Reigate Grammar School

Reigate Grammar School
Established 1675
Type Independent school
Headmaster S Fenton[1]
Founder Henry Smith
Location Reigate Road
Reigate
Surrey
RH2 0QS
United Kingdom
DfE URN 125422 Tables
Students 1288[1]
Gender Coeducational
Ages 11–18[1]
Colours Blue & White
Publication The Review
Website www.reigategrammar.org

Reigate Grammar School (often abbreviated to RGS) is an independent co-educational day school located in the town of Reigate, Surrey, United Kingdom. The school caters for students from ages 11 to 18,[1] however it took over a local prep school which is operated separately.[1]

History

The school was founded as a free school for poor boys in 1675 by Alderman Henry Smith with Jon Williamson, the vicar of Reigate, as master. It remained in the hands of the church until 1862 when a board of governors was appointed.

Under the Education Act of 1944 it became a voluntary aided grammar school, providing access on the basis of academic ability as measured by the 11-Plus examination. In 1976, it converted to its current fee-paying independent status.[2] At the same time the sixth form was opened up to girls. In 1993, the school became fully co-educational. In 2003, the school merged with a local prep school St. Mary's School.[3]

Academics

In 2015, The Sunday Times Parent Power guide ranked RGS as the top co-educational independent day school in Surrey. Also in 2015, over 71% of A Level results were A* or A grades, which placed Reigate Grammar 35th nationally in The Telegraph[4]. In 2016 students achieved a 100% pass rate at GCSE, with 83% of results graded A* and A.

Reigate Grammar sends a reasonable number of students to Oxford and Cambridge, with a record-breaking entrance of 14 in both 2013 and 2015. The Good Schools Guide says of that it is 'a good all round school with a strong head. A very unpretentious place - parents say it is just like the state grammar schools they used to attend'.

Facilities

The school site is split into two locations separated by the churchyard. On the "Broadfield" site, named so because of the playing field dubbed "Broadfield" behind the old science block, there are several old and new buildings. Until recently, Broadfield house, an old Reigate home, was where History, Economics, Business studies, Politics and other subjects were taught. It is now used for Drama. Also on Broadfield site is the newly renovated music block, which houses a recording studio, a concert hall, 17 soundproofed rooms, a percussion room, and 3 teaching rooms.

Opposite Broadfield house is the Cornwallis building, which is another old Reigate home. It contains the Chaplain's office, the careers department, CCF training rooms and stores, and learning support for students with learning difficulties. The school has introduced a counselor who is based in Cornwallis. The Peter Masefield Hall, named after a contributor of the same name, is the school canteen/events room.

A purpose built performance room, opened by Judi Dench, is where the majority of the school's small scale performances take place. Known as the 'Drama Studio', it is attached to the large sixth form centre which includes a computer suite, a sixth form only cafe and a large space for students to relax and revise. The sixth form centre is attached to the old science building, which is partly refurbished and partly old and run down. However, the school recently rebuilt the Ballance Building, named after a past headmaster, which added 26 new large teaching rooms, 4 science laboratory's and staff rooms for many departments. The Ballance Building replaced a connecting corridor between the two parts of the old science building. All the subjects that used to be taught in Broadfield house and Classics are now taught in the Ballance Building as well as science on levels one and two in the new laboratories. Also on the Broadfield site are 4 multipurpose tennis courts, also used for hockey, netball and football.

On the other site, known as "main school," are the majority of the original buildings. The main school buildings house many classrooms, teaching the humanities, RS, modern languages ,there is also a computerized "language lab" and Food Technology room. Also in the main school building are staff rooms, a library with a small Sixth form study area, a communal staff room, a concert hall, a sports hall and the most recent addition, a gym. The FT room has 10 workstations with the appropriate equipment.

An art and design block was built on the main school site. On the ground floor, Design Technology is taught in the three classrooms which include access to computers, and also a Design Technology lab where projects take place. On the first floor, accessible from outside the modern languages and FT rooms, is the Art Department. Rooms 29, 30, 31 and The Darkroom are all found here. Rooms 30 and 31 share the same large space. The Darkroom is found under the mezzanine and a Staff Office connects Rooms 30&31 to Room 29 which is also accessible from the main Art Corridor. Room 29, although smaller, takes a smaller number of pupils and has two pottery wheels.

Behind the main school building is the Hamlin Building. The Hamlin Building is entirely used for the teaching of maths. There are eight rooms numbered H1-H8. H1-H4 are found downstairs, and H5-H8 are all upstairs. Further behind the Hamlin Building is the indoor swimming pool, which uses chlorine, the DofE block, spare classrooms (part of the DofE block labelled D1 and D2) and the memorial garden which is used on Remembrance Day.

Offsite, the school owns the playing fields at "Hartswood" nearby Woodhatch, where most home matches in most sports are played. The students take a bus journey provided by the school to Hartswood on assigned games days. Nearby Reigate Saint Mary's church in which every student goes to the church once a week in place of assembly, where the chaplain operates an assembly without any religious teaching during the speeches. The nearby Reigate St Mary's Preparatory School is owned by Reigate Grammar.[5]

A new Centre of Learning is being built on the site of the former Merrick House flats. The Centre of Learning will include a new 6th Form Centre and study areas. It is being funded by a £4,000,000 grant from The Peter Harrison Foundation.[6]

Independent Schools Inspectorate

In 2016, the Independent Schools Inspectorate rated Reigate Grammar as 'Exceptional' for Achievement and Learning, making it the first co-educational day school to achieve this rating.[7] Their report found that 'Pupils of all needs and abilities are highly successful in their learning. The school fully meets its aim to develop the talents and abilities of the pupils. The school has responded positively and successfully to the recommendation of the previous inspection to develop independent work and intellectual curiosity and to ensure challenge and rigour in learning are provided more consistently throughout the school. [...] Pupils are extremely well supported by the excellent quality of teaching throughout the school'.[8]

In former reports, Reigate Grammar is described as providing 'a good all-round education' with 'broad curriculum and a wide range of quality activities'. Inspectors found it a 'friendly, welcoming community in which pupils of all abilities are mutually supportive, creating a relaxed environment, which encourages pupils to fulfil their potential'.

Other strengths of the school identified by inspectors included high quality pastoral care, support and guidance, mutual respect between pupils and staff, and excellent provision of ICT.

The team of 12 inspectors from the Independent Schools Inspectorate, who visited the school in October 2005, commented that "the school has much strength" but would benefit from greater sharing of good practice between departments, greater independent learning, and more risk assessments.[9]

Headmaster

Shaun Fenton is the headmaster at Reigate Grammar school. He was previously headmaster at Pate's Grammar School and Sir John Lawes School. Fenton is the son of Alvin Stardust, and brother of producer Adam F. He is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.

David Thomas was headmaster of Reigate Grammar School from September 2001 to July 2012. He is now Master of Music at Winchester College.[10]

Controversy

In 2013, the school offered to give financial support to Dunottar School; in return Reigate Grammar School would help manage Dunottar. Then in late 2013 it was announced that Dunottar would be closed due to dwindling pupil numbers and poor finances. This caused uproar for the current parents, who planned to manage the school themselves. Reason's for the planned take over include the selling of Dunottar's school property to fund the new Centre of Learning at Reigate Grammar School. However Reigate Grammar School was unsuccessful and the parents had Dunottar school sign a 10 year contract with United Learning after an intense round of negotiations.[11] As a result the new Centre of Learning was funded by The Peter Harrison Foundation.[6]

Notable alumni

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 URN 125422Reigate Grammar School
  2. ↑ "Voluntary schools which have become independent schools". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 5 November 1980. col. 579W.
  3. ↑ "History & tradition". Reigate Grammar School. Archived from the original on 2009-09-13. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  4. ↑ "A-level results 2015: Independent schools results table".
  5. ↑ "Establishment: Reigate Grammar School". Department for Education. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  6. 1 2 http://www.reigategrammar.org/blog/2015/10/21/new-state-of-the-art-learning-centre/
  7. ↑ https://www.reigategrammar.org/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ↑ http://www.isi.net/school/reigate-grammar-school-6831. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ↑ "Inspection Report on Reigate Grammar School". Independent Schools Inspectorate. 2005. Archived from the original on January 7, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  10. ↑ Purcell School headteacher David Thomas resigns, Watford Observer, 19 November 2014
  11. ↑ Stubbings, David (2014-02-28). "Parents over the moon as school's future is secured". getsurrey. Retrieved 2017-07-12.
  12. ↑ CMT, CMT (2012-05-15). "Ben Edwards (RGS 1978-1983)". Reigate Grammar School. Reigate. Archived from the original on 2014-08-12. Retrieved 2014-07-31.
  13. 1 2 3 "Reigate Grammar School". UK Schools Guide. 2005. Archived from the original on 7 February 2006.
  14. ↑ "Sir Anthony Hidden, judge - obituary". Telegraph. 2016-03-08. Retrieved 2016-03-12.
  15. ↑ Cook, Chris (26 July 2013). "Lunch with the FT: Sir Peter Lampl". Financial Times.
  16. ↑ Sale, Jonathan (2007-09-20). "Passed/Failed: An education in the life of Ray Mears, survival expert". The Independent. London. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
  17. ↑ Maley, Jacqueline (2006-07-07). "He's an incredibly single-minded individual. He didn't miss a single training session in nine months". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
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