The Bulletin 261 by RGS Guildford

FROM THE HEADMASTER

I hope you and your family had a relaxing summer holiday, taking advantage of the beautiful weather, and that your son is refreshed and ready for the start of the school year. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome to the RGS family all those new to the School The beginning of the academic year and a fresh intake mark an exciting stage and I have every confidence that the new students will make a real impact upon the School and, most importantly, thrive and grow as confident, happy and kind individuals. I look forward to getting to know them individually and to observing them as they develop and flourish.

The RGS is a close-knit community and the happiness of every single student is of paramount importance to us all. We all play a significant role in embedding in our school a culture where each individual’s needs are met: kindness, compassion and friendship; being understood and listened to; a deep sense of belonging and inclusivity; the satisfaction of achievement; the autonomy to have control over elements of one’s life; a sense of purpose to fulfil goals and to make a difference to others Our students cannot achieve if they are not in a good place emotionally and this continues to be our absolute focus and priority We are incredibly proud of the success of our students; our excellent GCSE and A level results are testament to this. Striving for excellence and harbouring healthy ambition are admirable traits which epitomise the RGS; however, these are achieved in a caring and supportive way. For us, our School Values of inclusivity, scholarship, integrity, respect, courage and collaboration define who we are and allow us to face our successes and setbacks equally The RGS is a welcoming environment where a mutually supportive ethos is at the very heart of our philosophy. Each individual at the RGS has so much untapped potential; to unlock this, the students must be confident and happy, open and honest, and realistic enough to appreciate that things will not always go smoothly

If you have any concerns with regard to your son, however seemingly trivial, please do not hesitate to contact the School via his Tutor. My experienced pastoral team are always on hand to provide support. Each student has a number of members of staff he can turn to if he wants advice or guidance. His Tutor is likely to be his first point of contact; however, every individual also has their Head of Year, Head of Section, Housemaster, Personal Tutor (Fourth Form and above), Assistant Head (Pastoral) Designated Safeguarding Lead, Student Wellbeing Practitioner, the School Counsellors, and the School Nurse. In addition, the senior students, with the benefit of professional training, take an active role in the mentoring of junior students to provide peer support. Talking openly and airing concerns are the most important lessons we can teach our students.

We all play a significant role in embedding in our school a culture where each individual’s needs are met. “ ”

For the benefit of those parents new to the School, the RGS newsletter The Bulletin is published electronically every two weeks. We are very proud of the efforts and achievements of our students and this fortnightly publication provides an opportunity to celebrate the many diverse successes enjoyed by our community. I am always keen to hear news of RGS students so that their energy, industry and achievements can be recognised; please do not hesitate to keep me informed As well as The Bulletin, the RGS website and social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram and X – also provide useful means of staying updated with news from the School and gaining an insight into daily life In addition, each day, The RGS Today is emailed to all students and this, again, provides them with an invaluable way of keeping aware of the many diverse opportunities open to them.

I am reminded of a speaker at one of our Inset Days who stressed that the strength of a wall is not derived from the strength of the individual bricks but from the mortar that binds them together I could not be more proud that the mortar of the RGS is firmly based upon the respect, kindness and values which are at the very heart of our ethos We all want the very best for the students and, in that regard, student insight and parent voice remain powerful ways for us to continue to refine and improve every aspect of school life As you can see in this edition of The Bulletin, we have set our new Strategic Priorities for the School and as the year progresses I shall share with you just some of the initiatives which have been implemented – and are being implemented – directly as a result of the input of members of our community. As an institution, our strategy is student-centric and we continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the RGS experience is as positive and fulfilling as possible.

So, as we embark on a new term, I wish your son a very happy and fulfilling year. I look forward to meeting you in person in the coming months.

Our Vision

A high-performing and inclusive independent day school, which provides a great education so that students can lead happy, successful lives and have a positive impact on society.

Our Strategic Priorities

Integrate our pastoral and wellbeing offer, and tailor this to meet the needs of a modern-day student community.

Develop a more focused co-curricular offer, organised around a character development framework based on our school values.

Enhance our academic strength, in terms of exam results, developing minds and preparing students for higher education.

Maintain a healthy future pipeline of students in the face of increasing demographic, market and regulatory challenges.

NOTICES

Sports Fixtures

We very much welcome parental support this term at weekend sports fixtures including rugby at Bradstone Brook. May we politely remind you that dogs are, regrettably, strictly not allowed. To support the School’s sustainability drive, please also bring your own re-usable mugs for coffee etc. Thank you for your co-operation in this matter.

May we also remind you that with unpredictable weather this term, it is all the more important to check our sports cancellation policy and social media platforms prior to leaving home to ensure there have been no cancellations or changes to the published arrangements.

Forthcoming Events

Friday 12 September

Big Band Reunion Concert at Guildford High School.

Saturday 13 September

SHUGS (Second-hand Uniform and Goods) Sale on North Court.

Tuesday 17 September

Class of 2026: Welcome to the Sixth Form event in Great Hall.

Thursday 18 September

New Parents’ Reception on the Headmaster’s Lawn.

LATEST NEWS

RESULTS

Our students achieved another outstanding set of A Level results. 36% of all grades were the gold standard A*; in total, 357 A* and A grades were secured by our hard-working cohort. 72 students achieved a clean sweep of grades at A or A*; 23 students achieved 3 or more A* grades: these are richly deserved and just reward for all their efforts.

In terms of university entrance, of those preparing to study at UK universities, the students, almost without exception, secured offers on the most competitive courses at the leading institutions in the country, predominantly at their first-choice institution. This is all the more impressive as 93% of places confirmed are to Russell Group or one of The Times Top 20 ranked universities with Bath, Bristol, Durham, Exeter, Nottingham and Oxbridge continuing to be the most popular destinations for our students.

Indeed, RGS students have received 230 Oxbridge offers over the last decade. In the same ten-year period, 700 students (51%) have taken up places at Bath, Bristol, Durham, Exeter and Oxbridge Universities.

At GCSE, the most common grade achieved by our students was the gold-standard grade 9; 698 grade 9s were achieved, 46% of all grades. In total, 71% of grades were at grade 8 or 9, the A* standard. 68 students achieved nine or more grade 8 and 9s; 19 students secured the remarkable profile of 10 or more grade 9s.

Congratulations to all our students: their hard work, determination and resilience have been tested to the full and they have emerged with results of which they can all be rightly proud and which provide the foundations for them to have the most ambitious of aspirations.

OLYMPIAD

Sixth Form student Yuvan Raja was part of the phenomenal UK team in Mumbai, India, which secured 4 Golds and 1 Silver in the 18th International Olympiad on Astronomy & Astrophysics over the summer. Yuvan finished with a global ranking of third out of the 288 participants, the highest a UK student has ever come: a quite phenomenal achievement.

STAFF

We are delighted to welcome a number of new members of teaching staff to the RGS. We welcome: Mrs Hawtin (Modern Foreign Languages Department); Mr Lake (Physics Department); Miss Medlicott (Mathematics Department); Mr Taylor-Gooby (Drama Department); and we welcome back Mr Tayar (Religion & Philosophy Department). In addition, our new Sports Assistants are Mr Latham, Mr Meade, Mr McMurray and Mr Tinkler. I would like to wish all new members of staff the very best of luck for an enjoyable career at the RGS. We wish them all the very best for a successful and fulfilling time with us as they join the RGS community.

TRIPS

A busy summer for school trips included: the Big Band music tour, in conjunction with Guildford High School, to Spain; the CCF summer camp on Dartmoor; the Physics Department engineering trip to the West Country and Wales; the tennis and surfing trip to Cornwall and a number of sporting fixtures and training sessions for football, rugby, and shooting.