Rochester Grammar School (known as Rochester Grammar School for Girls until 2006) often abbreviated to RGS is a
grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented secondary school ...
for the
education of girls
Female education is a catch-all term of a complex set of issues and debates surrounding education ( primary education, secondary education, tertiary education, and health education in particular) for girls and women. It is frequently called girl ...
between the ages of 11 and 18. It has
academy status. It is now known as just "Rochester Grammar School" following the introduction of boys into the
sixth form
In the education systems of England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepare for A-l ...
.
Rochester Grammar School is located on Rochester Maidstone Road, opposite the
Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School
("Beneath the shadow of thy wings")
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, head=Eliot Hodges
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. Their sixth form is mixed but the rest of the school is single-sex.
History
![Rochester Grammar School](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Rochester_Grammar_School.jpg)
The Rochester Grammar School for Girls was established in 1888 under the powers of the
Endowed School’s Act of 1869, which allowed the charitable trustees of the
Bridge Wardens to donate the necessary funds for a girls’ grammar school. This was seen as progressive as it pioneered education for girls. Each year the school celebrates its founding with a special service at
Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an English church of Norman architecture in Rochester, Kent.
The church is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rochester in the Church of England and the s ...
.
The school building, near the centre of Rochester, was opened in January 1889 by the Countess of Darnley. The school included a morning
Kindergarten
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cent ...
, which closed in the late 1930s.
In 1939, after the outbreak of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the school building was taken over by the
Civil Defence
Civil defense ( en, region=gb, civil defence) or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state (generally non-combatants) from man-made and natural disasters. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mit ...
and the pupils were
evacuated to
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour.
...
, moving in 1940 to
Pontypridd
() (colloquially: Ponty) is a town and a community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales.
Geography
comprises the electoral wards of , Hawthorn, Pontypridd Town, 'Rhondda', Rhydyfelin Central/Ilan ( Rhydfelen), Trallwng (Trallwn) and Treforest (). The ...
then
Porthcawl
Porthcawl (, ) is a town and community on the south coast of Wales in the county borough of Bridgend, west of the capital city, Cardiff and southeast of Swansea. Historically part of Glamorgan and situated on a low limestone headland on the So ...
in South Wales. Several bombs fell on the school site during an
incendiary raid in 1941, the main school building suffering slight damage. From 1941 an increasing number of pupils began to return to live in Rochester, and in 1942 the school was reopened, although parts of the building remained occupied by the Civil Defence until the summer of 1944.
The first male teachers were appointed in the 1960s. In 1969 additional school buildings were opened 1.3 km south of the existing school on the outskirts of Rochester. The need for staff and pupils to commute between the two sites, overcrowding and the dilapidation of the old building eventually led to the decision to consolidate the school at one location, and in April 1989 work began on additional buildings on the newer southern site. The original school building was finally closed in 1990, with the site sold for housing and a health centre.
The move to the new site allowed an expansion in the school, and it has grown in size to over 1,100 students, with nearly 300 in the sixth form. Since 2004 male students have been admitted to the sixth form, resulting in a change in the school's title in 2006 to "Rochester Grammar School" – removing the words "for Girls".
The school became
grant-maintained in 1993, with funding directly from central government. In November 2010 the RGS became an “Academy of Excellence” under the Government’s academy programme for outstanding schools, and is a combined Mathematics/ICT and Music specialist school, the first nationally. Facilities now include a sixth form centre, a newly built and hi-tech teaching and training suite named after one of the school’s famous ex-students –
Evelyn Dunbar
Evelyn Mary Dunbar (18 December 1906 – 12 May 1960) was a British artist, illustrator and teacher. She is notable for recording women's contributions to World War II on the United Kingdom home front, particularly the work of the Women's Land A ...
. Dunbar was the only woman commissioned as a war artist, and her pictures illustrating the home front during World War II decorate the suite.
Subjects
The school teaches a wide variety of subjects including Anthropology, Art, Business Studies, Computing, Classical Civilisation, Design and Technology, Drama, Economics, Film Studies, English, Geography, History, IT, Mathematics, Modern Languages (French, German, Japanese and Spanish),
RS,
PE, German, Sciences (Biology, Chemistry and Physics), Philosophy, Politics, Psychology, Product Design, Drama, Music, Sociology, and EXEL
(PSHE). The school prides itself on its status as a 'Thinking School'; there is a heavy emphasis on the use of
Thinking Maps
David Hyerle is an author and creator of a thought-organization methodology called "Thinking Maps" that is popular in public schools in the United States.
Thinking Maps
In 1988, David Hyerle wrote ''Expand Your Thinking'' and introduced Thinki ...
to support teaching and revision. Almost all lessons will include reference to the thinking maps, CoRT1 tools,
thinking hats and Habits of Excellence. This approach is heavily inspired by Maltese physician
Edward de Bono.
Key stages
The school no longer operates an accelerated two-year
Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3 (commonly abbreviated as KS3) is the legal term for the three years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales normally known as Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9, when pupils are aged between 11 and 14. In Northern Ireland the ...
curriculum, so all pupils enter
Key Stage 4
Key Stage 4 (KS4) is the legal term for the two years of school education which incorporate GCSEs, and other examinations, in maintained schools in England normally known as Year 10 and Year 11, when pupils are aged between 14 and 16 by August 31. ...
at the beginning of Year 10, when students start to study for their
GCSE
The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a particular subject, taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. State schools in Scotland use the Scottish Qualifications Certificate instead. Private sc ...
s. All pupils are expected to aim to achieve the top grades in every subject; the school is well known-for its exceptional
GCSE
The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a particular subject, taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. State schools in Scotland use the Scottish Qualifications Certificate instead. Private sc ...
and
A level
The A-Level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational aut ...
results.
League tables and examination results
GCSEs & A-Levels
A 2010 BBC report ranked the school as having the best GCSE and second best A/AS-Level results in the South East of England.
In 2012 99% of students studying GCSEs attained 5 A*-C grades, including maths and English, and 99% of those studying A-levels (or equivalent qualifications) received at least three.
International Baccalaureate (IB)
In 2011, The Rochester Grammar School was the top performing state school for
International Baccalaureate
The International Baccalaureate (IB), formerly known as the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968. It offers four educational programmes: the IB Dip ...
nationally. Forty one of their students completed the IB diploma and a third achieved a score of 40 or more, which is equivalent to four A* grades at A Level. One student achieved the maximum possible score of 45 in their International Baccalaureate examinations, which is achieved by less than 1% of students globally.
From 2020, all students entering the school's Sixth Form study the IB. A Levels are no longer offered.
This change has neither been popular with parents nor students. The Sixth Form intake fell from 147 in 2019 to 105 in 2020, with only 46% of the school’s Year 11 girls opting to stay on rather than to transfer to another sixth-form. In the years preceding this change, A Levels had a significantly higher uptake by students than the IB.
Sixth Form
In 1999 a new
sixth form
In the education systems of England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepare for A-l ...
block, the Peggy Saxby Suite, was opened, with a large common room, a silent study area and several classrooms. This has been changed in the last few years and the common room is now home to a very large silent study hall; the Independent Learning Centre (ILC). The ILC has many computers and desks for students to use during study periods and a teacher is present during lesson times to ensure the room stays silent. There is no common room, but sixth-form students have access to a separate café during break and lunch time. The sixth form accepts male pupils. From 2020, all students entering the Sixth Form study the International Baccalaureate. A Levels are no longer offered.
Sport
The school has many girls and a few boys (in the Sixth Form) who represent the county, and sometimes even the country, in a range of sports, including football, skiing, sailing, netball and athletics.
Years 7-11 take part in Physical Education with a different sport every term. These include netball, gymnastics, football, hockey, athletics, dance, rounders and tennis. PE is optional once pupils reach year 12.
The school has a well equipped gym and, outside the school, two full netball courts, an astro-turf hockey pitch and an athletics track.
Everyone is encouraged to take part in the Sports Day which is normally held at the end of the school year. The school is split into their Houses and each year group competes in a variety of sports against the other Houses. Medals are given out for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place for each year group in each event. The House with the most points at the end of the day wins a trophy and gains points towards the House Cup.
Music
The school is known for the musical abilities of its pupils. There is an
orchestra
An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families.
There are typically four main sections of instruments:
* bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...
, a flute choir, a main (voice) choir, a gospel choir, a chamber choir, a year seven choir and 'NChant', a choir formed of students from years 9-13 who audition to become members. Year 8 students also are able to reach a bronze Arts Award.
Notable former pupils
*
Natasha Brennan (1986-), rugby player
*
Kat Driscoll
Katherine "Kat" Driscoll (born 13 March 1986) is a British trampoline gymnast, and has been ranked as world number one. She became a full-time athlete in 2010, and has since won team and synchronised medals at the World and European Championshi ...
(1986-), Team GB Trampolinist
*
Evelyn Dunbar
Evelyn Mary Dunbar (18 December 1906 – 12 May 1960) was a British artist, illustrator and teacher. She is notable for recording women's contributions to World War II on the United Kingdom home front, particularly the work of the Women's Land A ...
(1906–1960), war artist
*
Charlotte Evans
Charlotte Evans MBE (born 29 March 1991) is a British skier, sighted guide and Paralympian. She is from Chatham in Kent, and attended Rochester Grammar School and then MidKent College. She started skiing as a child at the Chatham Ski Centre, ...
(1991-), Team GB Paralympic Skier Guide
*
Caroline Feraday (1988 -), broadcaster
*
Diane James
Diane Martine James (born 20 November 1959) is a British politician who was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for South East England from 2014 to 2019. She was briefly leader-elect of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) from September 2 ...
(1959-), former
UK Independence Party
The UK Independence Party (UKIP; ) is a Eurosceptic, right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. The party reached its greatest level of success in the mid-2010s, when it gained two members of Parliament and was the largest par ...
leader-elect, and
MEP
*
Alice Oseman
Alice May Oseman (born 16 October 1994) is an English author of young adult fiction. She secured her first publishing deal at 17, and had her first novel ''Solitaire'' published in 2014. Her novels include ''Radio Silence'', ''I Was Born for Th ...
(1994 -), author
*
Mildred Ratcliffe
Mildred Mary Ratcliffe FSSI (1899–1988) was an English painter, commercial artist & calligrapher, known for her poster designs for the Post Office Savings Bank.
Biography
Ratcliffe was born on 17 October 1899 in Rochester, Kent as the seco ...
(1899-1988), painter, commercial artist & calligrapher
*
Dame Sybil Thorndike
Dame Agnes Sybil Thorndike, Lady Casson (24 October 18829 June 1976) was an English actress whose stage career lasted from 1904 to 1969.
Trained in her youth as a concert pianist, Thorndike turned to the stage when a medical problem with her ...
(1882-1976), actress
*
Sophia Webster (1985-), fashion designer
Controversies
In April 2016 the Chief Executive Officer of the
Thinking Schools Academy Trust, to which RGS belongs, and former Headteacher Denise Shepherd were suspended due to allegations of snooping on staff emails, bullying staff and doctoring parts of an external inspection report.
In July 2016, the Thinking Schools Academy Trust Chairman, Peter Martin paid tribute to Ms Shepherd, who had since resigned, stating that:
"The Trust undertook a formal investigation, into allegations of misconduct made against Ms Shepherd. This has now concluded, with no further action required to be taken. It is extremely regrettable that these allegations were leaked to the press by an unknown source."
In July 2017 RGS received national media coverage when it was disclosed that the History Department, when teaching pupils about the 19th Century African Slave Trade, had provided a worksheet that invited Year 8 pupils to take part in a fictional slave auction, using stereotypical negative qualities about African people. The Head of the History Department later apologised on behalf of the school.
In June 2018 the school lost an unencrypted memory stick containing data of more than 1,000 pupils.
References
{{Authority control
Girls' schools in Kent
Educational institutions established in 1888
Grammar schools in Medway
1888 establishments in England
Academies in Medway
International Baccalaureate schools in England
*