champions’ league final, spent time in the capital St Helier, enjoyed excellent food, took part in the tour quiz however most importantly perhaps, grew friendships and team spirit. We are looking forward to returning in 2023, in addition to the tri-annual Senior Cricket Tour to Dubai in February. There were also some brilliant individual standout performances of note, which included:
Gregor B – U14A Boys, 5/0 vs Wilson’s in County Cup
CRICKETThroughoutthesummerterm through the cricket programme, you will have seen:
• Students learning during the game through their reflection and through the support of their peers.
We love watching students succeed and often winning a narrowly contested game brings smiles and excitement. We are extremely grateful to everyone for their continued support for us and students in their sporting journeys by reinforcing these points, among many others that you will pick up on as your child moves through their years at RGS.
Alex B – 1st XI Boys, 6/14 vs Trinity in Saturday block fixture
• Students making decisions themselves , through collaboration with team-mates to encourage self-sufficiency and to develop creative problem solvers.
Tommy B – 1st XI Boys, 8/66 vs MCC & 6/25 vs Caterham in Saturday block fixture
Bertie M – U14A, 100* vs Kingston Grammar in Saturday block fixture ROUND-UP Matches Played – 182 Students Represented the School in Fixtures – 311 Students Participating – over 500 Entered eight County Cups, two teams reached their Final & three reached their Semi-Final Participated in three National Cups Eight Full Saturday Block Fixtures for boys and girls teams, uninterrupted by weather!
• We want everyone to develop and therefore we must share opportunities with all students. To take cricket as an example, we are likely to retire not-out batsman after a lengthy spell at the crease and may play pairs cricket to ensure all students get a fair chance at playing. Batting orders will change from week to week and the captaincy will rotate between players. It is also likely that students will bowl overs.
• Our intention is to create an environment where every student on the pitch has a great experience, both RGS students and our opposition. This means we want competitive games where the result hangs in the balance until as late as possible in the game. This keeps students engaged and enjoying sport as the perception of competence is important to all. This means we put collaboration with opposition above competition against opposition.
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Zane Winslade Former Professional Rugby Union Player and Elite Sports Psychologist Zane Winslade kicked off proceedings with an excellent session on ‘Mental Toughness in Children’, Dan Riches (Performance Nutritionist) followed up with an introduction to ‘Eating for High Performance’ and Arete Performance (Kimmy Edwards) introduced staff and students to ‘Athletic Development in all abilities of pupils’. Mike Hynard Former RGS pupil, and current Head of Saracens Rugby Academy, Mike Hynard joined us in May to deliver some important messages about how Saracens have journeyed their success and culture they have had to create (and sustain) in order to continue their success.
HIGH PERFORMANCE HUB Brett Davison Our final talks of the year included Brett Davison a high-performance coach plus former member of staff Zack Hickmore who provided us with many useful tools to tackle and approach our big sporting occasions.
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We are always open to introductions so if there is someone who you think would be of great value to the High Performance Hub and you have a relationship with them worth sharing, then we would love to hear from you!
This year we welcomed The High Performance Hub (HPH) to the Sports programme at RGS. The HPH is a new initiative which provides a platform for students to explore, listen, engage and share what they can determine to be 'High Performance', with a lean towards the world of Sport (however not specifically!). It also provided us with an opportunity to encourage students to be 'the best they can be'. Our aim is to provide as much insight in to ‘High Performance’ as possible to showcase the huge variety of offerings in as many different environments and industries. We saw a tremendous uptake on our High Performance Hub offerings (all of which have been recorded and can be accessed via Student Sharepoint) this year. We were extremely honoured to welcome amazingly talented and knowledgeable guest speakers to the HPH, who all provided exciting and detailed insights into their respective fields. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our guest speakers to date and I truly hope that our students have enjoyed every minute of the HPH talks. There is plenty more to be offered and we have engaged with some really exciting guests for next year already!
CLIMBING
Climbing is now a regular co-curricular activity at RGS, and has proved very popular with groups visiting Volume One in East Grinstead to boulder. This style of climbing, which involves ascending short walls without ropes, allows students to focus on their movement and route reading skills. They have gained greater awareness of how to use their body position to make challenging moves and have enjoyed regular competitions and games. There have been opportunities to climb with ropes at both indoor and outdoor venues. This has introduced the added challenge of learning to tie-in and belay the climber safely. Students have learnt these skills under the guidance of experienced instructors from the RGS staff, and are now confidently climbing above 10 metres indoors and tackling the challenges of the local sandstone. Their responsible approach and trust of each other has been most impressive, as has their stamina in ending each indoor session with some rapid climbing on the autobelays. Congratulations to all the students who have challenged themselves and developed their skills this year.
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DIRECTOR OF RGS VIETNAM!
Our prep schools, RSM and Chinthurst, are keen to develop the link-ups between our pupils in Vietnam, China and the UK. They have already developed strong ties with our school in China and are keen to extend this to Vietnam, and pupils are very excited about the new friends they will no doubt make.
Helping children develop their talents, skills, aspirations and abilities on the journey from childhood to young adulthood is a privilege and a responsibility that we take seriously. Outstanding pastoral care is central to all that we do, the children will flourish in our care, their self-esteem will grow, and we are confident that, as they do at RGS UK, RGS Vietnam students will become their own success story.
This partnership with Reigate Grammar School aims to create a new paradigm and stronger version of international education. We are looking forward to the development of our exciting new A Level campus as our strategic vision continues to be driven by our school motto ‘to Nurture, to Empower and to Connect’. What key features of RGS are you taking with you?
RGS Vietnam is a not-for-profit co-ed international school for pupils aged 3-18. Based in the dynamic city of Hanoi, it will blend the best of a traditional British independent school education with Vietnamese values and principles.
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What are the opportunities for collaboration or cooperation between the two schools?
There is also a wide range of collaboration opportunities, with pupils from Vietnam contributing to the wonderful student magazine, The Castle, penpals in the First Form, Thank Science It’s Friday science talks, and combined charity events run by Teacherspupils. in both schools are keen to share ideas and create opportunities for pupils to interact with one another. Both schools will benefit greatly from this fantastic partnership as we have a shared vision for our students to be happy and to achieve great things.
Getting to know the pupils, parents and staff. I am excited to gain a greater understanding of the amazing culture, people and food!
We have already put plans in place for an RGS music tour. Students from RGS UK will be visiting Vietnam next year to perform with RGS Vietnam pupils at the beautiful and impressive Hanoi Opera House.
It is a wonderful opportunity. Having worked at RGS UK for nine years, I am looking forward to bringing the best of Reigate Grammar School to Vietnam. Tell us about Reigate Grammar School Vietnam?
As Mrs Crook embarks on a new adventure at RGS Vietnam, what exciting opportunities will this present for pupils and teachers across our growing international family of Whatschools?does it mean to you to lead RGS Vietnam?
What are you most excited about in moving to Vietnam?
The gift of education, as provided by the 1675 Bursary Fund, aims to provide opportunities to transform lives and raise aspirations, but our vision can only be realised with the help of our friends and supporters. The award-winning Changing Lives campaign launched in 2014 and has supported 88 children to date. As well as forging life-long friendships, our Class of 2021 leavers achieved their dreams: Aurora Egalla Dewage ('21) is studying Medicine at Keele; Alexander Cameron ('21) is studying Economics at Warwick; Amanpal Dhaliwal ('21) is studying Medicine at Manchester; Jana Jaafar ('21) is studying Medicine at St Andrew's; Vyshnavi Muhilan ('21) is studying Medical Physics at UCL; India Rawlinson ('21) is studying PPE at York from September 2022; and David Hamer ('21) is studying PPE at ToOxford.celebrate the school’s 350th anniversary in 2025 we set ourselves a target of having 50 fullyfunded Changing Lives bursary students in the school at any one time. With the help of our amazing community, we have achieved this target three years early and, from September 2022 we have 54 children in the school supported by Changing Lives
CHANGING LIVES UPDATE
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“Since leaving RGS, I graduated as a Doctor from Imperial College London. Alongside my medical work, I started a small business in property development, which has now grown into a full-time career. The grounding and support I gained from RGS helped set me on a career trajectory that I may otherwise not have been able to reach. I would not have been able to attend RGS without the generosity of the kind donors who helped fund my education. As soon as I was able, I wanted to give back - to give others the same opportunity.”
Dr Say Vivekanantham (RGS 2002-2009), former bursary recipient the QR code or
visit rgs.foundation/changing-lives for more information. 3 Date303011136292618SeptemberSeptemberSeptemberSeptemberOctoberOctoberNovemberNovemberNovemberTBC * We still have places for these events, email foundation@reigategrammar.org Class of 2018 Graduation Brunch Run Reigate* RGS Professionals Charity Golf Day * Overseas gathering: New York Overseas gathering: San Francisco RGS Professionals networking event at The Penny ReigatianRemembranceGroupDayServicecommunitywelcome drinks 10 Years On reunion (Class of 2012) RGS Professionals Christmas drinks AUTUMN TERM EVENTS: forDatesyourDiary...
In May each year, we celebrate the legacy of our founder, Henry Smith, and the rich history of Reigate Grammar School. Founder's Day acts as a reminder of the benefits of being a Reigatian: the sense of belonging and shared values; the journey that starts when you join RGS; the opportunities, friendships and connections that you enjoy as a result of your relationship with the school. In 2022, RGS Sixth Form Foundation Ambassadors delivered an assembly, students enjoyed Founder’s Day cakes and we invited Reigatians to share a photo of themselves with at least one other Reigatian. THE RGS PROFESSIONALS GROUP
If
Stuart Lawson (RGS parent), Global Head Aon Credit Solutions “Through the RGS Professionals group, I was made aware of an incredible opportunity for a graduate role at Aon. I was able to secure an interview and underwent the graduate application process which led to a full-time position on the graduate scheme, working with the Credit Solutions team. I would encourage all Reigatians to join the Professionals group!”
FOUNDER’S DAY 2022
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Alice Timmons (RGS 2010-2017), Trainee Credit and Political Risk Broker, Aon Credit Solutions.
The RGS Professionals group brings together members of the Reigatian community – including parents, former students and friends of RGS – and aims to foster meaningful friendships and networks. The group supports the school by providing a pool of experienced professionals willing to provide guidance and work experience, internships and job opportunities to current students, recent leavers, university graduates and those taking their first steps in their chosen careers. you have not yet joined the 2,000+ members of this connected group, please join the Reigate Grammar School Professionals group on LinkedIn to receive news of future events and to share any opportunities you might have. next RGS Professionals event is a Charity Golf Day at the Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club on Monday 26 September 2022 and if you would like to join us, email foundation@reigategrammar.org.
Our
JOIN
“We were advertising for a Graduate Trainee Broker role, so I reached out to the RGS Foundation team to see if they could help promote it to the RGS Professionals community. Alice went through a rigorous application process and was the stand-out candidate. She started in February and is proving to be a great asset.”
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CATCH UP ONLINE As this Pigrim Review illustrates, RGS is an action-packed school with a wealth of news and activities happening around the clock. To keep up to date, visit our website or join in with RGS online: facebook.com/reigategrammarschool @reigategrammar Reigate Grammar School, Reigate Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 0QS 01737 222231 info@reigategrammar.org reigategrammar.org RGS Harrison Centre @ReigateGrammar@rgsheadmaster
