RGS Senior Newspaper

1. The school run is the tip of the parental iceberg: making meals, supervising academic study, ferrying children to and from rehearsals, sports matches, concerts and co-curricular activities leaves little time for anything else! 2. Research demonstrates that boarding school students feel better prepared for college and university life than their ‘day’ peers, and that they advance to more prominent roles in their careers. They are prepared to succeed and to manage their own lives. 3. It’s a safe setting inwhich to succeed AND fail. Parents are not on hand to shield children from the natural causes and effects of life, which makes it a wonderful environment - a ‘controlled freedom’ - in which to learn, in the broadest sense. 4. Family relationships are actually improved. Time spent together is more precious and of a higher quality. The inevitable problems of teenage angst, parental nagging, nightly homework - and the natural tensions of family life - are removed and become somebody else’s problem. Consequently, your sons associate time spent with you and their siblings in a more positive light. Boarding at RGS is certainly perceived as an extension of the family, not a separation from it. It’s a working partnership between you, the staff and your sons. 5. Academically speaking, RGS boarders typically perform even better than their non-boarding counterparts. Boys foster close connections with teachers outside the classroom and, with a staff to pupil ratio of 1 to 10, they enjoy constant in-house support from highly qualified staff tutors and peer mentors. 6. Independence may be the greatest gift that you can afford your son. In a world where many parents are hyper-vigilant and wish to be involved in every aspect of their child’s life, boarding offers the perfect antidote. 7. Taking responsibility for oneself. It’s one of the intangibles of the boarding experience, but learning to get along with others in a close- knit community, and taking responsibility for one’s own actions - in an environment where boys are bound together by a code of honour - provide solid foundations for adult life. 8. Weekly Boarding - particularly for boys starting in Year 7 - offers the best of both worlds: your sons enjoy the immeasurable benefits of ‘living in’ five nights each week, but spend their weekends at home with you and their family. 1. Choice and opportunity. RGS offers a range of activities that even the most ambitious mum or dad could only dream about! You will be kept extremely busy, and there’s a chance to explore non-academic skills and develop new talents, interests and hobbies. It’s not just Monday to Friday, 9 to 5, but can be evenings and weekends too!  2. Friendships for life. Developing interpersonal skills is important, and there is no hiding at boarding school. But one of the long-term benefits of living and breathing the experience with your fellow boarders is a lasting network of friends who know you and care about you. After all, you will be surrounded by like-minded people who want to be at school. The 24/7 culture is a very binding experience. 3. Homework. This tedious but important feature of school life is achieved with the support of highly-skilled professionals, and pupil study groups, in a distraction-free environment and during designated time slots. You just have to get on with it - but you’re in it together, and you will develop a healthy work ethic. 4. Social life. You’ll have mates on tap, from the moment you get up until it’s time to go to bed again. 5. Food. This is one of the most important factors in any young man’s life, and it is critical to any boarder! In Fraser Youens , we employ an award-winning catering company that offers freshly-prepared, seasonal menus to suit every possible taste. 6. Preparation. It’s never easy to leave the family nest. Living away from home, and learning to cope with life’s highs and lows, is an essential part of preparing for the big wide world. Being a boarder at RGS develops a strong sense of individuality. You will learn to take initiative, to trust your judgement and to think for yourself. 7. Continuity. Being in just one place during the week offers huge advantages. Time spent travelling between home and school eats into your busy day, so being based at RGS means you will have more time to accomplish the things you need to do and enjoy. 8. Fun. It may not be Hogwarts or non-stop pillow fights, but with so much going on, and with so many people to share the laughter - and even the tears - being surrounded by your best friends, supportive staff and wonderful facilities is a great deal of fun. And according to all the ‘stats’, you are likely do even better at RGS than your non-boarding friends, so boarding really is a win-win choice! Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ 2013, 2017 and 2019 Academically over the past decade Boarders have outperformed their day student counterparts by up to 15%. Support for boarders’ academic progress is extremely strong. Oftsed, 2019 B4 BOARDING RGS HIGHWYCOMBE B5 Boarding Boarding Parents Just a thought Boys Worth considering 16 REASONS TO BOARD AT RGS I’m currently studying at Exeter University and can honestly say that my time boarding at RGS was absolutely superb: great mates, a single (ensuite!) room in the Sixth Form and really decent food. It made the switch to uni life pretty effortless... RGS Leaver and Exeter fresher