Impact of partnership work done in 2025 (ISC annual Census 2026)
- 35 state schools involved
- 1001-2000 state school pupils involved
- 2500 staff hours given
Impact Statement
Guildford Educational Partnership (GEP) ISSP:
Our Headmaster is on the GEP board; our work supporting Kings College (see below) is via the GEP; the Enquiring Teachers Programme (see below) is jointly organised and working with the NFER acts across the GEP, RGS and St John’s Leatherhead; we use and contribute to the George Abbot Teaching School for teaching training (see below); two RGS staff also teach at GEP schools as part of their core teaching (see below).
Kings (GEP)
We worked to widen the scope of the RGS support for Kings College. We contributed Physics lessons here at RGS for the G&T Kings’ pupils and have arranged visits and staff pairings for subject specific support, in Maths, Geography, RE, PHSME & English. The Kings tracking systems indicated that the support we had provided in Physics had improved the attainment of the Kings students by an average of 0.6 of a grade. Kings Headmaster commented: “We are delighted with the way the two schools have been working together in the interest of stretching students. As well as projects with students, staff from the two schools have been sharing curriculum and pedagogical knowledge. Kings continues to go from strength to strength with the partnerships with RGS and the University supporting their development.”
At the end of the 2018 summer Term, Kings was re-inspected and achieved the seemingly impossible transformation from ‘Inadequate’ in every category to ‘Good’. The staff, students and parents at the College have worked hard to raise standards in collaboration with Guildford Education Partnership with support from Guildford Borough Council, the University of Surrey and the RGS. Our involvement is hugely appreciated and was noted in the Ofsted report and the Surrey Advertiser Article. Ofsted quote: “School leaders work closely with colleagues from other schools across the trust to facilitate extra help that supports ongoing school improvement. GEP has also supported the school in forming a working partnership with the Royal Grammar School (RGS) in Guildford.”
Enquiring Teacher Programme (GEP)
The Enquiring teacher programme is a partnership project with the GEP schools and St John’s Leatherhead in conjunction with the NFER. The administration is shared, with each school paying their own way. Project findings are celebrated and publicised via a journal (a partnership publication) and a celebration event hosted by the RGS. GEP Director of Education, commented that, “We are very proud of those who manage to undertake research alongside their roles. The projects have the capacity to develop each school and improve teaching and learning. The partnership between RGS, GEP and St John’s is integral to the project and it is gratifying to bring together teachers from the independent and state sectors, primary and secondary phases to work together.”
Teacher Training (GEP)
Our Assistant Head (Teaching) spent two half days with the George Abbot Teaching School working with maintained sector and Teach Independent SCITT trainees leading sessions for ‘Stretch and Challenge in the Classroom’. The RGS also hosted one of these events. This was provided free of charge. GEP Director of Education commented that, “We are always pleased to work with the RGS and for the expertise RGS staff bring to our SCITT programmes.”
George Abbot (GEP)
In response to a request for us to share best practice, in June, 10 RGS teachers travelled to George Abbot to join some of their staff and hold an inaugural partnership ‘teach meet’ with a specific focus on sharing good practice with regards to teaching and learning at A-Level.
Chess Primary Project (GEP)
We worked with the charity Chess in Schools and Communities (CSC), to facilitate chess programmes in four Primary schools. We primarily worked with GEP schools and were successful with securing agreement for programmes at Sandfield, Boxgrove and Guildford Grove Primary schools, additionally we used our close relations with Bushy Hills to secure a programme here too. We facilitated a trial 10-week programme free of charge in the Summer Term. Quotes from the children included: We love chess because it teaches us new skills and makes our brains work! ... It's brilliant for making us think ahead. … It's a special treat for us and it's fun!
Teacher Secondment
Last year, one teacher taught Latin GCSE at George Abbot School; another taught Latin at Boxgrove Primary. The Headteacher of GAS commented that, “Without this secondment over the last two years we would have been forced to cancel our GCSE Latin and disappointed the 10 pupils.” (This is the conclusion of the GCSE Latin teaching at George Abbot.) The Deputy Head teacher of Boxgrove Primary, commented “The 15 Y5 pupils really enjoy the Latin lessons with our seconded teacher – we couldn’t offer them without his expertise.”
Another teacher is also seconded to St Thomas’ Primary School to teach French, but this is not part of the GEP: Thisseconded teacher delivers French to the whole Y4 cohort of 60 pupils. “St Thomas’ commented that, “Our Secondee has designed the course and resources and takes full control of teaching the lessons. He has also developed reporting systems and grades the pupils once a term.” (This is the final year of teaching at St Thomas’ as the programme is moving to the GEP at Sandfield Primary from September 2018.)
Guildford 11-19 Partnership
The 11-19 Partnership is a group of all the Maintained sector secondary schools, Guildford College and Surrey University - RGS is the only independent school in the group and we are not financially involved. The partnership mainly exists to deal with the pupils most at risk of dropping out of schooling via its KS4 projects for alternative provision but also seeks to provide cluster groups for other areas of common ground. We contribute to the steering group, exams officer group and Teaching & Learning group. We also contributed to a T&L investigation at County School.
International Links
Our international partnerships are led by a member of staff who is paid for this responsibility. They take responsibility for our charitable international partnerships in Nepal and Cambodia. (See below.)
Nepal International Link:
Our links with Bhu Pu School and Jannabikas Chandi School in Besisahar, Nepal, were refreshed this reporting period. During 2018 preparations were taking place for the inaugural pupil expedition to visit out partner schools in Besisahar, Nepal. In conjunction with Tormead School and True Adventure, 30 Y11 and Y12 pupils organised fundraising activities to support the planned projects and also to fund the 30 Nepali pupils who will be participating in the planned activities. Additionally, two RGS staff visited Besisahar to discuss the planned expedition, projects, interview the Nepali pupils, discuss and support school development and also to act as guests of honour at the school Prizegiving. The cost of this recce was met by the RGS and two staff gave a week to undertake it.
Cambodia International Link:
We organise a biennial charitable expedition to Cambodia in conjunction with the Charity United World Schools using Life Signs expedition company. We are linked to a school in Tiem Kram by United World Schools (UWS); the money the boys raise goes to UWS who then distribute this money as they see fit. In this reporting period the boys are fundraising for this expedition which will take place in 2019.
Governorships
Several of our Staff act as Governors or Trustees of schools, including: GEP Board, Boxgrove Primary; Sandfield Primary; Loseley Fields Primary School; Pond Meadow Special School; St Nicholas Prep School, Fleet; Twickenham Prep School. Staff are given time to attend these meetings if in school hours. Each staff member typically volunteers about 20h per year.
Tudor Project
Hosted the majority of Monday’s throughout the year, in 2017 the Primary Tudor Project was attended by over 600 Y5 pupils from local schools within our catchment area from Chilworth up to Weybridge who study the Tudors. RGS pay for the transport to bring the pupils to the RGS so that the Primary schools get a school trip for free. The annual cost of this is c.£4,500. Some feedback included: “I just wanted to say a huge thank you to you and your wonderful team at RGS. Year 4 thoroughly enjoyed their visits to your school and are continuing to talk about the chained library, trebuchets, the art and much more besides. As a result of the DT lesson, I am going to teach the children how to make trebuchets and run a competition at the end of term. It was a truly inspirational day for us all.”
Summer School
During the first week of the summer holiday in 2018 we hosted 32 pupils from 15 local primary schools who had been nominated for a place by their respective head teachers to engage in a series of classes designed to inspire and stimulate. Teaching staff are paid to deliver the sessions with the total cost of the Summer School being c.£10,000. Some feedback received: “I just wanted to send a quick message to thank you for giving my son such a wonderful opportunity at RGS this week. He has thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the Summer School and said this afternoon that it was ‘the best last week of term I’ve ever had’!”… Thank you so much for this past week! I have enjoyed every moment of it.”
Masterclasses
Hosted over four Saturday mornings during November, in 2018 over 120 Year 6 pupils attended from about 30 primary schools in the area with over 30 members of teaching staff taking part, along with over 20 RGS boys volunteering their time on Saturday mornings. Pupils took classes in a strand: Maths – Codes, Probability, Coding, Fibonacci; Science – Chemical Reactions, Forensic Science, Making Bridges, Dissection; Design Technology – Electronics, Making an Amplifier, Designing & Making a Computer Case; MFL – Russian, Japanese, German, Chinese; Creative Arts – Drama, Music, Art, Creative writing. Again, we gather a huge amount of positive feedback, with one particularly heart-warming message being: “I just wanted to send a quick message to let you all know the effects that attending the RGS Science Masterclass had on my daughter. It was a surprise to her that she was invited to attend the Masterclass but, my word, what an utterly remarkable effect it had on her. She realised that she had the ability to do whatever she chose to. She began to believe in herself. In the month that followed she received three school awards for various subjects, not just Science. Then, to crown it all, she has just been presented with the School’s award for exceptional progress. This was something "only other brainy kids" received. I am beyond proud of her. The RGS played a pivotal role in flicking a switch and inspiring her to be the best she can be.”
Strings Schemes
The RGS Strings schemes run at Sandfield Primary supported by Southern Pro Musica (SPM) and at St Thomas of Canterbury supported by the Friends of the Investec International Music Festival (IIMF), In this reporting cycle, the scheme also expanded to Boxgrove Primary School supported by the IIMF and Community Foundation for Surrey (CFS). Without the financial backing of these organisations we would not be able to operate. Numbers are now roughly 180 children per week. During the Lent Term the Family Music Concert event at G-Live in Guildford, organised by RGS in partnership with Southern Pro Musica (SPM), gave the Strings Scheme pupils the chance to play to a huge audience and alongside a professional orchestra. The Trinity term saw our annual concert here at the RGS with all 120 children performing in the auditorium and the newly joined Boxgrove pupils were supported in their own concert. During this reporting cycle, the RGS String Scheme received national publicity through the Schools Together Music Partnerships publication and, hence, in the ISC partnership document.
World Music project
In 2018 the Samba Project, at Bushy Hill School continued to thrive. Trinity 2018 saw a concert involving over 60 pupils at the school overseen not by external staff but delivered and supervised by the school's own staff who had been trained and prepared by professional musicians from Inspire Works. This is an excellent example of a lasting legacy as it now operates with little input from RGS. This is the last year this programme will be supported by the RGS.
Events
We host and organise a large number of events every year which benefit our pupils and/or staff and are also either open invitation or open to invited guests. The costs of hosting these events are met by the RGS.
• Author visits (inc. Guildford book festival) (annual) – 90 Y5 pupils;
• Careers Fair (annual) – c.50 external pupils form Guildford schools
• Subject Society lectures (Classics, Geography, Science) (termly)
• Economics Speakers Day (annual) – 180 Y12-13 pupils;
• Economics Chance to be Chancellor competition (annual) – 30 Y13 pupils;
• Drama performances (ad hoc) – 120 Y5 pupils;
• Sandfield Primary School Sports week – 60 Y5/6 pupils
• Holy Trinity, Pewly Down, Science week – 100 Y6 pupils
• Oxbridge/Medical school interviews (annual by request) – 11 Y13 pupils
• Modern Languages L6 Conference (annual) – 50 Y12 pupils
• Art Life Drawing (annual programme over two terms) – 36 Y12/13 pupils;
• Art open studio mask making – 10 Y4 pupils;
• Epsom ‘Big Draw’ event – 100s of general public;
• Music teacher conferences (with Surrey Arts) (2016, 2017) – 120 Music teachers.
RGS Curriculum outreach programmes
Each week during curriculum time (Monday ‘Period 8’ and General Studies) Sixth form accompanied by RGS staff travel to or host Primary schools to deliver afterschool clubs. The RGS boys act as role models for the younger pupils as well as improving their own preparation, presentation and communication skills. Each activity requires a member of staff for it to run:
• P8 Primary Latin Project at Holy Trinity, Pewley Down (12 Y6 pupils); including an annual trip to the British Museum.
• P8 Primary Maths Project at Sandfield Primary (15 Y5 pupils);
• P8 Sports Coaching at Sandfield Primary (15 Y5 pupils); including a full day of sport during the Sandfield school Sports Week.
• Scouts at Wey Field Primary; a staff member supports ad hoc events (30 pupils, Y4-Y6).
• GS Primary Tech Project: 6 local Primary schools bring 12 pupils each (72 pupils, Y6) for a 6 week long programme of Design Technology.
