Organisation

On entry, boys will be placed in one of six forms, the Form Rooms for Year 7 being in the Joh Prior Language Building.  The forms are arranged alphabetically across the entire year group.  This avoids any complications arising from boys having the same surname in the same form.  Although boys from the same school cannot be guaranteed a place in the same form it is hoped that new friendships will be formed and old ones maintained.

The 11+ intake year (Year 7) is known as the Foundation Year which is under the direct charge of Mr Stubbs, who with the team of Form Tutors oversees the induction of boys to the RGS as well as all issues relating to welfare and discipline in Year 7.  The Form Tutor is the first point of contact.

The school has a fully qualified Matron, Mrs Grace Dodds RSCN who deals with the boys' everyday medical requirements.  Parents who are concerned about their son's health are asked to contact her.  If any boy feels ill during the day, he must report to Matron who will contact parents if he needs to go home.

Daily Routine

The school day officially starts at 08.40 although we would advise you to make sure you arrive no later than 8.30am.  Junior Assembly is at 08.45 for Years 7, 8 and 9 in the Queen’s Hall, which comprises a short talk or reading followed by a prayer and the notices for the day.  It is hoped that boys of all religions will see this as a natural start to the day without compromising their own beliefs.  Once a week Year 7 have their own Foundation Assembly.

Assembly is followed by Registration in the Form Room and the first lesson commences at 9.15am.  Break is from 11.45-12.15, and lunch is from 1.30-2.20pm.  Afternoon registration is at 2.20pm and the school day finishes at 3.40pm.

To see a table of the school day timings, click here.

Curriculum

In Year 7 boys will pursue the National Curriculum studying the following subjects either substantively, or as part of ‘modules’.  Most of these will be taught in specialist rooms.

Library  

The Library opens at 8.00 a.m. every school day, and closes at 4.30 p.m., apart from Friday when it closes at 4.00 p.m. Year 7 pupils will come in to the library with their English teacher for 2 Library induction classes during the first weeks of term.  We encourage the boys to read widely and all new pupils received a summer reading list on the recent transition day. Click here to view the Reading List.

The Library has its own regularly updated area on the website, and you can visit it here.

Catering

The school has a dining hall for the boys to use at both break and lunchtime, and the food is provided by ‘Cater Link’.  The ‘Meal of the Day’ (eg Lasagne and Salad) costs £1.75 while the ‘Meal Deal’ (ie Meal of the Day and pudding) costs £2.00.  Parents are able to get a print-out of what their son has eaten on request to the Catering Manager. 

Breakfast is also available in the canteen between 08.00 and 08.30.

As the RGS is a ‘cashless’ school you will get details around May for obtaining a ‘cashless card’ and how to put money onto the card.

For more information about the canteen, click here.

Homework and Pupil Planners

In Year 7 boys will be given homework each day.  You will receive details of the homework timetable in September.  Homework is designed to be in slots of approximately 25 minutes per subject.  Each boy will have his own pupil planner, so you will be aware of all work set.  The aim of the pupil planner is to help the boys organise themselves and it includes a homework timetable, academic timetable, recognition page and instructions for using the planner.  Parents are asked to sign the planner each week and comment if necessary.  This helps the boys to become and remain organised and offers parents and staff an extra means of communication.

Physical Education and Games

All boys in Year 7 have two periods of Physical Education and two periods of Games each week.  The PE periods allow a full range of indoor sports and swimming to be taught.  In the Games programme each boy will play rugby and cricket and also participate in cross-country running and athletics.  There is a thriving inter-form competition in all sports.  This includes an inter-form soccer competition in the second part of the Spring term.

There are a large number of school teams (rugby, cricket, cross country, athletics and basketball for Year 7), and we try to involve as many boys as possible in representative matches.  Most games are played on Saturdays and parents are, of course, most welcome to support all our school matches.

Absence

If a boy is absent, please telephone Matron on the first day of absence before 10.00am.  On the boy’s return to school a short note from parents must be produced, addressed to the Form Tutor.

Boys who are late must report to Matron in her Office in the main school block next to the Library as soon as they arrive.  Any boy needing to leave the premises during normal school time (eg for a hospital appointment), must bring a note to their Form Tutor beforehand, and register their absence with Matron when they are about to leave the premises.

Please try to ensure that holidays are taken during school holiday time (13 weeks per year) and not during term time.  Any requests for leave of absence should be addressed to the Head of Year.  (Extended leave for holidays during term time may not be granted).  We ask for your support in maintaining a full educational programme for all of the term.

Extra-Curricular Activities

An important part of education at the RGS includes many extra-curricular activities.  A list of Clubs and Societies will be given to your son when he starts school in September, as well as a wide selection of educational visits at home and abroad.  We hope all boys will take advantage of these opportunities and that parents will encourage their sons to participate.

If any parent feels that financial circumstances make it impossible for their son to attend an educational trip or activity, please write to the Headmaster; we shall do our best to ensure that your son is able to go.

Reporting

School Reports are issued twice a year, at Christmas and in the summer, as well as Progress Cards in October and at Easter.  There is a Parents’ Meeting with the Form Tutor during the first term to discuss how your son has settled with us.  A Parents’ Meeting to discuss progress with individual subject teachers is held annually, usually in the Spring term.  Any parent who has cause for concern should not hesitate to contact the Form Tutor or Mr Stubbs.

Travel

Coach / Bus

Boys who live more than three miles from the school but within the reserved area are entitled to free travel and parents should apply on the form issued by the Bucks Education Transport Office.  All tickets are issued from the Education Office in Aylesbury and should be sent to you at home during late August.  Any queries involving bus passes should be directed initially to the Transport Office on 01296 383742.  In subsequent years the tickets are issued through the school.  The ticket lasts for the whole year.  If it is lost then Matron must be contacted, who will order a replacement for which a charge is made.

This may be common sense, but we ask please that all boys whether travelling on a school bus or public service bus behave at all times.  Poor behaviour on buses will not be tolerated, and travel on school buses is a privilege that can be withdrawn.

Cycling

If a boy wishes to cycle to school he must obtain a special form from Matron which must be signed by parents and then returned to school. A cycle shed is available on the school site and boys must ensure that normal security precautions are taken when leaving their bicycles there. We would not normally expect Year 7 pupils to cycle to school.

Car

The roads near the school are extremely busy and all boys are warned to take great care.  Any parents who collect their sons from school by car are asked NOT to drive into the school car parks, or to park just outside the school.  Please arrange to meet them at a place well away from the school entrances and exits.  We are very concerned that boys’ safety is jeopardised by parents’ parking/picking up in an inconsiderate way.  Please help us in this matter.

Road Safety

The roads around the RGS can be very dangerous and boys should take extra care when crossing them.  If a boy needs to cross the A404 Amersham Road, there are crossing places at the traffic lights by the junction with Hamilton Road.  Please encourage your son to use them  AT ALL TIMES.

Property

In order to avoid unnecessary loss, personal property, especially games kit, must be marked with the owner’s name.  Boys should NOT bring valuables or large sums of money to school.  The school cannot accept responsibility for the personal property of pupils that is damaged or stolen while on School premises. Our advice is that a Householder’s Contents Policy, held by many parents, will produce cover whilst property is temporarily away from the house.

Lockers

Each boy will be provided with a locker for which they should bring a sturdy lock (preferably NOT a combination lock, as these can prove tempting to little hands ...).  We suggest that boys use this for storing all personal items such as coats and PE/games kits which they may not wish to carry around all day. It is a good idea to have a second "spare locker key" which can be left with the form teacher, and can be used should a locker key be forgotten or go missing, thus alowing boys to have access to their property in their lockers at all times.

Lost Property

Lost property is stored in Matron’s room.  We do expect boys to look after their property with great care, but if a boy does lose an item of property and he has searched EVERYWHERE in vain, he should go to see Matron.  When Matron receives named property she always writes a note to the boy concerned asking him to collect it.

Security Box for PE and Games

When a boy is doing PE or Games, he MUST put any valuables into the Security box provided. Property should not be left in pockets or bags in the changing rooms.

Mobile Phones

We recognise that you may want your son to carry a mobile phone, but we CANNOT be responsible for its safety.  Boys are only allowed to use a mobile phone on school premises before and after school or at morning or lunchtime breaks.  It MUST be turned off at all other times during the day.

Second-Hand Shop

The school has a shop selling second hand uniform and sports equipment.  The school shop is building up its stock of second hand clothes and the opening times are Monday 13.30-14.30 and on Friday 15.15 to 16.15.  It is situated in ‘The Space’ under the Queen’s Hall.  You will also be informed of how you can send in any item for sale.

Benevolent Fund

Each week the boys contribute to the Benevolent Fund.  The Fund supports local, national and international charities selected by the boys as well as responding to disaster appeals and specific charities’ requests. Donations have been made to: The Disasters Emergency Committee to aid survivors of natural disasters such as earthquakes, Jeans for Genes and Children in Need.  Over £1,600 was donated to Oxfam Unwrapped in a Christmas Appeal.  The average amount collected each year is £8,500.

Stationary Requirements

Basic text-books and stationery are provided, but losses and damage must be paid for.

Some of the basic requirements that boys should have are:

Pen (written work to be done in ink pen or a GOOD biro)

Pencil and sharpener

A selection of coloured pencils

Eraser

Ruler (marked in centimetres and inches)

Protractor/angle measurer

Compass

Calculator (a Casio fx-83ES is recommended and will be available for sale or order along with stationery packs, at the New Parents’ and Boys’ Evening in July).

Calculators, locker padlocks and other school items will be available for sale at the Induction (or New Parents' and Boys') Evening (cheque or cash, no cards). Orders for Stationery packs can be placed at the Induction Evening or in advance through the Enterprise Office.

School Uniform

All boys are required to wear school uniform between leaving home and arriving back.  The school uniform regulations are approved by the Governors.  Boys are expected to be mature enough to realise that their conduct and overall appearance should be of the standard we expect.

The prescribed items for Years 7-11 school uniform include:

1. School tie (Year 7 maroon) - can be purchased at the New Parents’ and boys’ Evening in July.

2. Navy blue school blazer with pocket badge**, and plain dark grey trousers (not cotton, denim or cord).

3. Plain white shirt.

4. Pullovers must be of v-neck type (not high-necked) plain grey.

5. Footwear: plain black or grey socks; black leather shoes (suede shoes, boots, trainers and plimsolls are not acceptable).

6. Scarves must be of a single plain colour.

7. Outdoor coats should be of a sombre dark colour.

**National Schoolwear Centres in High Wycombe is the sole supplier of item marked with **

Sports kit:

Indoors -       White shorts, white socks, white polo shirt*, white plimsolls/training shoes (which do not have dark soles which may mark the Sports Hall floor).

Outdoors -     Reversible maroon/striped rugby shirt*, blue shorts*, RGS rugby socks*, rugby/soccer boots (NB boots should not be fitted with nylon studs – rubber or aluminium safety studs should be fitted which have the British Safety Standard kite mark on them).

Cricket -        Boys selected for school cricket teams will be expected to wear white trousers, shirt and sweater.  For ordinary games lessons boys can wear dark tracksuit bottoms, white shirt, white sweater and plimsolls/training shoes.

Swimming -   Navy swimming shorts/trunks 

* Hawkinsport in Bourne End is the sole supplier of items marked with *

Appearance:

Hair should be clean, tidy and seemly (coloured hair is not acceptable). 

Extremes of length of hair are not tolerated.

IN EVERYONE’S INTERESTS, ALL UNIFORM AND PERSONAL POSSESSIONS MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED WITH THE BOY’S NAME USING NAME TAPES OR AN INDELIBLE MARKER PEN.

In an attempt to restrain outfitting costs, the School provides an opportunity for parents to order school blazers, trousers, shirts, and lab coats from National Schoolwear Centres on set dates in July.  Parents who order school uniform on any of these dates will receive 10% discount.  Details will be sent around May after receipt of your son’s admission form.

Similarly Hawkinsport is the supplier of the school sports kit, and certain sports uniform items are only obtainable from them.  The Hawkinsport’s order form will be sent to you around May after receipt of your son’s admission form.

Parking

When delivering or collecting your son by car to/from school, we ask that you arrange to meet him away from Hamilton Road and Amersham Road.  Please do not drop-off/pick-up your son by the barrier entrance to School House.  This is dangerous and puts your sons at risk of a serious accident when parents try to reverse out onto Hamilton Road. 

If you are attending school for Parents’ Evening, Music events, PA functions etc, please be advised that parking is limited.  While we do have some parking on the site, depending on the numbers attending we may not be able to accommodate all vehicles.  In that case please be considerate to the neighbours’ needs when parking on adjoining roads.