At the RGS we have consistently produced excellent exam results and created well rounded individuals ready to excel at the next stage of life. It would not be uncommon for a prospective Year 7 parent to be toured around the school by a senior prefect and subsequently announce, “I want my son to be one of them!” Our mission is to give all of our students the opportunity to develop these key attributes. We spent a great deal of time researching the work of Guy Claxton and also visited numerous other schools who have embarked on a similar journey.

We set up a working group of staff and students. The first task was to decide what skills we felt were the most important to develop. We then grouped them into categories and the Ethos of Learning was born. The Ethos of Learning is now well embedded across the school and below summarises how this occurs:

• All staff trained in delivering lessons which develop student’s key skills. Training lasts for half a day and includes 5 lesson observations.
• All Year 7 receive a half day training session in September.
• All Year 7 parents come to in academic evening where we share the principles of the Ethos of Learning.
• We have 4 external speakers a year who come and speak about how these key skills have supported them during their careers.
• Posters are displayed throughout the school and regularly referred to.
• Many end of unit assessments review the skills that have been developed.
• Year group assemblies are often focussed around themes of the Ethos of Learning.
• Teaching and Learning training can often have an Ethos of Learning focus.
• Report writing regularly refers to the Ethos of Learning skills.
• Developing these skills is not just what occurs in lessons, but also the way we interact in the corridors, canteens and playground.
• Co-curricular life is crucial in developing the skills. We currently have over 80 different clubs and societies.

Our aim is that students leave here with the following character traits; Honesty, Integrity, Humility and Respect.