The Guildfordian 2023

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THE THE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE MAGAZINE SINCE SINCE 1891 I 1891 THE ROYAL I THE GRAMMAR ROYAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL SCHOOL

2023

& & ELEBRATION C CELEBRATION ORONATION ORONATION

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Tree outside RGS falls down on 29 June 2023

Idris Iqbal 2R

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oreword It is often only with hindsight that the significance of events can be truly appreciated; only with distance, reflection and perspective can their impact be fully understood. And yet the last few years have seen events of such a monumental scale that it has felt that we have regularly been living history in real time. In the last twelve months, the crowning of a British monarch, King Charles III, the first coronation in the majority of our lifetimes, is an example of history unfolding before our very eyes. In this light, the theme of this year’s The Guildfordian – Coronation and Celebration – feels particularly apt.

As I read through this edition of The Guildfordian, I am acutely aware how powerful the memories of our childhood and our schooldays are. Although arguably old-fashioned and traditional, the school magazine provides a timeless and invaluable record which captures a snapshot in time and ensures these memories live on, memories which are dominated by the theme of celebration. As always, I am struck not only by the sheer diversity of opportunities which RGS students have experienced but also by the very human stories that permeate each page. It could be a debut on the drama stage, a last-gasp winning try on the rugby pitch, a last-minute call-up for the chess team, or an unexpected victory in a House competition. The themes of excitement, solidarity, anticipation, reflection, success, failure: it is all these emotions which stir memories and ensure that this is a year where RGS students will have enduring reminiscences which will continue to make a lasting impression for them. These successes may not be on the national or global scale of the King’s coronation but, nevertheless, for every individual these personal crowning glories will all add to the rich tapestry of their school day memories. For that alone, each and every

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achievement is worthy of mention, worthy of record in the annals of our historic school, and worthy of formal celebration.

I offer my sincere thanks to all those who have contributed to such a fulfilling and enjoyable year at the RGS: students, staff, parents and governors alike. I would also like to express my genuine gratitude to Mrs Webb who has produced such an inspiring and varied edition of The Guildfordian; I very much hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have.

THE GUILDFORDIAN 2023

Dr JM Cox Headmaster

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

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

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

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

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

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

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HEADMASTER’S FOREWORD

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SALVETE New Staff

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RESPECT Survey of Opinions

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ACADEMIC Round-up from the Departments

43

MALLISON LIBRARY A Year in the Library

47

THE CREATIVE ARTS Round-up from the Departments

101

HOUSES Round-up from the Houses

109

SPORT Round-up from the Games Department

129

COURAGE Co-Curricular Activities CCF

146

SCHOLARSHIP Prizewinners Academic Scholarships University Destinations

160

INTEGRITY Business Enterprise

162

COLLABORATION Charity and Volunteering Partnerships and Outreach

168

INCLUSIVITY Development and Alumni

172

CAPTAIN’S FAREWELL Reflection from the School Captain

173

VALETE Leaving Staff

Cover Illustration by Will Eyles U6-12 With thanks to Mr JW Pressley and Miss JE Marchington Title pictures by The Photography Society Design, artwork and editing by Mrs GM Webb Printing by Colourgraphic Arts

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S A LV E T E MS MN BAJWA Teacher of Science Which university/educational institution did you attend?

Kings College London.

What luxury item would you take to a desert island?

A hair straightener.

Favourite film?

Anything with Tom Hanks.

Which book would you recommend to others?

The Science of Homeopathy by George Vithoulkas.

Fun fact?

I almost made it on The Great British Bake Off. In one word, what do you live for?

Family.

MR DJ BARTRAM Teacher of PE and Games / Head of Hockey Which university/educational institution did you attend?

I attended St Mary's University College, Twickenham to study Geography and Sport Science.

What luxury item would you take to a desert island?

Coffee Machine.

Favourite film?

The Dark Knight.

Which book would you recommend to others?

Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien.

Fun fact?

I can do a pretty good Smeagol impression.

In one word, what do you live for?

Fun.

MR SE BEEVER Teacher of Mathematics Which university/educational institution did you attend?

University of Johannesburg and Witwatersrand Business School.

Which book would you recommend to others?

Open, An Autobiography by Andre Agassi.

What luxury item would you take to a desert island?

A tent.

Fun fact?

Springbok Supporter.

Favourite film?

Good Will Hunting.

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In one word, what do you live for?

Memories.

THE GUILDFORDIAN 2023

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MR BJ CALLAGHAN Teacher of Classics Which university/educational institution did you attend?

University of Bristol.

What luxury item would you take to a desert island?

I’d bring Bear Grylls along with me.

Favourite film?

About Time – it always restores my sense of perspective!

Which book would you recommend to others?

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak for a superb story or Unnatural Causes by Richard Shepherd for something more left field.

Fun fact?

I can move my ears individually (proof that practice pays off ).

In one word, what do you live for?

Happiness.

MR MA CHAMBERLAIN Teacher of Biology Which university/educational institution did you attend?

Durham University.

What luxury item would you take to a desert island?

Scuba diving gear.

Favourite film?

Elf (a must watch every Christmas!)

Which book would you recommend to others?

The Student Who Followed His Father Into Auschwitz by Jeremy Dronfield.

Fun fact?

I used to be a Forensic Scientist.

In one word, what do you live for?

Family.

MISS NG DANN Teacher of Chemistry Which university/educational institution did you attend?

University of Bath.

What luxury item would you take to a desert island?

My craft box so I don’t get bored.

Favourite film?

Grosse Pointe Blank.

Which book would you recommend to others?

The Nightingale Sisters by Donna Douglas.

Fun fact?

I have sewn roughly half of my own wardrobe.

In one word, what do you live for?

Exploration.

MR WJ DUGDALE Head of MFL Which university/educational institution did you attend?

Oxford for Undergrad, Cambridge University for Teacher Training.

What luxury item would you take to a desert island?

A radio.

Favourite film?

M by Fritz Lang.

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Which book would you recommend to others?

The Spy and the Traitor by Ben MacIntyre.

Fun fact?

I used to be a tournament golf professional.

In one word, what do you live for?

People.

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SALVETE MR JJ HOLLAND Teacher of Physics Which university/educational institution did you attend?

Cardiff University/Caerdydd Prifysgol.

What luxury item would you take to a desert island?

Coffee machine.

Favourite film?

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

Which book would you recommend to others?

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

Fun fact?

I’ve been scuba diving through the fuselage of a crashed plane.

In one word, what do you live for?

Bouldering.

MR PM JOHNSON Teacher of Mathematics Which university/educational institution did you attend?

University of Leeds.

What luxury item would you take to a desert island?

Phone with 5G and good signal!

Favourite film?

Barbenheimmer.

Which book would you recommend to others?

On Intelligence: How a New Understanding of the Brain Will Lead to the Creation of Truly Intelligent Machines by Jeff Hawkins and Sandra Blakeslee.

Fun fact?

Enjoy eating marzipan and chocolate.

In one word, what do you live for?

Clarity.

MS D KWOK Chemistry Technician Which university/educational institution did you attend?

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Which book would you recommend to others?

The Bible.

What luxury item would you take to a desert island?

The Bible.

Fun fact?

Love hearing the pop sound in pop test of hydrogen.

Favourite film?

Love Actually.

In one word, what do you live for?

God.

MR SH LING-WINSTON Teacher of Computer Science and Mathematics Which university/educational institution did you attend?

University of Wales, Swansea.

What luxury item would you take to a desert island?

Solar Powered Computer.

Favourite film?

Star Wars.

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Which book would you recommend to others?

Atonement by Ian McEwan.

Fun fact?

I had Mr Johnson's Weekend Maths Challenge on local radio station Lincs FM and became a celebrity around the area!

In one word, what do you live for?

Family.

THE GUILDFORDIAN 2023

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MR CS MANSFIELD CCF School Staff Instructor Which university/educational institution did you attend?

The Commando Training Centre Lympstone - I joined the Royal Marines from school.

What luxury item would you take to a desert island?

My surfboards.

Favourite film?

Super Troopers.

Which book would you recommend to others?

The Natural Navigator by Tristan Gooley.

Fun fact?

I’m a trained Bodyguard.

In one word, what do you live for?

An Mor (Cornish for The Sea).

MRS K OSBORNE Science Technician Which book would you recommend to others?

Kokoro by Soseki Natsume.

Which university/educational institution did you attend?

Kyoto University of Education (in Japan).

What luxury item would you take to a desert island?

Super comfy mattress - wherever you are, you need a good nights sleep!

Favourite film?

The Sound of Music.

Fun fact?

My great-great-grandfather was a samurai lord in Japan.

In one word, what do you live for?

Family.

MISS KL PHENIX Administrative Assistant to Deputy and Assistant Heads Which university/educational institution did you attend?

Level 3 CLIEX Chartered Legal Executive at Guildford College. Diploma in TV and Film Makeup at The Academy, Richmond.

What luxury item would you take to a desert island?

My phone.

Favourite film?

Pearl Harbour.

Which book would you recommend to others?

Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien.

Fun fact?

I am a big supporter of the Dutch national football team and no links to Holland at all.

In one word, what do you live for?

My family and friends, Teddy and Taisie (my two cats).

MR BJD ROGERS Teacher of PE and Games Which university/educational institution did you attend?

Cardiff University.

What luxury item would you take to a desert island?

A piano. I’ve never played but I’d probably have some time on my hands to learn.

Favourite film?

Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves.

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Which book would you recommend to others?

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon.

Fun fact?

I have moved house over 20 times.

In one word, what do you live for?

Conversation.

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SALVETE DR R SISCA Teacher of Physics Which university/educational institution did you attend?

I studied theoretical physics at the University of Pisa, in Italy. My daily routine included a morning and an evening walk through Piazza dei Miracoli – an immense privilege.

What luxury item would you take to a desert island?

Any book whose title resembles ‘How to survive on a desert island’ seems like a good candidate to me! Even better if it comes with a few blank pages which I can fill with poems on solitary life.

Favourite film?

I watched 8½ by Federico Fellini about 10 years ago, and I still see it as the best movie ever made. I love the way in which Fellini used symbolism and self-reference to express his struggle (or should we say the universal struggle?) in that movie. Not to mention the ending scene, which is a fantastic representation of living in harmony inside a community.

Which book would you recommend to others?

Any book that tells a compelling story about human evolution and scientific development, such as Sapiens

by Yuval Noah Harari. How can we build a great future if we do not know ourselves and the journey that took us here?

Fun fact?

This is how I live up to the Italian stereotype: I speak (and teach) with my hands a lot, aperitivo in a piazza is the best of all possible human experiences, pineapple on pizza is an absolute no.

In one word, what do you live for?

Discovery.

MRS EJ STRAW Biology Technician Which university/educational institution did you attend?

University of Surrey to study Veterinary Biosciences.

Which book would you recommend to others?

A classic; Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë.

What luxury item would you take to a desert island?

My moisturiser.

Fun fact?

I could fly a plane before I could drive a car!

Favourite film?

The Harry Potter series.

In one word, what do you live for?

Family.

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THE GUILDFORDIAN 2023

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Aryan Hemnani 3P

RESPECT Tom Allos - 2P

It was my birthday on the Coronation day so we celebrated and then went to a street party in London which was a lot of fun.

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RESPECT The 1954 edition of The Guildfordian magazine mentions the Queen's Coronation, although the main focus at the time was on the RGS Quatercentenary. The late Queen Elizabeth II was Coronated in Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953, conducted

by Dr Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury. King Charles III was coronated on Saturday 6 May 2023 at Westminster Abbey conducted by the Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury.

THE

GUILDFORDIAN

VOL. 2. NUMBER 1

T

1954

EDITORIAL

HE past year has been a great one for both the country and the School: we have seen the Coronation of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, and wish her a long and prosperous reign; we have heard, too, of the ascent of Everest, which was recalled by our guest on Speech Day, Mr. Noyce. At School the Quatercentenary of our endowment and Royal Charter has been most memorably celebrated by the Thanksgiving Service, the performing of the Masque and visits by Mr. Justice Finlay and, above all, by H.R.H. the Duchess of Gloucester.

Guildfordian magazine 1954 In July, R.S.M. A. L. Stent left us afterThethirty-three years' service to the School, years in which he gained a great reputation for his loyalty, good-humoured bark and, on the lighter side, for We look at lifehis in 1953 today. Thetobacco students from 2023earned reflect on him the changes in the UK and what the future pipecompared and itswith pungent which his nickname. might hold. Under his training, the C.C.F. has won almost every shooting trophy open to it, and reached a high standard in drill and other activities. It is fitting that, to crown all this, he was awarded the 1953 UK B.E.M. in the Coronation Honours List; we say farewell to a fine old Meals were seasonal; were no supermarkets, Dress - Teenagers their fathers. soldierdressed whomthe wesame can as feel "will neverFood die,"- he will "only fadethere away." no Smoothey, frozen food orwho freezers store itfor in. ‘Meat and two Youth culture didn't arrivesaid in the until to theMr. We also "au UK revoir" hasto gone veg’ was the staple diet for most families mid-1950s. a year to Kamehameha High School, Honolulu; he takes with him in the 1950s.

Fast food was a takeaway from the local fish and chip our- People best wishes and their thanks Entertainment would spend spare for time his benefits to the School's art. shop.

We extend a warm welcome to Mr. C. W. Gemmer, with whom listening to the radio, reading, playing board games or hasforexchanged his post, and hope that his stay will Discoveries/Inventions - Francis Crick and James sport. The Mr. most Smoothey popular comic older age-group give him many happy memories of Guildford. students was Eagle published by Hulton Press. The Watson developed a model for the helical structure of We new members J. DNA. Newsof of the their Staff: discoveryMr. was D. published in 1953. number 1 single in thewelcome UK was I three Believeother

by Frankie Ille; Mr. B. C. Thomas, whom McLeod comes to take the new Laine which spent 18 weeks at the top of the charts. boys will biggest remember as captain of Beckingham House, has Dance hallssenior were the second entertainment become Gym. master, and R.S.M. W. G. Lockwood replaces industry after cinema where big bands played jazz, swing Sgt.-Maj. Stent in the C.C.F. and traditional pop. Television sets were available to a Before presenting this historic issue of the Magazine, we should few families. like to pay tribute to the fine work of our first editor, M. J. Essex, whose example we hope follow. 2023 11 THEto GUILDFORDIAN www.rgsg.co.uk The Guildfordian Template 2023.indd 11

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Students give a snapshot of their lives in 2022-23:

Entertainment - What do you do in your spare time?

Year 2 1. Restoring my car and playing BeamNG Drive game.

2. Chess, rugby, bike ride, TV, Monopoly with family and Xbox.

Fashion - What influences the clothes you wear?

Year 2 1. Not interested in fashion.

3. In my spare time I love to play table tennis and sometimes rugby. From time to time I play a video game called Apex Legends as well.

2. I like Zara and M&S for casual and Adidas and Nike for sports wear. No-one influences me.

4. I play basketball in the court in town and mountain bike in the woods near my house.

3. I like going to clothing shops such as Hollister and Champion. I also usually shop online at Nike.

Year 4

4. Social media and friends influence what I wear. The brands I wear are Stüssy, Nike, Jordan, Carhartt, H&M and Corteiz.

2. I play sports such as hockey, cricket and football. I often go to the gym as well. I play a lot of different video games on my Xbox e.g. COD.

Year 4 1. Online shopping (sportswear) from brands such as Nike, Adidas, Puma, from JD Sports or Sport Direct etc.

2. Nike, Adidas, Champion are some brands which are in fashion. I follow KSI who is a massive influencer (rapper, boxer). Jordans shoes are quite popular, JD Sports is often a go-to shop for people my age.

3. I have to be honest I don't have a go-to brand but I just choose what fits me.

4. What I want to wear. I wear comfy clothes, I love Stone Island and I love shopping on Depop.

L6

1. Primarily, I prefer to buy clothes in person, therefore I typically go to shops on Guildford High Street, as it is close to where I live. For example, I tend to go to Hollister or Superdry.

2. Not much to be honest! I know what I like to wear and what I don’t like but I tend not to be influenced by the popular brand of choice in any given month!

3. A large part of the influence on my fashion comes down to my sister. She is very often the major deciding factor in what clothes I buy or don’t, which is especially useful when we visit thrift shops together when the options need to be whittled down.

Other than that, I generally just browse shops such as Urban Outfitters for fun clothes that catch my attention.

4. Having an older sister is definitely the main influence for my ‘fashion’ if you can really call it that. She helps pick out clothes that she thinks I should buy mostly from websites online. To be honest though I probably buy most of my clothes from Tacklebag as with all the school sport my wardrobe is dominated by RGS branded kit.

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1. I enjoy watching films and television with family and friends at the cinema. I enjoy reading books in my free time and play tennis on the weekends.

3. Sailing, Explorers, Music - I play in an orchestra on a Sunday evening. Reading historical novels.

4. I play on my Xbox (Fall Guys and Fortnite). I really love reading the Beast Quest books.

L6

1. In my spare time, I enjoy both playing and listening to music. I play both the piano and saxophone which I enjoy very much.

I am also an avid fan of Arsenal football club, and always watch the matches, as well as occasionally playing football myself with my friends.

2. I spend most of my spare time either playing, watching or reading about sports.

I also love learning about more in depth areas surrounding physics. I also love to spend time with my friends and my girlfriend.

3. In my spare time I love to play sports such as golf and mountain biking or go for a run. These activities I largely got into during Covid, when I needed something to fill the endless days on my own. I play rugby through school and until recently at Guildford Rugby Club, which I absolutely love. Other than sports, I like to read the occasional novel, play some video games or watch movies with my family.

4. I spend a lot of time playing sport in particular rugby, cricket, hockey and basketball but I like to unwind playing chess and listening to music. I also like to read, in particular books about philosophy as I find it a fascinating topic but I often don’t read as much as I should. Finally I enjoy playing Minecraft with my friends.

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RESPECT Food - What is your favourite meal when out with friends?

Do you order takeaway food?

Year 2 1. Five Guys bacon burger and a Pizza.

Year 4 1. The invention of the internet, so one can see what happens in other parts of the world, both in the past and the present.

2. In the last 70 years in my opinion, the greatest discovery is the rocket ship as now we are able to explore part of the endless space out there.

2. I like to eat my parent's Pakistani cuisine.

3. One of my favourite foods is a certain type of Indian food called Chole Bhatura. I like pineapple on my pizza.

3. The Pacemaker because my Grandad has one and it has really helped him in his later life.

4. I usually get a meal deal or McDonalds, but from time to time I go to Pizza Express. I like most food.

Year 4 1. Takeaway food sometimes, such as McDonalds or Nandos (e.g burgers and fries).

4. The birth of Sol Campbell and the invention of Lego.

L6

2. When I go out with friends I love Nandos. Everything from the spice to the peri-salted chips are amazing.

3. Spaghetti Bolognaise.

4. I love Nandos and order plain chicken wings.

L6

1. When with friends, we typically order takeaway food. My favourites are probably Indian and Chinese.

2. I love to get a burger when I am with my friends, I don’t mind what kind of burger, whether it is Gourmet Burger Kitchen or McDonalds I just like a burger!

3. My favourite food when going out is probably Thai food – it is extraordinarily varied and everything is delicious. I don’t tend to order takeaway very often as it is often just as expensive, or more expensive, than just going to the restaurant and it is often cold and not as good by the time it gets home.

4. I never order takeaway food because for that price I would rather have the restaurant experience. I particularly enjoy going out for Indian food with my family.

Discoveries/inventions - In your opinion what is the greatest break through to have benefited the UK since 1950?

Year 2 1. The Internet.

2. I think that the invention of the iphone was the best since it has enabled much more communication.

3. I think the Internet is the greatest breakthrough to have benefitted the UK in the last 70 years.

4. The WWW and the Internet as it has helped with inventions, breakthroughs and advancements in general.

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THE GUILDFORDIAN 2023

1. I believe that the greatest breakthrough that has benefitted the UK in the past 70 years is the rapid technological development, including the first mobile phones, and development of the internet.

This has led to significant economic growth and innovation, due to businesses able to explore a wider customer base, as well as revolutionising communication and connectivity in the UK through the development of email, social media, and messaging apps. in addition, the internet has transformed the education landscape, giving students access to new educational materials, helping students progress further.

2. In my opinion is the recent breakthrough made by Google Deep Mind with their Alphafold technology. Using AI, this technology can accurately predict the 3D structures of proteins, the things that make up almost every living thing. Since its publication in July 2021 it is already the most cited scientific paper ever! This breakthrough will allow amazing leaps forward in biology and hopefully be a great step to beating some of the biggest problems humans face, like cancer.

3. By far the greatest invention that I believe this country has discovered is the World Wide Web by Tim Berners-Lee. The internet has completely revolutionised our way of approaching the world in almost every aspect of our lives, and the crucial first step was taken here in the UK. 4. It's got to be the cell phone. It has allowed us instant access to any information and the ability to contact anyone at anytime.

However, far more importantly than this obviously is the way it's changed the landscape of chess allowing the average person to play and learn on their phone without the need to access a board. This opens the game up to allow not just the the elite to a game but to allow anyone to play.

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Mobile phones 1983 - The first commercial handheld mobile phone, the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X was introduced.

Space Race - between the United States and the Soviet Union began in 1957 with the launch of 'Sputnik 1' the first artificial satellite.

Joe McIntyre 3P

Artificial intelligence (AI) 1956 - AI research was founded at a workshop held on the campus of Dartmouth College, USA.

Since 1953 the UK has seen major advances in technology.

Below is a list of a few significant inventions: Integrated Circuit (ICs) 1958/1959 - are the foundation of modern electronics, enabling the creation of groundbreaking innovations such as desktop computers, smartphones, and IoT devices.

The Future - How do you see the UK changing in the next 70 years?

Year 2 1. Hopefully to scrap B2:B6electric cars and use efuel made with Carbon Capture and hydrogen.

2. I think that the UK will have a decrease in crime and much better technology.

3. I see more advanced technology, further developed artificial intelligence and a lot more pollution.

4. I think transport will become airborne, and our country will advance significantly.

There may even be AI among us acting as humans.

Year 4 1. Advancements in technology, such as new medicines or limited robotics to help with healthcare. More people being involved in social media. Better and faster transportation to and from school/work.

2. In the future I see the UK turning into a futuristic country with a lot of high-tech that will be normalised.

3. I think that in 70 years London will be a seaside resort after the catastrophic impact of climate change. Also I think we will have much more extreme weather.

4. Hopefully we can fly on jetpacks and talk telepathically. Hopefully I can be an astronaut.

L6

1. In the next 70 years, I believe that the UK will continue to experience significant technological advancements, primarily in the artificial intelligence sector. This could have significant impacts on various UK industries, enhancing productivity and efficiency.

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L6

2. The incorporation of AI into our society and battling key social issues such as equality and poverty will define the next decades. As for how the UK changes, it is impossible to say, yet the areas I have mentioned will have a dramatic impact on everyone’s lives, and I remain hopeful that, despite fearmongering about the dystopia AI could create, humans will learn to live in harmony with it and utilise it to benefit humans greatly.

3. We will start to see the effects of our poor treatment of the planet and action will need to be swiftly taken. I think that cars will become an item of the past, and the government is going to push for a huge amount of public transport and greener ways of travelling. Buildings will be heated and cooled by a central location in a town or city – greatly increasing the efficiency of this and resulting in lower overall energy consumption. Most importantly, I hope that fossil fuel usage will completely disappear and any electricity is produced from renewable sources and any fuel needed is made from biological substances similar to how bio-diesel is made.

4. The next 70 years is such a large time scale to think about with the modern rate of technological change. Whilst this is a slightly scary thought I tend to find myself optimistic about the positive changes that can be brought about by this technological advancement. I hope that in 70 years AI will have boosted the productivity of production to the point that there will be far less poverty in the UK. In terms of cultural change I think in 70 years time the increased availability of resources will allow for a more ethical approach to consumption and I think attitudes towards things such as veganism will shift radically to the point that it becomes definitively the norm.

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A C A D E M I C MATHEMATICS It was another successful year in the Mathematics Department with an outstanding set of public examination results at both GCSE and A Level. The students who took part in national competitions performed superbly and were undoubtedly supported by the Department’s clubs which have gone from strength to strength over the year.

We continued with our Outreach projects with Holy Trinity Primary School and Kings College School and added another with additional support put in place for students at local state schools applying for Mathematics at University. House Maths has now become a keynote event in the year, with some Houses able to field several teams and classrooms full with spectators cheering on their peers. There is no doubt Mathematics remains as popular as ever at the RGS. Maths Competitions

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Senior Maths Challenge

group of 86 students took the Senior Maths Challenge this year.

Most of them were from the Sixth Form but there was a pleasing number from the Fifth, Fourth and Third Forms.

They performed superbly with 95% achieving an award. There were 35 Golds, 32 Silvers and 15 Bronzes with six students qualifying for the British Mathematical Olympiad Round 1 (top 1000 in the country)

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and 35 students qualifying for the Senior Kangaroo (top 6000) in the country. Special mentions should go Michael Wu U6, Henry Franke, Henry Fleming, Yuvan Raja and Jack Thomson who achieved the top marks in their year groups.

Senior British Mathematical Olympiad Round 1 and 2

In December 2022, the top 1000 mathematicians in the country sat the demanding three and a half hour Olympiad paper consisting of six challenging problems. Six RGS students, Yuvan Raja from the Fourth Form, Henry Franke and Freddie Weir from the Lower Sixth and Michael Wu, Thomas Thevenon and Efe Görgüner from the Upper Sixth took part. They all excelled with Freddie, Michael and Efe scoring Merits and Thomas, Henry and Yuvan achieving Distinctions. Henry and Thomas, placing in the top hundred nationally, were invited to sit the formidable Second Round Olympiad. Both did themselves proud and scored well, particularly Henry whose Distinction means he is one of the best Sixth Form mathematicians in the country.

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They should all be congratulated on their incredible achievements.

Intermediate Maths Challenge and Intermediate Olympiads

99 students participated in the Intermediate Maths Challenge this year. Most of them were from the Fifth Form but there was a fair representation from the Fourth Form and below. They performed superbly with 93 out of 99 achieving an award.

There were 49 Golds, 29 Silvers and 15 Bronzes with 5 students qualifying for the Olympiad and 28 students qualifying for the Kangaroo. Special congratulations to James Kelynack, Piraveen Thayananthan, Yuvan Raja

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Thomas Thevenon, came second, only missing out on the First spot due to submitting their solution a short time after the declared winners.

Could the team exact revenge and go one further this year? Alas, it was not to be; they finished second again missing out on the top spot for the same reason. Regardless of placing, in the last two years the team have never failed to solve a problem and the Maths Department are very proud of their achievements. We eagerly look forward to seeing what this year’s teams can do.

House Maths

and Thomas Dowson who achieved the top marks in their respective year groups. Special mention to Yuvan Raja for securing 100% and, obviously, the best score. In the Olympiad rounds Ronit Sachdeva achieved success with a Merit and Yuvan Raja excelled again with an almost perfect score, a remarkable achievement making him one of the best mathematicians for his age across the UK. Junior Maths Challenge

An incredible 92% of the Second Form who took the Junior Maths challenge achieved an award. There were 44 Golds, 52 Silvers and 27

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Bronzes with 4 students qualifying for the Olympiad round. All four students did exceptionally well with James Kelynack and Julian Zou achieving Distinctions and Sam Millington and Alex Wang achieving Merits. Well done to all students that took part.

The Ritangle Mathematics Competition

Ritangle is a national Mathematics competition for Sixth Form students in which they solve 32 problems between October and December and ends with a complex open ended question which often also requires skill with coding. In last year’s competition a Lower Sixth team, captained by

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The House Mathematics Competitions have always been fiercely contested with all Houses looking to achieve eternal mathematical glory.

Three competitions took place, Junior Middle and Senior, with a pair from each House tackling the problems.

Housemasters seemed to have no problem finding these pairs, with some Houses clearly able to field two teams, and the crowds that gathered to see the mathematical battles take place clearly demonstrates how popular mathematics is at the school.

Clubs The Ramanujan, Noether and Turing Maths clubs, established in the last academic year, built upon the successes of the previous year.

The number of students attending increased with a particularly large number of students in the First and Second Year attending Ramanujan Maths club. It is fantastic to see so many students enjoying the challenge of tackling mathematics that goes well beyond the syllabus and the successes we have had from these students in the UKMT Maths Challenges shows how much of an effect these clubs are having.

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ACADEMIC

Outreach Enrichment Mathematics for Sixth Formers

In the Michaelmas Term twenty six students from four local state schools attended one of two sessions, Maths and Computer Science or Maths for scientists, to help them prepare for university entrance exams as well as interview preparation. The Department also supported a student preparing for the Cambridge STEP examination in the Lent and Trinity Terms. Subsequent feedback from the students involved, and the staff who ran the sessions, was very positive.

Mathematics Primary Project This is a Monday Period 8 activity that sees a group of RGS students travel to Holy Trinity Pewley Down School to deliver weekly Maths sessions to Year Five and Six students.

In the Michaelmas Term the focus is on supporting those students who need a bit more time and practice to digest topics. In the Lent Term the focus is on Enrichment, which our students particularly enjoy. Even though it wasn’t such a long time ago that our students were in primary school, most of our students are surprised how much Maths lessons have changed in English primary schools today. The Holy Trinity always

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look forward to being taught by our students, who in turn learn valuable leadership and support skills. All in all, this cooperation has proven to be a very successful outreach project.

Kings Maths Project The RGS Kings Mathematics Project continued again this year, with Kings College bringing Year 9 students to RGS for GCSE Mathematics and extension topics.

These were delivered very expertly by RGS Sixth Formers who prepared and delivered these sessions on a variety of topics to a high standard and in engaging ways. The Kings students enjoyed the variety and challenge and returned each week, even though this was after the end of their own school day.

Bletchley Park Home of British Codebreakers Second Form trip to Bletchley Park, Field Day 3

Imagine you are leading an army into battle. Being able to intercept and read enemy messages will tell you where/how they are going to attack or where their defensive lines are.

So being able to intercept and read enemy messages has always been an integral part of warfare.

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During the Second World War, the British and the Allied Forces tried to read the messages of Hitler’s forces.

To this end, the Government Code and Cypher School was established at Bletchley Park, which quickly became the main hub for trying to read enemy messages.

Intercepting these messages was easy. The German Forces, the Wehrmacht, would send them over radio using Morse code. The women of Bletchley Park would spend day in, day out, transcribing Morse code but they had no idea what the messages said, because they had been encrypted with the help of the Enigma machine.

The Enigma machine was essentially a typewriter that could turn a plaintext message into ciphertext.

It could also be used to turn the ciphertext back into plaintext.

The Second Form had the privilege of visiting Bletchley Park on Field Day 3, to aid their learning in Computer Science, History, Maths and MFL. During their visit, they gained some first hand experience in codebreaking, reliving parts of the Battle of the Atlantic. We were fortunate to try out a real Enigma machine and decode messages on their virtual machines, run on iPads. All in all, a fantastic day out.

Mr SG Black - Head of Mathematics

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ENGLISH “… and all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death.”

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ost students who pass through the green gates of the RGS should get the reference: here the ill-fated king of Scotland stares nihilistically at his impending doom. An education in English helps you to decipher early modern blank verse - an essential life skill - but it also enables you to see something of yourself in a character’s thoughts and to know yourself better through a writer’s words.

Mr D Amis at Othello with Third Form

The English Department "lighted the way" for plenty of opportunities last academic year, but thankfully none of them resulted in a "dusty death". In the Michaelmas Term we delivered a volley of theatre trips: the First Form "honoured Christmas in their hearts" watching the Quantum Theatre perform A Christmas Carol.

Second Form were treated to a performance of Noughts and Crosses at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, where "ancient grudge" certainly broke to "new mutiny". The Third Form were also "wrought, being perplexed

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Mr N Patel with Dr Stagg

in the extreme" catching Othello at the Yvonne Arnaud. Things turned highbrow in the Fourth Form and above, with Mr Patel organising a smorgasbord of academic enrichment from some of the world’s leading institutions. Dr Stagg from Oxford University delivered a lecture entitled Shakespeare’s Bewitching Line on Macbeth and poetic meter. Students may have felt "unseamed from the knave to the chaps" at the prospect of such high-level study, but these visits provided them with a valuable

opportunity to see beyond the blinkers of GCSE assessment objectives.

Lent Term sprang forth “with his sweete breeth, inspired hath in every holt and heeth”, and along came more opportunities. A Level students enjoyed an electrifying performance of A Streetcar Named Desire at the Almeida. They were also treated to the Wife of Willesden at the Kiln Theatre.

Mr J Muchmore with A Level students at the Almeida Theatre

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ACADEMIC A Level students with Professor Wakelin

An education in English helps you to decipher early modern blank verse - an essential life skill - but it also enables you to see something of yourself in a character’s thoughts and to know yourself better through a writer’s words.

As if not busy enough, our A Level cohort then took part in a symposium (or 'meeting', for the uninitiated) with students from North London Collegiate School, which proved most fruitful. Another academic graced the Chained Library in March, when Professor Wakelin of Medieval English Palaeography at Oxford University delivered an excellent seminar on Chaucer’s Wife of Bath.

Led by Mr Amis and Mrs Moon, Journalists at the 1509 worked feverishly throughout the year to ensure that quality news reached the student body. A visit to the Reuters HQ at Canary Wharf gave students a valuable insight into the frenetic world of global journalism.

In addition to this, students learned to sharpen their editorial skills when OG Alastair Reid, author at The Big Issue, came to the RGS to deliver a masterclass on the editorial process.

Lower School winners of the Poetry By Heart finalists' event

“Last scene of all, that ends this strange eventful history” was of course World Book Week. Last year we harnessed the combined energies of various departments: from the polyglottic MFL Department, to the sophists in RE; from the harmonious 1509 journalists at Reuters

Music team, to the stalwart PE Department. Students and staff alike shared rich conversation on a range of diverse and inspiring literatures.

Amongst the maelstrom of culture that was veritably pelted at the RGS community, the House Reading Competition saw students from across the school take part in Poetry

By Heart that week, with a dazzling finalists’ event for Lower School students in Big School. The English Department worked hard to “light the way” last academic year, but certainly for no fools.

Mr JG Muchmore - Deputy Head of English

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BIOLOGY The Biology Department at our school has had an incredible year filled with remarkable achievements and engaging activities that have ignited students' passion for the subject. These endeavours have undoubtedly enriched our students' understanding of Biology and fostered a love for the natural world.

Biology Week - animal interactions

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e are immensely proud to announce that Tom Postance L6-4 secured a coveted spot to represent the United Kingdom at the International Intermediate Biology Olympiad in Dubai. This esteemed competition showcases the brightest young minds in the field of Biology. Tom's achievement not only

Biology Week - animal interactions

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reflects his exceptional knowledge and dedication but also highlights the excellent teaching and support provided by the Biology Department.

Biology Week was an exhilarating event that captivated the school community.

One of the highlights of the week was the animal show, which featured a wide array of weird and exotic creatures.

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curiosity and awe among students, and instilling in them a sense of responsibility towards the natural world.

Biology Week - Dr E Hudson

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ACADEMIC Mr Burns instilled a deep appreciation for the intricate balance of nature and the remarkable evolution that has shaped fish species over millions of years.

Biology Week - Mr S Burns

During Science Week, Mr Burns highlighted the extraordinary adaptations that enable fish to thrive in their respective environments.

Students learned about the incredible camouflage techniques of certain species, the electric capabilities of electric fish, and the unique reproductive strategies employed by various aquatic creatures.

By illustrating these remarkable adaptations, Mr Burns instilled a deep appreciation for the intricate balance of nature and the remarkable evolution that has shaped fish species over millions of years.

To deepen their understanding of anatomy, students had the opportunity to participate in interactive dissections of both turtles and piglets. These hands-on experiences provided an invaluable insight into the structure and function of organisms. Under the guidance of our skilled biology teachers, students learned about organ systems, physiological adaptations, and the interconnections between various body parts. These dissections facilitated a profound appreciation for the complexity and beauty of life.

The field trip to Dale Fort was an unforgettable experience for our Lower Sixth students. Conducting fieldwork in a real-life setting provided them with a hands-on approach to learning. They had the opportunity to explore diverse

ecosystems, observe unique flora and fauna, and collect data for their scientific investigations. The trip fostered a deeper appreciation for the natural world and highlighted the importance of conservation efforts.

Mrs A Battersby conducted some groundbreaking CRISPR experiments with her Biology extension class. CRISPR technology has revolutionised the field of genetics, and our students had the privilege of gaining firsthand experience in manipulating genes.

These experiments not only enhanced their theoretical knowledge but also nurtured their creativity and critical

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thinking skills, preparing them for future scientific endeavours.

Our Fourth Form students excelled in the Biology challenge, bringing home an impressive haul of medals.

They won 20 Gold, 20 Silver, and 37 Bronze medals in the national biology competition, and highlights the depth of talent and the bright future that lies ahead for these budding biologists.

Mr S Burns - Head of Biology

Biology Week - dissection

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11/12/2023 16:22:23

CHEMISTRY Chemistry Olympiad Gold Award Winners

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GS chemists have once again achieved outstanding academic successes.

A massive 11838 chemistry students from 1326 schools in the country took part in the UK Chemistry Olympiad.

We achieved an outstanding set of results and won 12 Gold (top 9%), 14 Silver and 8 Bronze. Jan Czarnek U6-2 achieved a superb score of 61/85. Freddie Weir L6-5 and Alex Gillan L6-1 also did remarkably well and scored 59 and 56 despite taking the test a year early.

Fourth Years participated in the RSC Chemistry Challenge, and the RGS took First and Second Places in the Downland section! The team consisting of Sam Wilkinson 4N, Yuvan Raja 4B, Angus Scott 4N and Joseph Ryan 4H progressed to the Southeast final and were highly commended for teamwork.

RSC Chemistry Challenge Team

Selected entries in the Beyond Boundaries Art competition

We ran our own version of the Beyond Boundaries Art Competition which was designed to promote diversity and inclusion in science.

Students were given profiles of scientists with diverse backgrounds and were asked to produce a piece of art reflecting the work of one of the scientists. Entries ranged from students in RGS pre-prep to the Sixth Form. Tom Douthett 2E won the Junior category with his fabulous painting of the astronaut Mae Carol Jemison. Afra Jamshaid L6-5 won the senior category with a painting of futuristic cloud cities on Venus. His idea was inspired by the work of the astrobiologist Professor Jane Greaves.

Professor Greaves commented “Afra is such a talented artist, and I feel a connection with the picture because I too am inspired by science fiction. I pursued a career in astronomy after reading Arthur C Clarke's novel 'A Fall of Moondust'. This was such a wonderful idea for a competition, and I feel honoured to have been an inspiration. Let's all keep inspiring younger students with a love of science!”

RSC Chemistry Challenge

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ACADEMIC Dr Nazila Kamaly, a senior lecturer at Imperial College London gave a lecture on Nanomedicines and their potential in modern healthcare.

Her research focuses on using bioinspired approaches to synthesise targeted multi-functional polymeric nanoparticles, and biomaterials capable of changing their surface or core properties in response to local or up-regulated disease markers for stimuli-responsive and spatiotemporally controlled drug delivery.

Our greatest success was in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge.

This is the most demanding Chemistry exam designed for the Lower Sixth and 10 RGS students took part, 130 students took part nationally. RGS achieved an impressive set of results. Alex Gillan won the coveted Roentgenium Award with a remarkable score of 60/70. He is one of the top 60 students in the country and has been awarded a place in the Cambridge Chemistry Camp during the summer. James Inglis L6-4 and Tom Postance L6-4 were also in the top 1% of the entries. In total, we achieved 12 Gold, 8 Silver and 15 Copper Awards

Lower Sixth practical lesson

Mr WS Lau - Head of Chemistry Cambridge Chemistry Challenge Gold and Roentgenium winners

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11/12/2023 16:22:25

ORIS AWARD ORIGINAL RESEARCH IN SCIENCE Would it be exciting to carry out scientific research that no one has done before? You can if you participate in ORIS during the summer holiday of your Lower Sixth.

ORIS, an RGS initiative, is an acronym for Original Research in Science. Students need to complete a minimum of two weeks of original research in any area of science at a university or in industry to qualify.

This year, 14 Sixth Form students have carried out ORIS projects. The work was carried out in a number of universities including Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, KCL, York, Glasgow, Warwick Bristol, Manchester, Surrey and Reading. The breadth of research was very impressive and spanned the whole of science. Topics studied include Chemical Biology, Computer Science, Particle Physics, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Exoplanets, Medical Statistics to Political Science.

The students have demonstrated extraordinary scholarship and held their own against much more experienced researchers. A selection of the extremely positive feedbacks we have received from the research institutions are shown below: “Alexander is a highly intelligent student and has an aptitude for biological science and scientific research. Much of Alexander’s understanding of molecular biology, protein folding, and protein misfolding is at an advanced undergraduate level.” Owen Morris, Cambridge University.

“I could not be more impressed by what Freddie has achieved and how he went about doing so. Although a direct comparison is hard, I would rank this achievement as aligned with students in later years of our taught undergraduate programme.” Dr Dan Page, Bristol University.

“Rishikesh has performed extremely well during his placement. He was always very engaged and enthusiastic, and displayed a great willingness to learn.” Dr Arne Jacobs, Glasgow University.

“I have seen many third-year BSc projects of less quality than Fin's. His work has caught the interest of several members of our Centre for Complexity Science, to the extent that he has been extended an invitation to give a talk about his project in the coming term.” Dr Pedro Mediano, Imperial College London.

Shrey Bijlani carried out a four-week project Pain Processing in the Spinal Cord under the supervision of Professor Tony Pickering.

“In August, I spent four weeks at the University of Bristol working in a pain neuroscience research lab. Over the course of my project, I worked alongside scientists and doctors to explore the control and perception of pain in the spinal cord of rats. I learnt a range of experimental techniques in histology and bioimaging, which allowed me to section and stain spinal cord samples and perform analysis using fluorescent microscopy. I then used vector graphics software to create fluorescent images, perform mathematical calculations and collect data about the positions of multi-electrode probes in the rat spinal cord. As part of my research, I compared my results with electrophysiological data recorded within the rat spinal cord and I documented my findings in a scientific report. The data I collected and analysed would be included in an overarching publication in the future and this study will help to provide the groundwork for developing novel analgesic drugs aimed to improve the lives of patients suffering from chronic pain conditions. Outside of the lab, I stayed in undergraduate university accommodation where I lived independently, shared a kitchen space with other university students and cooked my own meals. Altogether, this was an eye-opening experience for me, which helped to build my independence and enhance my passion for science. I would like to thank Mr Lau for advertising the ORIS project and my supervisors at the University of Bristol for this unique opportunity.” Shrey Bijlani L6.

Mr WS Lau

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ACADEMIC

PHYSICS It’s been another busy and successful year in the Physics Department. Congratulations to all our exam students - another exceptional set of results - but far more importantly we’ve had a lot of fun along the way. Particular credit must go to two members of the Department who are leaving this year. Dr Patel retires after 16 years at the school she is the driving force behind many of the activities listed below. Mr Unsworth moves on to Churcher’s College after a short but sweet two years with us; he has inspired his classes and introduced the quirky and popular Physics Dissection Club for the Fifth Form. All the best to them both, they will be hugely missed.

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his year we embraced National Engineering Week with a range of activities. The First and Second Form enjoyed the Lumen City Power challenge - a Minecraft game tying in with climate change and the COP27 conference. The inaugural meeting of the Physics Dissection Club provided prospective engineers from Fourth and Fifth Form a chance to dismantle a range of small electrical appliances. At the end of the week, OG Lucas Savage gave a talk on his experiences as an apprentice at the Dyson Institute.

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OG Lucas Savage - Engineering Week

We provided several Physics activities for Science Week in March including straw rockets and designing a device for the Egg Drop Challenge. Mr Hood gave a talk on the Physics of Earthquakes and Mr Burbidge produced some ‘magic’ with modelling balloons, colour changing LED’s and ‘smashing’ squash balls.

Several students have gained national and also international recognition this year in various Olympiad Competitions. The Junior Physics Challenge and Junior Astro Challenge continued to be popular with Second to Fourth Formers with ten Gold Awards across both competitions. In the Intermediate category (Fourth to Fifth Form) six students received Gold Awards in the online competition and three in the main competition. Yuvan Raja 4B performed so well he was invited to receive a National Award at the Royal Society in the summer. Five Lower

Fifth Form students enjoying a Physics dissection

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11/12/2023 16:22:27

Freddie Weir L6-5 celebrating his Gold Medal at the International Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad

Sixth Formers were awarded Gold in the Senior Physics Challenge. It was at the top of the school in the full Olympiads where RGS students achieved unprecedented success.

No fewer than seven RGS students performed so well in the first round to be invited through to the second round of just over 100 students nationwide. In the second round Freddie Weir L6-5, Efé Görgüner U6-2, Michael Wu U6-7, Janek Czarnek U6-2 and Thomas Thevenon U6-5 were awarded Silver with Gold for Owen Marlovits U6-5 and Andrew Zhang U6-13. Andrew was invited as part of the top 20 in the country to the selection camp for the national team, narrowly missing out on selection but receiving an award at the Royal Society. In the Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad, Freddie Weir and Thomas Thevenon received Golds, with Freddie ultimately being selected to represent the British team at the International Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad in Poland.

He achieved a Gold Award there too, alongside all of his British team-mates to place the National Team top of the medal table for the first time.

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However it is not individual success but the record levels of participation in all competitions that gives me greatest satisfaction; congratulations to everyone who had a go at these challenging competitions.

Easter means the Student Robotics Competition, and as usual Mr Holland is transformed from

mild-mannered electronics teacher to ultra-competitive team manager.

Helped by Mr Burbidge and a team of Owen Marlovits U6-5, Aaron Chamberlain U6-12, Freddie Weir L6-5, Rex Attwood L6-8, Gabriel Correia L6-12 and Robert Storey L6-9 they placed 3rd in the league stages but were unfortunately knocked out (literally) on the wrong end of a collision with another robot in the later stages of the competition.

The year rounded off with the traditional Fourth Form engineering trip, a fitting end to Dr Patel’s time at the RGS. The trip took in aviation engineering at RAF Cosford, the industrial revolution at Ironbridge, rollercoaster engineering at Alton Towers and the National Space Centre in Leicestershire, showcasing the varied and exciting applications of the subject in all walks of life.

Mr JP Hood - Head of Physics

Fourth Form students on the engineering trip at Jodrell Bank

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ACADEMIC

CLASSICS The Arch of Titus in Rome

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famed for its gardens and water features, the group travelled by coach to Sorrento in the Bay of Naples. The itinerary in the Bay of Naples included visits to Herculaneum and Mount Vesuvius, a full day in Pompeii and a day trip to the island of Capri. Other highlights included tasting the delights of the Italian gelaterias, an evening meal in a local pizza restaurant and exploring the streets of Sorrento in the evenings. We look forward to our next overseas Classics trip to Greece in March 2024.

ndoubtedly the highlight of the Classics year in 2022 to 23 was the trip in March to Italy, which was our first overseas trip for several years due to the pandemic. In the first week of the Easter holidays we took a group of 81 students to Rome and the Bay of Naples to explore the Classical sites and experience the culture of Italy.

We visited many spectacular sites in Rome including the Roman Forum, the Baths of Caracalla, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, Castel Sant’Angelo and St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City. After visiting the beautiful Villa D’Este,

Queuing to enter St Peter's Basilica in Rome

Lunch in the theatre at Pompeii

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Herculaneum

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Junior Classics Society - vase painting

The Department hosted two external Classics lectures this year.

Professor Tim Whitmarsh, the Senior Classics Professor at Cambridge University gave an excellent lecture on ancient and modern migration; and Dr Ben Kolbeck, also from Cambridge University, spoke on life, death and politics in Pompeii, which gave the students going on the Classics trip to Italy a perfect insight into this most fascinating of Roman towns.

My thanks go to Dr Fanti-Byrne for running the Senior Classics Society and organising these lectures.

In the Michaelmas Term RGS hosted the Guildford Classical Association general knowledge quiz, Certamen. A number of local schools took part and several of the RGS teams won their age group. The competition was a great opportunity for like-minded students to test their Classical knowledge! At the end of the Michaelmas Term, our Sixth Form Classicists took part in a pizza and quiz night at GHS, and one of the RGS teams, ably led by Aidan Beaumont, beat the GHS and St. Catherine’s teams in the Classics quiz.

It was great to see the senior students showing their passion for Classics, and winning the competition!

The Lent Term saw the Guildford Classical Association Latin and Greek reading competition, held this year www.rgsg.co.uk

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at St Catherine’s, Bramley. We had several groups of students taking part, from the First Form right up to the Sixth Form. It was a great day which gave the students the opportunity to mix with Classicists from other schools. Well done to all the students who took part in the competition!

In the Summer Term Mr Nathan organised a theatre trip to Soho Place in London to watch Euripides’ Medea.

Sophie Okonedo was magnificent playing the terrifying and brutal Medea and the students and staff enjoyed watching Greek tragedy at its very best.

Mrs Besly-Quick joined forces with the Mrs Wilson from the MFL Department to coach the students for the Linguistics Olympiad. Junior and senior students took part and enjoyed the weekly sessions and a number of students entered the competition at the end of the year. Mr Palmer ran the weekly Junior Classics Society and the activities, including vase painting, story-telling, origami, and Roman food were both entertaining and informative.

My thanks go to both the staff and students for their hard work and enthusiasm this year, both in and out of the classroom. Particular mention, however, should go to Mrs Besly-Quick, who has left the RGS after ten years to lead the Classics and Modern Languages Departments at Shrewsbury House School. Sarah is one of the best teachers I have had the good fortune to work with and her inspiration, love of Classics and sense of humour will be sorely missed.

I thank her for everything she has done for the Department and wish her and her family well for the future.

Mr EKD Bush - Head of Classics

The Certamen Quiz Winners

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ACADEMIC

ECONOMICS Whilst grappling with National and Global Economic events kept our students in the Classroom, we were once again able to offer a range of opportunities to enrich our students Economics education outside of it.

Residential trip to Amsterdam and Brussels

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ndoubtedly the highlight of the year, was the chance to take 33 of Economics students on our first International trip since 2019, combining visits to Amsterdam and Brussels. With a packed schedule from morning till night, we delved into various aspects of economics in both cities.

Amsterdam provided a fascinating backdrop for our exploration.

Expertly led by our guides, we learnt the difficulties the city has managing its decriminalized industries. Our students were then left in a room full of valuable diamonds, before being led off to the city dungeons! Mr Chapman played the hero, leading us to escape on a boat through Amsterdam's canals. Along the way, Mr Wright ensured our appetites were satisfied by introducing us to the diverse small businesses housed in Europe's largest food hall. And Mr Stratford added a touch of adventure, hanging off the edge of the Amsterdam Lookout Tower to take in the captivating nighttime views.

The following day, we had the awe-inspiring opportunity to witness the world's largest flower auction at

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Royal Flora Holland.

From a vantage point above the bustling warehouse highways, we observed the live auction, leaving us in awe of the immense scale.

In Brussels, we explored the National Bank of Belgium, delving into the history of money and central banking. The highlight of our visit was hearing from a senior civil servant at the European Commission, who provided valuable insights into the UK's absence from the organisation. In addition to these educational visits, we indulged in the delicious offerings of Belgium, visiting an artisan chocolatier and the renowned Stella Artois brewery to learn about their production processes. We also made time for cultural experiences, including visits to the AutoWorld museum, the Antwerp port, the Hard Rock Café, a historic moules et frites restaurant, a bowling alley, and an exciting escape room.

Stella group

Overall, this trip proved to be a fantastic opportunity for our students to witness the real-world applications of economics, explore diverse industries, and gain valuable insights into international institutions. It was a fulfilling and exhaustive experience that will leave a lasting impact on their understanding of the subject.

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Following feedback from our students, we were keen to include more opportunities for them to learn about finance and financial markets this year, and were grateful to Amplify Trading who came in to not only discuss Ethical Finance with

Amplify Trading

European Commission

our Upper Sixth, but also allow our students to try their hand at trading via their professional simulator. Our students spent a frantic two hours trading shares in companies like Meta, Apple, and Tesla, competing with each other to see who could offer the best returns whilst managing their risk responsibility. Although it was all a bit of fun, it was revealing to spot a few who may have found their future calling.

In the summer term our Lower Sixth students were fortunate enough to be given a talk by Mr Wright and Mr Presley, that covered much and introduced many of the financial decisions they will encounter after they leave the RGS. Mr JD Stratford - Head of Economics

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GEOGRAPHY This year the Geography Department welcomed two new members of staff Mrs Tarasewicz and Mrs Woodman.

Lulworth Group

Our primary school visitors left with a greater understanding of the complexities and inequalities that persist in international trade.

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n the First Form, we have enjoyed teaching a new course on Africa. As part of this, we welcomed Mr Dipo Faloyin, author of Africa is Not a Country and a senior editor at VICE, to speak to the First and Fourth Form. He spoke on a wide range of issues related to Africa, including the importance of challenging stereotypes and the impact of colonisation. In the Michaelmas Term, Mrs Woodman and Mrs Waters enjoyed hosting the first of the humanities masterclasses where, with the help of some

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Upper Sixth students, we played a dynamic version on the ‘trade game.’ that our primary school visitors left with a greater understanding of the complexities and inequalities that persist in international trade.

Other highlights of the year include our field trips. In October we took 36 members of the Lower Sixth to Dorset. The forecast wind and rain never materialised, so it was a real treat to visit Studland, Weymouth, Ringstead and Swanage in glorious sunshine. Sitting above Stair Hole never fails to inspire students and staff alike. Running the trip at this time of year helped to free up teaching time in the Trinity Term, which we definitely feel was a benefit to the Lower Sixth when planning their NEAs.

Levelling

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ACADEMIC Levers Water above Coniston

We returned to the Lakes with 86 Third Form students in May. Our new programme included a day examining the impact of tourism in Ambleside (which included a crazy golf tournament and a cruise on Lake Windermere to Bowness), followed by a day in the hills, hiking up to Levers Water above Coniston.

This was complimented by visits to the beach in Grange-Over-Sands

and lots of adventurous activities in the FSC centre which included high ropes, orienteering and tackling an obstacle course. Glorious sunshine accompanied the whole trip. My sincere thanks to all those staff who gave up part of their Half Term to join us: Mr Fishpool, Mr Cowx, Mrs Tarasewicz, Mrs Woodman, Mr Holliday, Dr Patel and Mr Baggs.

Mrs RG Waters

Taking a break in Ambleside

Mr Cowx hole in one

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HISTORY

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he passing of Her Majesty the Queen has felt particularly poignant this academic year as half of our A Level course is on Modern Britain 1951-2007. We consider the drastic change Britain underwent during her reign, as well as the Britain’s relationship with the monarchy.

Watching the funeral and reading the accompanying pieces on her reign really brought home how she gave a large degree of stability to turbulent times in this country’s recent past.

Simliarly the pomp and ceremony that surrounded the Coronation, and all the archaic rituals that accompany it, serve to remind us all of this nations deep and complex history. Regardless of ones position on the monarchy, it is hard not to be impressed by the

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weight of history and fascinating tales that accompany rituals and the objects that were used in the Coronation.

The stories behind some of these objects demonstrate the fascination that history holds: the legends behind the biblical origins of the Stone of Scone, its use in crowning Irish and Scottish Kings before being stolen by Edward I, and then centuries later by a group of students; the fact that the Coronation Spoon for the Holy Oil was first recorded during the Black Death as a spoon of ‘antique forme’ and has anointed many a monarch.

These are but just two glimpses of the rich and broad History that this nation has. This is what fires the imaginations of the teachers in the Department and the students who we have the pleasure of teaching.

The work of our students continues to impress me.

In the Autumn Term Joshua Inglesfield U6-2 competed in the Historical Association’s Great Debate. The competition in the heat was strong, and whilst he unfortunately did not progress to the next stage, I very much enjoyed him discussing

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his family history and linking this to the growth and change of Manchester. Peter Jansen U6-9 wrote a highly interesting and original essay on the 1869 Habitual Criminals Act, a rather niche and very unusual subject. This piece of work received a certificate of commendation from Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.

One of the highlights of last year was taking Third and Fourth Formers to the Battlefields in Belgium. This is a very well-trodden route for all history teachers, however, we decided to change how we conducted the trip.

The Third Form do a warfare unit from the Battle of Waterloo to World

War 1 and therefore we were able to not only take the students round the trenches of the Ypres Salient, but we were also able to visit the site of the Battle of Waterloo and the newly refurbished museum. Being able to visit Napoleon’s headquarters and stand on the ridge where Wellington’s soldiers formed their infantry squares brought so much richness to the battle which students had previously had to envisage from accounts and maps. I know that both students and teachers very much enjoyed this trip and took a lot out of it.

Mr JM Davies - Head of History

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ACADEMIC

MODERN LANGUAGES It was another busy year in the MFL Department with trips returning after Covid and staff putting on a great many activities to stimulate interest and promote understanding of cultures from around the world. Outstanding among many academic achievements was Dev Atara’s victory in the School’s ILA competition with his essay on the Catalan independence movement viewed through the lens of contemporary culture. Nosotros estamos orgullosos de ti, Dev! Here is a compilation of our other highlights in 2022-23 Third and Fourth Form Trip to Château de la Baudonnière

Trips & Outings Sixth Form Spanish trip to Granada

Mrs Wilson and I took 12 Spanish A Level students to the beautiful city of Granada for six days for a full language emersion experience. The schedule combined language lessons and a number of cultural visits.

We toured the old Arabic quarter, took a flamenco class, visited the Alhambra, made an impromptu visit to the beach and spent one full day in Seville. The weather was glorious and the students loved the atmosphere on the busy streets in the evenings before they were sent back to their homestay hosts for a typically late dinner. The group was superbly motivated and spoke Spanish all the time which resulted in some lovely comments from their teachers, guides and the families about the quality of their language. Their fluency came along really well as a result.

Mr SJ Baker - Teacher of Spanish

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37 Third and Fourth Formers travelled to Normandy against all odds of ferry failures and strikes in France. We arrived unscathed for dinner time and were given a thorough tour of the grounds and fire drills in the driving rain. We were overjoyed. The next day brought the sun and the students enjoyed rigorous assault courses, fencing challenges, orienteering, meals, all in French. Our trip to Le Mont St Michel was a particular highlight as we were given a tour through marshlands and experienced the quick sands in a beautiful setting with a backdrop of the Abbey in the far distance. The students spoke a great deal of French, made friends with their French peers and had a week creating special memories. I have done this trip umpteen times but this was my favourite due to the nature of our students and their tireless enthusiasm to embrace adventure.

A fantastic week. Mr Burbidge, Miss Anderson and Mrs Farthing: merci beaucoup! C’était formidable.

Mrs N Crivalleri - Head of MFL

Second Form Trip to Catalonia

43 Second Form Spanish students visited Catalonia in the Easter holidays for 5 wonderful days of Spanish sun, activities, and food! We jetted off to Barcelona and travelled from there to our activity centre close to Girona.

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a particularly popular visit. On our penultimate day we had a fascinating excursion to the Olympic stadium, home to football team Hertha Berlin which we were lucky to observe in training. This was followed by a stroll along the East Side Gallery, a 1.3km stretch of the Berlin Wall, taking in its iconic murals. The evening involved a couple of games of bowling and a traditional dinner of Currywurst large and small. On the final morning there was just enough time for a Ritter in their dorms and we spent the afternoon getting to know the site and enjoying Spanish language activities.

Over the next few days, students enjoyed activities with the monitores in Spanish, Spanish lessons, a day trip to Barcelona where we visited the Camp Nou, enjoyed a lovely tapas lunch, visited the Sagrada Familia cathedral, indulged in ice creams and visited the Boqueria Market where students were able to purchase a selection of wonderful Spanish treats.

We also enjoyed singing Spanish songs before bedtime and we were treated to a disco on the last night and an amazing giant octopus and prawn paella. All students were great fun, engaged, caring, easy to talk to and a real pleasure to spend time with. I would like to thank the amazing team who joined me in accompanying the group. These trips serve as a fantastic reminder of how lucky we are to work with such wonderful colleagues and students.

Miss G Spencer - Teacher of French and Spanish

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Third and Fourth Form German Trip to Berlin

Thanks to an EasyJet flight cancellation the Third and Fourth Form Germanists travelled a day earlier to Berlin, meaning they benefited from an extra day’s sightseeing in this fascinating city. The first day saw a walking tour of the historic city centre, followed by a graffiti workshop on a remaining section of the Berlin Wall; the iconic TV tower (Fernsehturm) in sight, the students left their mark on

Sport chocolate workshop and the chance to create two new flavours.

The students acquitted themselves very well and showed resilience in the face of some baking temperatures.

Many thanks to Mr Lemaire and Mr McCarter for helping the visit to run so smoothly.

Dr M Creagh - Teacher of French and German

Berlin by spray painting the colourful slogan ‘Fernsehturm RGS 2023’. Day two saw a relaxed cruise along the river Spree, followed by visits to the Holocaust Memorial, Reichstag and GDR museum, culminating in an ascent of the TV tower. On the middle day we visited the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, its broken spire symbolising the destructiveness of war, followed by a guided tour of the Hohenschönhausen former Stasi prison. This was neatly followed by a turn around the German Spy Museum, THE GUILDFORDIAN 2023

Fourth and Sixth Form French & German Trips to the BFI

40 Fourth Form French students attended a lecture at the British Film Institute which dealt with the complex issues of identity, integration and assimilation of cultures across the Francophone world. Students were able to reflect on the complexities that young people face in France due to global and historic migrations across the French speaking world, deeply rooted in unrest, war, poverty, racism.

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ACADEMIC the film we currently study at A Level, Das Leben der Anderen, as well as other films where the GDR plays an important part such as Goodbye Lenin, Sonnenallee and Balloon. Students were asked to share their opinions in German and to have group discussions and we were proud when many of them answered questions in German in front of all the other students and their teachers. In the afternoon, there was a screening of Goodbye Lenin.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable day which will have inspired all the Germanists to write even better analytical essays with a wide range of appropriate film terminology.

tradition and difference through the study of short films - certainly a powerful tool for young minds. Our students made some outstanding contributions to the discussion in front of over 600 students from across London. A few said they felt it gave them a taste of what it would be like to study French at A Level. Another successful day out for our French students!

Mrs N Crivellari & Mrs M McCarter Head of German

Languages Enrichment In And Around Guildford MFL Play – 'Les Misérables s’invitent à la RGS', Adapted from Victor Hugo’s Original Novel

Fourth Form Germanists also visited the BFI Imax Theatre to enjoy an interactive workshop looking at Identity and Culture. Film excerpts, trailers and advertisements were viewed and discussed using lots of new language. Themes discussed included clichés, prejudice and the role of Gastarbeiter from Turkey in Germany.

Meanwhile, our Lower Sixth French students attended a similar event at the BFI and deepened their knowledge of contemporary and new wave cinema in France during the 1950s and 60s. They learnt how this period in cinematic history was revolutionary, not only creating waves

in France, but also across the globe.

Many films since then, have been influenced by directors who broke from the conservative paradigm of film making. Students watched clips from iconic films from this period and enjoyed a lecture, conducted entirely in French inspiring them to approach film watching with a critical eye: observing how the use of camera, light, improvisation and sound help us to understand French society, politics and culture of the time. Film is a key player in modern language study both at A Level and Degree level, offering sound and visual literacy alongside critical thinking and analysis. This day, therefore, offered a great foundation for students’ further study.

To help with their A Level preparation, German students spent a very inspiring study day at the BFI Headquarters in London where they discussed the legacy of East Germany through film. During the morning session, they were encouraged to analyse a series of short film clips from

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To stage a school production of the iconic Les Misérables is daunting, to do this in a historic Tudor room and solely in French, with a number of students who are not studying the language, even more so! However, thanks to an innovative approach to production, performance and setting, the MFL Department staging of this powerful, emotive story proved an incredible success as the talented cast brought Victor Hugo’s original story vividly to life and did, indeed, prove to be unequivocal Masters of the House.

For a historic tale of French revolution - a time of loss and poverty, power and corruption - the atmospheric Big School provided the perfect setting: haunting shadows, creaking floorboards, evocative notes, moody lighting. Intimate in feel, with the actors in close proximity to the audience, the fluency and enunciation of the French script impressed throughout; to convey such emotion and nuance in French - whether through dialogue or the medium of song – was to the great credit of the committed cast.

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From the opening scene, the black-and-white, vintage-style film reel of Jean Valjean stealing a loaf in the cobbled streets of Guildford, the student-led production maintained the cohesion of the plot by balancing the key songs from the hit musical with brief dramatic vignettes, cleverly knitted together

by Freddie Andrews as the Narrator.

Alex Judge epitomised both the strength and tenderness of Jean Valjean setting the tone for a number of stand-out solo performances as he opened with Do You Hear The People Sing?

Familiar tracks were made all the poignant by being delivered in French: Oscar Ford as the benevolent bishop impressed; Aaron Venter proved suitably vulnerable and yet strong and defiant as the hapless

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absolutely captured the necessary energy and exuberance with James Nicholas as Monsieur Thénardier the crooked innkeeper sparkling alongside the convincing Parus Mehra (as his wife). As the story reached its climax, Luke Galpin was particularly effective as Inspecteur Javert capturing the ruthless inflexibility of a man who obstinately adheres to authority and obedience to the law: his rendition of Javert’s suicide was incredibly powerful and stirring.

This exceptional cast, under the direction of Monsieur Marchiafava, Miss Wild and Miss Hamonic, delivered plenty of passion, engaging performances and rousing, heartfelt vocals that – with the proximity of the audience – fully immersed each individual in the experience and proved to be a memorable and powerful production. A true classic indeed. Nay, a tour de force.

Bravo!

Mr J Pressley - Senior Master

Fantine, with I Dreamed a Dream capturing perfectly the despair and isolation of the character; while Freddy Masefield’s touching rendition of Castle On A Cloud encapsulated the sweet, naïve innocence of Cosette. In contrast, the high-tempo, ebullient Master of the House scene

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ACADEMIC MFL Speed Debating

On Tuesday 10 January, we welcomed Woking College students of German and Spanish for an MFL ‘Speed-debating’ event. Although numbers were limited on this occasion due to other schools starting later this term, we still had several keen linguists.

The evening started with delicious snacks from our superb Catering Department with some easy conversation starters helping to ease us into more challenging topics. Some of the more current and controversial issues included Celebrities Charity Work and their intentions, Is Monarchy Outdated? and New Structures Families We Have In Our Society.

Once all students conquered their initial shyness, it was pleasing to hear strong arguments put forward on both sides, when students had to defend a position different to their own beliefs, thus forcing them to consider and evaluate a more balanced view. This can be intimidating in one’s own language, let alone when learning a foreign language.

A huge thank you to my enthusiastic colleagues Dr Creagh, Miss Spencer, Mrs Rathmell and Mrs Aziz for their support, joining in with debates against students, and good humour.

Japanese Culture Day

Culture and today, Extra-Curricular Languages (Japanese) have embraced these by dressing up the T floor and launching a Quiz.

• •

Japanese Calligraphy A poetry song competition A Sixth Form cookery evening at St Catherine’s School The ever-popular Languages Café where all food must beordered in the appropriate language.

Festivities were enhanced by Mrs Wilson’s amazing decoration of the MFL Department with bunting and flags a-plenty!

German Bake Off

Familiar sightings of Pikachu and No Face, together with an array of displays promoting Japanese cultural heritage were on display. We are grateful to the Rikkyo School for sharing their artifacts for displays.

Doumo Arigatou (どうもありがとう) Mrs N Wilson - Teacher of Spanish

Fun Stuff

Japan, the land of the rising sun and a country rich and full of a diverse and vibrant culture, is where the old meets the new.

Every year on November 3rd, the nation gathers to celebrate, with festivities across the land promoting culture, the arts and academic endeavour. 'Bunka no Hi', 文化の 日, (literally ‘Culture Day’) coincides with Education and Culture Week, when schools and universities also take part to deepen the interest and understanding of their own culture, academia and arts. These celebrations capture Japan’s engagement to preserve traditional Japanese

In what has now become a favourite tradition of the school, students enjoyed a huge range of stimulating activities during RGS Languages Week in September.

Timed to coincide with European Day of Languages, the events included: • Assemblies • Arabic food tasting and arabesque sessions • An introduction to singing in French • Gingerbread decorating • German Oktoberfest-style celebration (minus the beer!)

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RGS Languages Week 2022

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and has survived the middle ages, the French Revolution and two world wars. Océane Hamonic, our lovely assistante française is busy baking the delicious galettes for students throughout this week, celebrating in the traditional way. A little figurine is hidden in each galette and the person who gets the slice with it in, becomes a king for the day! Today’s king was Kai in U6! Félicitations, Kai! Mrs N Crivellari

Someone must have told the students that the MFL Department likes cake, 43 Germanists produced some of the finest German, Austrian and Swiss cakes Surrey has ever seen.

There was Black Forest Gateau, Apple Strudel, German Cheese Cake, Swiss Roll, Marble Cake, Linzer Torte and much much more. In addition to the popular ‘traditional cake’ category, the theme of Unity attracted several creative and thoughtful entries. We were excited to welcome an expert team of judges best placed to evaluate the authenticity and taste of the cakes: Mrs Busby, Mr Hanak-Hammerl, Mrs Jones and Mr Prasuhn. They did a superb job sampling as many cakes as was humanly possible, before agreeing on the two outstanding winners.

The driving force behind this first ever RGS Great German Bake Off was the Lower Sixth Germanists’ entry into the German Oxford Network competition which requires them to organise a Bake Off and produce a video of the highlights. Having filmed themselves baking their cakes at home before interviewing the judges in German, they will now produce a four-minute video showcasing their language skills and capturing the fun of the event. We wish them luck.

Dr M Creagh - Teacher of German

Galette Des Rois

Chanuka Party

The RGS Jewish Society, in conjunction with MFL society, enjoyed a Chanuka party by playing traditional 'dreidl' games and learning about the meaning of the Hebrew letters on the 'dreidl' spinning top.

Two of our Jewish Second Form students taught the others about the Chanuka story and about why it means we eat donuts (before, of course, eating some donuts!).

Mr S Baker - Teacher of Spanish

The Department celebrated the French tradition of the Galette des Rois. In France, Galettes (tarts) are eaten all through January and begins on the January 6 to celebrate the Epiphany. This tradition in fact originates from the Roman empire

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ACADEMIC

PHYSICAL EDUCATION As the year drew to a close, the Academic Physical Education Department reflected on another superb year, for our ever growing cohorts of GCSE and A Level students, here at the RGS.

A

ll our students continued to thrive in the classroom, under the stewardship of the Academic Physical Education staff, and benefitted greatly from the vast array of experience of the RGS Sports Department. Thank you to Mr B Dudley, Mr C Mullon and Mr RC Black, who continue to contribute enormously through their programmes to support the students being assessed in rugby, hockey and cricket. A special thank you must also go to Mrs GM Richards, Mr SL Dennett, Mr SJH Yetman, Mr RD Crewe and Mr JC Witts, for the time they have given coaching and assessing the students in athletics, basketball, skiing, swimming and sailing respectively.

Mr ST Walsh continued to support the athletic performance of our cohorts through the strength and conditioning programme. This undoubtedly greatly enhances the students’ athletic capabilities, and thus assists them in reaching their potential in their chosen practical activities.

With forty-eight students currently opting to take GCSE Physical Education, we were thrilled to welcome Mr SD Gaynor to join Mr JDN Lythgoe and Mr GDG Cover on the academic teaching staff. The students spent the year building their knowledge around topics, such as anatomy and nutrition, within the world of physical activity and sport.

We were excited to see such growth in the numbers of students opting to take this GCSE, and have been

further buoyed by the fact that in the 2023-24 academic year, there will be sixty students studying GCSE Physical Education.

As a way of consolidating knowledge, the students completed a project related to each field of study.

Below is an excellent example of one of their movement analysis projects.

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A movement analysis of a cricketer – Alex Kay 4H

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led by Dr David King and included the As the students enter the Fifth students administering and being subject Form, they begin to examine both the to a number of different physiological tests. psychology and sociology of sport. In I would like to psychology, topics such as arousal and take this opportunity to The use of light gates, spirometer traces and VO2 max testing equipment, gave the stress management gave students an thank the Upper Sixth students an invaluable understanding of insight into the pressures around sports performance, and critically, outlined ways Form A Level Physical how components of fitness can be tested in laboratory conditions. in which these pressures can be managed.

Education cohort As we say goodbye to our outgoing In the field of sociology, the students for their diligence, Upper Sixth Form students, I would like to examined the barriers to participation in physical activity and sport, investigating commitment and good take this opportunity to thank the Upper which groups of society are affected and humour; they have Sixth Form A Level Physical Education cohort for their diligence, commitment and how these inequalities can be rectified. been a pleasure to good humour; they have been a pleasure to As always, a highlight for our A teach.

Level Physical Education students, teach. was our visit to the Surrey Human Mr JDN Lythgoe - Head of Physical Education Performance Centre. The day was

Setting up for a VO2 max test performed on a treadmill – Charlie Walker L6-8 www.rgsg.co.uk

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ACADEMIC

POLITICS One year, it would be lovely to have little to say about the political world around us. Unfortunately, 2022-23 has proved as tumultuous as the two previous years.

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n the UK we have seen three Prime Ministers; a governing political party in obvious turmoil, struggling to bring the country out of Covid times, an economy undermined by the Ukraine War, and the ongoing issues with how Brexit can work. The trials and tribulations of mini-budgets, partygate and privileges committees, intertwined with the psycho-drama of Boris Johnson’s departure from Westminster, have overlayed a time of economic hardship, inflation and strikes for the wider population.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic another Presidential election looms large in 2024. The invisible primaries have been well and truly launched with Joe Biden planning to re-run, to face off his arch nemesis, Donald Trump. As I write, Trump is on to his second indictment of the year with the possibility of jail time due to the classified documents stored in a Mar e Lago bathroom; and most recently indicted in Georgia for attempting to influence the state-run election process. And yet the Constitution could still allow him to win the Republican Party nomination next year and potentially become the next President… at a time when the handling of Russia and China needs to be in the most capable hands…

At the RGS, the political clock ticks on too. Another tranche of students got their A Levels, this the first time ‘back to normal’ after Covid.

A cluster have once again chosen to continue their political studies at university, and made their presences felt on campuses up and down the

land, from Durham in the North to Oxford in the Midlands, to Exeter in the South West. This academic year, we have also seen several students enter various essay competitions, with Josh Inglesfield L6-2, George Aspden L6-7 and William Glenister L6-3 winning prizes: from 4500 entrants, Josh was shortlisted by Northeastern University for a piece exploring whether or not young people should get the vote; George won one of the major prizes in an Exeter University Politics competition, producing a presentation on the value of referendums; Willam was highly commended in the Trinity College, Cambridge R.A Butler Essay Prize, writing about deglobalisation... Josh,

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of ILAs on political topics. In 2022, Gus Scadding’s U6-3 evaluation of whether anarchism can ever be separated from violence was highly commended, and he presented at the ILA Evening in September.

Lastly, we have managed to make two visits to the Houses of Parliament and the Supreme Court, with the Upper Sixth finally getting the opportunity, having missed out due to Covid in 2021. On both occasions, our local MP, Angela Richardson has spoken to us, and answered some understandably direct questions about life in the Westminster bubble.

We are also once again exploring the feasibility of a Washington DC trip in the future... watch this space.

'Perception of Anarchism' - Gus Scadding U6-3

in his role writing for The 1509, also interviewed Simon Case, the current Cabinet Secretary, and Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor - two fascinating and insightful articles about life in Westminster. The end of the academic year also sees a whole raft

And so, whilst the wider political world will undoubtedly continue to be unstable, Politics at the RGS will hopefully remain blissfully the opposite.

Mr TJJ Owens - Head of Politics

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RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY

T

he school year began with another set of exceptional GCSE and Pre-U results, a fitting tribute to the hard work of the students and their teachers. By the end of the year we had said goodbye not only to the Department’s first set of A Level students for six years, but also to our much valued colleagues Mr Winterburn and Mr Herman-Wilson; the latter of whom was replaced for two terms by OG and star Religion & Philosophy student, Mr Tench.

The Michaelmas Term saw a fun Religion and Philosophy Masterclass, in which we welcomed a group of excited and keen primary school children who participated in a morning’s study of religious identity with great success and enthusiasm.

After some creative and inspiring talks, discussions and activities, the children produced some fascinating artwork as well as thoughtful insights into the nature of religious practice.

Post Covid the number of academic institutions and companies making fuller use of digital communications, meant that students in the Lower and Upper Sixth were able to attend a number of Theology and Philosophy lectures from around the country to extend their studies beyond the confines of the curriculum that were delivered by world class academics.

The Department’s societies for Junior and Middle School students continued to flourish and to see excellent participation. Puzzle Club made some excellent progress in their

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work to complete and discuss very large and complex jigsaws of the Blue Mosque and the Sistine Chapel, and were clearly the most popular aspect of the Open Days when prospective students and their parents enjoyed

talking to the students about their jigsaws, and helping to add to their completion.

The three Theology and Philosophy Societies led by Mr Foster and Mr Winterburn showcased some superb debate on many of life’s ‘ultimate questions’. Many of the discussions were researched, presented and led by students themselves on topics such as Rawls’ Vale of Ignorance by Gabriel Meadowcroft, Christian Rock Music

by Tom Postance and Stuart Brown on Pragmatism, and these were especially enjoyable and thought-provoking.

Mr RB Meadowcroft - Head of Religion and Philosophy

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ACADEMIC

THE MALLISON LIBRARY

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iversity in reading habits is essential for success, not just in school subjects and in developing empathy for others, but also in literary quizzes. After several years of almost winning the CWIZZ, a competition organised by a group of children’s authors, RGS Team A triumphed at Emanuel School. Their victory means that, very excitingly, the School will be hosting the very first Surrey CWIZZ in November 2023, with teams from more than 15 other schools due to attend.

The opportunity to meet authors and hear them talk about their work is an important part of developing creativity and imagination.

In this year’s World Book Week we welcomed poet Harry Baker, who entertained his audience with poems about numbers, bees and dinosaurs, and novelist Tanya Landman, who talked about being inspired by forgotten stories in history. Later in the year, the adventurer, author and filmmaker Matt Dickinson spent a packed day sharing his experiences of climbing Everest and of exploring other perilous locations with all ages from First to Sixth Forms. We also organised the first ever RGS Book Fair in World Book Week, giving students the chance to browse a large range of reading matter before ordering their own copies.

The finished Memorial Flame

Harry Baker

Matt Dickinson

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Eurotoolbox Book Fair

The Library aims to be a safe and welcoming space for all members of the school, and we are committed to supporting the school value of Inclusivity. In the Lent Term we arranged to borrow the Eurotoolbox, a collection of books in other languages, and worked with the MFL Department to demonstrate the linguistic and cultural richness of Europe to the students. To mark Holocaust Memorial Day, we organised the creation of a collaged Memorial Flame to display in the Library window as a commemoration of victims of genocide. With the help of the Lower School Pastoral team, we

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ran the Show Racism the Red Card competition, and were able to submit entries to the national competition in all the main categories. We also arranged for students from RGS Pride to take part in #ReadWithPride, a national social media relay promoting LGBTQ+ literature for young adults.

Finally, this year saw the launch of Off The Shelf, a termly newsletter, and of our Instagram account (rgsglibrary); follow us for more news through the year.

Mrs TF Farthing - Head of Library

Making the Memorial Flame

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ACADEMIC National Poetry Day Causing extinction Then after noon that day Little Rabbit heard upon the way cries of laughter Not from playing lamb But monstrous bipedal beast Come to meddle in business beyond its reach As Little Rabbit came t' open field There were no toads, crickets, far away mountain But roads, picket fence, picturesque fountain No animals to be found here But shouts of 'Pest' did appear with shots and bangs Little Rabbit fled, fearful of these inanimal things Who came and cov'ed up open field To whom all nature would soon yield

When I think of a rain forest I Think of the things that can fly And the things that can climb They're simply sublime And we're causing them all to die.

When I think of the deep ocean blue I think of the things that are new Lest we forget The things we have met We are causing to become very few.

When I think of a high mountain pass And the creatures carved of the stars Like Ursa the bear And Lepus the hare And we are causing them all not to last.

As Little Rabbit sped home that day, through muddy ditch, past towering brick Little Rabbit came home sick From a thick black smog that replaced the air Choked, blinded, covered the ground Little Rabbit wished t'see old oak tree, the glade intact But all t'was left was smoking mass The heat had burnt through the grass The wall of fire retreated hence Away from building, human fence To consume the forest, turn to ash Till naught was left but char and trash

So do what you can to protect The creatures we should all respect or else we will find That the fate of mankind Will be irreparably wrecked.

Timmy Hatch 1P

Little Rabbit Little Rabbit hop-skips through the long grass Past flowing river, open field, and old oak tree As Little Rabbit enters glade to munch on clover, ne'er afraid It settles down to rest its eyes in diminished light which heralds in the restful night But one morn not long ago Little Rabbit woke to quench its longing thirst And ran towards flowing river, through hedge, over thorns, under gnarly roots upon the bank Little Rabbit saw no flowing river, no swimming fish, no croaking frog but a great, imposing limestone wall to block and stop the waterfall Now River was naught but air Dried up mud, dead fish everywhere So Little rabbit could no longer drink Lively forest was on the brink

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Now lively forest was gone to dust But hope still lingered, for in one future As out of stump, mound, and dirt alike Came sprout and shoot and such the like For the humans had not come to plunder But to rewind, regrow, reveal what was under So all animals within the wood Can live the way that nature should Beyond the vale of futures past and tales to tell Within the glade amongst the grass, buttercup, and bluebell Lies Little Rabbit Not parched, nor shot, nor burnt to ash But peaceful, happy once at last To feel its soul slip to the past Daniel Ward 4H

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Show Racism the Red Card Show Racism the Red Card

The Oak Tree It started out as a seed out of many Settling beside its brethren.

A single sprout can be discerned, Amongst the endless green pasture.

To what will become a meadow, Made from one but now for all, An Oak Tree.

The wildlife came in spades: Birds settled upon its head, Whilst squirrels rested within its ribs, And the foxes rested at its feet.

Although from humble beginnings It became a home to all, An Oak Tree.

Before long people took refuge here And covered the green pasture With the greyish cobbled roads for carts, Made from the same wood.

They only left one standing.

At the centre of it all, An Oak Tree.

Racism, Racism!

Flash the Red card!

After all, do you want to be scarred?

Hurt, put down, bullied or worse!

Because you're from a country on Earth.

Racism, Racism!

Flash the red card!

This is not something to discard.

Making sure we're unified.

Never having to go and hide.

Racism, Racism!

Flash the red card!

After all, you're on guard.

Because together, bit by bit We can eventually stop it.

Edward Haley 2C

Nowadays the buildings occupied the sky, They switched cobble for bitumen And switched carriages for cars.

No life could be found Within its waning frame And yet it stood against it all, An Oak Tree.

Seb Zabarte L6

Owen Maiden - T-Shirt - First Form

With the help of the Lower School Pastoral team, we ran the Show Racism the Red Card competition, and were able to submit entries to the national competition in all the main categories.

Sam Weight - Art - First Form

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the creative

Art

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he Art Department has been a hive of activity this year, with: visiting artists, trips, clubs and societies, art scholarship, art outreach events, competitions, exhibitions, set design… and… that’s before even mentioning the incredible work produced during lesson time! We have been linking projects to other departments in the school and making sure our gallery screen platforms what is going on in the artworld at the moment. In the following pages you will see a plethora of ideas explored and mediums used by extremely creative and committed students, giving so much of their time and energy to produce exquisite work. Mrs Wood, Mr Trim, Ms Khan-Evans, Mr Davidge and I were extremely proud and exhilarated to open up the studios to the RGS community during our Summer Art Exhibition in July, people poured through the doors and were in awe of the brilliant junior and exam work on display. The Art Department hope you enjoy viewing a small selection of the wonderful students’ art produced this year in the following pages.

Mrs RF Shepherd - Head of Art

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A Level 3

1 Will Eyles U6-12 Final Coursework 2 Exam Final 3 Harvey Laing U6-4 Final Exam 4 Final Coursework 5 Yingji Li U6-3 Final Coursework 6 Exam Final

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Art A Level

7 Emre Ozkan U6-3 Coursework Development 8 Final Coursework 9 Exam Final

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A Level 10

10 Mattia Santoni U6-2 Final Coursework 11 Exam Final

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Art GCSE 1

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1 Aidan Alvi 5P Coursework Final 2 Coursework Development 3 Prisma Lamps 4 Exam Final Piece

5 William Bayne 5V Exam Final 6 Development Work 7 Pencil Chillies 8 Coursework Development 9 Coursework Development

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GCSE 9

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10 Ethan Davey 5B Exam Final 11 Coursework Final 12 Charlie Everitt 5N Exam Final 13 Exam Development 14 Development piece 15 Pastel Study 16 Pencil study of wood 17 Coursework Development 18 Pastel study 19 Wolf

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Art GCSE 20

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20 Brendan Huo 5N Coursework Final 21 Exam Final 22 Cat Study 23 Olly Munday 5P Coursework Final 24 Exam Final 25 Coursework Final 26 Daniel Pocock 5B Exam Final

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GCSE 27

27 Arthur Taylor 5P Coursework Final 28 Sketchbook Piece 29 Coursework Development 30 Exam Final 31 Mannequin Painting 32 Exam Development 33 Exam Final

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Art GCSE

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33 Archie Secrett 5V Coursework Development 34 Development 35 Development 36 Coursework Development 37 Coursework 38 Final Coursework 39 Exam Final

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GCSE

40 Filip Sprag 5B Coursework Development 41 Exam Final 42 Coursework Development

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43 Joe Thorneycroft 5N Pencil Study 44 Exam Final 45 Coursework Development 46 Coursework Development 41

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Art GCSE 38

38 Filip Wang 5N Etching Prints 39 Coursework Final 40 Exam Final 41 Mannequin Study

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GCSE 42

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42 George Wilson 5A Can Print 43 Coursework Final 44 Exam Final 45 Denver Zhang 5H Exam Final Piece 46 Coursework Final Piece

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Art Junior 1

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1 Hugh Bayne, William Boyes, Archie Taylor, Edward Percy 1E - Ceramic Tiki Masks 2 Tom Douthett 2C Jim Dine inspired ink drawing 3 Nathaniel Horrocks 1E collagraph print 4 Fin Burns 2C Pen & Ink Still Life Drawing 5 Second Form Etchings

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Junior

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6 Stirling Gauld 3P Squid Ceramic Coil Pot 7 Tom Hargreaves 3E Cubist - Mixed Media 8 Oscar Liu 3C Cubist - Mixed Media 9 Chen Liang 3R Pop Art Coke Can

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Art Smoothy Competition

The winner of the Junior category: Theo Odhams 4H - Hammonde.

The winner of the Senior Category: William Morrow 2E - Hamonde.

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1 Theo Odhams 2E 2 William Morrow 4H

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Photography Competition

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3 1 Samuel Millington 2E Valpy Junior Digitally Manipulated Winner 2 Edward Lefever 2E Powell Junior Unedited Winner 3 Aaron Venter U6-12 Nettles Senior Digitally Manipulated Winner 4 Haris MacNicol L6-9 Nettles Senior Unedited Winner

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Art

Design and Technology A Level

KURT BRODERSEN U6-7 Kurt Brodersen designed and built a nice wall-mounted decorative light for a client. Kurt’s client was really into Minis and supplied him with various bits that Kurt was able to build into the piece. The red tapering forms for example were parts of the suspension from an old classic Mini.

The red track represents Goodwood racetrack. The red line was formed by resin encapsulating LED lights, and Kurt programed them to light up in sequence to seemingly race around the track.

OLIVER LYTLE U6-9 Oliver lytle produced a set of professional-looking adjustable stands for his client who often had to work on computers from hotel rooms and who needed a better way to be able to adjust his computer and tablet screens.

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GCSE

ARCHIE ROTHWELL 5N Archie Rothwell designed and made a lovely set of RGS themed souvenir bookmarks in a box to be sold in a gift shop.

CHARLIE CRABBE 5B Charlie Crabbe’s design for a dog bowl holder positions the bowl at a more comfortable height for a dog to drink and eat from. The curved elements were made using a laminating technique.

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Design and Technology Art

GCSE

CHARLIE LOCKE 5N Charlie Locke designed a modular shelving system.

ELLIOT KING 5P Elliot King produced a design for an adjustable phone holder.

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GCSE

FILIP SPRAGG 5B Filip Spragg’s design was a geometrical, modernist desktop storage system.

FRASER WILLIAMS 5A Fraser Williams came up with a design to control access to a mobile phone either because parents or users wanted to limit the amount of distraction caused by smart phone usage.

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Design and Technology Art

GCSE

JAMES BOWATER 5B James Bowater developed a system to enable bees to always access water.

JAMES RICHARDSON 5P James Richardson produced an electronic product with a timer designed to remind people when to take their fluids.

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GCSE

JOEL SELLERS 5P Joel Sellers designed a very beautiful, elegant, and functional desk mounted task light that positions into multiple configurations to light up a whole desk.

JONATHAN LEE 5H Jonathan Lee produced a packaged souvenir pencil sharpener in the shape of HMS Belfast to be sold on board the ship.

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Design and Technology Art

GCSE

JONTY BLOXHAM 5H Jonty Bloxham was concerned with animals being killed by cars and designed an illuminated road sign to alert car drivers.

JOSHUA MYERS 5H Joshua Myers designed a robotic environmental enrichment device for dispensing dog treats in a way that keeps them occupied and stimulated.

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GCSE

LIONEL D'SOUZA 5P Lionel D'Souza developed a way of easily adding additional storage space to an existing desk with a design for a hanging cupboard which slides over the edge of one’s current desk.

LUKE SMITH 5A Luke Smiths design was for an electromechanical device to automatically raise and lower blinds in a house based on the amount of light outside.

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Design and Technology Art GCSE

MICHAEL GONCHARUK 5B Michael Goncharuk developed a board game based on the RGS with tiles and gaming pieces featuring iconic elements from around the school.

PHOENIX KELLAH-NASH 5H Phoenix Kellah-Nash developed an interesting design for a coffee table to be sold as a souvenir which featured a resin cast decorative element CNC engraved into the top in the shape of Dorney Lake.

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GCSE

RUBEN PARTRIDGE 5H Ruben Partridge developed a system to solve the problem of burglars accessing door keys left in a door via a cat flap.

THOMAS DOWSON 5N Thomas Dowson produced some really interesting ergonomic pieces of product design to take forward the idea of a computer mouse so that it would have an integrated trackpad built in.

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Design and Technology Art

GCSE

THOMAS SONNENBERG 5A Thomas Sonnenberg designed an illuminated road sign to alert car drivers.

TOBY RATHMELL 5P Toby Rathmell was interested in the aesthetics of table lights and produced a beautiful, geometrical decorative light.

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GCSE

ZACH TINKLER 5A Zach Tinkler made an electromechanical design to shoot frisbees to exercise and entertain dogs.

ZAC WARHAM 5P Zac Warham developed a clever electronic product to alert chicken owners to the presence of foxes. It did this using artificial intelligence to identify foxes by analysing photos to identify the characteristic features of foxes rather than other animals.

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Design and Technology Art

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irst Form students worked on simple projects to develop their skills. Sam Kirby produced a really neat example of the adjustable surface project and Tate Brooker made an effective LED light with a beautiful bas-relief featuring nuts and a seashell.

We had lots of lovely designs for speakers made by Second Form students. Some really nice examples being illustrated. Joshua Broadbent formed the plastic into curves in three dimensions by wrapping the softened plastic around a form that he made. Theo Odhams produced a very interesting design using copper pipe.

The Third Form this year turned their hands to metal work for one of the projects and produced some lovely sculptural

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animals inspired by the work of the designer Charles Eames. The way that some of the students utilised the pop rivets to give details to the models was a nice touch.

The shaft of the rivet forming the beak of the hummingbird

by Stirling Gauld and the eyestalks of the snail by Oscar Engleman being good examples.

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Mr JB Kelly - Head of Design & Technology

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Art

Drama Lord of the Flies

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ichaelmas Term saw a long delayed version of Lord of the Flies staged. Initially this was planned for the time we went into the first lockdown in 2020! Some of the original cast members wanted to reprise their roles so Ms Cox developed a darker, more senior version of the play that really highlighted the danger and threat that ensues when civilisation crumbles.

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Ms Cox developed a darker, more senior version of the play that really highlighted the danger and threat that ensues when civilisation crumbles.

Trips Period 8 Drama students were treated on Field Day 2 to a trip to London for a backstage tour of the National Theatre followed by a self-guided audio tour of the West End Theatre district which they thoroughly enjoyed.

The Department ran several theatre trips taking GCSE and A Level students to see Ocean at the End of the Lane in January (for a second time for some!) and a trip for the 92 Third Form students, who opted for Drama this year, to see Sherlock Holmes – The Valley of Fear at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.

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Drama Art The Odyssey

Ms McClean directed a First and Second Form full scale production of The Odyssey by Hattie Naylor. GHS girls joined the cast and the whole event involved 40 students.

It was a high energy, fun filled romp and thoroughly enjoyed by both cast and audience.

It was a high energy, fun filled romp and thoroughly enjoyed by both cast and audience.

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GCSE

Field Day 3 we ran an evening trip to see Further than the Furthest Thing at the Young Vic Theatre. This was a thought provoking production looking at a small community being invaded by outsiders. It was based on real life events on the island of Tristan da Cunha and certainly challenged the audience.

Fifth Form GCSE students performed their final scripted pieces (which count as 20% of their final qualification) with a range of extracts from Journey’s End, A Butcher of Distinction, Morgana, The Importance of Being Ernest and Dedication. The students excelled with committed and slick performances and all went swimmingly on examination day. Sixth Form A Level students also performed their scripted element to an external examiner. They chose a fantastic, but technically difficult, extract from Rosencrantz and Guildernstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard and performed it superbly.

Fifth Form GCSE students performed their final scripted pieces.

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Drama Art House Drama

Junior Drama club has been active and well attended all year with Drama games being high on the list of fun activities as well as some weird and wonderful improvisatory sessions. The “Lemon Demon” featured in a fair few sessions.

Mrs Phillips LAMDA results were again outstanding for both the Lent and Trinity sessions. Alex Vale U6 achieved, for the first time at RGS, the Certificate in Performance Studies, a qualification beyond Grade 8.

Keeping with tradition the whole of the Second Form took part in the annual Mime in a Day competition on Field Day 5 with Powell winning overall. All Second Form were onsite and in House groups frantically devising and rehearsing their silent movie performances for judging in the afternoon. It was really uplifting to visit the rehearsal rooms and experience the focus and feverish fun being had as the students worked with a mime professional to develop and prepare their pieces.

As ever, a crazy selection of topics were showcased ranging from the classic Western saloon bar with gunslingers, through zombie uprisings in a graveyard, thieving tourists, a man trapped in a coffin and revived with an impromptu heart transplant, sea battles between sailors and pirates (complete with human cannonballs) and plenty of comedy chase sequences! This year the points awarded to each House were closer than they’ve ever been, and it was quite hard to judge between them; the standard was so high.

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This was closely followed by the main House Drama competition where six different script extracts were directed entirely by Lower Sixth students and performed for a panel of judges, including guest judge Oliver Taylor (OG). The winning House extract was by Hamonde from a play called Shut Up very closely contested by Valpy with their extract from It’s a Kind of Magic. Well done to all the Lower Sixth directors who not only gave up their time to work with the young casts but who were professional and dedicated in their leadership.

It was wonderful to be able to involve so many students in such a variety of different drama activities over the year, suiting all tastes, needs and levels of involvement. Drama is quite unique in developing the life skills essential to successful and happy relationships with others evidenced by how supportive and responsible the students are backstage during shows; helping each other with quick changes or passing on props or just sitting peaceably and contentedly with fellow cast members, mouthing the words of all the other characters on stage! As ever a huge thank you to all the students who, with the help of Mr Gyford, are the stalwarts of the Technical Theatre Department. Without them our shows would be both dimmer and quieter and far less engaging.

Ms N McClean - Head of Drama

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Music

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Joint Schools’ Chamber Choir aking its first return visit since November 2018, the Joint Schools’ Chamber Choir travelled to Oxford on Saturday 12 November to sing Evensong in the chapel of Keble College. After exactly four years since our last visit, it was fantastic to be back in this beautiful college and the reception that we received could not have been warmer. After an intensive rehearsal, students had the opportunity to meet with current choral scholars, who graciously took the time to talk to members of the choir about their experiences of life as choral scholars as well as giving some helpful advice about the application process.

The service itself was exceptional from beginning to end and the choir were on top form. Composed in 1855, Thomas Walmisley’s Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in D minor is a late work and is the most mature of all Walmisley’s settings. Though reminiscent of a Tudor faux bourdon service in its construction, the adventurous harmonic language, expressive yet un-sentimental approach to text-setting, and the brilliance and independence of the organ-writing make it a most original and memorable service. Keble’s richly decorated chapel in the neo-gothic style therefore seemed a fitting venue for this fantastic setting.

The Anthem, Mendelssohn’s setting of Psalm 43, Richte mich, Gott, is a real tour de force and requires agile vocal skills. Following the stern contours of the D minor opening section, characterised by male voices in unison alternating with the upper voices in four-part harmony, the move to the relative major (F) at the words "Sende dein Licht"soars away to uplifting effect. The following 3/8 andante reverts to the atmosphere and textures of the opening section before the final verses resolve former tensions in the warm glow of a D major chorale.

Having taken a serious hit during Covid, the choir has spent a considerable amount of time rebuilding in the last eighteen months. Spending most of last year developing ensemble skills and allowing some less experienced voices to mature has certainly paid off. This was singing of the highest quality with some real moments of tenderness and sensitivity in their psalm singing as well as some more robust vocal lines in the Magnificat and Anthem.

The choir now turns its attention to the forthcoming carol services and their first visit to Clare College, Cambridge for Evensong in March.

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The choir has spent a considerable amount of time rebuilding in the last eighteen months.

Spending most of last year developing ensemble skills and allowing some less experienced voices to mature has certainly paid off.

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Founded in 1326, Clare College is the University of Cambridge’s second oldest college. Situated in Old Court, right at the heart of the college, lies the chapel. On Saturday 4 March, this elegant and understated building was the host of the Joint School Chamber Choir’s most recent outing to sing Evensong. This was the choir’s first visit to Clare, and I am indebted to Sam Jones (OG), Clare’s current Senior Organ Scholar, who made this fantastic opportunity possible and who accompanied the service on the chapel’s magnificent organ. Following an afternoon’s rehearsal, Sam also gave an excellent talk to members of the choir regarding life as an organ and choral scholar and gave lots of insight into the application and interview process.

The service itself was stunning from the outset with the simple light-filled elegance of the chapel providing a sense of stillness and reflection. Singing some of the mainstays of the Anglican repertoire, the choir were on exceptional form. Their rendition of Stanford’s Evening Service in C major had moments of both tranquillity and grandeur, with the climactic Gloria conveying a real sense of drama. The anthem was Howell’s Like as the Hart, which yet again was sung with poise and sensitivity throughout. This was a wonderful day, made particularly special as the congregation was filled by OGs and former members of the choir alike.

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Music Market Day Concert The tradition of the RGS performing a lunchtime concert in Holy Trinity to coincide with the monthly Farmers’ Market continues and throughout this year it has been a fantastic showcase for some of our ablest musicians. Notable performances this year ranged from Joseph Howes’s virtuosic performance of Brahms’s Piano Sonata in F minor to the dazzling display from the Senior Saxophone Quartet. On each occasion the audience was left in no doubt that music at the RGS is flourishing.

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11/12/2023 16:26:24

Music Competitions

Music competitions have always been an important part of the musical calendar, but their inclusion as part of the House Competition system has seen them go from strength to strength with more students taking part than ever before.

These continue to attract high profile musicians who not only come and adjudicate each of the various competitions but who impart their expertise to the competitors with their invaluable feedback at the end of each class.

This year it was a pleasure to welcome the following adjudicators to the RGS: Richard Saxel (Director of Music at Cranleigh School), Cristian Persinaru (Head of Strings at Trinity School, Croydon), Abigail Burrows (Flute Tutor at the Royal Academy of Music Junior Department) and Jon Stokes (Head of Brass at Westminster School).

All of the adjudicators were immensely impressed by the sheer breadth and depth of playing in each of the classes and many of the competitions were hotly contested with some truly remarkable playing on display.

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Music Masterclasses Our programme of masterclasses throughout the year continues to go from strength to strength, offering our most talented musicians the opportunity to perform in front of, and receive feedback from, some of the country’s finest professional musicians.

In November, the woodwind students welcomed Philip Haworth for an afternoon Masterclass. Philip is a fantastic freelance performer playing throughout the world with orchestras and chamber ensembles. The standard of playing was extremely high and showed the breadth of talent that we have here at the RGS.

The craft and level of classical pianism present in the Department was deeply impressive and would not be out of place in many of the country's finest conservatoires.

In the Lent Term, it was a privilege to welcome Charles Owen to give this year’s piano masterclass to five of our most talented young pianists. Charles enjoys an extensive international career performing a wide-ranging repertoire to outstanding critical acclaim. He appears at many major UK venues such as Wigmore Hall and Bridgewater Hall. He is also Professor of Piano at the Guildhall School, of Music & Drama, London and Guest Professor at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff.

Charles remarked on how impressively each of the students responded to his feedback and was very touched by the clear dedication and hard work that each had put into their performances. Charles also went on to comment that the craft and level of classical pianism present in the Department was deeply impressive and would not be out of place in many of the country's finest conservatoires.

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11/12/2023 16:26:51

Orchestral Concert with Southern Pro Musica

The Concerto Concert with Southern Pro Musica has justifiably become one of the stellar events of the RGS musical year, and Wednesday evening’s performance in Holy Trinity Church was no exception. In front of a large audience, seven performers took to the stage in what was simply an outstanding display of musicianship, which held the audience captivated from the very outset.

The evening opened with James Dicker’s highly expressive performance of the first two movements of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No 1 in E minor. From the majestic opening to the sensitive and lyrical melodic lines of the slow movement, James dazzled the audience with his technical prowess, leaving them in no doubt that they were in for a very special evening. Max Kaczor’s magnificent performance of Ferdinand David’s Concertino for Trombone showcased his impressive technique and stamina. Max conjured up a remarkable range of colours from the trombone conveying the swiftly changing moods required from each of the three movements. This was accomplished playing and shone light on some much-neglected repertoire. Sibelius’s Violin Concerto in D Minor is one of the mainstays of the Western canon of classical music and beloved by concert audiences around the world. The mellifluous and mysterious opening was deftly handled by Joseph Ryan, whose astonishingly accomplished performance was simply breath-taking not only in terms of its technical control but also the extraordinarily high level of musicianship on display. This was remarkable playing but made even more so given the fact that Joe is still in the Fourth Form.

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Music The second half of the concert opened with Rohan McCauley’s performance of Garbriel Fauré’s Ballade for Piano and Orchestra. Rohan’s playing was utterly exquisite from the outset. Lyrical, cantabile lines were juxtaposed with long passages of technically demanding writing, which Rohan masterfully had fully under control. Then followed two works that are mainstays of the concert hall. Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E minor and Hummel’s Trumpet Concerto in E Flat major performed by Robbie Mackay and Thomas McLean, respectively.

Both works not only require tremendous technique, but levels of musical maturity rarely seen from such young performers. From the dramatic triple stopped chords of the opening to the heart-breaking melody of the main movement, Robbie’s performance of the Elgar was commanding and held the audience on the edge of their seats. The final movement of this concerto requires extraordinary stamina and control, and this was evident in abundance in Thomas’s performance, which rightly received rapturous applause from the audience at its close. The final performance of the evening came from Joseph Howes. Alexander Glazunov’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone is not a work known by many but is one that showcases the sheer technical possibilities of the instrument in abundance. Joseph’s bravura performance, with its mixture of long melodic lines and virtuosic semiquaver passagework, brought the evening to a fitting end. With ovations aplenty throughout the evening, the extraordinary levels of musicianship on display from each of the performers was astounding, with each receiving many compliments from members of the professional orchestra that had accompanied them so magnificently. One final mention should also be made of the many students who played alongside their professional counterparts in the orchestra. This is always difficult music and the fact that they were able to do so and to do it so well is testament to their own abilities and prepares them well for their own concerto performances in the future.

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11/12/2023 16:27:16

Schola Cantorum This was an exciting and extremely busy inaugural year for the newly formed RGS Chamber Choir - Schola Cantorum.

In October, they were invited to sing for the annual Service for the Judiciary. Having been invited to sing by the High Sheriff of Surrey himself, there was a real sense of pride amongst the choir at being involved in such a high-profile public occasion.

The atmospheric setting of St Mary’s church therefore provided a fitting venue for Schola Cantorum’s first sung Compline during the Lent Term. In a service that is dominated by plainchant, this hauntingly beautiful service provides a moment of stillness. Singing this style of music well is particularly difficult, but the members of Schola Cantorum rose to the challenge mastering the nuances of the style with real musicianship and with notable solos sung throughout.

Philip Stopford’s anthem Ave Verum Corpus provided a moment of harmonic richness and was a particular highlight of the evening. The service concluded with the congregational hymn The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended, which brought the service to a fitting conclusion.

It was fantastic to sing alongside Guildford Cathedral Choir in our first joint Evensong at the Cathedral towards the end of the year.

Singing Stanford’s Evening Service in C major and Bairstow’s Save Us, O Lord, the choir were on fine form and rose to the challenge of coping with the cathedral’s mighty acoustic. This was a wonderful experience for all the students, and both strengthens and renews the existing ties between Guildford Cathedral and the RGS.

In Dulci Jubilo Concert with Paul McCreesh, the Gabrieli Consort and PGS

It was a privilege for Schola Cantorum to be part of the Gabrieli Roar project, In Dulci Jubilo, in Portsmouth Cathedral back in November. Led by the internationally renowned conductor, Paul McCreesh, more than 300 singers joined the Gabrieli Consort and Choir’s world-class musicians in a belated commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the composer Michael Praetorius’ death. Featuring the spectacular polychoral music for Advent and Christmas by both Praetorius and his contemporary Henrich Schutz, this was a truly remarkable way to start the festive season. With singers and instrumentalists strategically placed around the cathedral, the performance was exhilarating in both its musical setting and execution. Culminating in Praetorius’s own setting of the carol In Dulci Jubilo, scored for choirs of massed trumpets, singers, and instrumentalists, this was a thrilling way to showcase the dramatic and often flamstudentant music of the early baroque. After an intensive afternoon of rehearsals, the resulting concert was an unforgettable experience for both musicians and audience alike. This was a real honour for our students to be a part of such an impressive event and I am sure that the experience will stay with them for many years to come. www.rgsg.co.uk www.rgsg.co.uk

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Music Advent Carol Service A new addition to the School’s calendar this year, the Advent Service held in Holy Trinity Church was a memorable occasion that gave the opportunity for reflection, spiritual engagement and to enjoy some exceptional music performed by the newly formed Schola Cantorum.

Beginning in darkness with the choir singing Marlow’s Advent Responsory, including an exquisite solo from Arthur Ford, the service charted the hope and expectation both of Christ’s arrival at Christmas and his second coming at the end of time through words and music.

The service was based around the seven Great O Antiphons that reflect on the themes of hope, peace, love, and joy, and which the choir sang in plainsong with real sensitivity. The choir were in in excellent voice en masse throughout the service, and the diverse choral pieces also allowed several beautiful solo performances that added significantly to the spiritually uplifting atmosphere.

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11/12/2023 16:27:30

Musician of the Year Now in its 24 year, the Steynor Prize or RGS Musician of the Year has justifiably become one of the highlights of the musical calendar. Established to showcase the extraordinary abilities of our most talented musicians, last night’s final proved to be no exception.

After a fiercely contested preliminary round, six finalists were selected - Peter Jones (Flute), Felix Johnson (Violin), Joseph Howes (Piano), Rohan McCauley (Clarinet), Max Kaczor (Trombone), and James Dicker (Piano). Together they performed a recital that was astonishing, not only in terms of the breadth of its musical programme, but for the outstanding levels of musicianship on display.

It was an immense pleasure to welcome Miranda Francis, Head of the Junior Department at the Royal College of Music, to adjudicate. Selecting a winner at a competition where the overall standard is so high is never easy, but this was made even harder when each of the performers tackled such complex music, performing it with such outstanding accomplishment. Commenting on each performance in turn, Miranda remarked on each of the performer’s formidable technique, extraordinary levels of musicianship, and wonderful repertoire choice. However, by the narrowest of margins, she awarded The Steynor Prize to a performer who displayed both technical prowess and who was able to convey the sense of drama and character inherent in music - James Dicker.

Congratulations to James, and to all the finalists who took part; they can each be immensely proud of all they have achieved. Special thanks must go to Mrs Newman, whose faultless and skillful accompaniment enabled each student to perform to their full potential, and was, as always, a highlight of the evening.

Musician of the Year never fails to astonish but for this to be achieved by such a deserving set of finalists made this year’s final incredibly special indeed. Yet again, this concert proved to be an exceptional evening of music making which had the appreciative audience enthralled from start to finish.

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Music Music School Choir Commemoration Service and Cathedral Carol Service

The start of a new school year is always full of a mixture of excitement and panic; excitement at the prospect of starting new musical projects and panic that the thought that our first major performance is a mere three weeks into the start of term. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Ralph Vaughan Williams and therefore it only seemed fitting that the choir should sing his triumphant anthem O Clap Your Hands. The choir, accompanied by brass and organ, masterfully conveyed the music’s celebratory mood. However, it was their sensitive performance of John Rutter’s The Lord Bless You and Keep You, now a mainstay of the service, that is always a highlight and drew the service to a more reflective conclusion.

It was wonderful to be back in Guildford Cathedral for our first proper carol service since December 2019. After a period of recovery and hard work, the School Choir, now 80 strong, was on fine form. Singing a varied repertoire of carols old and new, they clearly showed that singing is alive and well at the RGS.

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11/12/2023 16:27:39

The Piano Department Junior Piano Concert

After an exhausting day of competitions for the House Piano events, many of the junior pianists returned to play in the Junior Piano Concert. A full Recital Room of appreciative parents came to support the students, and they were treated to a concert filled with performances ranging in style from Bach to the very contemporary!

Senior Piano Concert

Hot on the heels of the piano masterclass with Charles Owen, many of the participating students were able to put his advice straight into action in the Senior Piano Concert. This is always a deeply impressive event and this year’s was no exception. In front of a full audience in the Recital Room, 12 pianists, from the Fifth Form and above, showcased their talents and performed some of the most demanding music in the repertoire. There were some truly outstanding, musical performances all of which were thoroughly enjoyed by the appreciative audience with highlights ranging from the wonderfully energetic and stylish performance of the 1st Movement of Beethoven’s Sonata Op.2 No.3 given by Joseph Howes, to the sensitive and beautifully controlled rendition of the 2nd Movement of Chopin’s Piano Concerto in E minor, performed by James Dicker, which brought the evening to a close.

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Music Music Orchestral and Choral Concerts Michaelmas Term Orchestral Concert

In front of a large and supportive audience, the Michaelmas Term Orchestral Concert, featuring performances from the Concerto Consort and the RGS Symphony Orchestra, took place in Holy Trinity Church, in what was the culmination of weeks of intensive rehearsals and hard work by students and staff alike.

The concert opened with Joseph Bologne’s Symphony No 1 in G major. Performance of intricate and refined music such as this is often very hard to accomplish, but under the baton of Dale Chambers, Concerto Consort rose to the challenge and mastered the tricky string writing with relative ease. The second movement required a sense of grace and poise, whilst the energetic and exuberant rhythmic figures of the closing movement demanded a lightness of touch and nimble finger work from the entire ensemble.

In a quick change of mood, Concerto Consort then performed Elgar’s miniature masterpiece, Sospiri. This intensely beautiful piece for strings and harp is a work of considerable substance and necessitated the greatest level of concentration from all involved.

Notable solos for both violin and cello were exquisitely performed

by Joseph Ryan and Robbie Mackay.

In the Lent Term, the Symphony Orchestra performed a programme of ceremonial music for state occasions, both celebratory and reflective. Featuring the music of Elgar and Walton, the orchestra was on fine form and skilfully mastered the transition from the pomp and pageantry required by Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No 4 and Walton’s Crown Imperial to the poignant sense of nostalgia and loss of Elgar’s Nimrod. These were powerful performances from start to finish and highlighted the real depth of musicianship in this senior ensemble. The centrepiece of the programme was Dvorak’s Largo from Symphony No 9 in E minor. This most famous of all symphonic movements is no mean undertaking and requires a secure sense of ensemble and outstanding soloists. The famous cor anglais melody was safe in the hands of Thomas Dowdeswell who performed this solo with assurance.

This was a fantastic evening of music making of the highest quality and performances were met with rapturous applause.

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11/12/2023 16:27:50

G Live Concert Looking out over a packed auditorium at G Live it was astonishing to think that almost exactly three years ago to the day we had been forced to cancel the RGS and GHS joint choral concert because of Covid. Little did we know how much the virus was going to impact our lives, how quickly we were going to have to master teaching remotely, and of course, how much we were going to miss music. So, the excitement was intense at the prospect of once again hearing the tremendous, massed forces of school choirs and orchestras and of course, the Parents’ Choir. The stage could hardly have held another chair, the full orchestra was almost entirely children, and there is no doubt, that as a celebration of school music at its very best, the joint concert of the RGS and GHS is hard to beat.

The prospect of a programme of two requiems might seem a little downbeat for such a triumphant return of a much-loved fixture on the musical calendar, but then again, Mozart’s Requiem is one of the finest choral works out there and John Rutter’s utterly beautiful modern interpretation has already found a firm place in the hearts of music lovers. Furthermore, the musical language of the two works is so contrasting that in the end, it seemed very satisfactory programming.

Sam Orchard took the baton for the first half of the concert, and from the start the warm sound and confidence of the well-rehearsed choir was evident. Rutter’s Requiem is full of beautifully crafted and lyrical melodic lines, and these were always well shaped, the sopranos particularly enjoying the exquisite tunes for which John Rutter is justifiably famous. Mr Orchard wisely chose not to allow the tempi to drag and so even in the most sombre passages, there was always an excellent sense of pace and direction. Strangely, slow, and sustained music can often be the most challenging for a choir, but the sound was always well supported and even the tricky unaccompanied passages for the singers felt secure.

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Music Soprano soloist Julia Doyle was on fine form and pure tone of her voice as she effortlessly reached the highest notes, perfectly matched the simple lyricism of the Pie Jesu. As always, you must pinch yourself to remind yourself that you are listening to a school orchestra. There did not seem to be any weak links and the orchestral playing was always sensitive and well balanced. Mention should be made of the excellent oboe solo played by Tom Dowdeswell and the challenging cello solo in Out of the Deep which was played with such authority

by Isabella Song.

After the interval Grayson Jones took centre stage and we moved into the stormier world of Mozart’s Requiem; his final work and one which is surrounded by stories of intrigue and mystery. It may be that much of the music was written by one of his students Franz Sussmayr but it nevertheless remains a key choral work from the classical period and one of Mozart’s best loved compositions.

There is a considerable amount of demanding chorus work in the Mozart; complex contrapuntal writing, awkward intervals and fiendish semi-quaver passages that can tax even the most accomplished choruses. It is remarkable then that the completely unauditioned choir at G Live rose to the challenges with such aplomb. Furthermore, these issues get increasingly challenging the larger the choir gets, and the combined chorus was listed in the programme as having 352 singers how many choral societies can boast 38 tenors? When considering the scale of the performance then, the ensemble and clarity of the chorus work was remarkable. There was a compelling energy in much of the more dramatic chorus work but at the same time, the enormous forces also managed a marvellous delicacy in the Lacrimosa. Julia Doyle was joined by Susan Legg (mezzo soprano), Ben Thalia (tenor) and Christopher Foster (bass) and the solo quartet was well balanced.

Once again, the orchestral playing deserves special mention. Just as much of the choral writing is quite difficult, there are similar challenges in the orchestral score, but the playing never seemed anything other than entirely secure. The trombone solo in the Tuba Miram is rightly considered one of the biggest solos in the orchestral repertoire and it was stylishly played with marvellous confidence by Darcie Moss-Brown.

What a remarkable achievement this concert was, and congratulations are due to both the Music Departments for their hard work and inspiring direction to bring such an enormous project to such spectacular fulfilment.

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11/12/2023 16:28:06

Wind and Brass Ensembles The three Ensembles’ Concerts throughout the year are the perfect platform to showcase our wind and brass ensembles. These groups are always the most fun and participation amongst the students has been at an all-time high.

Highlights from their performances this year include Forget You, Superstition and Duke Ellington’s Satin Doll. Big Band spent the Trinity Term working alongside girls from GHS, preparing music for their first overseas tour for some years.

Smaller wind and brass ensembles flourished throughout the year under the direction of Miss Eaton, Miss Garvie and Mr Phelps. The Junior Wind Ensemble delighted audiences on several occasions throughout the year with performances of works ranging from Haydn to Beethoven. The Senior Wind and Brass players honed their skills under the direction of Head of Woodwind and Brass, Iona Garvie, in performances of music by Dvorak and Gounod.

This year also saw the establishment of a new Junior Brass Group under the direction of Elliot Phelps. Making their debut back in November in the Ensembles’ Concert with their performances of La Cucaracha and Hymn for St. Jim. It is fantastic to see so many new groups establish themselves and see so many students get involved in school music.

It is fantastic to see so many new groups establish themselves and see so many students get involved in school music.

Dracula Under the inspirational direction of Miss Eaton, members of the First Form staged a performance of Carey Blyton's Dracula!, a comic melodrama based on Bram Stoker's novel. Students worked with determination and enthusiasm in lessons to learn the songs for the show and gave up their own time to rehearse the dramatic action - much of which was student-directed. A student band accompanied the show, comprised of First and Second Form students, with some expert support from Sixth Form students and Mr Colebrook.

The band performed with professionalism, despite having minimal rehearsal time as a full ensemble, supporting solo and chorus numbers which varied in musical influence, from sea shanties to ragtime. Mr Kelly, Mr Trim, and the set construction group brought the stage to life with their gravestones and coffin, which was enhanced by Ms McClean’s spooky illumination. www.rgsg.co.uk www.rgsg.co.uk www.rgsg.co.uk

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11/12/2023 16:28:11

Music Music Contemporary Music It has been an exciting year for contemporary music at the RGS. In a new addition to the RGS music calendar, our musicians turned up the volume for the inaugural RGS Rockfest, performing music which spanned both a range of decades and styles. Five bands, formed from musicians from the Second to Sixth Form, performed with exuberance and professionalism to an enthusiastic and participative audience. Mr Gyford and his lighting club made the performance space look spectacular, with carefully planned lighting sequences and colourful projected displays, while the bands treated the audience to classics by AC/DC, Coldplay, The Police, and Kings of Leon.

It was the turn of our junior bands to take to the stage in the Trinity Term. Many of these were newly formed this year, but they performed with no less enthusiasm and showmanship than our more established groups. Covering an eclectic range of styles, including songs by the Foo Fighters, Oasis, Coldplay, Blur and AC/DC, each band executed instrumental solos with precision and played with an impressive sense of ensemble.

The Trinity Term also saw another exciting new event: our inaugural gig at the Boileroom – an award-winning, nationally-recognised music venue. Our long-established RGS bands, comprising of students from the Fourth Form to the Sixth Form, raised the roof with their covers of Metallica, Cream, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Queens of the Stone Age, and many more. Each band played a 30 set to an appreciative crowd, prompting much dancing and rapturous applause.

This year also saw the establishment of a new Junior Brass Group under the direction of Elliot Phelps. Making their debut back in November in the Ensembles’ Concert with their performances of La Cucaracha and Hymn for St. Jim. It is fantastic to see so many new groups establish themselves and see so many students get involved in school music.

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11/12/2023 16:28:16

Joint RGS and GHS Wind and Brass Ensembles Big Band Tour xxx.

Advent Carol Service At the beginning of xxx. the Mr summer break, a of Music SJ Orchard - Director group of 56 talented musicians, from Academic Report the Fourth Form toxxx. the Upper Sixth, embarked Miss LJA Wild upon - Assistanta Director of fantastic tour to Lake Music Garda, Italy, under the joint banner of the RGS and GHS Big Band and Swing Band, led by Lorraine Wild.

This unforgettable tour was a harmonious blend of musical excellence and the breathtaking beauty of the Veneto region of Northern Italy. Over six days, the band performed every evening in different venues and explored the captivating surroundings of the lake, leaving the students with unforgettable memories of their very first Big Band Tour with the school.

Throughout the tour, the students had the privilege of displaying their musical prowess in various venues, treating the audiences to nightly performances filled with unforgettable melodies.

One of the highlights of the tour was the band’s participation in the Cremona Summer Music Festival.

Academic Report This provided them with a unique opportunity to perform in one of the most historic towns in Lombardy.

The picturesque setting of Lake Garda, with its rocky The Music Department has continued to excel in cliffs towering above the water, added a touch of magic academic achievements, showcasing its commitment to to several of the evening performances, which attracted nurturing young talent and fostering a deep appreciation large crowds every evening. Even the sweltering heat could for the subject in all students. Numerous musicians not dampen the band’s spirits as they played amidst this were encouraged to take part in various Composition stunning natural backdrop. Exploring the charming town Competitions throughout the course of the year. of Limone, with its quaint streets and beautiful vistas, was Ruvin Meda won the First Prize in the North London another unforgettable experience. However, it was the Festival Composition Competition, demonstrating the thrilling speedboat ride in Sirmione that left a long-lasting Department's dedication to nurturing the next generation impression, filling the students with exhilaration as they of composers. This year, the Department's focus on sped across the clear waters of Lake Garda. enhancing inclusion in KS3 lessons bore fruit, as First Form students not only engaged with enthusiasm but Mr SJ Orchard - Director of Music also displayed their creativity by delivering exceptional presentations on Folk Music from around the world.

Furthermore, the Department celebrated outstanding exam results at both GCSE and A Level, reaffirming its reputation for excellence. These achievements underscore the Department's unwavering commitment to fostering musical talent and fostering a love for music across the year groups.

Miss LJA Wild - Assistant Director of Music

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HOUSES Hardy Cup Results ACTIVITIES

AUSTEN

BECKINGHAM

HAMONDE

NETTLES

POWELL

VALPY

Position

Points

Position

Points

Position

Points

Position

Points

Position

Points

Position

Points

Art

6

1.5

2

7.5

1

9

3

6

4

4.5

5

3

Badminton

2=

4.5

6

1

4

3

2=

4.5

1

6

5

2

Basketball

1

9

5

3

6

1.5

3

6

4

4.5

2

7.5

Chess

1

9

3

6

6

1.5

2

7.5

5

3

4

4.5

Cricket

1

9

6

1.5

3

6

2

7.5

4

4.5

5

3

Debating

6

1

4

3

1=

5.5

1=

5.5

5

2

3

4

Drama

2=

6.75

4

4.5

1

9

6

1.5

5

3

2=

6.75

Fencing

5

2

3

4

1=

5.5

6

1

1=

5.5

4

3

Football

5

4

3=

7

2

10

1

12

3=

7

6

2

Golf

1

3

2

2.5

4

1.5

3

2

6

0.5

5

1

Hockey

4

6

3

8

5

4

1

12

2

10

6

2

Maths

3

4

4

3

1

6

2

5

6

1

5

2

Music

4

4.5

6

1.5

3

6

1

9

5

3

2

7.5

Photography

6

1

5

2

4

3

1=

5.5

1=

5.5

3

4

Quiz

1

9

6

1.5

2

7.5

5

3

3=

5.25

3=

5.25

Reading

6

1

5

2

3

4

4

3

1

6

2

5

Rugby

2

10

4

6

3

8

1

12

6

2

5

4

Shooting

2

5

3=

3.5

1

6

5

2

6

1

3=

3.5

Softball

2

10

5

4

1

12

3=

7

3=

7

6

2

Sports Day

2

10

3

8

1

12

4

6

6

2

5

4

Squash

1

6

5

2

2

5

6

1

3

3.5

3

3.5

Swimming

4

4.5

5

3

3

6

6

1.5

1

9

2

7.5

TableTennis

5=

2.25

1

9

5=

2.25

2

7.5

4

4.5

3

6

Tennis

2=

4.5

5=

1.5

2=

4.5

1

6

5=

1.5

4

3

X Country

1

12

3

8

5

4

2

10

6

2

4

6

Totals

139.5

139.5

142.75.

144

103.75

102

Final Position

3

5

2

1

4

6

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THE GUILDFORDIAN 2023

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11/12/2023 16:28:23

SENIOR HOUSEMASTER’S REPORT

T

he Michaelmas Term, always a crucial one as Houses look to start well in the hunt for the Hardy Cup, was also the last for Austen leader, Mr Vickers, who was departing for pastures new.

Fittingly, it was Austen (and Nettles) who got out of the blocks first with top positions in Rugby and Cricket; Nettles also jointly taking the Photography Competition. Austen were not to be outdone though, and after securing top spot in the chess, it was these two Houses that went into the Christmas break as leaders - Mr Tayar dared to dream!

At the start of 2023 it seemed that Nettles were pulling away with victories in Hockey, Football and Music, however the tide started to turn. Although Austen, now under the direction of Mr Fishpool, were performing consistently well, Hamonde started to prove themselves as contenders, gaining victory ribbons in Art, Shooting and Fencing (jointly with Powell).

Going into the final term it became clear there were two distinct groups. At one end, Beckingham, Powell and Valpy battled fiercely, eager to avoid the wooden spoon.

Ultimately, very little separated the teams however it was Powell’s strong performances at the end which got them into 4th with 103.75 points, marginally ahead of Beckingham. This left Valpy as the runners up with 102.

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After Hamonde won the Maths, and Austen the Cricket, the light blue House of Nettles approached Sports Day with an 11 point lead and sole focus on nearest rivals the Austenites.

It was Hamonde though who were the ones to watch. They followed a victory on Sports Day with top spot in a highly competitive House Drama. This meant the whole championship would still be decided through the final event - Softball.

Austen took the early advantage, winning the Fifth and Sixth Year events, but Hamonde, not to be outdone, jointly took the Third Year (with Beckingham), and Fourth. Nettles had struggled, however the Second Year could give some hope. The atmosphere at this final event was electric and several staff attended in support. An exciting competition concluded with a final between, as if by fate, Hamonde and Nettles. With crowds watching and cheering, Nettles won the year group, but it was Hamonde’s consistency which resulted in them winning the Softball overall, and a much needed 12 points in the title chase.

Despite their heroic 2nd place in the Softball, Austen couldn’t keep pace with the relentless charge of the dark blue House, led by Mr Casale and Mrs Wilson. They finished the year in 3rd with an impressive 139.5 points.

Hamonde had won eight events throughout the year, more than any other House, with four of those coming in the last five, but Nettles had done enough to avoid doing an ‘Arsenal’ – they held on to secure their first victory since 2014, by 1.25 points!

Sincerest thanks must go to the House Leadership Team who work tirelessly to ensure that every student has the opportunity to participate, to develop a sense of belonging, and to thrive. All the very best for next year.

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Mr K Tayar Senior Housemaster & Housemaster of Nettles

102 11/12/2023 16:28:24

HOUSES

AUSTEN

T

he 2022/23 academic year was a year of transition for Austen House.

After a brief, but successful stint as Housemaster, Mr Vickers moved on to pastures new. With the House sat in Third Place in the Hardy Cup standings at Christmas, Mr Fishpool came in to try and guide Austen to a third consecutive title.

The Lent Term got off to a flying start with Austen taking First Place in the House Quiz competition, with notable performances from the Middles team of Will Gossage 4A, Cam Brown 4A, Edward Hewlett 3P and Marcus White 4A. It was great to see so many Austen students involved in the eagerly anticipated House Basketball competition and the level of skill on show certainly did not disappoint. We took First Place in this 1.5 point competition, holding off late challenges from Valpy and Nettles. A commendable Second Place finish in the House Shooting competition meant that we were going into the final term hot on the heels of Nettles and Hamonde.

The Trinity Term began in excellent form, particularly with the racket, as two more Second Place positions in Badminton and Tennis special praise must be given to Ethan Newbold L6-7 and Archie Attwood 4A who competed diligently in both competitions. Respectable finishes in the House Maths, Swimming and Drama competitions and a First Place finish in the term’s 1.5 point competition of cricket meant the title was on the line going into the season finale of Sports Day. Huge individual efforts from Harry Toroscik 3C, Marko Lock 4A and Elliott Denton L6-1 and some excellent relay team performances secured the Austen Third Place in the 2023 Hardy Cup. My thanks go to Ollie de Gentile-Williams U6-8, as the outgoing House Captain and well done on the effort so far from new captain Rishikesh Mistry L6-8)and his two deputies Berty Chilcott L6-3 and Oscar de Gentile-Williams L6-2.

Finally, ‘thank you’ to Mr Evans for all his efforts as Deputy Housemaster over the year – the students and I really appreciate what you do for Austen! We go again…

Mr Fishpool - Austen Housemaster

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13/12/2023 11:21:05

BECKINGHAM

W

elcome to the annual report from Beckingham, the written highlight reel of our recent academic year. In the Hardy Cup, it was a year below the standard that Beckingham strives for. In spite of this, there are plenty of highlights and acknowledgements to be made.

Our 4th place finish could well have been worse without the stellar results we achieved in Badminton, Golf and Art as well as multiple 3rd place finishes in the high scoring events. There were moments of dominance such as Sixth Form House Football - where a clean sheet was kept throughout - and a victory in First Form Rugby on the very first weekend. In the end, however, the final position was not one to write home about. And yet, in the traditionally positive Beckingham fashion, we are excited about the talent and enthusiasm of the lower years and hope that 2023/24 will be the year the Hardy Cup returns to the Auditorium.

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This year did showcase many exceptional individual performances.

Hayden Christian of Lower Sixth proved to be an excellent signing from Hampton School as he dominated Sports Day and House Football with a 1st place finish in every event he competed in. In the Third Form, Oscar Hodges made consistent, noteworthy contributions which earnt him the Junior Beckingham Prize at Prizegiving. In the older years, Tom Bull and Ethan Davey led the Fifth Form to strong finishes in their year group events.

None of this could have been organised or achieved without the hard work and inspiration from former House Captain, Ro Wright, and his two deputies, Cassian Hodges and Thomas Bamber so we must say a huge thank you to them, along with Housemaster Mr Holliday for all he does behind the scenes. And a special thank you to Deputy Mr Mullon who is moving on from the House

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this year to return to his native South Africa. In your time as deputy, you made a real impact, and it was great to have you as part of the team. Best of luck with your move. And a great chance to welcome the new Deputy Mr Rossiter. I am sure we push on to even further success next year.

Johnny Kershaw - House Captain

104 11/12/2023 16:28:35

HOUSES

HAMONDE

T

he last year has given a glimpse of Hamonde's potential. Led by Boldi, we remained competitive and strong contenders for the Hardy House Cup throughout the year.

But it was in the final term that Hamonde made a serious run for the title. Whilst other House Captains went off to do their A Levels Boldi remained strong, even giving a speech on a Wednesday morning, 3 minutes before his A Level Chemistry exam.

Whilst we would ultimately fall just short of First Place, this year has been one to remember for Hamonde.

The highlight was, undoubtedly, winning Sports Day, as this is the first time we have done so in the seven years I have been at the RGS. This would not have been possible without Boldi, so I thank him for a great year of service to Hamonde.

Max Hackett - House Captain

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11/12/2023 16:28:40

NETTLES

2

022/23 was a year to remember for the House of Nettles led by Tom Humphreys and his deputies Sam Hinton and Luke Galpin.

The year began with a dream start with a win in the First Form Rugby competition which was followed with a win in the overall standings. This was followed by an impressive display in House Music with particular highlights from Oliver Kyle winning the Junior Piano and the Middle Brass and Joseph Howes winning both the Senior Brass and Piano competitions.

This coupled with Angus Scott’s commended performance placed us in First Place for the Music competition. Moving on through the year the prowess of the Nettles Junior Team was even more evident as they took wins in the Table Tennis and debating.

The dreaded Cross Country event proved to be a particular strength for Nettles as Hugo and Eddie Wilson won the First and Third Form events and ultimately led the House to a Second Place finish overall. With Nettles amassing a lead at the top of

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the standings it grew closer to the end of the Upper Sixths time in the House.

Leaving a scintillating message for the new leadership team Dan Hitchcox showed what it meant to be a leader captaining the Senior Hockey Team and securing a hat-trick to cement the win.

The new leadership team of Jackson, Song and Munroe started their tenure in the worst of ways with a Sixth Place finish in the House Swimming. Determined not to see their lead destroyed the Upper Sixth returned to secure an overall win in a hotly contested House Football.

Sports Day looked to be increasingly important as Hamonde and Austen began to close the gap for First Place. Brilliant performances in the sprinting events from Joe Thorneycroft and Tom Humphreys saw wins in the senior events with Aaron Clark securing the win in the Third Form. The Wilson brothers and Ted Edwards-Davies showed their class in the middle years proving to be peerless in their speeds over the distance events. Overall despite a dropped baton in the senior 4x400

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race Nettles still managed to secure a steady 4th place.

With the final weeks approaching the competition was tighter than ever. House Tennis proved to be a new found strength of Nettles as the Senior Team of Gabriel Correia and Kieron Kenyon showed why they are first and second seed at the school.

Overall Nettles ended up hanging on for the victory by 1.25 points showing that through great leadership anything is possible.

Finally a massive thank you must go to the former leadership team of Tom Humphreys, Sam Hinton and Luke Galpin and indeed deputy Housemaster Mr Dennett who after our victory has left the school. For now, I am exceedingly grateful to takeover from such a strong team and I hope to continue this new found glory into the coming years.

Alex Jackson - House Captain

106 15/12/2023 10:23:45

HOUSES

POWELL

2

022-23 was a fine vintage for Powell.

There were wins – placing First in as many competitions as were the winners, Nettles – and there were also losses but what I found, and what I hope my Housemates found, was a huge amount of enjoyment in the House System and the friendly rivalry.

The Michaelmas Term got us off to a bit of a rocky start, placing last in both Rugby and Cross Country – some of the highest value competitions of the year – but in true Powell spirit, we didn’t let the numbers get in the way of our indomitable spirit, raking in the points from more thoughtful arenas, earning wins in Photography and Reading.

The Lent Term brought us more hope, earning ourselves ten valuable points with a Second Place finish in the Hockey. The Lent Term also saw one of my personal favourites in the House Calendar: Fencing.

We were made proud by the Wallin brothers – Xavier and Valentin – as they secured wins in each of their year groups helping us to bring home the Silverware. Unfortunately, we still had ground to make up and going

into the Trinity Term, Powell sat in last position.

At the beginning of Trinity Term, I had the honour of becoming House Captain alongside Deputy House Captains, Paddy Kerr and George Aspden. The new regime had big ideas and we hit the ground running, taking a decisive First Place in House Badminton; the comeback was on.

Nettles, Hamonde and Austen were nigh on unreachable with a 30-point lead and only a few competitions remaining, so we turned our sights to Beckingham and Valpy. The approach of House Swimming in its new format was much anticipated.

It was a valuable nine-point event which Powell has traditionally done very well in. The day itself went swimmingly. The Third Form team in particular did amazingly well, placing First in every event they swam. This win propelled ourselves to the front (fourth) and we managed to hold onto our lead despite a disappointing Sports Day, earning ourselves Fourth Place overall.

A huge thanks must go to Mr Cowx and Mrs Rathmell for their endless hard work organising teams and sending emails and finding replacements. I also want to express

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my gratitude to everyone who did their bit for the House this year.

Whether you were the top scorer on your hockey team, got a perfect score for your poem in House Reading or simply pushed a bit harder to overtake one more person in Cross Country, thank you for taking part and doing your bit for the House.

Looking ahead to next year, I am excited for what is to come. We clearly have some talent in our ranks, and I think we can look forward to showing the other Houses that. Most importantly, however, we hope that all Powell students find a way to get involved and get the most out of the brilliant House system.

Tom Postance - House Captain

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11/12/2023 16:28:47

VALPY A huge thanks must be said to Dr Whall who has now stepped down from being our excellent deputy Housemaster. In her place, we welcome Mr Palmer from the Classics Department. After sparking great life into all of us at his first House Assembly we look forward to many years of support and hopefully success. We must also all thank the wonderful Mr Baker for guiding us through all of our House events with the utmost enthusiasm and supporting the House in every way imaginable.

V

alpy have had mixed success in terms of placings in the Hardy Cup but participation levels have been excellent showing how much Valpy students have enjoyed the competitions. In the Michaelmas Term the inaugural House Photography competition saw great individual success from Samuel Bayne and Sam Millington each achieving top ten places in their categories, leading us to a strong result of Third Place overall.

The Michaelmas Term is also a great opportunity for success in the sporting events with House Rugby, Cross Country and Golf. A Fifth Place in Golf and a Fourth in Cross Country led us to Fourth overall as we headed to the Christmas Holidays.

The Lent Term brought a new beginning and, we hoped, an upward trajectory for the House. We achieved a fantastic display of general knowledge in the House Quiz, where all three teams fought valiantly to secure us another Third Place finish overall. A mighty performance in

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Harry Shaw - House Captain

House Reading brought these hopes to life as the teams secured us a Second Place overall. This success continued into House Music and we gained another Second Place thanks to a plethora of great performances in all ages and categories. A brief dip in success from a Fifth Place in House Art was quickly remedied by a second overall in Basketball. A Fourth Place in Fencing brought us into joint Third Place in the overall standings, putting us into high hopes for the Trinity Term.

The Trinity Term started with disappointment as a disastrous conclusion to the postponed House Football plummeted us into last place. Although, our spirits were to be raised by an outstanding showing in House Swimming with another Second Place that is hungry for a first win of the year, a hunger that would unfortunately never be satisfied. A Third Place in Cricket restored our faith in the House and created hopes of a great comeback however these were shattered by a Fifth Place at Sports Day, sealing our fate for the year.

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108 11/12/2023 16:28:52

HOCKEY

T

Rob Mawdsley and Pete Jansen ensured they he 2022/23 season got off secured a point, but it was Ben Jansen with a to a fantastic start against last minute drag flick from the top of the Hurstpierpoint School, circle to give RGS three points in a team RGS their pool match. Unfortunately, had not yet this wasn’t enough to qualify, played nevertheless it was a step in before. A man of the the right direction. match performance After a tough from vice-captain Michaelmas Term Seb Stuart-Reckling against some strong helped to secure a opponents including 4-2 victory with two National Finalists, St goals coming from George’s College and Ben Jansen, a good Whitgift, RGS played sign for the upcoming Churcher’s College in their season. first home block fixture of the Up next was the start season. In what may have been of the indoor season at St George’s College, Weybridge. Ben Jansen wins Player of the Season their strongest performance of the season on a cold rainy Some positive performances morning at Broadwater School, the students from Tom Bamber and goalkeeper, Ehsan managed to beat the visitors 7-2 with a hatful of Anwar Khan helped to secure the students goals from Pete Jansen and Seb Stuart Reckling. through to the next round in the competition.

This considerable victory was the starting point During the Surrey Finals, RGS played of a run of form which continued throughout Cranleigh in one of the more exiting fixtures the Lent Term. of the year. At 2-0 down, RGS needed to dig deep and this is what they did. Goals from

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THE GUILDFORDIAN 2023

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11/12/2023 16:28:54

RGS met Portsmouth Grammar School in the first round of the ISH Cup where Ben Jansen scored another set of goals to firmly progress the students into the next round against Seaford College. The match versus Seaford College was fairly equal and a 2-2 scoreline as the final whistle was blown, meant penalty strokes took place to determine who would progress. Strokes were scored

by Ben, Pete and Thomas Bull whilst Ehsan managed to save two of their five which meant the students were through to the next round.

In the last 16, RGS played Eastbourne College. A strong passionate team talk from Luc Pressley riled the team up and within the first five minutes, Louis Wilby had already put two into the back of the net.

RGS managed to score a third but this was not enough, as Eastbourne made a come back by scoring three in quick succession. At 3-3 RGS won a short corner which was successfully converted and the game finished 5-3 after Louis completed his hattrick.

Bring on the quarter finals!

The Quarter Finals saw RGS drawn against local side, St George’s College, Weybridge which took place under the lights on a Friday night. It was RGS to strike first with one goal a piece for the Jansen brothers. At 2-0 up against a strong side, the students fought for every fifty-fifty and battled for the entire seventy minutes.

However, the dream of reaching Nottingham for Finals day was not meant to be as St George’s produced some good hockey and went on to win by four goals to three.

One of the highlights included a victory away at Reeds which was concluded by a young Sam Bagley (Fourth Form) scoring an unbelievable reverse stick in the dying moments of the game to snatch a 4-3 win. And finally, in the last game of the season against Charterhouse, RGS put in a superb performance with a 4-0 win.

The awards ceremony saw Ben Jansen win Player of the Season, Stuart Brown for Breakthrough Player, Louis Wilby won Clubman, Sam Bagley collected Young Player of the Season and Peter Jansen top goal scorer. Overall it was a season of great success and improvement throughout and a lovely final season and send-off for Mr Mullon.

Squad List:

Ben Jansen (C), Seb Stuart Reckling (VC), Ben Jones, Sam Hinton, Louis Wilby, Matthew Reed, Cole Powell, Thomas Bamber, Peter Jansen, Ehsan Anwar Khan, Rob Mawdsley, Stuart Brown, Johnny Kershaw, Luc Pressley, George Aspden, Tom Dowdeswell, Thomas Bull, Zak Tinkler, Milan Patel, Christopher Hitchcox, Sam Bagley, Alex Jourdan.

Mr GDG Cover - Director of Sport

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110 11/12/2023 16:28:55

RUGBY

F

ollowing the severe summer heatwave, record-breaking temperatures and hosepipe bans across the South of England, it seemed highly likely there would be a delayed start to the 2022 Rugby season. In complete contrast to the rest of the summer, several days of torrential rain at the end of August came to the rescue and with grass beginning to grow once again, as well as softened pitches, thankfully, things were back on track meaning the 2022 RGS rugby season could go ahead as planned. Once again, it was an extraordinary collective effort, from staff and students alike, with approximately 400 students across the school representing 23 teams in more than 200 competitive matches and tournaments in the Michaelmas Term.

It was an exceptional season for our Senior Rugby sides with a strong and large cohort of players enabling us to field four senior teams on a regular basis. The First XV enjoyed their most successful season in 20 years to record a 19th place final ranking in the Daily Mail Trophy Merit Table; our highest position since its formation in 2007.

This included memorable victories over Epsom, Cranleigh and St Paul’s.

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There have been many other highlights; The Senior Pre-season Rugby Training Camp in Italy, Junior House Rugby on the opening Saturday of the season, 90 First Form students playing in the annual Super Friday fixture against Judd, hosting the U12 Surrey Schools’ Festival, welcoming current RFU President and OG Nigel Gillingham were back to Bradstone Brook for the Wimbledon College block, an outstanding run of performances from our U13A team at November’s Surrey Schools’ Festival and a special evening for our U15A and B teams, playing their ‘Friday Night Lights’ fixtures against Reeds to name just a few.

Several RGS students have been selected for representative sides again this season; After an excellent season for Harlequins, First XV captain Tom Humphreys has been selected in the England squad for the 2023 U18 Six Nations.

First XV teammates Cassian Hodges and Kai Phillips Mateo featured for Surrey U18’s and the Spanish Sevens Rugby Squad respectively. U16’s Joe Thorneycroft and Zac Tinkler remain part of the Harlequins DPP squad, Will Peasey has gained a scholarship with the London Broncos rugby league team while seven other students in the same age group are part of the Surrey U16’s program. Angus Lovatt’s (OG19’) has recently consolidated a starting spot in the Durham University First XV Cup Squad while former First XV captain Luke Wyllie (OG21’) remains very much a part of the Oxford University Varsity Squad.

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Mr B Dudley - Head of Rugby

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11/12/2023 16:28:57

FOOTBALL

T

his has been one of the most enjoyable and successful RGS Football seasons on record... but what do we define as 'success'? The Oxford Dictionary states that success is “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose” and, pinned to the top of the RGS Football Twitter feed are our three aims or 'Ps' – Participation, Progression and Performance. I think that it’s safe to say that by all three measures, RGS Football has enjoyed it’s fair share of success this year!

Mornings at the RGS hum with the noise of football. From Fourth Form to Senior training sessions, the balls zip around the AWTA, and we have had more footballers than ever before playing the beautiful game. At Senior level, the addition of Mr Gaynor to the coaching ranks has seen the school field its first ever Fifth XI fixture, and across all levels we have seen a real progression in the students’ understanding of the game and their technical ability to execute actions, reacting to what they see unfolding on the pitch. Watching some of the football on show has been a joy for the coaching staff and really is a huge credit to the students’ desire to improve and to practise, as well as to the staff’s knowledge and enthusiasm for the game.

As the great Johan Cruyff once said, “It's like everything in football - and life. You need to look, you need to think, you need to move, you need to find space, you need to help others. It's very

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simple in the end”, and we have been extremely fortunate this year to have a group of players that have really embraced and developed these skills. A record number of games played across the age groups, with highs for players participating and for goals scored, as well as lows for goals conceded, it has been an exceptional season. The First XI had a superb year under the leadership of Captain, and RGS Football Player of the Year, Alexander McDougall; reaching two quarter-finals, a semi-final and winning the School’s first national title since before the war, the Independent Schools’ FA National Shield.

So, yes… it has been a successful year… but, in true 'cheesy' fashion, what has been the biggest 'success' this season is seeing the enjoyment that so many young footballers have had; playing the game they love, with their friends and committing to seeing how far they can push themselves and others. To quote the Nobel Prize winning Albert Schweitzer, “Success is not the key to happiness.

Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."

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Mr A Lowe - Head of Football

112 11/12/2023 16:28:58

CRICKET

T

he 2023 Cricket season for the First XI team was a captivating tale of triumph and resilience.

The season commenced with a block fixture versus Trinity School. After bowling first and keeping Trinity to a chaseable total, RGS secured a well-deserved 6 wicket victory with some mature batting, as well as eye catching stroke play, laying the foundations for what would be a promising campaign.

The winning momentum continued against KCS Wimbledon. Having batted first on a slightly two-paced wicket, RGS posted an above average total, which was backed up by the bowling unit guiding RGS to a commanding 68-run victory, RGS displayed their exceptional prowess in both batting and bowling, with Rohan Gupta's remarkable 66 earning special mention.

The following week the First XI faced Reed’s School, which is always a highly anticipated fixture in the calendar.

The team's determination and competitive edge were evident as they maintained their momentum, as they were victorious by 30 runs.

However, the season wasn't without its challenges. In a thrilling encounter against Hurstpierpoint College, RGS narrowly fell short by just 11 runs, a testament to the fierce competition that defined the season.

Following this setback, the team bounced back with an emphatic 145-run victory over Dulwich College, displaying their dominance in both batting and bowling. Seb Stuart-Reckling's exceptional bowling figures of 6-19, was a performance to be remembered.

Facing local rivals Cranleigh School, The First XI encountered a challenging match which was

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ultimately lost by 59 runs. Despite the defeat there were still some notable performances, such as Henry Amis, who following his well-crafted 50 against Hurstpierpoint, played another stellar knock giving RGS a fighting chance towards the backend of the match.

Close defeats to St Paul’s and Hampton followed, nevertheless the competitive spirit and resilience of the First XI was there to be seen by all, earning the respect of both opponents and spectators alike.

In a fitting finale, RGS concluded the season on a high note with a hard-fought 20-run victory over St. George's Weybridge.

Notable batting performances included Tom Bull, whose pivotal role saw him amass 302 runs in 10 innings, with a remarkable high score of 64 and an impressive average of 43.14.

In the bowling department, Ollie George displayed his bowling prowess by taking 15 wickets from 70.5 overs, achieving a best bowling figure of 3-36.

Meanwhile, Seb Stuart-Reckling's standout performance included 13 wickets from 54.6 overs, with an exceptional best bowling figure of 6-19.

I would like to extend a special thanks to 2023 First XI Captain Tom Humphreys for captaining the side for the third successive year, a huge effort and a testament to his commitment to RGS Cricket.

As the 2023 season draws to a close, RGS's First XI Cricket Team eagerly anticipates a promising future. They are determined to build on their experiences and aspire to achieve even greater success in the upcoming 2024 Cricket season, which includes hosting the RGS Cricket Festival.

With their resilience and talent, the team is poised for further achievements on the cricket field.

THE GUILDFORDIAN 2023

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11/12/2023 16:28:59

In other year groups, the Under 13 A Team had an outstanding season, showcasing their talent and teamwork on the cricket field. There were several notable individual performances and team achievements throughout the year. Euan Thorburn's 5-wicket haul and four consecutive wickets against Dulwich were exceptional displays of bowling skill and accuracy. Idris Iqbal's impressive knock of 74 runs in the cup match against Cranleigh Prep played a crucial role in securing victory. George Mellor's 54 against St George's Weybridge and Shourya Patre's unbeaten 51 runs against St. Paul's were standout batting performances.

The team also had remarkable achievements. Winning in a super over against St George's Weybridge showcased their resilience and ability to handle pressure situations. The team's excellent performance against Epsom College demonstrated their collective skills and determination. They then beat Trinity School by four wickets to become champions of the County Cup, which is a brilliant achievement.

Rounding off the set of great results, the team chased down the 164 set by Hampton with Finlay McHugh and Devansh Panda making 47 off just 27 balls whilst being six wickets down.

Overall, the Under 13 A Team displayed exceptional individual performances, effective teamwork, and a competitive spirit, making it a successful and memorable season.

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Congratulations should also go to: Nirek Dandanyak, Alex Jourdan and Will Mellor for their outstanding efforts with the bat, with each scoring a century and Euan Thorburn, Seb Stuart-Reckling, Joe Simms, Kush Patel, Alfie Doran and Alex Jackson, all picked up five wicket hauls during the course of the season.

I would also like to extend thanks to Mr King and his team for providing some excellent cricket facilities during the course of the 2023. Well done to all involved and we look forward to another successful cricket season in 2024.

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Mr RC Black - Head of Cricket

114 11/12/2023 16:29:01

ATHLETICS

O

nce again the sun shone on Sports Day, although luckily it was not as hot as last year. Seven school records were broken: Jack Jamieson 1L, Koko Hristov 3E, and Hayden Christian L6-9 in the hurdles; Kai Hobbs 4B in discus, and three 4x100m relays. Well done especially to Hayden who smashed the Open Record by more than 2.2 seconds.

Featuring a new points system and some additional competition opportunities in order to get more athletes involved, Sports Day was won by Hamonde, pipping Austen into 2nd place by just 4 points.

District Sports saw more than 50 athletes competing for RGS and we were pleased to win the Year 8 Athletics competition for the second year in a row.

12 athletes were selected on the basis of their performances to compete in the Surrey Schools’ Athletics Championships.

This year we hosted the Track and Field Cup at Guildford Spectrum – this was the local round of a national competition, with 40 teams taking part on the day and more than 650 schools participating nationwide.

Our Intermediate Team (Third and Fourth Form) qualified for the Regional B Final but were unfortunately unable to go due to it being during our internal exams

week. However our Juniors (First and Second Form) won their competition and qualified for the Regional A Final: an RGS first! Individually, Max Merriman 2E particularly impressed with his pole vaulting – an event rarely seen at school competitions.

One of the benefits of joining with RGS Prep is that our younger athletes are able to access some competitions previously reserved for Prep Schools. Hugo Wilson 1R, George Vickers 2S, Max Merriman 2E, Arthur Ford 2P, Max Baker 2P and Joshua Woollett 2L all qualified this year for the National Prep Schools Athletics Finals in Nuneaton. They put out some fine performances and George came home with a Bronze medal in the 800m - quite an achievement in a National Final!

Many thanks to all the staff who have helped with athletics this term, especially Mr S Gaynor, who came to virtually every competition, and Mr I Wilkes who, in my absence earlier in the year, organised much of the fixtures list.

In recognition of their performances and commitment to RGS athletics throughout their time at the school, Half Colours were awarded to Elliott Denton L6-1, Finlay Sanders L6-1 and Hayden Christian L6-9.

Mrs G Richards - Head of Athletics

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BADMINTON

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here has been a good turnout at Badminton Club sessions on Friday afternoons and Wednesday lunchtimes with some very strong younger players who will be looking to play for the teams next year. The Wednesday sessions run by Dr Patel for the First and Second Forms has ensured that students of all abilities from First to Sixth Form have had the opportunity to partake in this sport as a co-curricular activity.

There have been Under 19 and Under 16 matches against Wilsons and Reeds. The teams have been represented by Safi Baloch, Shrey Bijlani, Jiaqi Zhang, Denver Zhang,

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Alex Jones, Oscar Liu, Ayaan Bhagat, Archie Attwood, Satvikya Srivastava, Will Randles, Denver Zhang and Sid Rayaprolu. When we have been short of players some of the younger team members have been willing to step up and play in the older age group. The Badminton season finished with a series of inter-House matches. There were four competitions: the Sixth Form Competition was won

by Powell; the Fifth Form was won by Hamonde; there was a combined Third and Fourth Form Competition which was won by Austen; and the combined First and Second Form Competition was won by Valpy.

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Mr AB Kirkland - Head of Badminton

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FENCING British Schools' Team Championship

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ormality has been restored to fencing and the dreaded Covid restrictions are finally behind us. Fencing has developed into a popular minor sport and our club is bustling with enthusiastic new members. The arrival of Lucas Ngai 1E, the IAPS U11 foil champion, has greatly strengthened our Junior Team.

In the Surrey Competition, we won two Gold, one Silver and two Bronze. Xavi Wallin L6-13 and Lucas became the new County Champions in U18 and U12 Foil. Lucas then went on to be crowned the South East Foil Champion the following month.

Our biggest success came in the much-anticipated British Schools’ Team Championships (BYC) in Rickmansworth. The Senior teams consisting of Freddie Cheng U6-1, Zed Law U6-12, Boldi Paladi-Kovacs U6-5,

Xavi Wallin and Rishikesh Mistry L6-8 have won the U15 foil and épée when the competition was last held before Covid. They naturally had high hopes of capturing another National title in the U18 category. The U13 Team consisted of Lucas Ngai, Valentine Wallin 2L and Harry Radforth 1C. In day one of the competition, the U18 Épée Team beat Skinners in the quarter-final, Brentwood in the semi-final before losing the final to Dulwich by a single point. The U13 Épée Team were seeded second to last after the poules, but incredibly won a succession of close matches before beating Junior King’s School Canterbury 45-42 in the final and winning our first national title of the season. Harry Radforth deserves special praise as he has only been fencing for six months but his exceptional talent and temperament enabled him to hold his own against far more experienced fencers. In the second day of the Championship, the U18 Foil Team captured our second national title after convincingly beating the highly rated Millfield and Whitgift teams. The U13 Team also stepped onto the podium again with Bronze medals in the foil.

U18 British Schools' Team Foil Champions

U13 British Schools' Team Épée Champions

U18 British Schools' Team Épée Silver Medallists

Lucas Ngai, the U12 South East Foil Champion

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Lucas Ngai in the BYC

Freddie Cheng (left) in the Public Schools' Championships

House Fencing was hotly contested this year with just one point separating the top three Houses. The zealous Hamonde House Captain almost achieved the impossible by taking the school fencing captain to the deciding point in his crucial fight. Hamonde and Powell were joint overall winners with Beckingham in Third Place.

The Wallin brothers were again in great form for the Public Schools’ Championships, came 3rd and 5th in foil for their age groups and were awarded trophies.

The last major competition of the season will be the British Youth

Championships (BYC) in May and four RGS students have qualified for the event. Lucas and Freddie were awarded medals for coming 6th and 7th in the U12 and U18 foil respectively.

It is a pleasure to thank our fencing coach Mr Bengry, for training our fencers both in the RGS and in Cobham Fencing Club. I am also particularly grateful to Leo and Ben Kamstra for their support.

It is fitting that Leo has received the honour of having his GBR fencing jacket framed in recognition of his outstanding achievements and I have

no doubt that he can achieve even greater fencing successes in university.

Full colours for fencing were awarded to Xavi Wallin and Boldi Paladi-Kovacs. Rishikesh Mistry was awarded Half colours.

The future is bright for RGS Fencing as we have such talented Juniors coming through. However, this is also the end of an era as Leo, Zed, Freddie and Boldi will be graduating from the RGS. Xavi Wallin will be taking over from our new fencing captain, and I am confident that RGS Fencing will go from strength to strength under his leadership.

Mr WS Lau - Head of Fencing

Xavier and Valentine in the Public Schools Championships

Leo Kamstra U6-7 with his framed GBR fencing jacket

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SAILING

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he 2023 season was one of learning, conditions and RGS Red made the most of it with an 83% rebuilding for a squad that experienced win rate in Bronze fleet, an unrivalled victory. RGS Green the loss of titans like Ben Mueller and had some difficult races lined up in Gold fleet, though it Matt Shaw. With Henry Hawkes at the was the final race of the year against the mighty Sevenoaks helm this was easily achieved, especially which was the pinnacle. After a bad start and with few considering his A Level PE coursework options remaining Henry Hawkes performed a miracle, also hung on the line… taking out the Sevenoaks boats immediately to his rear.

The Michaelmas Term fixtures were somewhat curtailed This allowed Inglesfield and Mawdsley to catch up, and by the significantly missing water from many ultimately have a chance on the final upwind. Following of the reservoirs we sail at. Thank you a nail biting finish, RGS pipped Sevenoaks a hot dry summer! Nevertheless we perfect end to the team racing season. Overall managed to get afloat for a strong RGS Green were 5th overall, and RGS Red showing at the Eric Twiname finished 1st in Bronze fleet (16th overall).

Team Racing event.

By Josh Inglesfield L6 The Southerns, the first event of the summer season Post Finals we depart to Itchenor was looking to be a spicy and the Juniors were up first. Sunday one, until the wind failed training prepared all of us for the next to show up. However, few windy days of racing, with one of following this the Westerns, us going aground after unknowingly Thames Valley, Hoad Shield sailing into shallower waters with most and Spring Trophy all saw of the team following, leaving all but one strong showing from Team RGS, boat knee deep in mud on the shore! A good even if we just missed the top spots. start for all. Day one racing was exciting, with Team RGS at Itchenor Senior Nevertheless, the rebuilding was 105 boats on the start line and strong winds. coming to fruition and when the After battling the conditions, the team finally Fifth and Upper Sixth returned from exams we were ready. managed to get back for a swim and a well-deserved rest.

Mr JC Witts Leading into day two, the wind had dropped off slightly, 'Finals' is the last team racing event in the calendar providing us with a full day of racing in much more and is the equivalent of the Nationals with 25 teams manageable conditions. The whole team had a great time, competing. Once the arduous bus journey to Norfolk had with Ben Goldsmith and Jago Halliwell obtaining some been survived, we arrived to ideal conditions. At the end excellent results.

By Ben Goldsmith 3C of day one RGS Green sat comfortably in Fourth, and RGS Red in a solid 19th. Day 2 presented some lighter Harry Shaw L6 and Josh Inglesfield L6 at the BSDRA Finals

RGS Racing at the BSDRA Finals

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Haytham Rayner 5V and Sam McDermott 3P at Itchenor Senior

Having swapped the Juniors for some larger Senior sailors we switched our attention to the Firefly Competition.

Top right to bottom right: Wednesday’s practice day involved drills in the morning Alex Judge 5N and Zac Warham 5P and a mini-series in the afternoon. Out of the four races powering to windward at in the mini-series, Rob Mawdsley and Harry Shaw won Itchenor three and came third in the final race, meaning we won the mini-series outright! This filled us with confidence Ben Shackleton U6-13 and Will Bayne 5V heading into the Thursday where the main series began. enjoying the sunshine We completed six races on the Thursday and with Jago Halliwell 4N difficult wind conditions, we were very pleased to find and Tom Dreyer 2C three of our six boats in the top twenty. The Friday’s at Itchenor Juniors conditions played more to our favour and after the final Tom Stork L6 and four races Rob and I finished in Fourth Place overall Toby Jones 4N with Tom Stork and Toby Jones in fifteenth place and lead the fleet at Itchenor Jago Halliwell and Haytham Rayner closely following in sixteenth. This event is always a fantastic end to the season and once again it delivered with tans topped up and sailing accomplished… until September that is.

Ben Goldsmith, Josh Inglesfield, Harry Shaw and Mr JC Witts - Head of Sailing

The Senior Team at Itchenor

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Junior Team on the wall at Itchenor

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SHOOTING

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t has been a great year for the Shooting Team J Bowater and R Pulendraraja) who won the whole contest. with a total of nine wins, two draws and two They achieved a total score of 451 with a Landscape score losses in their head to head matches across the of 98. Cunningham, Tan and Weir all placed in the top year. In the private competitions success was ten cadets for their scores.

During the Schools’ Meeting the team won the East had in the BSSRA Winter and Spring Leagues with Team B (S Balaban, R Pulendraraja, J Lee Surrey Bicentennial Bowl and the Queen’s Regiment and B Huo) and Team C (B Cunningham, O Engleman, M Cup, holding them for the second year running. Our team of four (T Anderl, B Tan, B Vary and J Myers) Goncharuk and G Harnden) winning their divisions. won Bronze in the Babcock Trophy. The Congratulations also go to B Tan for shooting Schools’ Pair which was T Burton and B in the England D Team, they went on to Grimshaw also got Bronze. In terms beat the England C’s by two points. of individual successes throughout However, it was in the military that week: B Tan won Bronze for competitions that the shooting the Cadet Monday Aggregate, team really showed their skill.

J Myers won Silver in the Victoria Team A (B Tan, A Zhang, Tankard, A Bhagat won Silver B Vary and J Myers) started off in the Silenta Trophy, T Anderl the successes by placing second had to endure a tie-break shoot in the Staniforth and when for his competition but held his the results from the Country nerve and came away with a Gold Life came through it showed Medal and his own trophy. Out of that all the training really made a the four hundred cadets taking part difference. In Sixth Place was Team D I am delighted to report that half of (S Balaban, S Pasarkar, B Grimshaw, Z B Tan U6-5 the shooting team made it into the top one Mian and B Huo). In Fourth Place was Team hundred: J Nicholas placed 15th, T Anderl C (T Burton, B Cunningham, M Goncharuk, J Lee and J Nicholas). In Third Place was Team A (F Weir, 19th, B Tan - 23rd, J Myers - 50th, B Vary - 57th and A B Vary, D Hughes, T Anderl and B Tan) with a score of Zhang - 98th.

450. Yet, it was Team B (A Zhang, J Myers, S Swanepoel, Schools’ meeting 2023

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A Zhang L6, B Vary U6-5, T Anderl U6-13, J Myers 5A, J Nicholas 5V, B Tan U6-5

J Myers, B Tan, T Anderl, B Vary

S Pasarkar

Wellington 19th November 2022 A Zhang L6 and S Pasarkar 5P

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The very final competition was the Imperial which increases to 800 entries. Only 150-200 of those are cadets the rest are adult competitors, some have decades of experience.

The six students who took part did exceptionally well but I’d like in particular to congratulate B Vary who at 500 yards placed 69th out of 757 competitors and S Pasarkar who at 300 yards placed 48th out of 730.

I wish our new Captain (J Nicholas) and Vice-Captain (A Zhang) the best of luck in their roles this year and have no doubt they will help the team to further wins.

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My thanks go to Mr S Black, Mr E Bush, Captain C Mansfield, Mr M Whicher and Mr J Underwood for all their hard work and support throughout the year and to OGs Mr L Cheek and Mr W Livesey for their assistance during the summer competitions.

Dr EA McEwan - Head of Shooting

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SKIING

The team arrive in Wengen

British School Races - Wengen Switzerland

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Up the mountain

Senior Ski Trip 2022

ecember of 2022 saw 27 skiers take to the slopes of Les Deux Alpes in France, for the Senior Ski Trip, staying in the Hotel Aalborg.

Upon arriving at the resort in the evening, they were greeted by below freezing weather and on the next morning, fresh snow.

The skiers geared up with rental skis, boots and poles, and hit the slopes with their knowledgeable ESF instructors.

Whilst a lot of the days had poor visibility due to the snowfall, the perfect sun of the first and last day allowed for time to enjoy the powder created on the other days. Crash of the trip goes to Michael Pizza night Goncharuk who managed to get his ski lodged in a dip concealed by powder and go flying several metres horizontally; he was fine!

When not on the ski slopes, the Senior skiers took time to engage in other activities such as bowling, a quiz and a fair amount of watching the football World Cup. Dinner highlights included pizza and fondue in the town.

On the way back, the skiers stayed in a hostel in Lyon, which had particularly good pastries for breakfast. The next morning they boarded a flight from the airport and headed home. Overall, the trip included fun skiing and exciting activities to complement.

At the end of January, 9 intrepid ski racers from the RGS departed for Wengen Switzerland, for 4 days training and racing. The weather was fantastic with fresh snow down to village level and a great surface throughout the resort, including on the Lauberhorn, famous from the World Cup circuit and where the students raced their Giant Slalom event. For some of the team, this was their first experience of ski racing and all made great progress and put in some good performances on race days.

Although, on this occasion, we returned home medalless, the team retuned home, significantly up-skilled, having experienced the best of ski racing and Swiss culture.

Course inspection

Slalom training

Ollie Burne U6-4

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Our racers at the Aldershot ESSKIA Regional Qualifiers

UK Ski Racing

Throughout the year of 2022, as well as the Friday training in the Trinity and start of the Michaelmas Terms, the RGS Ski Team raced in numerous competitions scattered across the country. These competitions saw racers of all ages and abilities race together to achieve a successful Ollie Burne, racing at Stoke season.

The season started with the qualification race for the English Schools Skiing Championships at Aldershot dry ski slope, the home slope of the RGS Team. Teams consisting of skiers of all ages competed and the First Team were fast enough to qualify for the English Schools Skiing Championships.

At The English Championships in The British qualifying teams Norwich, in the Norfolk Snowsports Centre, which took place on the 8 and 9 October, the First Team raced on both the Saturday and the Sunday with the Second Team joining them for the Sunday. The Saturday saw the First Team placed Fourth out of nine teams. On the Sunday, both the First and Second The A Team at the English Finals in Stoke Team were entered into the open competition.

If these teams scored fast enough team times, they would qualify for the British Competition in Stoke. The Second Team came 14th overall and the First Team placed 7th, enough for both to qualify for the British Schools Championships. www.rgsg.co.uk

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Between the English and British Championships, the Surrey Schools’ Races saw racers compete for the prize of £250. Notable results included the placing of Will Judd and Will Gossage at tenth and ninth place respectively, within their age groups. Jack Weeks came extremely close to winning the students race overall, placing third with a time just 0.27 seconds off the winners.

The final, and arguably most important race of the season took place in Stoke on the 27 November.

Here, the RGS Teams raced the best ski race teams from all around the UK and the First put in a valiant effort to be placed 13th, with the Second Team unfortunately not making enough runs to place.

The year of 2022 proved to be a successful year for the RGS Ski Team, which was reflected in the results, but more importantly in the progression of new racers who joined the team and will hopefully be making the trip to the British Competition very soon.

Ollie Burne, Ski Team Captain The Judd's with the team's medals at the Surrey Schools' Race

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SQUASH

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quash has developed into a popular minor sport and our club is energetic with enthusiastic new members. We have had some very challenging fixtures against Epsom College and Cranmore School in which the matches were officiated Epsom College by the pupils themselves, during which, our students conducted themselves with integrity.

The discipline and skill learned is a great addition to the sport itself. Cranmore School had a particularly strong seed 1 Junior-England squad player, giving Ali Noble the opportunity to rise to the challenge and see what he was capable of. He definitely learned a lot from the match.

House Squash was closely contested this year with just one point separating the top two Houses.

Nettles took First Place from Beckingham with a win in the Sixth Form category. The students enjoyed the event and were keen to attend Squash Club in September.

The future is bright for RGS Squash as we have such talented juniors coming through, I am confident that they will go from strength to strength and hopefully embrace the beautiful sport of squash beyond our weekly squash sessions.

Mr MA Burbidge - Head of Squash

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We have had some very challenging fixtures against Epsom College and Cranmore School in which the matches were officiated by the children themselves, during which, our students conducted themselves with integrity.

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11/12/2023 16:29:32

TENNIS

U18s v Gordans

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t has been another great season of tennis for the RGS. Under 13s 75% wins Under 15s 60% wins Under 18s 64% wins

I want to mention only four players in this year's report so apologies to anyone else who was hoping for a mention.

These four students can play tennis better than most of us can ever dream of and so it has been an honour and a privilege to take them to their matches and watch them play, even when they lose. But, they will be the winners in the long run, as tennis is a game for life and they have the technique and the temperament to play at the top level for a very long time to come. What can I say about these four musketeers of the Under 18 First Team. They've all got completely different personalities and they've all got completely different styles of play.

In order to keep this report short let's just focus on each player's forehand. I asked them how they play such good forehands and in particular what do they do when they're feeling uncomfortable in a match and their forehand is perhaps not going as well as they want it to. Kieran Kenyon, the captain, who is undoubtedly the best all-round tennis player we've had at the RGS since Jamie Diack, said it's all about moving your feet quickly, anticipating the shot and only putting the power in at exactly the right millisecond.

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Gabriel Correia, who's forehand is, believe it or not, even better than Kieran's, said you've got to move your feet and get in position so that the ball is always out in front of you, in your comfort zone and then move forward and extend through the contact point. This is only physically possible if you get in precisely the right position, just like a golfer, except that the ball is moving and so are you!

Ethan Newbold whose forehand is even better than Gabriel's, said you've got to imagine you're holding a baby bird in your hand and that you gently take that bird around in a high loop to the contact point and then you crush the ball with incredible loose acceleration. Such analogies highlight why tennis is such a hard game to understand when you're learning it.

And Ollie Binns said: "I've got no idea how I do it, but I never get nervous, and if I see the ball, I'll whack it".

I'm sure all four of them will be setting up a YouTube coaching channel soon, so remember to 'like' and press that 'subscribe' button.

All four are awarded their colours for being great sportsman and great tennis players.

My thanks also to Mssrs Presley, Wilson, Wakeling, Varney, Lemaire, Cover, Gaynor, King and Thomson (LTA coach) for their sterling support of tennis throughout the year.

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Mr JA Casale - Head of Tennis

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Cross Country

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Second Form won Yr8 District Sports

t has been yet another quality season for Cross Hugo Wilson were then selected to represent Surrey, with Country (XC). The Juniors, in particular Eddie competing in the English Schools Championships, showing, that the RGS competes against the the top race in the country. Well done. best in the SE, and with notable success.

Other notable successes, especially for our Juniors were: One of the top events on the calendar is • 4th Team from a field of 22 schools at Danes Hill. our own Haskell Cup. This XC relay race has • 2nd school at Highfield with Hugo Wilson 2nd been taking place on Merrow Downs for well over runner across the line in a very competitive race.

60 years. A few years back we introduced a • 1st in Charterhouse earlier in the year. separate girls category and this has been • The Junior B Team took 2nd place in very popular. This year we expanded their section at Hampton. even further and organised a junior • In the ESAA xc cup championships, version for First to Third Year we just missed out by one place in runners, students and girls, with representing the SE in the National some 50 teams entering. And, in Finals up in Leeds. this inaugural race the RGS Juniors • In a combined age group Judge relay demonstrated that they are up with at Tiffin the RGS came 4th from 15 the best and took the Bronze Medals teams. in a very competitive field.

The Districts XC championships were The one event, where perhaps we didn’t First Form at Charterhouse held at Charterhouse back in November, have the opportunity for our Seniors to this resulted in some 13 RGS students, from perform was the Ranelagh Cup in November, when across different age groups, being selected to represent the unannounced closure of roads across Richmond park Guildford District in the County Championships in and the resulting stationary traffic outside, conspired to Reigate Park back in January. Success in this race meant stop us, along with other schools, from even getting to that three runners, Eddie Wilson, George Vickers and the start!

The House event was as ever a great success with the opportunity for all the school to participate in our very own festival week of running up at Pewley, and to run those challenging hills in the Chantries, which I am sure were enjoyed by all. The overall winners were Austen House.

Thanks must go to all staff involved in XC but a special thanks to Mrs Rathmell who has spearheaded our success with the Juniors so effectively over the year.

Mr W D Cowx - Head of Cross Country XC Junior - Danes Hill

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Freddie Rammage 2C

COURAGE Samuel Nnabuife - 4N

On the morning of the Coronation of King Charles III. I spent it with my family members, watching historic live television coverage. I remember when the King was dressed in golden robes, and the scepter and crown was presented to him. www.rgsg.co.uk

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Co-Curricular Activities

CCF RN Section

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he Royal Navy (RN) Section hit something of a purple patch this year with a bumper intake of new recruits led by a dedicated group of talented and knowledgeable NCOs and S/Lt Muchmore completing his commissioning training. Increased numbers saw the creation of three Fourth Form Watches – Red, White and Blue – and a re-branded ‘Gold Watch’ for the Fifth Form. CPO Ben Cruttwell demonstrated such excellent leadership of the RN section that he was promoted to Contingent Warrant Officer First Class (WO1) and Alessandro Harker seamlessly stepped up to section Chief Petty Officer. Steady watch leadership was provided by PO Max Watkinson, PO Will Eyles and PO Harry Shaw – the latter Lower Sixth Former stepping up from Leading Hand due to an unplanned power vacuum. As the year progressed, with mentoring and support the other Leading Hands of Esa Mitchell, Joshua Inglesfield, Felix Day, Rex Attwood and Henry Franke also started to find their feet with LH Esa Mitchell, in particular, demonstrating an infectious enthusiasm and energy.

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Innovations from the (Noncommissioned Officer) NCO and staff team this year included: introducing compartment clearing drills using wooden ‘automatic weapons’; battleships/minesweeper games using VHF radios; introducing coastal gig rowing experiences; and, most excitingly, persuading RN HQ to lend us a field gun for the year in order to up-skill our cadets in all sections in advance of a highly anticipated inaugural Interservice Kings Coronation Field Gun Challenge (watch this space in 2024).

Following his application and shortlisting for the national role of First Sea Lord Cadet, PO Harry Shaw received a Commanding Officer’s Commendation from the National Combined Cadet Force (CCF) RN HQ in recognition for his “outstanding commitment to the CCF RN” and he was allocated first reserve for the ‘1SL’ position. This is an unprecedented recognition for the RGS RN Section.

Morale in the section is high and we are looking forward to a very positive 2023-24. My thanks to S/Lt Muchmore and Mr Eburne for their invaluable assistance in making it all happen this year.

Lt TW Shimell - CCF RNR

The Fourth Form cadets engaged with a varied Field Day programme with training encompassing: yachting and motor launch experience in the Solent; gaining their RYA Powerboat Level 1 at Southampton Water Activities Centre; undertaking canoeing and raft-building at Woodmill Activity Centre; kayaking down the River Adur; and, new this year, gig rowing at the Coastal Rowing Academy in Chichester Harbour. Additionally, they all passed their RN swim test at Guildford Spectrum and completed the 1* and 2* basic RN training syllabus during Period 8. Several of our cadets also completed camps and courses, such as Cdt Peter Hallas completing an RN Leadership course and Cdt Arthur Shimell gaining his RYA Competent Crew for Yachting.

During the year to Easter, Gold Watch compled their 3* advanced training which culminates in learning to instruct the younger cadets – no easy feat. They also engaged with a varied Field Day programme which included yachting, leadership training at the RN Leadership academy at HMS Collingwood which included running Field Gun drills and coastal gig rowing.

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COURAGE RAF Section Group photo at RAF Odiham

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n 2022-23 the Royal Air Force (RAF) was ably led by Cadet Warrant Officer Ashwin Vishwanath, who demonstrated outstanding organisational skills and always led his NCOs from the front. His passion for the RAF was great to see and he inspired the NCOs and cadets to have a real pride in the RAF Section. The success of this year was very much down to Ashwin and his NCOs’ hard work and enthusiasm and I thank them for everything they have done for the RAF Section. My thanks also goes to Pilot Officer Busby and Flying Officer Woodman for their help in the Field Days and Monday Period 8 sessions.

Congratulations should go to Pilot Officer Busby for successfully completing her Initial Officer Training at RAF Cranwell.

In the weekly Monday Period 8 sessions, the NCOs cover the RAF syllabus which include the following topics: flight simulator training, airfields and aerodromes, principles of flight, ranks of the RAF, the history of the RAF, aircraft in the RAF, aircraft recognition and flight safety. The NCOs were very proficient in their training of the cadets and it was particularly good to see some of the Fifth Form cadets stepping up to the mark and volunteering to lead these sessions. Particular mention should go to Cadet Michael Goncharuk who taught several RAF lessons and has also led the flight simulator training.

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A Puma from RAF Benson

Air experience flying at RAF Benson

Flying at RAF Benson

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11/12/2023 16:29:44

The Armoury at RAF Odiham

The Grob Tutor

Tour of the Grob Tutor

Field Days included paintballing and high ropes, indoor skydiving at iFly in Basingstoke, a field-craft and navigation day at Bramshott Common, a museum trip to the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon and a station visit to RAF Odiham, the home of the Chinook helicopter force. We also took to the air on several occasions at RAF Benson, where some of our cadets took part in the RAF Air Experience Flying on the Grob Tutor two-seater aircraft.

This was a great opportunity for the cadets to experience the thrill of aerobatics and to take control of the aircraft themselves.

Sqn Ldr EKD Bush - CCF RAF

Tour of a Chinook

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COURAGE Army Section Cadets enjoy being in the field

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Field Days

n the past year, the (CCF) Army Section has been a hub of action and learning, engaging in a multitude of thrilling military activities that have sharpened skills and fostered teamwork among the students.

The excitement kicked off with Field Day 2, where the Fifth and Sixth forms honed their marksmanship on the dismounted close combat trainer and learned critical room clearing drills at Longmoor Camp. The day culminated in a thrilling visit to a local paintball centre, where strategy and quick thinking were put to the test.

Not to be left behind, the Fourth Form received an introduction to military skills, including safe handling of the L98 Cadet General Purpose rifle in preparation for future Field Days. The foundation for their future endeavours was carefully laid.

A standout experience occurred during Field Day 3, as the Army Section deployed to Bramshott Common for Exercise Foundation Tiger. Concepts of camouflage and concealment were explored in depth, along with tactical movement with and without a rifle. These skills were put to the test through blank firing scenarios, providing a realistic glimpse into military operations.

Field Day 4 marked a significant milestone with the 24-hour overnight fieldcraft exercise, Exercise Solid Tiger.

Here, the students faced a fictional enemy, the South Downs Army, threatening the National Park boundaries.

Displaying resilience and strategy, the Army Section, part of the UK Cadet Task Force, protected the surrounding villages, engaging in reconnaissance patrols and successfully executing a crucial ambush, ultimately securing victory.

The pinnacle of the year was Field Day 5, hosted at the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. The students fired live on the L98, showcasing their exceptional

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marksmanship skills. Concurrently, they enjoyed a range of background activities, such as an obstacle course, laser tag, and axe throwing, all of which added to the adventure and camaraderie of the day.

The CCF Army Section's engaging and educational events have undoubtedly left a lasting impact on all participants, reinforcing the importance of discipline, cooperation, and skill in the realm of military training. The experiences gained throughout the year will undoubtedly shape the future leaders of tomorrow.

THE GUILDFORDIAN 2023

Moving out

Winning the fire fight

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Top of the Scramble

A Thrilling Adventure: Summer Camp at Willsworthy

As the summer sun graced the horizon, 15 enthusiastic cadets from across the tri-services embarked on an exhilarating week at Willsworthy Camp near Okehampton for the much-anticipated Summer Camp. This annual event was a testament to the spirit of adventure and camaraderie that defines our cadet community.

The adventure continued with an array of adrenaline-pumping activities during the adventurous training package. Coasteering in Torquay, climbing, ghyll scrambling, and mountain biking across the rugged terrain of Dartmoor pushed the boundaries of the cadets' physical prowess. The pinnacle of excitement was a heart-racing 100-foot abseil from the iconic Meldon Viaduct.

Adding a touch of naval intrigue, the cadets were privileged to visit HM Naval Base Devonport.

Their journey into naval history included an awe-inspiring tour of HMS Courageous, a decommissioned Churchill-class nuclear fleet submarine, and HMS Portland, an active Type 23, Duke-class frigate. These experiences left an indelible mark on the young minds, fostering a deeper appreciation for the maritime forces.

In conclusion, Summer Camp at Willsworthy was an adventure-filled extravaganza that not only enhanced the cadets' skills but also created lasting memories and strengthened the bonds of friendship within the cadet community. Here's to the adventurous spirit and determination that propels us forward into the future!

Mr C Mansfield - CCF School Staff Instructor

Off on the bikes

Virtual Reality gaming

The week kicked off with a bang as the students were introduced to the electronic target range (ETR) at Willsworth Range. With cutting-edge technology at their fingertips, the cadets engaged targets up to 300 meters away, experiencing real-time feedback as their shots hit the mark. A friendly competition ensued, and Cadet Arthur Shimell astounded all by knocking down both the 200 and 300 targets with a single shot, a moment of triumph and skill that will be remembered.

Venturing into the heart of Dartmoor, Exercise Tudor Tiger provided a 24-hour challenge of fieldcraft expertise. The cadets meticulously executed a patrol alley, successfully clearing an enemy patrol from a re-entrant. A strategic harbour area was established to deny the enemy a foothold at the river crossing. Under the cover of night, a well-executed ambush and a bold dawn attack secured victory and showcased the students' determination and teamwork. www.rgsg.co.uk

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COURAGE

Chess National Finals

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nother jam-packed year of chess, with lunchtime Chess Club, The Briant Poulter Surrey Schools League, The RGChess Competition and the National Schools Chess Championships taking place once

Finally, a big thank you to Dr L Kurian, Dr D Jackson and a special thank you to Mr T Foster. Without your help and support, chess simply wouldn’t be able to run the way it does at this school.

again.

Our 1st VI finished fourth in Division 1 of a very formidable Surrey Schools League. They also made it through to the National Finals, beating Eton College in an exciting match. James Dicker L6-6 stayed strong in the final game - despite having 2 minutes on his clock when his opponent still had 20! At the National Finals the team finished 14th out of 26 teams; an impressive feat in a collection of the strongest chess schools in the country.

Our 2nd and 3rd VI have also seen some success this year. Moving up to Division 1, it has been a tough season for our 2nd VI, playing against many top 1st teams. I hope they have still enjoyed the challenge of the top-level chess each week though, and I look forward to next season. Our 3rd VI finished third in Division 2 West, with both young players and RGS chess veterans being represented.

Arguably the main events this year were the Junior and Senior RGChess competitions. A record-breaking 99 entrants gave rise to an absolutely stunning five weeks of chess, full of missed mates, blundered queens and nonsensical openings! In all seriousness though, there was some fantastic chess played and some very gripping matches, and it was delightful to see so many students come and watch both finals being broadcast live in the chess room. Huge congratulations to our new Junior Champion (Sebastian Allam 1S) and our new Senior Champion (Magnus Borissow L6-13).

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A record-breaking 99 entrants gave rise to an absolutely stunning five weeks of chess, full of missed mates, blundered queens and nonsensical openings!

THE GUILDFORDIAN 2023

Mr HWJ Hadley - Head of Chess

Final live broadcast

Junior Champion Sebastian Allam 1S

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11/12/2023 16:29:55

Climbing

Space and time to unwind, and camaraderie along the way are pretty powerful medicine. The RGS climbers have much to be thankful for – as have I. Many thanks in particular to Mr LM Holland, who has made all of this possible.

Mr MRF Royds - Head of Climbing

First Break Henry Bedford 5B

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Overhang - Charlie Elson 5H

n all the bustle of getting equipment together, navigating down tiny country lanes, anxious kitting up and then hauling up a rockface by panicked inches, climbing offers surprising space and time to unwind. The settings are beautiful: the crew starts in the south-facing cliffs set under beechwoods in Kent; other venues take the RGS climbers to the bright cliffs of Portland and Swanage over blue swell battering the rocks. At other times, sat on a bouldering mat listening to old-skool vibes at the climbing centres, the physical problem-solving draws its own focus.

On every trip, the hard focus on not falling off the wall pulls the mind away from all the usual cares; the space and time are welcome.

The slightly tense walk in to the cliffs, carrying ropes and bits of gear; the quiet moments soberly double-checking the harness; the encouragement and mockery cheerfully thrown up the wall; the last few desperate moves to crimp over the top: all these moments are shared and the camaraderie will be carried on long after the ropes are coiled. All this owes much to the willingness of the crew – students and staff – to take the unexpected in their stride and to keep a firm hold of humour.

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Hard Labour Charlie Webster 5H

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COURAGE

Duke of Edinburgh Award Enrolment in the DofE Award is optional and the high number of registrations demonstrates the importance and value the award has for young people.

A Bronze team half way home

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he Duke of Edinburgh’s Award continues to have relevance in an increasingly digital world. This year 140 Third Form students registered for the award and undertook their expedition in the Summer Term. Although they have a timetabled EXAD lesson each week for the training, enrolment in the DofE Award is optional and the high number of registrations demonstrates the importance and value the award has for young people.

Bronze Expedition - Fourth Form

Temperatures were incredibly high for the two Bronze expeditions during Trinity- students were fully informed of the importance of hydration, shade, and sun protection. I am pleased to say that all students completed their planned expedition and although some teams were late arriving both into camp and back at RGS, their reason for a slow pace were justified.

Evening meals that students prepared were by far the most delicious I have come across, almost every team decided to cook from scratch, choosing to avoid prepared convenience camping rations. This was fantastic to observe, I took personal delight in sampling some incredible sauces and savoury dishes that were being made.

Bronze participants enjoy cooking

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11/12/2023 16:30:02

The Silver teams on Exmoor

Silver Expedition - Fifth Form

Silver expeditions took place during October and late June - 43 students attended the Practice Expedition; an additional team of Gold Direct students attended the June qualifying expedition as part of their cumulative training in preparation for the Gold Expedition in 2024.

October provided a chilly expedition with a touch of frost underfoot in the New Forest. Teams developed their understanding of navigation and camp craft – with some deciding to try novel options for their evening meals. Post public examination, the teams headed off to Exmoor for the Qualifying Expedition- the weather was mixed with both heavy rain and the tail end of the first heat wave.

All teams were successful and the additional night under canvass, prior to the start of the expedition, gave a moment of post GCSE celebration with friends.

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Navigating in the New Forest

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COURAGE A blustery Gold departure

Gold Practice Expedition - Sixth Form

Gold Expeditions took place during the second part of October Half Term and during the Easter break- two teams of students were accompanied to Dartmoor for the practice expedition and then Brecon for the Qualifying.

Dartmoor proves to be an ideal location for students to further the skills that have been established through Bronze and Silver expeditions. It was wet and with reduced visibility due to low cloud for much of the expedition a sense of remoteness was felt by all. The Qualifying expedition gave significant hill snow on the high ridge line of the Brecon Beacons- enough for a determined member of the public to snowboard down as the students walked up. Several Military personnel were also seen on exercise in the area, this provided a wider discussion opportunity with teams as to why the Brecon Beacons is used so heavily by the MOD.

Who knew that washing up could be so much fun!

Night navigation

A Gold team on Dartmoor A wet night into camp

In the past year 55 students have achieved their Bronze, 12 Silver and 9 Gold have also been awarded. In addition to this, on 19 May, 16 OG’s were invited to London, here the Duke of Edinburgh as patron of the award held receptions in the garden of Buckingham Palace for young people who have achieved the Gold standard award.

Mr Scampton, Head of Outdoor Education

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11/12/2023 16:30:07

Hiking Period 8 hiking group at Richmond Park

Field Days were of course the highlight and allowed us to live up to the name of hikers rather than walkers.

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f the impressive step count generated by walking 110 miles wasn’t enough of an incentive to join the Sixth Form Hiking group, others were drawn by the prospect of the Surrey Hills scenery or perhaps the promise of enjoyable conversations with friends along the way. On Monday afternoons we undertook a range of local walks, taking advantage of the footpaths along the Wey Navigation, around Pewley Down and up The Mount. The selfie challenge around Surrey University offered scenery of a different type and an insight into campus life. On the occasional inclement day, we learnt about the Ordnance Survey and searched the web for the most exciting hiking holiday (the teachers held onto their credit cards!).

Field Days were of course the highlight and allowed us to live up to the name of hikers rather than walkers.

The aim was to explore a variety of terrains, from the leafy flats of Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park to the crowning glory of Box Hill. The Devil’s Punchbowl at Haslemere offered far-reaching views with more moderate climbs. Sometimes we first took the train and other days we walked from the door, in each case walking approximately

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12 miles, typically steadier in the mornings and with greater pace on the home straight in the afternoons. The weather treated us well and we were generally able to enjoy our picnic lunches in the sunshine. On some occasions we were accompanied by those who were unable to join their usual Period 8 activity, and they were always warmly welcomed. A highlight for the teachers was the opportunity to get to know our students in a relaxed setting without threat of a bell, learning different things about their lives.

Without exception they were excellent company, as were accompanying teachers Mr Owens and Dr Whall - many thanks to them both.

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Dr MM Creagh - Head of Hiking

Hiking group at Box Hill

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COURAGE

Mountain Biking L6 at The Trail Academy

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ountain Biking as a Period 8 option continued to make the most of Guildford being close to some of the best mountain biking trails in the South East of England. With weekly sessions taking advantage of the school’s proximity to some great terrain around St Martha’s Hill and Newlands Corner, we try to mix things up by working on both our fitness and our riding skills. The local area is full of hilly and challenging routes that get the heart pumping; the traditional starting climb up to Pewley Down or Merrow Down being a case in point. During the weeks either side of Christmas we also added in a little gym and spinning, with a programme run

by Mr C Mullon.

Although Field Day 1 was cancelled, we still had the chance to visit the Hurtwood area, Holmbury Hill and Swinley Forest; places that have a national reputation for off-road cycling and some excellent cross-country and downhill tracks. Mountain biking is broadly an all-weather

activity and I continue to be impressed and thankful for the commitment and enthusiasm of the group, even when conditions during the winter Field Day 3 mean that everyone is wet and muddy by 11 o’clock and the bikes have had enough by midday. It is in conditions like this that the students really show their best; everyone rides to the best of their ability, we all help and support each other and this makes every Field Day, regardless of the weather, hugely rewarding and great fun. Another highlight of the year was the expert coaching arranged by Mr A J Colebrook for Field Day 4, where the Lower Sixth had the chance to improve their skills at The Trail Academy in Holmbury St Mary.

The students have all progressed as riders this year, whether this means you can now clear gaps with style or descend a section of single track with confidence. The occasional fall is to be expected but another year has passed without a serious injury in the group. Finally, huge thanks to Mr C Mullon and Mr A J Colebrook for their help and company throughout the year.

Dr JS Braithwaite - Head of Mountain Biking

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11/12/2023 16:30:11

Outdoor Pursuits

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ollowing a return to normal activities post the Covid years, the Outdoor Pursuits (OP) programme has continued to grow in popularity with increased numbers of Middle School students choosing it as their P8 option.

All started at various points on the carousel of activities which included: Archery, Climbing at Surrey Sports Park, Team Tasks, board Diving at the Spectrum, Street Dance, Ultimate Frisbee, Cooking, DT Construction (this year wooden fold up chairs), and the newly introduced Bushcraft Skills. The Field Days continue to be in an invaluable opportunity for the students to foster relationships with their peers and staff, as well as having fun! Although we lost Field Day 1 to the wonderful Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the participants still undertook the following days out:

Fourth Form Field Day - go-karting

Fourth Form Field Day Mercers Lake

The Nuts Challenge

A mud and water filled obstacle course just outside Dorking. The Fifth Year’s and staff’s resilience were put to the test in icy conditions, however all got round successfully and had a wonderful time.

Go-karting

The Fourth Year were treated to an adrenaline-fueled morning at TeamSport, Farnborough on fast-paced electric go-karts. Qualifying heats were held to determine grid position for the finals, during which there was plenty of chaotic driving, spins, and superb lap times (when not under yellow flags!).

Fourth Form Field Day team paddleboard

Campaign Paintball

The Fourth Year also undertook a variety of battle grounds around the huge site – a great opportunity to let off steam, work together, and inevitably target staff!

Archery Tag and Wildwood

Continuing the theme of targeting staff, the Fifth Year also had the opportunity, this time with foam-tipped arrows. The students then put their dexterity and confidence to the test on the high-ropes challenge in the afternoon, completing it with good humour - and of course supporting each other.

Water-based Activities

As the weather improved, the final Field Day’s for the Fourth Year consisted of water-based activities on Mercers Lake (a mixture of kayaking, sailing, raft-building, wind-surfing and paddle boarding), and wake-boarding at Thorpe Lake. Much hilarity was had at the various wipeouts (needed as a stress release during the exam period) and some impressive skills were also on display.

Sincerest thanks must go to all the staff whose enthusiasm, participation, and expertise are invaluable in making OP an enjoyable and successful programme for the students.

Mr KP Tayar - Head of Outdoor Pursuits

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COURAGE

Lifesaving and Surfing

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Field Day 1

wenty students from the Lower Sixth and six from the Upper Sixth Monday Period 8 Lifesaving and Surfing group travelled to Mawgan Porth for surfing lessons. The weather was excellent and there was masses of surf. The students battled hard in tricky conditions. The beach was red flagged on two of the days due to strong rip currents, but as the students were with a recognised surf school and with their lifeguards the lessons were allowed to continue.

Rip tides are essential for surfers. They use them to their benefit to 'get out back' before surfing the waves all the way back into the beach. So, all was well, and a great time was had by all.

Field Day 3

16 intrepid Sixth Formers travelled to Cornwall for surfing lessons accompanied by Messrs Casale, Wilson and Wakeling. The forecast was for huge waves and strong winds. The surf school made the call to shift the lessons to the south coast and so we headed to Pendower Beach.

Here the contrast was staggering, glassy waves and a light offshore breeze. In other words, perfect for surfing.

The students had two brilliant surfs here with McGuire, Durie, Al Qassab and Galpin leading the charge.

The following day Mawgan Porth came into its own and the students finished off their lessons here in a gnarly

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4-foot swell. A good snooze in the bus on the way home and McDonalds left us all in good spirits for what was left of the weekend.

Field Day 4

15 lucky Lower Sixth formers were treated to a feast of fine waves and fine weather in Mawgan Porth Cornwall.

McGuire, Postance, Munroe, Sanders, Beedie, Johnstone, Heatley and Binns displayed exceptional skill and perseverance to navigate the heavy shore break and endless whitewater to paddle out to the back of the waves and to Elysium. They were able to pick off some sweet peeling waves whenever their tired shoulders allowed. This is why we train on the river. A broken-down minibus forced Mr Casale to have to stay another day. Sympathy? My thanks to Mr Crew and Mr Royds for their sterling work throughout the trip. Mrs Wilson was unavailable.

Field Day 5

We could hardly believe our eyes. Sunshine, with perfect waves: the scenery was ripping, the weather was ripping, the students were ripping. Kernow (Cornwall): All good: come rain, wind or shine. So get your wetsuit on and come and join us next time.

THE GUILDFORDIAN 2023

Mr JA Casale - Head of Lifesaving and Surfing

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11/12/2023 16:30:15

Set Construction Boar From Side With Fur

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f all the bits of set we made this year in the Set Construction group, some of the more interesting bits were the props that the group made for Lord of the Flies. The play called for a boar to be built which could be cut into and have blood come out of it. This was achieved using a bag of fake blood inside the stomach which was accessed by a slit in the belly. It was tricky trying to work out how to make it stiff enough to give it the feeling that it had undergone rigor mortis but still flexible so that it did not look stuffed. We built an armature of thin laths so that the

Boar From front

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body had give but with the legs held on with moveable/ flexible strips of canvas, so they moved a bit. Members of the group dealt with the fiddly job of glueing the fur on without it getting all stuck together. The head we bought in but modified it a bit. It was one of the rubber boar’s heads that people buy for parties. It was designed to fit a human originally so it had to be cut so that it would slope back properly on the boar’s body. The play also needed a skull to represent the boar once all the flesh had been removed and this was achieved with another armature of card and paper with multiple strips of paper glued to produce a rigid, paintable, and effective skull.

Mr JB Kelly - Head of Set Construction

Finished skull in Papier-mâché

Unfinished skull in Papier-mâché

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SCHOLARSHIP Stuart Brown L6

Unfortunately, I was weighed down with school work during the weekend of the Coronation but my parents went to a barbecue with friends. They and all their friends are originally South African so they had both British and South African food as a way to celebrate their pride in being British but also their heritage which I thought was quite a nice idea.

Jonty Edmunds 4N

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SCHOLARSHIP THE SCHOLARSHIP CONFERENCE The annual RGS Scholarship Conference is now in its sixth year.

The theme for this year’s event was Revolution. Picked by the Senior Scholars Council, this theme reflected both their interest and concern in the recent events in Ukraine, as well as a wider appetite and hope for transformative change.

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The 2023 Scholarship Conference speakers

e were delighted to secure five fantastic speakers, all of whom had a connection to the RGS in some way.

Professor Sadhukhan, an RGS parent, and Dr Al Sid Cheikh, both from the University of Surrey, spoke to us about a sustainable energy transition and using radioactivity to track nanoplastic pollution. Professor Székely from the University of Bath, who supervised one of our students for his ORIS (Original Research in Science) placements last summer, joined us remotely to talk about biological conservation. Old Guildfordian Omeet Atara, currently an undergraduate at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, spoke about his own interest in and passion for youth activism.

Finally - and rounding off the programme in style - Dr Calverley, formerly of the RGS Physics Department, gave us a potted history of key moments in the field of astronomy.

In the subsequent panel Q and A the number of questions far outstripped the time that we had available, which we took as a very positive indicator of the audience’s level of interest and engagement!

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There were certain key ideas that recurred again and again, including environmental awareness and stewardship, social equity and justice and the fact that every individual has the power to make a difference.

Although each speaker gave their own perspective on the conference’s theme of Revolution, there were certain key ideas that recurred again and again, including environmental awareness and stewardship, social equity and justice and the fact that every individual has the power to make a difference. Regardless of disciplinary background, it would seem that there are certain issues that we all hold dear and this, amongst the many other fascinating insights of the evening, gave us all plenty of food for thought.

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Scholarship

THE INDEPENDENT LEARNING ASSIGNMENT PRESENTATION EVENING ILA-ORIS 2022 winners, Michael Wu U6-7 and Dev Atara U6-12

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he Independent Learning Assignment (ILA) represents a high point in many students’ academic careers here at the RGS. It is an extended project that is completed by Lower Sixth Form students during the course of the Trinity Term, with the support of a subject mentor from the RGS staff. Students also have the option to complete an Original Research in Science (ORIS) project, which involves at least two weeks’ worth of original research and subsequent write up at a university or in industry. Both the ILA and ORIS programmes are unique to the RGS and offer our students a valuable opportunity to explore and expand their academic interests beyond the boundaries of the A Level curriculum.

A short-list of the very best submissions is selected to share their research at the ILA Presentation Evening, which takes place at the start of their Upper Sixth year, in front of an audience of parents, fellow students and judges. The evening culminates in the crowning of two champions, one in the Arts/Humanities category and one in the STEM category.

The standard of submissions is always extremely high and this year was no exception, with 11 projects being shortlisted, on subjects ranging from supermassive black holes to the ubiquity of the Fibonacci sequence. Ultimately, Michael Wu U6-7 emerged victorious in the STEM category, for his presentation about his ORIS placement at the University of Surrey, researching the efficiencies of different data visualisation types. In the Arts/Humanities category, Dev Atara’s U6-12 discussion of his ILA project exploring the Catalan independence movement through the lens of culture secured him the victor’s trophy.

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Sam Hinton U6-8 discussing his ILA, titled 'From Bunnies to Bitcoin Trading - The Ubiquity of Fibonacci'

Thomas Thevenon U6-3 discussing his ORIS report, titled 'Stating the Obvious'

THE GUILDFORDIAN 2023

ILA-ORIS fnalists

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11/12/2023 16:30:30

THE 200 SECOND COMPETITION

Freddie Ramage 1E, 200 Seconds First Form Winner

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he 200 Seconds is an internal scholarship competition, open to all of the First and Second Form. Entrants give a PowerPoint presentation in which they have 10 slides, each of which is visible for 20 seconds before automatically moving on to the next slide.

This gives a total presentation time of 200 seconds, hence the name. It makes for some very focused, entertaining and, on occasions, unpredictable presentations!

The theme for this year’s event was the David Attenborough quote: “Nature is our best ally and our greatest inspiration”, with students being given the freedom to interpret the theme in any way that they wanted.

As judges we were extremely impressed by the standard of the presentations, particularly in the final, and frequently had to remind ourselves that these students were only 11-13 years old. Nonetheless, First Form student Freddie Ramage’s 1E fascinating exploration of biomimicry and Second Form student Jason Matthews’ 2R polished and inspiring discussion of climate change, boldly titled A Race We Can Win, both stood out, securing the winner’s prize in their respective year groups.

As judges we were extremely impressed by the standard of the presentations, particularly in the final, and frequently had to remind ourselves that these students were only 11-13 years old.

Jason Matthews 2R, 200 Seconds Second Form winner

Mrs HE Tarasewicz - Head of Scholarship The 200 Seconds finalists

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11/12/2023 16:30:41

ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS 11+ Scholarships 11+ Academic Scholarships Ollie Wynn 11+ Music Scholarships - - King’s Scholar Nathan Bannister Theo Barker Davide Ciuchini Alexander Davey Ian Kim Evan Ryu Bertie Stevens Marcus Walsh

13+ Scholarships 13+ Academic Scholarships Cameron Lee Theo O’Donnell 13+ Honorary Academic Scholarships Toby Beckingham Charlie Westcott 13+ Music Scholarships Callum Boosey Theo Carraretto Archie Munro Alexander Pop 13+ Art Scholarship Tom Douthett 13+ Honorary Art Scholarship Fin Burns Theo Odhams 13+ Sports Scholarship George Mellor Oliver Pickup 13+ Honorary Sports Scholarships Thomas Bailey Jake Grant Jamie Nkrumah Euan Thorburn Charlie Wareing

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SENIOR PRIZE WINNERS Academic Prizes

School Life Awards

PRIZE

YR

NAME

PRIZE

YR

NAME

Ancient History

U6

Tom Streatfeild

U6

Freddie Andrews

Art (Powell)

U6

Emre Ozkan

Outstanding Academic Achievement: Arts (Simpson)

Biology (Robins)

U6

Boldi Paladi-Kovacs

Outstanding Academic Achievement: Humanities (Simpson)

U6

Joe Colton

Chemistry (Mellersh)

U6

Janek Czarnek

U6

Thomas Thevenon

Classical Languages (Bishop)

U6

Aidan Beaumont

Outstanding Academic Achievement: Sciences (Simpson)

Design and Technology

U6

Kurt Brodersen

Ambassador (Strick)

U6

Boldi Paladi-Kovacs

Academic Drama

U6

George Hewitt

Co-curricular Contribution (Young)

U6

Cole Powell

Economics (Leech)

U6

Louis Wilby

Endeavour (Selleck)

U6

Leo Kamstra

Electronics (Lazenby)

U6

Aaron Chamberlain

Fellowship (Windle)

U6

Thomas Bamber

English (Simpson)

U6

Patrick McKendry

Service to the School [Bowey]

U6

Dev Atara

French (Broadbent)

U6

Aaron Venter

Service to the School [Hardy)

U6

Edward Eves

Geography (Feaver)

U6

Reuben Anthony

Service to the School [Daniel]

U6

Louis Wilby

German (Magnus)

U6

Oliver Meares

History (Green)

U6

Tom Millar

PRIZE

YR

NAME

Mathematics (Bailey)

U6

Josh Amor

Art

L6

Haris MacNicol

Biology (Badham)

L6

Tom Postance

Further Mathematics

U6

Michael Wu

Chemistry (Jones)

L6

Alexander Gillan

Music

U6

Dominic Dalloz

Classical Languages

L6

Jasper Morris

Physical Education

U6

Ro Wright

Design and Technology

L6

Malachy Doyle

L6

Xavier Wallin

Academic Prizes

Physics (Morden)

U6

Andrew Zhang

Economics

Politics

U6

Ferdy Al-Qassab

Electronics

L6

Rex Attwood

Religion and Philosophy

U6

Thomas Bamber

English (JF Brown)

L6

Thomas McLean

Spanish

U6

Dev Atara

French (Broadbent)

L6

Henry Bush

Geography

L6

Oliver Godkin

Clubs and Societies (OG Memorial)

U6

Ben Vary

German (Magnus)

L6

Adam Wang

History (Knight)

L6

Peter Jansen

Drama

U6

Alexander Vale

Mathematics (Stovold)

L6

Felix Day

Major Sport (Peel)

U6

Tom M Humphreys

Further Mathematics

L6

Freddie Weir

Other Sport

U6

Alexander McDougall

Music

L6

Oscar Trott

L6

Ollie George

Co-Curricular

Music

U6

Robbie Mackay

Physical Education

Service

U6

Parus Mehra

Physics (Brown)

L6

Yuchi Wang

Politics

L6

George Aspden

Religion and Philosophy

L6

Gabriel Meadowcroft

Spanish

L6

Rish Das

Clubs and Societies (Hore)

L6

Max Kaczor

Drama

L6

Will Saunders

Major Sport

L6

Johnny Kershaw

Other Sport

L6

Kieran Kenyon

Music (Bentall)

L6

Thomas McLean

Steynor Musician of the Year

L6

James Dicker

Service

L6

Henry Florence

School Contribution Austen

U6 Alessandro Harker

Beckingham

U6 Thomas Bamber

Hamonde

U6 Seb Lear

Nettles

U6 Sam Hinton

Powell

U6 Ben Isherwood

Valpy

U6 Ben Cruttwell

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School Contribution

School Contribution

Austen

L6

Rishikesh Mistry

Austen

5

Harry Simmons

Beckingham

L6

Johnny Kershaw

Beckingham

5

Ethan Davey

Hamonde

L6

Max Hackett

Hamonde

5

Ollie James

Nettles

L6

Alex Jackson

Nettles

5

Thomas Dowson

Powell

L6

Tom Postance

Powell

5

Noah Bourne-Waterhouse

Valpy

L6

Harry Shaw

Valpy

5

Dan Yates

Academic Prizes

Academic Prizes PRIZE

YR

NAME

PRIZE

YR

NAME

Art

5

Charlie Everitt

Art

4

Finn Heath

Biology

5

Zac Warham

Biology

4

Daniel Ward

Chemistry

5

Sam Thevenon

Chemistry

4

Owen Bryant

Classical Languages

5

Harry Simmons

Classical Languages

4

Oscar Gilliam

Computer Science

4

Ronit Sachdeva

Computer Science

5

Alex Mann

Design and Technology (Binfield)

4

Jacob Anthony

4

Adrian Groenewald

Design and Technology (Binfield)

5

Charlie Locke

Drama

Drama

5

Luke Smith

English (Davies)

4

Sam Nnabuife

English (Davies)

5

Ollie Billingham

French

4

Angus Scott

French

5

Nikita Zubkov

Geography

4

Daniel Bristow

German

4

Max Lerchster

Geography

5

James Davis

History

4

Cameron Brown

German

5

William Holmes

Mathematics (Gillingham)

4

Yuvan Raja

Music

4

Joseph Ryan

Physical Education

4

Sam Seddon

Physics

4

Ayaan Bhagat

Religion and Philosophy

4

Jonty Edmonds

Spanish

4

Basil Tahir

History

5

Max Elia

Mathematics (Gillingham)

5

Thomas Dowson

Music

5

Charlie Bourne

Physical Education

5

Thomas Bull

Physics

5

Will O'Brien

Co-Curricular

Religion and Philosophy

5

Jacy Williams

Art

4

Sam Bury

Spanish

5

Krish Lukha

Clubs and Societies (Hore)

4

Milo Hyde

Drama

4

Oliver Southwell

Art

5

Archie Secrett

Major Sport

4

Ollie Crawford

Clubs and Societies (Hore)

5

Alex Judge

Other Sport

4

Dylan Fuller

Drama

5

James Nicholas

Music

4

Oscar Ford

Major Sport

5

Thomas Bull

Service

4

Adrian Groenewald

Other Sport

5

Phoenix Kellah-Nash

School Contribution

Music

5

Felix Johnson

Austen

4

Seb Seume

Service

5

Charlie Everitt

Beckingham

4

Ayaan Bhagat

Hamonde

4

Joe Pontin

Nettles

4

Jago Halliwell

Powell

4

Jiaqi Zhang

Valpy

4

Ritam Sen

Co-Curricular

www.rgsg.co.uk

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JUNIOR PRIZE WINNERS Special Awards PRIZE

YR NAME

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

3

Henry Hebburn

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

3

Oscar Liu

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

3

Eddie Wilson

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

3

Paddy Cooper

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

3

Aidan Grieve

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

3

Jonny Postance

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

3

Luke Elliott

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

3

Jamie Withers

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

3

Percy Fisher

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

3

Krish Bijlani

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

3

Stirling Gauld

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

3

Krish Amin

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

3

James Lloyd

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

3

Akshay Wechalekar

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

3

Harry Griffiths

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

3

Ayush Jena

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

3

Nicholas Malandrinos

Co-Curricular

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

3

Alex Pinhey

Art

3

Chen Liang

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

3

Basti Crutchfield

Design Technology

3

Paddy Cooper

Drama

3

Ethan Logue

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

3

Keshav Kameshwar

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

3

Josh Jacobs

Contribution to Music

3

Sebastian Cunningham

Excellence in Music

3

Stephen Bannister

Sportsman of The Year

3

Kiki Akin-Olugbade

Sporting Excellence

3

Cam Boston

Austen

3

Jasper Cliffe

Beckingham

3

Oscar Hodges

Hamonde

3

Daniel Waring

Nettles

3

Ted Edwards-Davies

Powell

3

Jonny Postance

Valpy

3

Jack Thomson

3

Umun Atara

Music

Sport

School Contribution

Service Service Beyond the School

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Special Awards

Special Awards

PRIZE

YR

NAME

PRIZE

YR

NAME

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

2

Thibault Amiel

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

1

Oliver Kyle

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

2

Joshua Broadbent

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

1

Samuel Webb

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

2

George Grant

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

1

Theo Patel

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

2

James Kelynack

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

1

Sam Low

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

2

Theo Odhams

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

1

Archie Taylor

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

2

Finley McHugh

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

1

Hugh Bayne

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

2

Alex Rea

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

1

Ben Pitman

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

2

Thomas Willmott

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

1

Edward Reid

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

2

Jack Worthington

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

1

Ollie Humphry

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

2

Alex Hinton

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

1

Josh Horsnell

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

2

Ethan Inthirarajah

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

1

Rowan Groenewald

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

2

Arthur Ford

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

1

Timmy Hatch

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

2

Idris Iqbal

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

1

Jackson Bigmore

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

2

Michael Needham

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

1

Joseph Kinsler

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

2

Lucas Lai

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

1

Hugo Wilson

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

2

Owen Robson

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

1

Akram Choudhury

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

2

Nicholas Yang

Tutor's Award for Scholarship

1

Rajvir Mangat

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

2

Will Petersen

Tutor's Award for Contribution to the School

1

Rory Mitchell

Music

Music

Contribution to Music

2

Alex Pop

Contribution to Music

1

Alexis Solomonides

Excellence in Music

2

Robin Moggs

Excellence in Music

1

Oliver Kyle

Sport

Sport

Sportsman of The Year

2

George Mellor

Sportsman of the Year

1

Oscar Davey

Sporting Excellence

2

Euan Thorburn

Sporting Excellence

1

James Krikorian

www.rgsg.co.uk

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UNIVERSIT Y DESTINATIONS 2023 LEAVERS DESTINATIONS Aberdour

James

UCL

Philosophy and Economics

Alexander

Benjamin

Bristol

Civil Engineering

Al-Qassab

Ferdinand

Oxford

Human Sciences

Amiss

Evan

Exeter

Mechanical Engineering with Year in Industry

Amor

Joshua

Durham

Natural Sciences

Anderl

Tyron

Oxford

Chemistry

Andrews

Frederick

Cambridge

Modern and Medieval Languages

Angove

Sebastian

Warwick

History and Politics

Anthony

Reuben

Durham

Economics with Placement Year

Armstrong

Callum

Warwick

Economics, Politics and International Studies

Arnold

Cuan

Bristol

Geography

Atara

Dev

Cambridge

Modern and Medieval Languages

Atkinson

Alexander

Cambridge

Natural Sciences

Bamber

Thomas

York

Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Banks

Samuel

Durham

Natural Sciences

Beaumont

Aidan

Cambridge

Classics

Boczkowski

Harry

Bath

Politics and International Relations with professional placement or study abroad

Brodersen

Kurt

Warwick

Automotive Engineering

Brook

Alex

Post A Level

Buchanan-Robinson

Charles

Essex

Pyschology with Foundation Year

Burrell

Inigo

Bristol

Aerospace Engineering

Cantor

Nathan

Durham

Biochemistry

Carpenter

Ben

Post A Level

Carson

Harry

Post A Level

Caulton

James

Exeter

Geography

Chamberlain

Aaron

Southampton

Computer Science with Cyber Security

Cheng

Frederick

Durham

General Engineering

Cliffe

Austin

Exeter

Accounting and Business

Clyde

Richard

Edinburgh

History

Cobb

Alex

Nottingham

Electrical and Electronic Engineering with placement

Colton

Joseph

Post A Level

Correia

Sebastian

Lancaster

Accounting and Finance with placement year

Cruttwell

Ben

Nottingham

German and History

Csakany

Andras

Lancaster

Psychology and Linguistics

Czarnek

Jan

Oxford

Chemistry

Dalloz

Dominic

Durham

Music

Dargan

Oliver

Post A Level

de Gentile-Williams

Oliver

Durham

Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Deacon

Max

Loughborough

Sports Technology

Durie

Jonty

Leeds

Geography

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2023 LEAVERS DESTINATIONS Eves

Edward

Edinburgh

History

Eyles

William

Nottingham

Geography BA

Findji

Noé

Manchester

Philosophy and Politics

Fuller

Jack

Bath

Biochemistry with professional placement

Galpin

Luke

Durham

English Literature

Golding

William

Surrey

Economics and Finance

Gonella

Nidhish

Post A Level

Gorguner

Efe Ali

Oxford

Gupta

Rohan

Post A Level

Gupta

Arnav

Southampton

Economics

Gurung

Aashal

Exeter

Accounting and Finance

Hall

Nicolas

Bath

Mechanical Engineering

Hanumara

Mahin

Post A Level

Harker

Alessandro

Bath

Aerospace Engineering with professional placement

Hawkes

Henry

Nottingham

Sport and Exercise Science

Hewitt

George

Southampton

Film Studies

Hinton

Sam

Cambridge

Land Economy

Hitchcox

Daniel

Post A Level

Hodges

Cassian

Exeter

Politics, Philosophy and Economics

Humphreys

Thomas J

Bath

International Management and Modern Languages (French) w study or work abroad

Humphreys

Tom M

Surrey

Biological Sciences

Isherwood

Benjamin

Cambridge

Natural Sciences

Jansen

Ben

Durham

Business and Management with Placement Year

Jones

Richard

Nottingham

Classics

Jones

Ben

Exeter

Economics and Finance with Year Abroad

Jones

Alexander

Warwick

Accounting and Finance

Justice

Henry

UCL

Engineering and Architectural Design

Kamstra

Leonardo

RHUL

Computer Science

Kennedy

Zack

Bath

Management with work placement

Khan

Usman

Leeds

Medicine

Laing

Harvey

Falmouth

Game Art

Lane

Oliver

Leeds

Theology and Religious Studies

Law

Zed

Bristol

English

Lay

Peter

Exeter

Politics and International Relations

Lear

Sebastian

Nottingham

Architectural Environment Engineering

Li

Yingji

Imperial

Mathematics

Lytle

Oliver

Post A Level

Mackay

Robert

Durham

Modern Languages and Cultures (with Year Abroad)

Main

Findlay

Leeds

International Relations

Majumdar

Debaditya

UCL

Medicine

www.rgsg.co.uk

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2023 LEAVERS DESTINATIONS Maniadakis

George

Newcastle

Computer Science

Marlovits

Owen

Cambridge

Engineering

McDougall

Alexander

Post A Level

McKendry

Patrick

Bristol

Philosophy

Meares

Oliver

Bath

Modern Languages (German advanced & Spanish advanced)

Mehra

Parus

Leeds

Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering

Millar

Thomas

Cambridge

Psychological and Behavioural Sciences

Monjauze

Maximilien

Oxford

Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Mostafa

Abdelrahman

Bath

Computer Science and Mathematics BSc with professional placement or study abroad

Myles

Stanley

Bath

Physics

Nebuloni

Tommaso

Bath

Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing & Management with professional placement

Nickless

Max

Bath

Biochemistry with professional placement

Ong

Luke

Post A Level

Orthen

Julian

Bath

O'Shaughnessy

Owen

Post A Level

OSullivan

Milo

Warwick

Economics, Psychology and Philosophy

Ozkan

Emre

Durham

Geography

Paladi-Kovacs

Akos Boldizsar

Oxford

Biology

Parker

Henry

Exeter

Classics

Pearce

Sam

Manchester

Philosophy and Politics

Perry

Joseph

Bath

Mechanical with Automotive Engineering with professional placement

Phillip

Ieuan

UCL

Economics

Phillips Mateo

Kai

Post A Level

Powell

Cole

Durham

Music

Putland

Oliver

Durham

Theology and Religion

Rannabugardie

Rudi

Leeds

Politics

Reed

Matthew

Birmingham

Computer Science with an Industrial Year

Rudman

George Edward

Cambridge

Economics

Sahota

Dylan

Post A Level

Santoni

Mattia

Cambridge

Engineering

Scadding

Angus

Manchester

Politics and Modern History

Shackleton

Ben

Bath

Biochemistry

Shields

Marcus

Birkbeck

Accounting and Finance

Simms

Joseph

Exeter

Geography

Srinivasan

Adethya

Southampton

Computer Science

Stockford

Ned

Post A Level

Stoddart

Dan

Bath

Economics

Streatfeild

Thomas

Durham

Ancient History

Stuart-Reckling

Sebastian

Oxford Brookes

Accounting and Finance

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Mechanical Engineering with professional placement

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2023 LEAVERS DESTINATIONS Tan

Brandon

Post A Level

Taylor

Daniel

Exeter

History and Modern Language

Thayananthan

Shaoyon

Imperial

Mathematics

Thevenon

Thomas

Cambridge

Mathematics

Thomas

Ben

Exeter

Modern Languages and Latin

Timberlake

Robert

Exeter

Ancient History and Archaeology

Turner

Alejandro

Exeter

Business Economics with Year Abroad

Vale

Alex

Nottingham

Classics

Vary

Benjamin

Cambridge

Natural Sciences

Vaughan

Fraser

Manchester

Modern Language and Business & Management (German)

Venter

Aaron

Edinburgh

Linguistics

Vishwanath

Ashwin

Sheffield

Aerospace Engineering

Waghorn

Oliver

Loughborough

Civil Engineering (with placement year)

Watkinson

Maximillian

Exeter

History and Modern Languages

Watson-Hart

Caspar

Imperial

Chemistry

Weston

Maximilian

Surrey

Music

Wilby

Louis

Durham

Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Wiles

James

Leeds

Business Management with Marketing

Wright

Rohan

Leeds

Banking and Finance

Wu

Michael

Cambridge

Mathematics

Yousaf

Mustafa

QMUL

Medicine

Zhang

Andrew

Oxford

Physics

Zhou

William

Nottingham

Mathematics and Economics

2022 POST A LEVEL DESTINATIONS Alharbi

Saed

Lancaster

Business Analytics

Elliott

Darcy

Oxford

Chinese

Geoghegan

Joseph

Birmingham

Liberal Arts and Sciences

Harrower

Sebastian

Bath

Biochemistry

Horgan

Laurence

Edinburgh

Physics

Kim

Zion

QMUL

Law

Lakin

Theodore

Nottingham

Management with a Placement Year

Lenane

Ronan

Edinburgh

English Literature

Rathore

Ananmay

Bristol

Medicine - MBChB Standard entry

Sajjad-Ishaque

Hassan

Post A Level

Ward

Thomas

Cardiff

Chemistry

Williams

George

Durham

Theology and Religion

Williams

Max

Surrey

Business Management (Business Analytics) with Foundation Year

www.rgsg.co.uk

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INTEGRITY Archie Cowie 4H

I ate Victoria Sponge with my neighbours, and we had a lot of fun in the garden together. We watched it inside and we cheered when the crown was placed on his head.

Idris Iqbal 2R

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INTEGRITY YOUNG ENTERPRISE

EXO SE Regional Showcase 2023

T

Another successful year for the RGS Young Enterprise (YE) program with one team progressing to the London finals and winning the innovation

Although they eventually lost out to a team that went on to come 2nd in the National Competition, they still came away with a further innovation prize, as well as two more sales to the judging panel!

I would like to say thank you to the students for their incredible hard work over many months and I hope you have learnt a lot from launching your first business. Thank you also to our parent community for stepping up to mentor our teams, your support was invaluable. Although we now part ways with the YE, we look forward to 3D printed, furthering our Enterprise provision next personalised Christmas year. baubles

award.

The Michaelmas Term was a hive of activity, with a record 71 of our Lower Sixth students competing across seven teams to bring a range of novel products to market in time for the local Christmas fairs.

Products included handmade pens and candles, 3D printed Christmas decorations and RGS branded footwear.

The competition moved into the formal stage for the Lent Term and in March we saw three teams competing in a fiercely contested South Surrey Regional Final. Globl spoke passionately about their 3D printed bins to improve battery recycling in schools and Angel wowed judges with their technical prowess delivering a smart tag for parents to keep their children safe. However Exo took the overall prize for their incredibly successful 3D printed, personalised Christmas baubles, which delivered on innovation and sales. They then took their elevator pitch to the London finals held in the impressive Samsung HQ in Kings Cross.

www.rgsg.co.uk

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Mr JD Stratford - Head of Business Enterprise

EXO SE Regional Showcase 2023

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C O L L A B O R AT I O N

Adrian Bahari 2P

COLLABORATION Joshua Singto Margat 2R

I watched the Coronation on TV with my family at home. We also went to Buckingham Palace before the Coronation.

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C O L L A B O R AT I O N CHARIT Y AND VOLUNTEERING This academic year has seen a plethora of events to raise funds for our nominated charities; Ukraine Unity, Papyrus and WWF as well as the DEC and Transform.

Bake Off - Max Lerchster 3E

An impressive £36,808.47 was raised.

'The Beautiful Game' Mrs Woodman

The Lent Term included two non-uniform days, the Bake Off competition with the theme 'The Beautiful Game', Valpy’s staff-student football match, the Volunteering Tea Party with some 50 guests from different residential homes and a conservation day planting trees with the Blackwater Valley rangers.

Conservation working party

I

n the Michaelmas Term, the SMT’s Tudor Trek saw our amazing Management Team setting an example to others as they trekked 26 miles from Hampton Court to the RGS in the dark, raising over £10,000. Our Stand-Up Comedy evening and Christmas Fair proved to be as popular as ever and students entertained residents at Pilgrim Wood with carol singing and home-made Christmas cards.

www.rgsg.co.uk

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Working party

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COLLABORATION Sleep Out Group

RGS Charity Family Quiz the Lucas family

Mr Bailey

Sleep Out Max Rayner Josh Woollett 2L

Moving into the Trinity Term, we kicked off with the Second Form Sleep Out, which saw 35 students sleeping out in the pouring rain on the quad and raising over £5000 for Transform. We were fortunate enough to have a visit from Natalie and Sue, who work for the Charity and who explained how the funds would be used. Matt Bailey (Head of Third Form and Quizmaster extraordinaire) ran our inaugural Charity Family Quiz the following weekend.

Sponge the Teacher Mr Pressley Mrs Rathmell and Mrs Wilson

The Great Hall was full of RGS families and the quiz was a huge success. The final event of the year, Sponge the Teacher, was enjoyed by staff and students alike on one of the hottest days of the year! In addition, Tom Owens has coordinated three Food Bank collections for the North Guildford Food Bank this year. Overall, an impressive £36,808.47 was raised.

Mrs RJ Rathmell - Charity Committee

Heads of Year RGS Charity Family Quiz

Mr Wilkes

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GUILDFORD PARTNERSHIPS AND OUTREACH Sitting in the centre of Guildford at the top of the High Street we are well-placed to play an active role in our local community and I am delighted to report that our connections are still strong. As you will see in this brief report, there are always changes and developments with no two years of our engagement ever being quite the same; however, one significant change this year was in personnel and I would like to open by expressing my thanks to Mrs Timberlake as she moves on from RGS for her huge contribution to our outreach work over the years. Through her enthusiasm and dedication she did much to cement and deepen our relations with a host of local primary schools and I would particularly wish to pay tribute to her management of the Primary Tudor visits and the Masterclasses which have a huge impact on approximately 700 Year 5 and 6 pupils each year.

A

new development in the 2022-23 year was the establishment of the West Surrey Partnership. We are very pleased to be supporting and helping shape this new group of state and independent, primary and secondary schools. It will take years to establish and settle and, while at the moment at times it feels like we are trying to run at the same time as learning to walk, the aims and aspirations of this new community are infectious and genuinely exciting.

In this inaugural year we arranged two joint events. Firstly, the whole RGS Second Form along with over 1000 other students took part in a Guildford-wide literacy event at G Live. Poet and rapper Christian Foley shared his poems and journey to being a professional spoken word artist from his days at school through to early success with stars such as 50 Cent. He shared his love of reading and building vocabulary in order to better express himself and stressed how important it was to describe our emotions and issues which shape and define us. Secondly, six Y11-12 students from each partnership school were invited to unite for a sustainability conference at ZERO Guildford. The day involved collaborative discussions to share and discuss sustainability projects happening at different schools and, in the afternoon, a ‘donut economics’ workshop. Student and teacher feedback was very positive and the highlight was seeing nearly 100 students from different schools mingling and talking together as they grappled with how to collaboratively and cooperatively solve some of the most challenging sustainability challenges.

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RGS String Scheme at Boxgrove Primary School

The RGS Strings Scheme has been a core programme for the past 15 years and continued to teach violin and cello to over 200 Year 4 to 6 pupils at St Thomas of Canterbury, Sandfield and Boxgrove Primary schools and via the Strictly Strings continuers orchestra hosted at RGS. This year we were facing the natural demise of the scheme as all of the charitable funding arrangements were drawing to a close.

Seemingly miraculously, but mainly due to the tireless work of Mr Chambers behind the scenes, enough funding was arranged with a combination of generous sponsorship, by the Surrey Hills International Music Festival, The Mila Charity and the Cheryl King Trust, and two of the primary schools to secure enough funding for another year. Beyond this the future is unknown but we are optimistic we can agree funding year-by-year. However, sadly, 2022 was the final year for the String Scheme at St Thomas’ - truly the end of an era.

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COLLABORATION RGS Masterclasses creative strand

technology strand

science strand

Loseley Fields Science Week

Our other flagship outreach classes continued to run successfully with us welcoming over 100 Y6 pupils and families to RGS for the Masterclasses on Saturday mornings in October and the Tudor experience days welcoming around 400 Year 5 pupils from seven different schools during Mondays throughout the year. These events were ably organised and run by Mrs Timberlake and Mrs Stainer with over 35 teaching staff and assistance from Sixth Form students - a huge team effort.

We continue to seek out ways to cooperate with our local Multi-Academy Trust - Learning Partners. In the past year we continued links at Kings College to support with Maths and Physics classes and, additionally, this year Mr Bush has started weekly Latin lessons with Year 7 pupils before school. We continued to support the Chess Club at Sandfield Primary and Dr Patel also visited Loseley Fields to run practical classes during their Science Week. The Enquiring Teacher Partnership, which facilitates teachers engaging in action research in their schools, is jointly led and administrated by RGS with the LP schools and Epsom College. The RGS oversees publication of the journal, a wonderful publication bringing together all of the research from last academic year. This year Mr Muchmore is researching literacy and especially the impact of screen usage for reading in English and other subjects.

Enquiring Teachers Partnership Journal Article

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Bhu Pu School Nepal visit to RGS

As part of the Guildford 11-19 Partnership, the RGS continued to lead the Interested, Motivated & Able (IMAG) programme - an innovative project to enable any pupil at member schools to attend a joint programme of academic enrichment events. In 2022-23 we ran 21 events at five different organisations with c.100 students attending from eight different schools. Visit www.imag.education to find out more.

This academic year we also made good headway with increasing co-educational opportunities for our students by looking to deepen links with our local girls’ schools.

This will continue to be a priority for the next few years as we develop increasing social, academic and activities links. It was particularly pleasing to re-establish the charitable International Links programme in partnership with Tormead School. A group of Lower Sixth students supported by Mr Gyford and Mr Wakeling joined forces with Tormead Lower Sixth for training and their summer expedition to Vietnam. Additionally, we re-established our links with Bhu Pu Sanik School in Besisahar Nepal and facilitated a wonderful visit to the RGS by their Headmaster, Mr Binod Gurung, and four of his outstanding pupils. The pupils joined our school communities at RGS and Tormead for a week of lessons and activities as well as taking part in cultural exchanges. Our second Nepal expedition, in October Half Term 2023, saw RGS and Tormead staff and pupils visiting Bhu Pu School.

The General Studies and Period 8 activities programmes have continue to provide pupils with some opportunities for community engagement: Ten Year 9 Kings mathematicians have travelled to RGS on Monday afternoons to work with our Lower Sixth pupils to stretch and challenge with maths problem solving; RGS and GHS Sixth Form support the afterschool Chess Club at Sandfield and Holy Trinity;

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Sixth Formers also choose to visit the Abbot’s Hospital to interview residents with discussion topics including memories of Queen Elizabeth II and thoughts about King Charles III. There are many more examples of smaller collaborations and so to finish here is a small selection of examples:

•

• • • •

This year we continued our links with the ‘Big Leaf ’ charity to provide access to our all-weather football pitch for their weekly training sessions. Big Leaf work with 16-25 year-old displaced people from any country.

Fifteen RGS staff act as governors or trustees of other educational institutions in both state and independent sectors and both primary and secondary phases.

We hosted a joint Pride breakfast for the RGS and GHS Pride Societies.

We welcomed Woking College pupils of German and Spanish for an MFL ‘Speed-debating’ event.

We hosted a Medicine careers event with a panel including five young OG medics answering questions about everything to do with training, study, daily life as a doctor, specialist areas of work, strikes, ambitions and challenges working in the NHS. The event was open to 11 local schools for pupils: 61 pupils from other schools attended.

With ‘collaboration’ and ‘Inclusivity’ being two of our Values here at RGS I can honestly say that the commitment of our staff and students show that we are ‘walking our talk’.

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Mr TW Shimell - Head of Partnerships

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COLLABORATION

INCLUSIVITY Jonty Edmonds 4N

I spent a humble day at home with my family, watching it live on TV. We then had a nice roast for lunch. Despite her not being British, my mum became emotional over the Coronation and was the most glued to the screen.

Jonty Edmunds 4N

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INCLUSIVITY

DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI Dan Hatton OG 2011 (left) Dr Cox (centre) and Monica Popa (right)

O

ne of the greatest things about an RGS education is the fact your relationship with the School continues long after you have graduated and have become an OG (Old Guildfordian). We host many Reunions for OGs and the wider community throughout the year as a celebration of friendships forged over the most formative years of your lives. From recent leavers to those who left over half century ago, it always feels like yesterday.

There are always stories to be shared and moments to be relived whether back here in Guildford, at your university, in London or overseas.

As the world changes at pace so do the challenges we face. It’s important that Schools, such as the RGS, open the doors of a great education and continue to shape the character of future generations. This is why in 2016 Dr Cox, the Headmaster, launched the Bursary Campaign - so any bright local students could fulfil their potential irrespective of their families’ financial circumstances.

The difference we make in education today will create a better world tomorrow.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Nelson Mandela

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This year, the RGS Development Office launched our Road to 2035 Campaign. By the 525th anniversary of the founding of the RGS, the School aims to double the number of bursaries offered to students from 1 in 14 students to 1 in 7. To do this, we have set up an endowment fund, and have set ourselves a target of raising £13 million by 2035. All our community will be a part of our journey to pioneer a new approach to education.

Many of your families already recognise and support our ambitions and fund the education of your friends and peers at the RGS. Last year we raised £1,340,011 from 526 families to finance means-tested bursaries and to invest in our Enduring Bursary Fund which will provide bursaries in perpetuity.

If you would like to know more on the difference you can make, please contact our Development Director, Monica Popa mpo@rgsg.co.uk or www.rgsg.co.uk/support-us.

Our Summer Supporters’ Reception gives us the chance to thank everyone in our community. Dr Cox and Monica Popa host an evening reception that celebrates the Road to 2035. It also gives a platform for bursary students such as Dan Hatton OG 2011 to thank our supporters in person and illustrate the difference your contribution can make.

This year we have hosted local, national and international events and reunions. As well as reunions, sporting fixtures, musical recitals and supporter receptions here at the RGS we have hosted student drinks in Durham and two international receptions; our second reunion in Singapore and our very first reunion to be held in North America.

It is always a joy to welcome back old friends and familiar faces. Whether you live locally or have moved elsewhere in the world please do keep in touch with us and update us on your news by emailing og@rgsg.co.uk.

If you are a current parent, please do join us online at www.rgsconnect.com. This is our digital platform for all our community and RGS students can sign up on completion of their A Levels.

Miss HS Dixon - Marketing for Development and Alumni

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INCLUSIVITY

Our Inaugural North American Reunion at the Club New York

Ollie Shorthose OG‘14

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

Angus Groom OG'10

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

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Staff Reconnect with Durham & Newcastle students at an OG Reunion in Durham

Nigel Gillingham OG'72 & current RFU President supporting RGS Rugby at Bradstone Brook

OGs Taking On the Headmaster’s XI at the Annual Cricket Match www.rgsg.co.uk

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INCLUSIVITY

Simon Lazenby OG'93 and Sky Sports F1 Presenter as Guest Speaker at The King’s Lecture

Summer Guildford reunion for RGS Undergraduates

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CA PTAI N ’ S

f arewell

I

feel unbelievably privileged to be given the opportunity to say the final farewells of yet another special year at the RGS. My seven years at the school only got better and better and I am so very lucky to be leaving with such a fantastic ‘Class of 23’.

I have been so lucky in my final year to have been given the role of School Captain and I must begin by saying a massive thank you to the Headmaster for giving me such a wonderful opportunity. It has been a real honour to represent such a fantastic student body in front of the staff and I genuinely could not think of a more special community to be a part of. I have personally enjoyed so much of my life here, whether that be in the classroom, the lunch hall or at Bradstone Brook. We are so immensely lucky to be given so many wonderful opportunities at this school to develop so many different passions and this is all down to the wonderful set of teachers who give up so much of their lives to get the best out of each and everyone of us. The RGS community is made so special by the smile that remains etched on everyone’s faces in everything they do and I hope the community feeling remains for years to come.

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The Senior Prefect team this year have embodied what it means to be a part of this community and I am so grateful for the hard work and dedication you have offered to the school. Whether that be in running the lunch queue everyday or in larger events such as Open Days, you have set the high standards expected of an RGS student and have shown yourself to be immense role models for all those coming through the school. Special thanks to Joe, Ed and Dev for your extra hard work and for making this year so great.

I must also add how lucky we were to work closely with Mr Williams in his final year and we are so grateful for the advice and hard work he has given to the school, our loss is undoubtedly Tiffin’s gain. Special thanks must go to Mr Woodman also, it was amazing to see the dedication both Mr Woodman and Mr Williams show to the school day in day out and I hope we were able to offer a helpful student perspective on a variety of different matters. Thanks to Mr Pressley for organising and running so many big school events, as well as consistently reminding us of how good we are going to look on the social media! Mr Dunscombe, without your seemingly encyclopaedic knowledge of all things universities, I am sure the year group would have found the past year ten times tougher. Finally, Mr Gough and Mr Royds, thank you so much for the care you have shown to the year group as well as giving the Senior Prefect team such a great opportunity to develop their skillsets with the weekly leadership sessions.

I would like to wish the best of luck to Stuart and his team next year, I have no doubt that you will serve the school well and with great pride, Despite my seven years at the school coming to an end, I know that the RGS will never really leave me with all the memories I will take away. Whilst ready to move on to new challenges, I will undoubtedly miss this place and I hope all the special friendships forged over the past few years live long into the future.

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Louis Wilby - School Captain 2023

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VALETE KIRSTIN ANDERSON Teacher of Chemistry, Year 3 Tutor

We interviewed Kirstin remotely in 2020 as the replacement for Stewart Armstrong. Her charismatic personality came through so strongly and I immediately knew we were onto a winner. However, it wasn’t a smooth start for Kirstin as her arrival in the RGS was delayed by two terms due to a visa issue. Kirstin is an excellent teacher and has outstanding classroom management skills. The students find her lessons fun, engaging and productive. She is a true believer in teaching and learning and is keen to help students become independent and self-reliant learners. She has made such an impact, and it is hard to believe she has only been here for two years.

In addition to her strength as a classroom teacher, Kirstin is the respected form tutor of 3S. It is indeed a delight to see how much her tutees have matured during the academic year.

It is well known that Kirstin is a wonderful baker, and she won the RGS Bake Off twice in three years.

Her first winning entry was a fabulous

pot of tulips, and she demonstrated her mastery of baking by having chocolate sponge cake inside the stems as well as in the flowers. In 2022, she made a wonderful replica of the Imperial State Crown. This year, she made a chess set complete with pieces and clock and once again captured the coveted title. I am proud to have contributed to her success by setting up the chess pieces in the Queen’s Gambit opening. Kirstin will of course no longer be completing next year, and this will be a relief to many RGS bakers.

One of Kirstin’s unofficial roles was being big sister to Dewi Eburne and Henry Gray. I diplomatically avoided the chemistry base when they have their 'young chemists' meetings.

Kirstin will be moving on to KCS Wimbledon. It will be a perfect school for her as she will be able to be involved in rowing once again. In addition, she will no longer have to put up with the frequent train strikes.

It has been great working with Kirstin, and I wish her and Lucian every happiness in the future.

Mr WS Lau

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SARAH BESLY-QUICK Teacher of Latin and Greek,Teacher Training Mentor, U6 Tutor

Sarah moved to RGS from Tanglin School in Singapore in September 2014 and from the very start she showed herself to be an inspirational and gifted teacher. She is passionate about teaching in general and Classics in particular and this is evident from her lessons and her interactions with the students and staff.

Sarah is one of the very best teachers I have had the good fortune to work with and it is no surprise that she became the Teacher Training Mentor. In fact Sarah has had such a wide range of roles at the RGS that a member of staff once commented to her that she didn’t need to collect all the jobs! Sarah has been Head of Scholars, Head of Lower Sixth, she is a Sixth Form Tutor, she has helped run the wardrobe for drama productions, she has run the Linguistics Olympiad, and finally for a number of years she has been the Teacher Training Mentor.

Her experience in the classroom, her natural teaching ability, her empathy and her sense of humour ensured that she has got the very best out of her trainee teachers. When the Teacher Training Department was recently inspected, the inspectors gave it an outstanding report adding that the Department really could not be improved. This glowing report is testament to Sarah’s hard work and dedication. Sarah has many talents both in and out of the classroom! She is a very keen and accomplished knitter. She has run a Knitting Club for staff and has run knitting well-being sessions on Development Days and the end products of her own knitting, brought in as gifts for colleagues’ babies, are truly amazing!

Sarah is very generous with her time and she has been on many Classics trips both in the UK and abroad. Her talks about the sites to students on the Italy trip are passionate and I have even noticed members of the public trying to join her group in order to hear her wise words.

The Classics trips really will be far less eventful and memorable without Sarah, not always for the right reasons! Not once but twice on trips to Italy has a student

vomited all over her, on one memorable occasion as we were driving up the twisty roads to Mount Vesuvius. Sarah, as usual, took it in her stride and was more concerned about the wellbeing of the student in question than the state of her hair! Sarah’s fame recently spread well beyond RGS when she got to the final of the TV quiz show Only Connect. Sarah became our very own VIP Classicist, but the stress of the show meant that she did forget the order of the Greek alphabet!

Slightly embarrassing for a Classicist!

Sarah has been an outstanding colleague during her time at the RGS. She is a very able Classicist who has taught Latin, Greek and Ancient History at all levels.

She inspires both students and staff to achieve their very best. But what I will miss most about Sarah is her empathy, her caring nature, her sense of humour and her sense of community. The room really does light up when Sarah enters and she will be sorely missed in both the Classics Department and the RGS. I wish Sarah and her family all the best for the future as she leaves to be Head of Classics and MFL at Shrewsbury House School.

Mr EKD Bush

NINA CRIVELLARI Head of Modern Languages Nina joined us from St Dunstan’s School where she had also been the Head of MFL and Head of French; she immediately brought her infectious energy and vibrancy into the MFL Department. Whilst only being with us for a year, her colleagues have really enjoyed her kindness and enthusiasm within the Department. We were grateful for her ideas such as the Hall of Fame, a fantastic Languages Week, and her willingness

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to care, listen and support members of the Department and the fact she ran a really successful trip to the Château de la Boudennaire! We wish her well, having secured an excellent promotion to become an Assistant Head at Bolder Academy, Isleworth – an exciting career move. I just hope that Bolder Academy are ready for the unstoppable force of nature which is Nina; good luck for the future!

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VALETE SACHA DENNETT Teacher of Mathematics, Deputy Housemaster of Nettles, Y5 Tutor problem once students considered his height, build, Staines accent and black belt in Tae Kwon Do. A consummate professional, Sacha quickly adapted to life as a teacher and was impeccably studious in completing forms and ensuring that he more than met each of the standards on his way to qualifying as a teacher. Colleagues all comment on a nice person with morals of the highest standard and who gets on well with everyone. Many now count him as a close friend and while he carried a maturity beyond his years (partly because he can quote from so many films and TV shows made before he was even born) he was not above the occasional wind-up in the Mathematics Department: practical jokes based around sabotaging people’s desks (usually cribbed from The Office) and innocent sounding questions designed to set off an avalanche of heated debate among normally calm staff.

Outside the Department Sacha wholeheartedly threw himself into school life and was a perfect all-round schoolmaster. He helped to run the Outdoor Pursuits group, taking part in any number of adventurous activities (all of which curiously seemed to result in every other teacher having more mud on them than he did). He was Assistant Housemaster of Nettles, culminating in a Hardy Cup win to conclude his RGS career. However, his greatest contribution must surely be his development of Basketball at the school, which has come from almost nothing to a winning team which has even hosted the Guildford Flames for charity events.

He leaves us with the very best wishes for the next stage in his life and a career outside teaching, but also the knowledge that we would happily welcome him back any time.

Chloe was a great asset to the Department as she has a very sharp mind, and a deep interest in History.

Her great strength was her high academic standards and she immersed herself in the topics that she was teaching. She is extremely widely read, and could often be found perusing the History shelves of

the Guildford Waterstones. I would often come into the Departmental base and say that I really enjoyed a certain book or was thinking about reading one and the majority of the time she had already read it. She is a fantastic teacher and it was such a pleasure seeing her develop over her time at the RGS. Her lessons were thoroughly prepared to a high standard, not only incorporating in-depth history, but also engaging with how best to teach this to her students. Consequently, she has a track record of getting the best out of

those that she taught. She was a fantastic Form Tutor, helping First Formers find their feet in the school. She wanted to ensure that they felt comfortable and could thrive in a new environment, and even turned her Form Room into a forum of committed ‘cubers’ who would spend hours on their Rubik cubes. Chloe has now turned her attentions elsewhere from the world of teaching, and is embarking on a new career in consulting. We wish her all the best with this new path.

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When Sacha came to interview for a teaching post back in 2018 he still had not finished his final examinations at Warwick University, so to see him deliver such an assured lesson and manage a classroom so effectively was both a pleasing surprise and positive sign of what was to come.

From the start students quickly warmed to him, enjoying lessons thanks to his excellent mathematical knowledge, clear explanations and willingness to always help when a student was stuck.

He created a positive classroom environment through his warm personality, although perhaps poor behaviour was never likely to be a

Mr SG Black

CHLOE HAYES Teacher of History, Y1 Tutor

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Mr JM Davies

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SAM HERMAN-WILSON Teacher of Religion and Philosophy, Head of Scholarship, U6 Tutor

Mr Herman-Wilson joined the R&P Department straight from his Theology Degree at Oxford and from his first day showed the energy, enthusiasm, decency and kindness that would mark out his time here. His passion for teaching was matched by his skills; that all the staff and students who had dealings with him spoke readily and frequently of their great fondness for him is due testament to his

calibre.

As a teacher, Mr Herman-Wilson was without peer in trying to make his lessons engaging, fun and stretching; and he approached all his lessons, from Lower School RE to A Level to his General RE and PSHE lessons with the same commitment to helping all his students flourish both academically and personally.

Sam’s co-curricular contributions were tireless. He reinvigorated Model United Nations encouraging scores of students to engage in discussion and research that improved their understanding of the world; no mean rugby player himself, Sam’s coaching of School Rugby encouraged tenacity, skill and enjoyment

in equal measure; his work as Head of Scholarship saw impressive ILA work by Sixth Form students, but was also keenly focussed on encouraging students in Lower Year Groups to see wider academic engagement as a key part of their RGS life; and as a former chorister himself, Sam’s joyous commitment to the School Music making made him both a key contributor and important role model to the students.

A truly impressive, all-round schoolmaster, Sam fully deserved his promotion to Head of Department at Godolphin & Latymer, and we wish him the very best of good fortune for the future.

Mr RB Meadowcroft

ELODIE HUDSON Teacher of Biology, Head of Admissions (Academic), L6 Tutor

We bid farewell to Dr Hudson, a remarkable colleague who has left an indelible mark on the institution. She is not only ferociously intelligent but also an exceptional classroom teacher who has inspired countless students to develop a deep love for Biology. Her multifaceted contributions as the Head of Admissions and former Head of Biology have significantly enriched the school community, and her departure will undoubtedly be felt by all.

Elodie's exceptional intellect and

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passion for biology have made her invaluable to the Biology Department.

Her ability to convey complex scientific concepts with clarity and enthusiasm has captivated students and instilled within them a genuine appreciation for the subject. Through her engaging teaching methods and innovative approaches, she has fostered a love for learning and sparked curiosity in the minds of her students.

Elodie's commitment to academic excellence has consistently raised the bar for Biology education at our school.

In addition to her teaching prowess, Elodie has displayed exemplary leadership during her tenure as the Head of Biology and Head of Admissions. Her strategic vision and meticulous planning have played a vital role in shaping the

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Department and ensuring its continued success. Under her guidance, the Biology Department flourished, and students excelled in their academic pursuits.

Elodie's contributions to the admissions process have been instrumental in selecting talented students who embody the values of the RGS. Beyond her professional accomplishments, her personal qualities have endeared her to both students and colleagues alike. Her warmth, kindness, and approachable nature have created a nurturing environment in which students feel valued and supported. Elodie's calm and collected demeanour has been a source of inspiration during challenging times, and her reliability has made her an invaluable team member.

Mr SBU Burns

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VALETE MARIE MCCARTER Head of German

Marie joined the RGS as Head of German in September 2013 when she inherited a Department of very experienced teachers who had all been working at the school before she was even born! Within a short space of time of her arrival at the RGS, she managed to successfully bring the German Department into the twentieth century.

Thorough in her administration and well-prepared at all times, Marie ran an extremely tight ship for 10 years and quickly earned both the respect and trust of her colleagues by impressing with her efficiency and outstanding linguistic skills.

Never one to shy away from expressing her own ideas or standing up for what she believes in, Marie is always keen to speak up in favour of any scheme she believes will improve the performance of the staff and students.

Aside from her contributions to the Modern Languages Department, including when she stepped in as acting Head of the French Department in 2021,

Marie has played an active role in other areas of the school life by looking after the U12 Tennis Team and taking part in the 2017 Cambodia expedition, for example.

She has also been a dedicated and reliable Sixth Form Tutor and a Tutor to students in the Fourth and Fifth Form cycles.

There is no doubt that the Department will no longer be the same without her and she will be greatly missed. We wish her well for the future and a very happy and successful career at Wimbledon High School.

Mr J Marchiafava

ANN MORTIMER Senior Accounts Assistant

Ann joined the RGS in February 2011 as an Accounts Assistant and Extra Curricular Activity Administrator when the team were based in what is now the Sixth Form locker room in the main building. This was a combined finance role and co-curricular role which involved, amongst other things, issuing kit from the CCF stores.

In time, Ann’s role evolved, and she took on payroll across both schools which she carried out brilliantly well as staff numbers and types of role evolved.

She was so patient and careful about

explaining the many queries we have all had over the years. She was great at spotting processes and systems that could be improved and created so many efficiencies within the overall system.

Before leaving she worked hard to combine the payrolls of both schools which makes no great differences to us as the recipients, but created practical and efficiencies to the Finance team.

Ann’s contribution to the RGS Duke of Edinburgh scheme for many years is very much appreciated.

Ann shared her passion for cricket with many colleagues and continues to stay in touch with fellow cricket fans in between her gap year travels. We miss her coffee and walnut cake, warmth and kindness and wish her the very best for her ongoing adventures.

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CRAIG MULLON Head of Hockey, Deputy Housemaster Beckingham, Y5 Tutor

Not many people have two Valete’s in two separate Guildfordian’s, but Craig Mullon is not your run-of-the-mill gentleman.

Commonly known as both the nicest man on the hockey circuit and the owner of Guildford’s firmest handshake, Craig is the RGS personified: kind, caring, ambitious, ridiculously talented and yet, still, remarkably down to earth.

In his second coming as Head of Hockey, Craig oversaw and grew Hockey at the School, including taking the 1st XI to a National Bronze Medal at the same time as running overseas tours to Singapore and Malaysia, as well as growing the love of the game amongst hundreds

of RGS students. Craig also worked hard to develop links with Guildford Hockey Club, where he was an integral member of both the Men’s 1st XI and the Club as a whole.

Some that know Craig from his time at RGS would think that he is never happier than with AstroTurf or bike pedals beneath his feet, but the reality is different. He loves the natural earth - be it when running an 100-mile Ultra-Marathon two weeks after the birth of his second child, or when scaling the rocks of Wildernesse Bay in his native South Africa.

It is no surprise, to those of us lucky enough to know Craig well, that the lure of running Heather’s family farm (with it’s onsite squash court) under South African skies and being closer to family as their children grow up would eventually prove too much to resist. What Craig knows about sugar cane farming has already been

covered in this Valete, but I am sure that won’t stop him making a success of it.

The RGS, the hundreds of students whose lives he enriched and the teaching profession will miss him considerably; the farming profession does not know how lucky it is to have such a brilliant human being joining its ranks.

I hope that the return to South Africa affords Craig and his incredible wife, Heather, the time and lifestyle they so richly deserve as they raise their ever-increasing band of children (the arrival of twins in September took the current tally to four), and I am sure that as they sit on the patio with the sun setting over the farm, the children sleeping, Craig and Heather will look back as fondly on their time in Guildford as we do.

excellent and respected classroom teacher, her students fondly recall her lessons for her broad knowledge and her willingness to explore extension ideas.

Dax will be remembered even more for her willingness to get involved in so much at this school. She has masterminded a dizzying array of extra-curricular activities - Junior Science Club, various engineering projects for students with partners such as BP, such as getting them to design and run code on the International Space Station, engineering mining helmets with built in cooling systems, EXAD, Duke of Edinburgh, Leader of our Explorer Scouts unit, Masterclasses, Charity Christmas

Fair. She has done so much for this school that she will leave an enormous hole to fill.

Dax is always willing to help anyone, and always with a smile on her face, and that generosity of spirit has been appreciated by so many staff and students at this school. She has been the life and soul of her Department and of the Common Room and we will miss her enormously.

All the best on your next adventures in Shropshire. Thank you, Dax for all you have done and good luck in your retirement.

Mr MF Baggs

DAX PATEL Teacher of Physics

Dax retires after 16 years at the school.

She joined the RGS in September 2007 from a spell at Therfield School, having joined the teaching profession after working as an engineer at the National Grid (environmental research).

Dax is the 'Duracell bunny' of the Physics Department, with boundless enthusiasm for just about anything. An

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VALETE LIV TIMBERLAKE Carees & Outreach Projects Lead, Head of Business Enterprise

Liv’s final job title was Careers and Outreach Projects Lead and Head of Business Enterprise. It was one that evolved over the years but, whatever the title, it never managed to convey a fraction of what Liv did and what she achieved during her 10 years at the School.

I suspect that what Liv was most proud of was the work that she did with the Young Enterprise teams that she mentored, shaping them from disparate groups of students with, to coin a phrase, ‘all the gear but no idea’, into highly successful companies that regularly garnered prizes at local, county, regional and national level. The pinnacle came in 2021 when Firefly Technology were

crowned national winners.

But this was just a very small part of her role. The Primary School’s Project, Masterclasses and Summer Schools were transformed under her stewardship and saw Liv managing opportunities for hundreds (if not thousands) of primary school children to gain a tiny experience of academic opportunity at the RGS. She was also an ever-present welcoming face at scores of open days and open afternoons…..for many current RGS students Liv was almost certainly one of the very first contacts they had with the school.

I was unbelievably lucky to work with Liv throughout her time here as she masterminded our work experience and careers seminar programmes – the latter were always a triumph of organisation and professionalism always achieved with a lightness of touch and a wonderful sense of humour.

Liv was a true force of nature and so very committed to everything that she did at the heart of which were always the students that she came into contact with.

She cared deeply for them and always went that extra mile to ensure that they had an opportunity or experience that they would never forget. She was also a vibrant personality in the Common Room, universally popular amongst staff with a wicked sense of humour and no mean exponent of the Telegraph Cryptic crossword. Above all she was a kind, caring and supportive friend to so many……anyone who had to put up with my taste of music in the office we shared for 10 years deserves a damehood for that alone!

We wish her well in whatever comes next. Wherever that is will be exceptionally lucky to have Liv as a colleague and, equally importantly, as a friend.

Since that auspicious beginning Sally has been a stalwart member of all Chemistry and, more latterly, Science and Biology teams. Technician work is hard and often unseen, when painstakingly organised and managed equipment is dispersed and made dirty in a moment by a class of ‘enthusiastic’ Second Formers.

So technicians tend to be blessed with kindness, patience and flexibility, and Sally showed these qualities in abundance.

Sally’s people skills were not only applied to students, but also teachers, especially those that arrived at her prep room door demanding equipment for a brilliant but

totally novel idea they had immediately prior to a lesson. Sally took these and other aspects of school science life in her stride and maintained a sunny personality and outlook throughout.

Sally has always been active and joined fellow RGS staff in relay teams running the South Downs marathon.

More recently, Sally’s energies have been devoted to swing dancing, including travelling far and wide for events and competitions. Sally leaves the RGS for a well-deserved retirement, but she has many projects for her garden and devotes time to caring for loved ones and her basset hounds.

Mr PJ Dunscombe

SALLY TOWNSEND SMITH Combined Science Technician

Sally joined the Chemistry Department in 2007, having bumped into another new starter for the year, a certain Dr JM Cox, at the airport when returning from a holiday. As Sally’s son Tom also started at the RGS that year, we understand that she took the opportunity to give him quite the interview.

Dr LA Whall

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MICHAEL UNSWORTH Teacher of Physics, L6 Tutor

Mike has not been with us for a long time, but it certainly has been a good time. Joining the Physics Department in September 2021 from Epsom in what turned out to be a swap for Chris Bradford – with all due respect to Chris we got a great deal! Mike soon established a reputation as an excellent classroom teacher who quickly developed a rapport with his classes; on any passing visit to his classroom you could tell the enjoyment

and engagement as soon as you walked in. No more so was this evident than the Physics Dissection Club he instigated with the Middle School which was avidly attended by his GCSE students who were keen to break up whatever electronic or mechanical junk we had found in our garages and attics. He brought a sense of relaxed cheerfulness to the Department team, even after nightmare commutes on the A3. Sadly we could not compete with the promise of a 10-minute commute and he leaves to take up a post teaching Physics and promoting digital learning at Churcher’s College. We wish him and his young family all the best.

Mr JP Hood

TOM VICKERS Teacher of PE, Housemaster of Austen, Y5 Tutor

With a ringing endorsement from former RGS Head of Rugby Ollie Torri, Tom was appointed as a teacher of PE and Games in September 2017. Over the course of the past five and a half years, Tom has bloomed into an exceptional School Master and has contributed significantly both departmentally and in the wider school community.

An accomplished multi-sportsman himself, Tom quickly embedded himself in the Guildford area by starring as a player at local clubs in each of rugby, hockey and cricket. In his time at RGS, Tom taught across the entire PE and Games programme (including GCSE

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PE) and headed up the coaching of teams across the age and ability range.

Tom’s rapid ascent from NQT to a senior departmental role is in no small part down to his reflective and pro-active approach; he strives to improve in everything he does and builds inclusive, high performing cultures in those he coaches.

Tom’s sense of humour, positive outlook and ability to relate to people are some of his greatest strengths. His popularity amongst students is undoubtedly linked to his caring, supportive nature and willingness to always make time for people. Tom has been a committed and conscientious form tutor during his time at school and, in the past year, has made a positive impact in his new role as Head of Austen House.

Outside of the PE Department, Tom has been actively involved in many aspects of school life. Tom led successful U15 rugby tours to Edinburgh in 2018

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and 2019, he has been a regular on the ski and surf trips, Captain of the Staff Cricket Team, a box-to-box midfielder at weekly Staff Football (small pitch) and a willing contributor to the lunchtime Crossword Club to name just a few.

As the youngest member of an ageing and computer illiterate department, Tom was very quickly placed in charge of everything technologically related, an unpaid role which kept him extremely busy and demonstrated his patient temperament. The Department is lost without him on this front!

It is with great pride that we see Tom depart into his new role as Assistant Director of Sport at St Paul’s School. We are hugely grateful for Tom’s friendship and contribution to the RGS community and wish him all the very best for whatever the future holds.

Mr B Dudley

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VALETE CAT WALSH Head of Finance accounting processes to become more relevant and efficient for the current and future needs of the school.

Not long into the role she was faced with leading the new team through all the financial challenges that Covid and lockdown brought about including re-issuing all the parent bills, refunding parents and the associated challenges.

She brilliantly produced complicated and long term cash flow models to confirm and reassure us that we would remain financially viable despite the challenges being faced.

As well as her role within the finance team Cat was involved with the wider school community. She particularly enjoyed the theatre trips and was so enthusiastic that she turned up a month early to one of the performances! She was a key player of ‘Bursary Bingo’ during lockdown and entertained many of us with stories of her chickens and adventures in the Himalayas on her trek to Everest Base Camp.

She is sorely missed by us all and we wish her well in her new endeavours.

Helen's expertise in Biology brought practical learning to life for countless students. Her meticulously executed delivery of practicals allowed for the engagement of students and fostered their understanding of complex concepts. Experiments are important in a subject like Biology, and by having such a wonderful technician, who was brilliant at setting up complex experiments, students were able to conduct experiments with confidence and gain valuable hands-on experience, igniting their passion for the subject.

The smooth running of the Biology Department owes much to Helen's efficient management skills. She ensured the availability of necessary resources, meticulously maintained laboratory equipment, and organised the inventory seamlessly. Her attention to detail and dedication to providing a conducive learning environment made her an invaluable asset to the Department.

Her presence radiated warmth and positivity. Her infectious enthusiasm and friendly demeanour created a welcoming atmosphere in the Department.

Colleagues and students alike were drawn to her kind nature and found solace in her approachable demeanour. Her willingness to go the extra mile to support others created a strong sense of camaraderie within the team.

Helen's retirement marks the end of an era in the Biology Department.

Her exceptional skills as a Biology Technician, coupled with her delightful and friendly personality, have left an enduring legacy. She will be greatly missed by colleagues and students, who were privileged to witness her dedication and passion for the field. As she embarks on a well-deserved retirement, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for her invaluable contributions and wish her happiness and fulfilment in the next chapter of her life.

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Cat joined the finance team in October 2016 as part time accountant specifically working on the accounts for what is now RGS Prep and also the Foundation.

After changes to the overall team in 2019 Cat took on the role of Head of Finance in March that year and set about streamlining and updating many of the

Mrs CM Perceval

HELEN WAY Biology Technician

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Mr SBU Burns

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11/12/2023 16:31:46

KATE WELLARD Teacher of Mathematics

Kate joined the RGS in 2018 from the Marist School in Sunninghill. That said, she didn’t actually leave there, as she spent one day a week still working as their school’s timetabler and Curriculum Manager. However, it quickly became clear that even just 80% of Mrs Wellard is worth more than 100% of most other teachers and Kate was immediately well-respected and liked by colleagues across the school for her generous personality, professionalism and provision of cookies on the last Friday of the month.

Having worked in many schools throughout her career, Kate came armed with limitless resources and the Department was immediately all the better off for her willingness to share. Colleagues could rely on her for a supply of a dozen worksheets for any given lesson, some of which were so fiendish they necessitated a return visit to beg for the answers. Always cheerful and colourful, Kate espoused the use of an eclectic mix of various pen colours to add yet more fun to marking.

A meticulous planner, each lesson was carefully crafted and the students she taught all found her lessons engaging, allowing them to make excellent progress.

She had extremely high expectations for the students, and her own background as a formidable mathematician was obvious in the high levels she set when explaining concepts or setting problems to every class from First Form to Upper Sixth.

Outside the classroom Kate helped enrich students’ mathematical lives through running the Ramanujan Maths Club and assisting with Oxbridge preparation. She was always the first to volunteer to help run activities, from surfing trips (supervising from the shore, wrapped up in a warm coat and with a hot drink), to comedy evenings, to plays and productions. However, her main commitment was to Hamonde House, organising teams, supporting students and assisting at assemblies and picnics.

Kate leaves us to take up a full-time, non-teaching, role at Concept Education, owners of the aforementioned Marist.

Her new position has engendered some envy as it will allow her the freedom to work from home or, more accurately, from overseas locations on holiday during term-time with her husband Phil.

We wish them both all the best for their travels.

Mr SG Black

JOHN WINTERBURN Teacher of Religion and Philosophy, L6 Tutor

After three eventful and packed years John moves on from the RGS to join the Philosophy, Religion & Ethics Department at Lady Eleanor Holles School in Hampton.

The most obvious mark of John’s teaching was his breadth of academic learning and his passion for ensuring that making complex ideas accessible to students didn’t involve dumbing down,

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which his students at all levels clearly relished. His enthusiasm for broadening students’ engagement with his subject was never clearer than in the diverse, challenging and fun topics that he introduced in the Junior, Middle and Senior School Philosophy & Theology Societies, which he ran with great aplomb.

John’s contribution beyond the Department was equally dynamic.

He was an engaged and engaging Sixth Form Tutor, supporting and encouraging his tutees with kindness and wisdom.

His Rock Guitar General Studies course was in great demand, and received rave reviews. In his role as Drama Producer

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he brought an energy and commitment that was invaluable to those of us who were directing productions, and his organisational skills were matched by his creativity - I still marvel at his ability to turn a drab stage block into a rolling meadow at such short notice!

John will be missed from the Department, but we know that being able to avoid the daily nightmare of the A3, and working closer to home and family, will bring a much improved work-life balance whilst allowing him to go on to yet further teaching success.

Mr RB Meadowcroft

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VALETE GARTH WILLIAMS Teacher of History, Deputy Head (School Development)

Garth joined the RGS in 2008.

He came with an outstanding academic pedigree.

Following a degree at Oxford, he joined Wellington College and within four years was leading their History and RS Departments. A transfer to Dean Close School as Head of History also gave him the chance to gain experience of the Housemaster role which, by all accounts, he did with aplomb. The move to Alleyn’s School as Assistant Head and Head of Middle School was an obvious progression, making full use of his pastoral skills while also giving him experience of whole school issues such as links with the community. He came to us with exceptional references and he did not disappoint.

Garth quickly settled at the RGS as Deputy Head and his role evolved over time as the School made use of Garth’s expertise. He started his RGS career as Deputy Head (Staff) and then took on a whole school developmental role as Deputy Head (School Development).

Garth was an exceptional Deputy Head in every respect with the vision and energy to drive change and to establish new policies and procedures. He was an accomplished people manager, able to lead and encourage others through the force

of his personality rather than the authority of his position with huge success. In his role as Deputy Head (School Development), he continued to manage staff at the RGS with care and empathy but his focus was very much on the strategic direction of the RGS and he was peerless in this position. His ability to create strategic plans which encapsulated the School’s vision was highly impressive and I was very fortunate to have worked so closely with someone with such expertise. Garth acquired that ‘whole school’ perspective which is such an important aspect of Headship and he showed himself to be extremely adept and creative in the projects he completed for the RGS, completely overhauling our staff appraisal system and creating a far more coherent CPD and Inset programme.

Garth was also full of ideas, many of which are now an integral part of RGS life. As a member of the SMT, Garth was bright, focused, conscientious and unafraid to think out of the box.

He was always coming up with new ideas, initiatives and challenges for the School. He asked those difficult questions which are entirely necessary and was always ready to countenance radical solutions. He also managed to combine his radicalism with a deep-seated conservatism which gave

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him an impressive sense of balance.

I worked very closely with Garth for 15 years. He was always a wonderful support to me professionally and personally and was the rock of the SMT, binding us together with his ideas for social events and his kindness in always remembering people’s birthdays. He, more than anyone, created cohesion in the SMT and for that as much as anything else, we will miss him very much.

His experience made him an excellent candidate for Headship and it was no surprise when Garth secured the post of Head at Tiffin School, a state grammar school of renown.

He is hyper-efficient, organised and unflappable under pressure while being able to shoulder significant responsibility. He has a soundness of judgement which will ensure that he gets the difficult decisions right, bringing all stakeholders along with him.

I have no doubt that Garth will be a success at Tiffin. He has that strength of personality, good-humour and empathy which every leader needs.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Garth for his support and friendship, and wish him the very best of luck as he starts a brand-new and thoroughly-deserved adventure.

Dr JM Cox

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