RGS HIGH WYCOMBE 1562 TO 2023 EDUCATING YOUR SONS FOR MORE THAN 450 YEARS
your children will be imbued with the self-knowledge necessary to be motivated, happy and fulfilled. PhilipWayne Headmaster It is a rare privilege to lead a school that offers such a prestigious education. It is rarer still to lead a school endowed more than 450 years ago by one of England’s greatest monarchs. RGS has altered beyond recognition since the grant of its Royal Charter in 1562, and schools necessarily evolve, almost as quickly as the boys we send through our gates. But our DNA remains unchanged, and the School’s distinctive ethos resides in the enduring values reflected in its Elizabethan foundation. RGS has built on its rich heritage and enjoys a reputation as one of the finest state selective schools in the United Kingdom, and one with world class aspirations. We afford all of our pupils an outstanding intellectual, physical and spiritual experience, combining centuries of tradition with the best of modern educational practice. A culture of scholarship is fostered through inspirational and innovative teaching, and our students consistently achieve exceptional public examination results. We are unashamedly proud of our demanding academic standards, and almost all boys choose to go on to university. About 16 boys of these are offered places at Oxbridge every year. The welfare of pupils is our highest priority, and we aim to provide individual pastoral care that encourages independence and self-belief. Academic and cultural attainment are naturally of great importance, but we are committed to nurturing your son’s emotional and physical development, and his well-being too. Providing a breadth of cocurricular opportunity, unparalleled in the state sector, is one of the ways we promote the balance so critical to personal growth, and it enables us to draw out individual talent wherever it lies. Whilst the majority of our students are day boys, boarding plays a unique and significant role in shaping and supporting the lives of young men at RGS. Termly and weekly boarding are offered within the comfort of Fraser Youens - our purpose-built ‘home from home’ - and resident pupils make a full and meaningful contribution to the wider school populace. This commonality of experience, shared by day boys and boarders, echoes the many links forged between RGS and the local community. Participation in out-reach programmes, public service and charitable endeavour is customary, and such engagement further nourishes the moral and ethical welfare of our students. Every Wycombiensian is encouraged to be self-assured, adaptable, healthy and enquiring. And though individual and corporate excellence are expected, we expect also that each boy will develop qualities of tolerance, courtesy and respect, evident in a modesty of manner. Above all, we seek to equip our students with the tools to be inspirational leaders as they embark upon careers of distinction, influence and service. We hope too that by the time they leave RGS, P2 PROSPECTUS 2023-2024 RGS HIGHWYCOMBE P3 At RGS we nurture the individual potential and character of every student to help them become confident, socially responsible young people, prepared for happiness and success in their adult lives. To offer our students an exceptional all-round education. I FEEL PRIVILEGEDTO LEAD A SCHOOLWHICH HAS BEEN SYNONYMOUSWITH A PRESTIGIOUS EDUCATION SINCE ITS ENDOWMENT BY ONE OF ENGLAND’S GREATESTMONARCHS. Our mission Our vision Headmaster 51° 6408 (N) Latitude 0° 7379 (W) Longitude RGS High Wycombe Our vision is to offer our students an exceptional all-round education Headmaster
Biology Chemistry Classical Civilisation Computing Design Technology English Language English Literature Fine Art French Geography German Graphic Communication History Latin Mathematics Music Physical Education Physics Religious Studies Spanish Further Mathematics (Level 2 Certificate) Ancient History Art & Design (Fine Art) Biology Business Studies Chemistry Computer Science Design &Technology Economics English Literature French Further Mathematics Geography German History Latin Mathematics Music Physics Politics Psychology Spanish Sport (BTEC) Extended Project Qualification Critical Thinking FurtherMathematics (AS Level) Italian (GCSE) Japanese Academic Academic P4 RGS HIGHWYCOMBE P5 GCSE subject choices ALEVEL subject choices PROSPECTUS 2023-2024 Additional Courses Year 11 Additional Courses Year 12/13 RGS is acclaimed for its academia. Our curriculum ensures breadth and depth, enabling boys to experience huge diversity and play to their strengths. Languages, the Humanities, Mathematics, the Sciences, the Creative and Performing Arts - plus numerous sports and activities - are all part of the School’s carefully considered academic programme. More than twenty-five subjects are offered and examined at both GCSE and A Level, including six languages, ancient and modern! Such enormous choice establishes the conditions in which every individual student can develop his talents to the full, and provides endless opportunities for him to excel. Academic Achievement NB. For further information regarding our 2023 results and university destinations, please visit our website at: rgshw.com 74% Proportion of GCSE passes achieved at grades 7 to 9 53% Proportion of GCSE passes achieved at grades 8 to 9 80% Proportion of A Level passes achieved at A*- B by our Boarders 100% EPQ results at A* by our Boarders 77% Proportion of A Level passes achieved at A* - B grades 55% Proportion of A Level passes achieved at A* - A grades
Joining our Sixth Form marks a departure from all previous school experience. It is an exciting new beginning, marking the start of two years that will shape what you choose to do beyond RGS. It is also the start of studying subjects you have chosen and excel at. You are given greater autonomy, are expected to take responsibility, to demonstrate leadership qualities and to become increasingly independent in all that you undertake. The School enjoys a long-established reputation as a centre of academic excellence, and RGS Sixth Formers are here because they want to be. Consequently, students are ambitious, hard-working and respectful of scholarship. The environment is designed to be challenging and purposeful, but supportive and inspiring in equal measure. Galvanised by a collaborative relationship with staff, parents and peers, you will be emboldened to explore and to push boundaries. The step up fromGCSE to A Level is a seamless process, facilitated by dedicated subject teachers. There is scope for rigorous independent research and learning, guided by specialist academic staff who prepare students thoroughly for Oxbridge, university entrance, apprenticeship and job applications. They help you to make important and sometimes daunting choices, whilst helping to formulate personal statements and navigate application procedures. Throughout your two years in the Sixth Form you will be supported by an experienced Head of Year and a team of caring Form Tutors who will ensure that you make the most of your time here. Your academic timetable will have some non-contact study periods so that you can organise your work and develop the crucial skill of self-discipline. FromAccountancy & Finance and Ancient History toVisual Effects and Zoology. P6 RGS HIGHWYCOMBE P7 Sixth Form SIXTH FORMERS AT RGS LEAVE HERE AS CONFIDENT, WELL-ROUNDED AND INDEPENDENTYOUNGMEN, READY TOTAKE ONTHE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD. Centre of Excellence Destination of UniversityApplicants 2023 223 129 49 RGS university applicants Different universities Courses studied Bath Southampton RGS boys offered unconditional places at Oxbridge in 2023 18 RGS boys accepted a place to study Medicine 22 Popular universities attended by RGS university Applicants Cambridge Warwick Exeter Durham RGS boys go on to attend the Russell Group universities RGS boys went on to attend high tariff universities 67% 90% SUBJECTS STUDIED MOST OFTEN AT UNIVERSITY BY RGS UNIVERSITY APPLICANTS: Architecture Business Management Computer Science Engineering Economics History Law Mathematics Medicine Modern Languages Birmingham PROSPECTUS 2023-2024 Queen Mary KCL Imperial Oxford Brookes Reading Bristol Cardiff Nottingham Sheffield Manchester York Leeds
Balancing the purely academic with life beyond the classroom is critical to personal growth and well-being. You will enrich your intellectual and social development by taking advantage of the seemingly limitless range of co-curricular opportunities on offer. We advocate that students involve themselves in the 70+ clubs, teams and activities that flourish in our diverse and inclusive Sixth Form. In Year 12 there are opportunities to get a flavour of the world of work on our Toulouse exchange programme and a two-day management conference with Wycombe Abbey School. Our own RGS 360 Award initiative is designed to ensure that all senior boys make a continued and exemplary commitment to volunteering, co-curricular and leadership activities so that they foster new competencies and develop existing talents to the very highest levels, whatever they may be. This ethos encourages our students to be outward looking, showing an understanding of the school and its role in the local community. Similarly, the RGS Lecture Series - delivered by an array of visiting speakers, aims to cover a comprehensive range of topics and life skills enhancing and complementing the established academic curriculum. We are determined that our Sixth Form students should be generous-spirited, caring and considerate individuals who can cope in all circumstances and make a meaningful contribution to the lives of others. It is our aim too that you should be equipped with the necessary skills to be employable, to succeed and to be personally fulfilled. Sixth Form P8 RGS HIGHWYCOMBE P9 I’VE GOTTHREE TUTORS HELPINGMEWITHMY CAMBRIDGE APPLICATION AND I CAN’T BELIEVE HOWMUCH TIME THEY’RE GIVING UP FOR ME. What The Good Schools Guide Says Yes, they play rugby to an exceptionally high level...but there are 14 other competitive sports, aswell as outstanding music, drama and academics, all wrapped up in a supportive, friendly package. The traditional values that have the School competing ablywith its independent and maintained neighbours - and thrashing many top public schools on the sports field - mean boys (and their parents) benefit froma private school ethoswithout the hefty price tag. PROSPECTUS 2023-2024
We were charmed by RGS HighWycombe during the grammar school tours. We were evenmore delighted to learn that the School offers ten boarding places above its normal number, for which there is no catchment area for Boarders. State boarding really is the best of bothworlds! RGS Parent Our boarding house, FraserYouens, is named after two remarkableOWs, FrederickYouens and Ian Fraser, who fought in the First and SecondWorldWars respectively. They continue to be an inspiration to us all, and a source of pride thatwe - throughRGS - are so closely associated with them. Bothwere awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award ‘forgallantry in the face of the enemy’ that a serviceman in the British and Commonwealth forces can aspire to attain. “…some havemade the greatest sacrifice of all. They felt that their country called them, and they did not hesitate to answer to the call: while we deeply mourn their loss, the School will always keep their memory green, and when happier times come back again, the example of their selfsacrifice will still remain for all the succeeding generations who will receive their education within these walls.” Mr G.W. Arnison RGS Headmaster, 1915 P10 RGS HIGHWYCOMBE Our VCs Frederick Youens VC Born August 1892, High Wycombe Old Wycombiensian (OW) 1911 Active Service First World War (between 1914 & 1917) Rank 2nd Lieutenant Died July 1917 (killed in action), aged 24 years Buried The Railway Dugouts, Belgium In July, 1917, Frederick Youens was fatally wounded in Belgium, just one month before his 25th birthday. A High Wycombe boy, he had made his mark at RGS through acting in school plays, as a prefect and as a member of the Debating Society too. Frederick had wanted to be a teacher before the war, and had been offered a scholarship to Oxford University. The outbreak of the FirstWorldWar was to change all of that. Although he had already been injured, Youens went to help organise a Lewis Gun team that was in disarray. An enemy bomb fell on their position and, when it did not explode, he picked it up and threw it over the parapet, away from the gun team. Another bomb fell almost immediately in the same place. Again Youens picked it up in an attempt to save his comrades. Tragically, it exploded in his hand, fatally wounding him and some of those he had tried to save. His selfless courage rightly earned him the highest military honour, and a place in our own hall of fame. Centenary 1917-2017 Type Light machine gun (and anti-aircraft gun) Production Perfected and mass-produced in the UK by the Birmingham Small Arms Company Design Distinctive barrel cooling shroud and top-mounted magazine Weight 13 Kilograms Total length 50.5 inches Calibre .303 (British) Action (and rate of fire) Gas operated: 500 to 600 rounds per minute Effective range 800 metres THE LEWIS GUN: designed in 1911 by Colonel Isaac Lewis (and Samuel Maclean). It was in service from 1914 until 1953. For Valour There is sufficient bronze left from the original cannon to manufacture about 80 more Victoria Cross medals.
Boarding, for some, will conjure up images of a Spartan lifestyle, with cast iron beds, cold showers and ten to twelve man dorms, as well as bland food, strict disciplinarian staff and very little in the way of fun. Nothing could be further from the truth at Fraser Youens House. Today it’s a very different story. For a start, only a small number of children board out of necessity. In fact, the vast majority of the 70,000 + boys (and girls) who currently attend boarding schools in the UK do so because they want to. They’ve observed first-hand the extensive facilities and the conspicuous comforts - think quality hotel meets theme park - and they want a piece of the action. Boarding is undoubtedly a conscious life-style choice, and it remains a significant decision for parents and children alike, cost aside. But it is an opportunity like no other, and one that offers secondary students the very best preparation for university, and for adulthood too. In an increasingly time-poor world, when both parents often work, it also supports the unrelenting demands of modern family life. Pros and cons must of course be weighed, but the advantages of being an RGS boarder, and belonging to Fraser Youens, a purpose-built ‘home from home’, are numerous. Named in memory of two highly decorated OWwar veterans, our bespoke boarding house embodies B2 BOARDING RGS HIGHWYCOMBE B3 Boarding Boarding Fraser Youens Home From Home the values inherent in the wider school community, and represents the spirit of RGS. Whether or not you have ever considered boarding, one inescapable fact holds true: most young people want to be with their peers. Plus, learning to live with unrelated others is a critical life skill. Coupled with the knowledge that our boarders historically top the School’s own academic league tables, the argument for ‘living in’ is compelling. But take note: with only ten places on offer each year, time is of the essence! BOARDING OFFERS GREATVALUE FOR MONEY, WITH FULL-BOARDING COSTING LESS THANMOST DAY SCHOOL FEES. IT’S LITTLEWONDER THAT MOSTYEARS ARE OVER-SUBSCRIBED! Three resident house staff live permanently at Fraser Youens. Mr Jon Scourfield, the Head of Boarding, Mrs Ginny Gallagher, the AcademicHouseMistress, and Mr SamClarke, the Pastoral Housemaster. Gina Barry is our Matron and holds a surgery three times each day. BoardingTutors, in addition to the Housemasters and Housemistresses, are teachers at RGS who - in the main - are resident on site, but not within FraserYouens. They have different subject specialisms, and this helps support the boys both academically and pastorally. TOPROW From left Chris Richardson Senior Boarding Tutor Lee Rowe-Elliott Boarding Tutor Olivia Caesar Boarding Tutor BOTTOMROW From left ShannonTanya De Alwis Boarding Tutor Fergus Butler Boarding Tutor TOPROW From top left Jon Scourfield Director of Boarding GinnyGallagher Academic House Mistress SamClark Pastoral Housemaster BOTTOMROW Sarah Scourfield Boarding Tutor Gina Barry Matron Debbie Mynett Boarding Administrator
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 closeknit 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
A strong focus on nurturing boarders is clear… Boarders are extremely positive about their residential experience. They thrive inwhat they describe as a family-like, friendly, ‘home away fromhome’ environment….Staff are extremely committed to providing and excellent rounded education. Ambitious and inspirational leadership allows boarders to achieve to the best of their ability Ofsted, 2019 B6 BOARDING RGS HIGHWYCOMBE B7 Boarding Boarding What is the total capacity of Fraser Youens Boarding House? 70 boys. What is the average number of boys in each year group? Approximately 10. What types of boarding are available to RGS students? Weekly and Full Boarding. What is the staff to pupil ratio? Generally about 1 to 10. What sort of accommodation is available to each year group? Years 7 to 10 sleep in a 3 or 4 man ‘dorm’, and Years 11 have a single or a double. All Sixth Formers enjoy their own accommodation. Are ‘taster sessions’ available, and if so, when? Induction occurs in July each year, with boarders visiting one evening - though not overnight - and then again for a whole school day. There is a further induction day in September. Who makes up the boarding community at RGS? Most of our boarders are actually quite local, coming fromwithin 15 to 20 miles of the School in Years 7 to 11. Some do of course come from London, and further afield, and there are overseas boarders fromYear 9 onwards. The Sixth Formers are much more varied, with some students coming from the north of England and around the world. Do boarders get a ‘buddy’ on arrival at Fraser Youens? Yes! All Year 7 boys receive two ‘buddies’ when they start at Fraser Youens: a Year 8 student, and a Sixth Former, both of whom are there to support new boarders in their first fewweeks. All other year groups gain a buddy from their own year, plus a Sixth Former. Every boarder is also allocated a Personal Tutor. What sort of activities are offered during the year? In addition to the extensive programme of co-curricular activities open to all RGS boys, the boarding house offers numerous additional activities, including cookery, climbing, access to the gym and fitness suite, football, touch rugby, kwik cricket, board games, debates, handball, unihoc, dodgeball, tennis, end zone, capture the flag, basketball, badminton, modelling, quizzes, obstacle races, tug of war, swimming and exclusive access to the pool. Are boys permitted off campus, and if so, how andwhen? Strict rules apply about going off site. This is permissible, but only after a discussion with a duty member of staff. There are guidelines for different year groups and students. Older students are allowed into town with staff permission; younger students are permitted once a week to the local shop, about 200m off campus. They have to be in small groups and are not allowed off site on their own. Anyone out of school has to inform staff of their whereabouts, have a mobile phone on them and agree a time they will be back. What is the policy about use of phones, tablets and laptops? Students may bring in mobile phones fromYear 7 upwards; tablets, laptops and iPads tend to be used fromYear 8 onwards. We collect all of these at certain times after school, including bedtimes, to ensure that screentime is restricted to an acceptable usage during the week. What access is there towifi, tv and common rooms? Wifi is available, but it is restricted during the school day. After school there is a ‘filtered’ wifi that is age-appropriate for different groups of boys. Boarders have access to their rooms, and to common rooms, at lunchtime and break times, and immediately after school. Again, age-appropriate tv is available in all of the Fraser Youens common rooms. Is the House open and staffed during the school day? Fraser Youens is open all day, and boarders may utilise the facilities at break times and at lunchtime. Year 13 students are allowed to study in the House when they don’t have lessons, but they must sign in with the house staff first. Whenmay boys change out of their uniform? Boarders are actively encouraged to wear their own clothes immediately after school! Are all meals eaten in the House, or may boys join friends in the main school dining hall? Meals are taken separately, but friends may be signed into the boarding house. With only 70 boys eating, boarders can have their lunch quickly and go back into school for their lunch break. And because there are only 70 boarders, our catering staff know all the boys by name, and they also know if students are missing any meals. If you’re desperate now to join FraserYouens, how andwhen do you sign up? Boarders may be accepted in any year group, if there is space. However, outside of Years 7 and 12 there is extremely limited availability, so registration at 11+ and 16+ is advised. LIFE IN FRASERYOUENS What, who, when, why and where? Answers to frequently asked questions, from those in the know...
Fraser Youens Boarding House Ridgeway High Wycombe Buckinghamshire HP13 5LH +44 (0)1494 551405 boarding@rgshw.com www.rgshw.com The most exceptional Head of House. Both of my sons respect and admire him hugely. RGS Parent The ‘VC’ The Victoria Cross was conceived during and after the Crimean War, the first major conflict to be reported by correspondents in the field of war. William Howard Russell, of The Times newspaper, reported on the courage of common soldiers, men whose actions often went unrecognised. The House of Commons decided, on 19th December 1854, that Queen Victoria should create a medal – “an order of merit for distinguished and prominent personal gallantry to which every grade and individual from the highest to the lowest may be admissible.” Prince Albert’s personal support convinced the Queen that this was the right thing to do and, when he won the battle for it to bear her own name, the Victoria Cross was born. The bronze for the Cross came from a captured Chinese-made cannon used by the Russians at Sebastopol, during the Crimean War. What is left of it today will fashion around 80 more medals only, but the Cross is so rarely bestowed, and so highly prized - with only 11 awarded since the end of the Second World War - that the bronze should last for many years to come. A very small number of VC holders are alive today. Only 3 men have ever been awarded more than one, and yet 3 have been awarded to fathers and to their sons. RGS is rightly proud of both its Victoria Cross holders, who are part of one of the world’s most exclusive fraternities. Ian Fraser died in 2008, at the grand age of 87, having lived a fascinating and successful life. The award of his VC, in July 1945, for an extraordinary act of gallantry at the close of the SecondWorldWar, is the culmination of wartime service characterised by dedication, courage and outstanding resourcefulness. Not a man to rest on his laurels, Ian Fraser utilised his wartime experiences and achievements to set up and resource his own highly successful companies, Universal Divers and North Sea Diving Services. The actor, Martin Delaney, played Ian Fraser in a TV programme, Victoria Cross Heroes, which was narrated in part by HRH Prince of Wales, and tells the story of Fraser’s attempt to sink The Takao. PROSPECTUS 2023-2024 P11 OurVCs Ian Fraser VC, DSC, RD and Bar, JP Born December 1920, Ealing Old Wycombiensian (OW) 1935 Active Service Second World War (between 1939 & 1945) Rank Lieutenant Died December 2008, aged 87 years Buried Landican, Merseyside Ian Fraser commanded HM’s Midget Submarine XE-3 in the successful attack on the Japanese heavy cruiser, Takao, in the Singapore Straits. The citation reads as follows: “The XE-3 deliberately left the believed ‘safe channel’ and entered mined waters…for 40 minutes, XE-3 pushed her way along the seabed until finally Lieutenant Fraser managed to force her right under the centre of the cruiser. Here he placed the limpet (mines) and dropped his main side charge. The courage and determination of Lieutenant Fraser are beyond all praise. Any man not possessed of his relentless determination to achieve his object in full, regardless of all consequences, would have dropped his side charge alongside the target instead of persisting until he had forced his submarine right under the cruiser.” BELOW: Japanese heavy cruiser, Takao Class BELOW: British midget submarine (XE-3) and ABOVE: to scale beneath its target The X Class was a midget submarine built for the Royal Navy between 1943 and 1944. Typically operated by a crew of four, and with little on-board living accommodation, they normally worked with ‘mother ships’, from which they were launched and then later recovered. Known individually as X-Craft, the vessels were designed to be towed to their intended area of operations by a fullsize submarine. Length 15.5 metres (approx. 51 feet) Propulsion Single shaft 4-cylinder diesel engine: 42 hp at 1800 rpm Speed 6.5 knots Range 926 km (surfaced) 150 km (submerged) Test depth 91.5 metres (300 feet) Crew Commander, Pilot, Engineer and Specialist Diver Armaments 2 x 4,400 lb detachable Amatol charges (on time fuse) plus 6 x 20 lb limpet mines Production The XE-3 was built by Thomas Broadbent and Sons for the Royal Navy during 1944. It was an improved version of the original X Class and was scrapped in about 1945. 15.5 metres in length 192.5 metres in length
PROSPECTUS 2023-2024 P13 The Arts The Arts P12 RGS HIGHWYCOMBE An education at RGS involves more than just getting good grades. Our students’ experience of the Arts is a key part of their journey through the School and is woven through the curricular and co-curricular programmes. The standard of many of our artists, writers and musicians is high, and our Sixth Formers regularly gain entrance to prestigious conservatoires and art schools. Participation, though, is valued above all as a way of broadening horizons, discovering new interests and talents, and developing skills alongside students from across the full age-range. Our Music department has a high profile not just within the school but also in the wider community. We’ve been shortlisted for the “Outstanding Music Department” in the national Music and Drama Education Awards for the past two years, and our students are encouraged to participate in music from the moment they start in Year 7. As a result, we have one of the largest school choirs in the region with around 200 students singing every week, alongside a chamber choir and several close harmony groups. Over 250 music lessons take place each week with our team of more than 20 specialist instrumental and vocal tutors, inspiring musicians to take part in our wind bands, Jazz groups, and string and chamber ensembles. Our calendar of events includes a traditional Carol Service, outdoor Jazz and a House Music competition, and our groups perform Choral Evensong at Oxford University and tour Salzburg in the summer. The annual school musical is a highlight of the year with RGS pupils working alongside a professional director and choreographer as well as young people from over 10 neighbouring schools. Recent productions include “The Producers”, “West Side Story”, “In The Heights” and “School of Rock”. We also offer a huge range of opportunities in the visual arts. Separate GCSEs in Fine Art and Graphic Communication allow our students to approach the creative process from the direction that suits them best. Initiatives such as the Art department’s “Digging Up the Past”, which involves studying artefacts at Oxford’s Pitt Rivers Museum in conjunction with the History department, and the “Day of the Dead” project with Spanish, encourage students to understand how art lies at the centre of the curriculum. Our annual Creative Industries event brings together a range of guest speakers, including architects, film-makers, and racetrack designers, to discuss their work and explore how the skills developed in the arts are applicable across a range of careers. The recent introduction of the highly-respected Arts Award programme, administered by the Arts Council and Trinity College, The Arts at RGS You have an impressive and well-established reputation across arts and culture, including being shortlisted for ‘Outstanding School Music Department of the Year.’ Your GCSE Music numbers exceed the national average at the ISM Gold Standard, Fine Art numbers doubled, and Graphic Communication has grown since its launch. Students have had the opportunity to engage in a plethora of arts and cultural activities and have been provided with opportunities to perform and showcase their work. We would recommend that you now seek out further national platforms so you can share your excellent practice and secure your position as a leading advocate for the importance of arts and culture within schools’. RGS AWARDED PLATINUM - WHAT THE ARTS COUNCIL SAYS London, has proved a great success, with more than 40 pupils nowworking towards Bronze or Silver Awards. The Awards are overseen by our Artist in Residence, a professional ceramics artist, who also works on a daily basis with students from Key Stage 3 to A Level, passing on his knowledge and skills and allowing the Art department to take risks and move beyond the traditional focus on painting and drawing. The achievements of our students in the Arts are celebrated in our student-led School publications: the Arts-focused MADE (Music, Art, Drama and English) magazine, and the school newspaper, the RGS Gazette and The Corporate Journal. All provide an outlet for budding writers, editors, photographers and designers to produce high-quality journalism.
Although it was not until after the First World War that rugby football gained any degree of popularity in Buckinghamshire, several clubs were established in the area towards the end of 19th Century, often in the face of considerable local prejudice and official opposition. The first 'organised’ game of school rugby at RGS was played in the Spring term of 1919, and so the 2018–2019 rugby season represents the rugby centenary at the School. Rugby continued to be played by pupils and Old Wycombiensians (our alumni) throughout the First World War. In HighWycombe, the outbreak of the war meant the sport did not formally resume until 12th January 1929, when the local club was founded as the Old Wycombiensians Club by RGS alumni, and matches were played on a pitch loaned by the School. Unlike at RGS, in 1939, the Old Wycombiensians Club disbanded for the duration of the Second World War and reformed again in May 1945. The Club continued to use facilities at the School until the end of 1947; with the School expanding, they were forced to look for alternative facilities. The Old Wycombiensians Club continued to gain popularity and, by 1960, had five regular ‘Saturday sides’. During this period, with increasing numbers of non-RGS Old Boy members, including players from both the local Bomber Command Headquarters and the American air base, the Club changed its name first to Wycombiensians and, finally, in 1962, to High Wycombe Rugby Club. Rugby at RGS A HISTORY OF RGS RUGBY Post-war, the 1950's and 1960's proved to be a very successful period for RGS, producing many rugby ‘greats’ and putting the School on England’s rugby map: RGS' first schoolboy cap, Ted Woodward; Hamish Keith, who later went on to represent Scotland with full honours; Clive Ashby and Freddie Hawkins – theWasps half-back paring who played together for nigh on twenty years. Clive, again going on to represent England’s full squad, and Freddie, commonly quoted in the greatest England squad not to have achieved full international honours. RGS has a strong rugby tradition, dating back to 1919. We strive to create an ambitious, engaging and challenging environment where every player, regardless of experience in the game, is given the time and support that allows the opportunity to maximise their potential on and off the field. For us to be able to do this, we take a player-centred approach to training and fixtures, allowing players to make their own decisions, learn from those experiences and have autonomy over their own development. The foundation of RGS Rugby is based around good behaviours; a strong work ethic, a positive attitude to learning, with a desire to seek mastery of the sport. These characteristics will be the foundation for their future development. With RGSHW rugby, we see success as: Enjoyment Maximise every player’s potential Lifelong participation Developing elite sportsman Competition is at the core of everything we do, competing intrinsically to challenge ourselves consistently, competing with each other to bring the best out of teammates, as well as externally against some of the best schools in the country. The fixture list includes schools such as Brighton, Whitgift andWarwick, and we enter the NatWest Cup at both U15 & U18 age groups. Rugby is played through the Autumn and Spring terms, with each age group also entered into 7’s competitions to enhance skill adaptation. We are able to field up to 20 teams on a Saturday, with the U12’s running A-F teams. PROSPECTUS 2023-2024 P15 Rugby Rugby P14 RGS HIGHWYCOMBE RGS can boast over 100 years of rugby history and in that time we have produced over 30 schoolboy internationals, 8 full internationals, 3 British Lions and can lay claim to having produced one of the most capped No 9 in England history with Matt Dawson’s 42 appearances. Old boys include Nick Beal (British and Irish Lions and England representative), Nick Duncombe (the youngest scrum-half for England and Harlequins, who died tragically at a young age), Tom Rees (England andWasps), Christian Wade (Lions, England andWasps), and more recently Ben Harris (England 7’s) and Ollie Dawkins (England 20’s). RGS is the only school to have won both Union and League National titles, and regularly features in regional and national competitions. The School also has an outstanding NatWest Cup record, including an unprecedented three U15 final appearances in a row. THE SCHOOL’S RUGBY GREATS PLAYER INTERNATIONAL CLUB/S Tommy Allen Julian Allfrey Clive Ashby Ollie Butler Nick Beal Alan Brinn Alex Cheeseman Ollie Dawkins Matthew Dawson Nick Duncombe Chris Elder Peter Elder Ben Harris Freddie Hawkins James Honeyben Tom Howe Billy Kucera Ross Neal Tom Rees Christian Scotland-Williamson Ronald Syrett Simon Tattersall James Tunney Christian Wade Tom Wallace Jack Wallace Ellis White John (Ted) Woodward Scotland U18 & Italy England U18 England British Lions & England England England 20’s British Lions & England England England U18 England U16 & U18 England 7’s & GB 7’s Barbarians England U16, U18, U19 & U21 England U17 England England England U16 British Lions, England & England 7s England U16 England U16 & U18 England U16 A England Perpignan & Zebre & Harlequins Varsity Match (Oxford) Wasps La Rochelle & Argent Northampton Saints Gloucester Wasps & Cornish Pirates Wasps Wasps & Saints Harlequins Wasps, London Welsh & Yorkshire Carnegie Wasps & London Scottish Saracens Wasps Wasps Wasps & Worcester Wasps Wasps & London Irish Wasps Worcester Warriors & Harlequins Wasps Henley Hawks & Chinnor Wasps Wasps, Racing 92 Wasps Wasps & Bristol Wasps
ART&CULTURE Art Club Years 7 to 11 Chinese Club Years 7 to 9 Debating Club Years 10 to 13 Drama ALL year groups Public Speaking ALL year groups Reading Club ALL year groups Vulture (culture) Club Years 10 to 13 SCIENCE&TECHNOLOGY Astronomy Club ALL year groups Greenpower Electric Race Car Club Years 13 Medical Society Years 11 to 13 Stage Lighting & Sound (team) Year 9 upwards SPIRITUALITY, CHARITY&OUTREACH Chaplaincy ALL year groups Duke of Edinburgh Award Years 9 to 13 Islamic Society ALL year groups Sikh Society ALL year groups World Challenge ALL year groups Young Enterprise Year 12 only GAMES &MEDIA Brains (quiz) Year 13 only Bridge Club ALL year groups Chess Club ALL year groups DrWho Club ALL year groups Warhammer ALL year groups ACADEMIC Handwriting Club ALL year groups History Forum Years 12 & 13 History Society Years 7 to 9 Homework Club Years 7 to 10 Maths Mentoring ALL year groups Model United Nations Years 12 & 13 Physics Mentoring Years 9 to 13 Politics Society Years 12 & 13 Science Club Years 7 to 9 Chinese Club Years 10 to 13 Subject Fora Years 12 & 13 MUSIC 1stWindband Years 9-13 (Grade 5 up) 2ndWindband Years 7-10 (Grades 2 to 4) Alternative Guitar Ensemble ALL year groups Big Band Grade 6 upwards (by audition) Clarinet Choir By audition Classical Guitar Ensemble By audition Close Harmony Singers Years 12 & 13 (by audition) Junior Strings Years 7-9 (Grades 2 to 4) Senior Brass/Wind Ensemble Years 10-13 (Grade 6 up, by audition) Senior Choir Years 10-13 Senior Orchestra Years 9-13 (Grades 5 to 8) Swing Band Years 8-11 (Grades 4 to 6) Trad. Jazz Band By audition Modern Jazz Ensemble By audition Ukelele Club ALL year groups Years 7 & 8 Choir Years 7 & 8 only Year 9 Choir Year 9 only SPORT Athletics ALL year groups Badminton ALL year groups Basketball ALL year groups Cricket ALL year groups Fencing Years 8-13 Fives ALL year groups Football ALL year groups Gym ALL year groups Handball ALL year groups Hockey ALL year groups Karate ALL year groups Rowing ALL year groups Rugby ALL year groups Squash ALL year groups Swimming ALL year groups Table Tennis ALL year groups Tennis ALL year groups Cross Country ALL year groups COMBINEDCADETFORCE Army & RAF Years 10 to 13 75 120 20 P16 PROSPECTUS 2023-2024 RGS HIGHWYCOMBE P17 Opportunities Opportunities A breadth of co-curricular opportunity, unparalleled in the state sector, is one of the ways we promote the balance so critical to personal growth, enabling us to draw out talent wherever it lies. We strive to offer as wide a range of opportunities as is possible, ranging fromCCF and DofE trips, to a one day trip toTate Britain, to a three day Geography trip for Year 10s to Skern Lodge, to a Senior RugbyTour to South Africa. History D-Day Trip to Normandy France History Trip, Krakow, Poland Junior Cricket Tour, Guernsey Junior Rugby Tour, Jersey Junior Ski Trip, Aosta, Italy Music Trip, Salzburg, Austria Physics Trip, Cern, Switzerland Senior Rugby Tour, South Africa Senior Ski Trip, Folgaria, Italy Spanish Exchange, Barcelona, Spain STEM Trip, Berlin, Germany World Challenge, South Africa World Challenge, Survivor Croatia different clubs, societies, games, sports & activities to choose from different trips are run each academic year for the boys to participate in Overseas trips to choose from for all ages + + +
Professor Michael Ashburner, FRS Biologist and Emeritus Professor of Genetics, University of Cambridge Dr. Roy Bradshaw Associate Professor of Geography, University of Nottingham Professor Kevin Buzzard Professor of Pure Mathematics, Imperial College Professor AdamHardy Architect and Architectural Historian: Professor of Asian Architecture, University of Cardiff Professor Robert Hedges Emeritus Professor Archaeological Science, University of Oxford Professor Barri (Geraint Dyfed) Jones Classical Scholar and Archaeologist Professor Ronald Laskey, FRS, CBE Charles Darwin Professor of Embryology, University of Cambridge and Co-Founder of Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute Edward John Payne Barrister and Colonial Historian Professor Richard Puddephatt Professor of Chemistry, University of Western Ontario Sir Roger Scruton, FBA, FRSL Philosopher andWriter Keith Stenning Cognitive Scientist and Hon. Professor, University of Edinburgh Miles Nürnberger Director of Design, Aston Martin Lynton Pepper Architect and Photographer Josh C. Wright Artist and Photographer Philip Dodd Author and Publisher Edwyn Gray Author of Naval History Chris Haywood Actor and Producer TimTolkien Sculptor Jimmy Carr Comedian andTelevision Presenter Lance Dann Sound Artist, Radio Producer andWriter Paul Kenyon Journalist, Author and Presenter Anthony (Tony) Miles Newspaper Editor (former Editor of the Daily Mirror) William (John) Pidgeon Journalist and Broadcaster Henry George Sandon, MBE Antiques Expert, Writer and Television Presenter FergusWalsh BBCMedical Correspondent Paul Kingsnorth Writer Lawrance Collingwood, CBE Conductor, Composer and Record Producer Ian Dury Singer Songwriter Howard Jones Singer Songwriter Alexander L'Estrange Composer and Musician DomMorley Record Producer Lawrence Power Violist SK (Simon Shlomo) Kahn Singer Songwriter Denis Stevens CBE Musicologist AlexanderWalker Conductor Lord Ashcroft, KCMG, PC Businessman, Philanthropist, Author and Pollster Sir James Bevan, KCMG Former Diplomat and Chief Executive of The Environment Agency Sir John Albert Dellow, CBE Former Deputy Commissioner, Metropolitan Police General Robert Percy Douglas, 4th Baronet British Army Officer and former Lieutenant Governor of Jersey Ian Edward Fraser, VC Royal Naval Officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross Sir Peter Derek Fry Politician Christopher Grayling Conservative MP Richard Mawhinney Barrister Lt. Gen Sir John Gaspard Le Marchant Cavalry Commander and Politician AndrewMcIntosh, Baron McIntosh of Haringey Labour Politician Michael Montague, Baron Montague of Oxford Businessman and Labour Politician Professor Michael Zander, QC Legal Scholar and Emeritus Professor of Law, London School of Economics and Political Science Iain Purvis, QC Barrister Jamie Riley, QC Barrister Paul Stinchcombe, QC Barrister and Former Labour MP Vice Admiral PeterWilkinson, CB, CVO Royal Navy Officer, Former President of The Royal British Legion and Chairman of Seafarers AdamWood Diplomat and Former Governor of The Isle of Man Frederick Youens, VC FirstWorldWar Army Officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross Robert Madelin Chairman of FIPRA International and former Senior Adviser to the European Union Tom Ravenscroft CEO Enabling Enterprise Tommy Allen Italy Rugby Union International Nick Beal England Rugby Union International, British Lion and SevensWorld CupWinner Matt Dawson MBE England Rugby Union International, British Lion andWorld CupWinner Otto Decker United States International Footballer Luke Donald MBE Professional Golfer and FormerWorld No. 1 Miles Maclagan Professional Tennis Player, GB Davis Cup Player and Coach (including former coach to Andy Murray) Tom Rees England Rugby Union International ChristianWade England RugbyUnion International and Racing 92 Player Saif Ali Zaib Professional Cricketer (Northamptonshire) John (Ted) Woodward England Rugby Union International JonathanWyatt England Hockey International and Great Britain Olympian Martin Gillingham Olympic Athlete and Sports Commentator Old Wycombiensians Step Into These Shoes OWs above (from left) Howard Jones Sir Roger Scruton Jimmy Carr Christopher Grayling Christian Wade Fergus Walsh P18 PROSPECTUS 2023-2024 RGS HIGHWYCOMBE P19 Alumni Alumni Expressive Arts and Design Academia Media Politics, Law and Public Service Music Sport Music (continued) Cambridge fellow, Bafta-winning journalist, PGA Player of theYear, chart-topping singer songwriter, Professor of Molecular Biology, Grammy Award-winning conductor, Perrier-nominated stand up,World Cup rugby champion, Oscar-winning set decorator, philosopher of global renown. RGS HighWycombe - WorldClass
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