Issuu

FROM THE HEADMASTER

If one were to task AI with producing a hymn suitable for a school in the 21st century it is unlikely that giants, lions, hobgoblins or, indeed, foul fiends would feature large in the recommended words. Equally, however, a poem which was first penned in 1684 may also feel like it has little to offer an educational setting in modern-day Britain. And yet, despite the passing of time and the very different world in which we now live, To be a Pilgrim remains for students and staff alike, past and present, one of the most powerful and evocative memories of the RGS experience.

John Bunyan wrote his now famous hymn, which was originally produced as a poem, in 1684 as part of his allegory The Pilgrim's Progress. It speaks to the journey of life and the virtues of perseverance, faith, and courage. The essence of the hymn lies in its portrayal of the pilgrim’s journey as a metaphor for life’s challenges and the steadfastness, tenacity and faith required to overcome them; in the case of the pilgrim, it is all achieved with a quiet and yet steely determination. It quickly becomes clear that the parallels for an educational setting could not be more apparent.

As the hymn articulates, irrespective of the challenges faced – Come wind, come weather – there must be no discouragement which will make him once relent. Despite what others say, the pilgrim remains undeterred and resolute in his determination – Whoso beset him round with dismal stories…his strength the more he is.” Regardless of the inevitable challenges which will be faced, he must remain intrepid and unfaltering – No lion can him fright, he’ll with a giant fight. Indeed, a willingness to confront inevitable challenges head-on is testament to his strength of character and faith – Hobgoblin nor foul fiend can daunt his spirit. In the end, a combination of self-belief and self-esteem coupled with industry and diligence will reap its deserved rewards – He’ll fear not what men say, He’ll labour night and day. All of this is what is required to be a true pilgrim.

And this, perhaps, is the aspect that resonates the most. For me a pilgrim is synonymous with loyalty and devotion; with perseverance and steadfastness; with humility and dedication; with self-reflection; with community and fellowship among those who travel together; with sharing a common purpose and supporting each other along the way. And for us there can be no greater end goal than this for our students who are on their own voyages of growth and discovery.

Irrespective of the vagaries of the challenges of the times, irrespective of the changes in the landscape, it is this ethos and culture which is established in the RGS DNA and which has remained steadfast over recent years. Our School Values reflect those of the pilgrim: integrity, respect, service, courage, to name but a few, as we travel along the same path together.

self-belief and self-esteem coupled with industry and diligence. “ ”

And as I walk around the School, it is all those little touches which show that rather than mere rhetoric this is reality: cheery cries of Good Morning; doors being held open by staff for students and vice versa; Sixth Form naturally chatting to First Form students in the corridors; the sound of positive energy, purposeful work, and good-humoured laughter.

So, although January may be grey, dark and rainy outside, the atmosphere inside the corridors of the RGS could not be more positive, cheery and light, and without a foul fiend in sight!

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.

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

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

Maintain a healthy pipeline and transition effectively to co-education, ensuring a positive experience for all students (current and future).

NOTICES

Sports Fixtures

With unsettled weather conditions continuing, please read the Sports Cancellation Policy which has been circulated. Always check the RGS social media platforms before leaving home, and the published teamsheets for details of travel arrangements for each fixture.

Please may we also remind parents that no spectators are permitted at Broadwater School for matches that start during the school day due to their Safeguarding Policy. Any spectators who turn up will be regrettably requested to leave the premises. In addition, no dogs are allowed at Broadwater School: we apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Thank you for your continuing support for RGS sport this season: it is always very much appreciated.

Forthcoming events

Monday 26 January

Lower Sixth Form Oxbridge Seminar in the Auditorium.

Tuesday 27 January

Online Senior Classics Society talk: Dr Emily Hauser from the University of Exeter on Women in Homer.

Thursday 29 January

Third Form Parents’ Evening and GCSE Options Evening in Great Hall.

Click to book tickets

LATEST NEWS

CHARITY

Our annual Stand-Up Comedy Evening, compèred by professional comedian and writer Old Guildfordian Paul Kerensa, provided an opportunity for up-and-coming RGS students to share the stage with professional comedians. Our first-ever student comedian Ben Thain returned to the mic and his set included jokes about his personal best in the 100m, which was 75m, horse-riding club issues and lunch-time challenges in Great Hall! He mesmerised the audience with his stage presence and confidence. Upper Sixth Form student Ayaan Bhagat then took to the stage for the very first time, yet sounded like a professional! His set ranged from the fact that Further Maths students don't have much success romantically to the fact that he was turning 18 and would suddenly discover acquired tastes, such as al dente pasta! To maintain the feel-good energy Dhruv Singh's rock band Riff Riot played during the interval in Great Hall, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all. With two professional comedians also on the bill, the event was a huge success and raised over £2,000 for our school-nominated charities.

MODEL UNITED NATIONS

15 RGS students went to Wycombe Abbey for their annual WASAMUN residential conference. Over the course of the two days, the students engaged in a variety of debates, including: the weaponisation of space; the use of AI in conflicts; proxy warfare; the tension between cybersecurity and the right to privacy; and the question of reparations for historical colonial actions - to name just a few! Leo French, Ayan Chowdhury, and Ayaan Bhagat were all Highly Commended; Bode Bird won a prestigious Outstanding Delegate Award, at his third ever conference! Cameron Brown was also awarded a Special Commendation for his role in the Arctic Council.

MUSIC

The Junior Piano Concert took place in the Recital Room before an enthusiastic audience of parents and students from the First to Third Form. Many of the young pianists were playing in public for the first time and they made the most of the opportunity, bringing a wide range of repertoire, starting with music from the earlier grades through to complex Clementi Sonatas and other more contemporary pieces.

SPORTS NEWS

CHESS

The 1st VI put up a real fight, narrowly losing against Hampton School, the current national champions. The match was tied 2½ a piece going down to the last game on Board 1 between the respective captains! Ronit Sachdeva narrowly missed out on victory but fought valiantly until the end. For the 2nd VI, Charlie Lefever impressed winning both his matches.

HOCKEY

Although frost resulted in all the Saturday fixtures against Churcher’s College being cancelled, the traditional curtain raiser to the 2026 season took place – albeit in freezing conditions – as 16 junior teams and over 180 students took to the pitches to play against Guildford Hockey Club in our annual Super Friday fixtures. A really enjoyable set of matches – including many students who had never formally played hockey before – proved competitive in the A through to the H teams. Scoreline of the day belonged to the Under 13Bs who recorded an impressive 9 – 1 victory.

With temperatures warming up, we were then able to play a full block against St George’s College, Weybridge, and Cranleigh School for some C and D fixtures. The strength in depth was again highlighted as our free-scoring Under 12 D, E and F teams secured a clean sweep of victories, scoring 22 goals and conceding just two in the process. Other stand-out results included an extraordinary 8 – 0 victory for the 2nd XI and a strong performance by the 1st XI against a talented side, despite a 2 – 0 loss.

With Cup competitions in full swing, in the National Tier 1 Competition, our 2nd XI won 4 – 0 against Kingston Grammar School, while the Under 14As beat Cranmore School 10 – 0.

CROSS-COUNTRY

At the Surrey Secondary Schools’ CrossCountry Championship at a muddy and slippery Reigate Priory Park, 18 RGS students ran, representing Guildford, in all age categories. The following have qualified to represent Surrey: Will Knight (First Form); Eli du Preez (Second Form); Albert Adams and Etienne Victor (Third Form); Edward Reid and George Holmwood (Fourth Form), and Eddie Wilson (Lower Sixth Form). Albert came seventh in his race and stands a high chance of being selected to run in the English Schools Championships.

SWIMMING

The Surrey Schools Swimming Association held their annual Individuals competition at Guildford Spectrum. This was undoubtedly the strongest team for many years to represent the RGS, and the students did not disappoint: ten of the team gained medals and the other five were just outside the podium places in fourth. Dujun Huang, William Browne and Lucas Goodey de Diego won Gold; William Jones, Frederik Duetoft and Freddie Browne gained Silver; and George Robinson, Ethan Tallis, Alex Song and Ralph Cotonet took Bronze. The Juniors and Intermediates won their age groups and the RGS brought home three out of the four trophies on offer.