THE ROCHESTER GRAMMAR SCHOOL
A Commnunity of Global Thinkers
THE RGS/AFS THINKING SCHOOLS ACADEMY TRUST
Telephone number 01634 843049 Fax 01634 818340
email: rochestergrammar@medway.sch.uk
About The RGS
Our Mission statement:
“Furthering Excellence” through
Support, Encouragement and Achievement.
A Brief History
The Rochester Grammar School has a unique history. It was opened in 1888 under 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. It was progressive even then, pioneering higher education for girls and its reputation
has grown over the years. It is characterised by high expectations and the pursuit of personal excellence.
Each year we celebrate our founding with a special service at Rochester Cathedral.
The School
The Rochester Grammar School is a heavily oversubscribed six form entry selective girls’ school that admits
male students into the Sixth Form. In September 1990 the school moved into new buildings and the original
1888 building closed. The school has 1150 pupils, with 285 in the Sixth form. There are 72 full time
teachers and 4 part time teachers. We have 35 support staff. In November 2010 the school became an
“Academy of Excellence” under the government’s academy programme for outstanding schools.
The school has excellent facilities, including interactive whiteboards in all classrooms, network and wireless
ICT, 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 was the only female commissioned war artist. Pictures
illustrating her famous sense of the home front during World War II decorate the suite.
In the sixth form, as well as A Levels, we deliver the International Baccalaureate diploma, as an IBO World
School. We have the full International Schools Award, Healthy Schools Award and Investor in Careers and
we are a designated “Advanced Thinking School”, accredited by the University of Exeter. The RGS is a
National Support School and the Executive Principal and other staff are currently supporting a number of
other schools.
Leadership and Management
The Senior Leadership Team is currently composed of the Executive Principal, Principal, Vice Principal,
three Assistant Principals and the Business Manager. The Executive Principal is a National Leader of
Education. Middle leadership consists of Curriculum Leaders, Heads of House, Lead Practitioners and
performance coaches. We have an innovatory curriculum with a two year compressed KS3 which allows for
early entry to GCSE if appropriate and then access to a range of AS courses by the end of Year 11. We were
designated a Teaching School in March 2012, and our Teaching School Alliance is the New Horizons TSA.
We are a multi academy trust, with All Faiths Childrens’ Community School, Portsmouth Academy for Girls
and Chatham Grammar School for Boys. We are also a designated as an Advanced Thinking School with
Exeter University.
Care and Support
The pastoral system is inextricably linked to the ethos “furthering excellence through support,
encouragement, achievement”. Academic monitoring of overall student performance has been clearly
established and is a strength of the school. Form groups are organised vertically with Years 7 to 13 mixed.
This provides excellent care and support as well as peer mentoring and leadership roles for older students.
Teaching and Learning
The school received an outstanding Ofsted report in November 2003, and again in November 2008 we
were graded as “outstanding” and we were praised for our commitment to the highest standards in teaching
and learning. We aim to create a working environment where our students can think independently and
engage enthusiastically with their own learning.
Equal Opportunities and High Expectations
Equal opportunities for all students continues to be a feature of the school and all staff are expected to
contribute to this aim. There is a high expectation from staff, pupils and parents that the students will
proceed to higher education.