Skip to content ↓

About

Headmaster's Welcome

Our vision is to offer our students an exceptional all-round education. 

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 as one with our vision.

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. We have a very successful track record in supporting our young men to progress to higher tariff universities, including Russell Group and Oxford and Cambridge.

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 co-curricular 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 confident, adaptable, healthy and enquiring.  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.