RGS Festival | A Joyful RGS500 Celebration

ONCE AGAIN, WITH ONLY A SPOT OF RAIN, THE ANNUAL RGS FESTIVAL BROUGHT TOGETHER OVER 1,000 MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR A JOYFUL CELEBRATION OF EVERYTHING THAT MAKES RGS SPECIAL AND OUR 500TH ANNIVERSARY.

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From current and incoming families to alumni and RGS staff, the event was a powerful reminder of the strength, spirit, and shared identity that defines our school. 

Held on the school field, the festival offered a vibrant window into life at RGS. Visitors of all ages enjoyed a packed programme of performances and activities – from live music and drama to sports challenges and a popular STEM Expo. A wide selection of stalls, inflatable attractions and delicious food vans added to the fun, creating a festival atmosphere that was both energetic and inclusive. 

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At the heart of the day was a celebration of the school’s values: Sense of Belonging, Love of Learning, Belief in Each Other, and Ambition to Succeed. These four ethos pillars were the focus of a special prize-giving ceremony, where students from each year group - nominated by their peers - were recognised for consistently embodying our values.  

Headmaster Mr Stanford, joined by Mr Miller our Junior School Headmaster, awarded the students their prizes. “The aim of this day is simple but meaningful,” Mr Stanford said. “It is about bringing pupils, parents, staff and friends together to celebrate all that is good about being part of the RGS community. Today is a true expression of our ethos in action.” 

Award winners were celebrated as follows: 

Junior School Ethos Awards 

  • Year 3: James L (Strong), Able L A (Able), Yirong Z (Calm), Milo M (Kind) 
  • Year 4: Oscar B (Strong), Eleanor B (Able), Daniel B (Calm), Adhiya C (Kind) 
  • Year 5: Noah J (Strong), Cecily S (Able), Rohan A (Calm), Rocco R (Kind) 
  • Year 6: Dilan G (Strong), William P (Able), Krish B (Calm), Ishaan P (Kind) 
     

Senior School Ethos Awards 

  • Ambition to Succeed: Y7 George C, Y8 Rosie A M, Y9 Ena C R, Y10 Spyridon E, Y11 Alexandar H, Y12 Eva J 
  • Belief in Each Other: Y7 Oorja C, Y8 Martha B, Y9 Aryan S, Y10 Ojas S, Y11 Chinmayi K, Y12 Tom A 
  • Sense of Belonging: Y7 Maryam Abroaf, Y8 Selena F, Y9 James T, Y10 Jess W, Y11 Ann O G, Y12 Bilal K 
  • Love of Learning: Y7 Hao X G, Y8 Bernard S, Y9 Brian L, Y10 Anya J, Y11 Seyona K, Y12 David B 

The festival also featured our beloved Great RGS Bake Off. This year’s Great RGS Bake Off was bigger and better than ever, featuring not one, but three distinct categories for participants to showcase their baking skills.  

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The competition brought together talented bakers from across the school, all eager to impress with their creativity, technique, and flavour. Once again, Mr Moore stepped into the role of our very own Paul Hollywood, expertly judging the entries and awarding a handshake to the winners in each category. 

  • Best Junior School Cake went to Findlay and Ashok (Y4) for their delicious, beautifully decorated cupcakes themed around RGS’s 500th anniversary. 

  • Best Senior School Cake was awarded to Ellie and Nekija (Y9) for their elegant and flavourful raspberry lemonade cheesecake.

  • Best 500th Anniversary Themed Cake was won by Tiree (Y7) whose bold chocolate orange cake captured the spirit of the school’s milestone year with creativity and flair. 

A special mention goes to Mehar (Year 8) for an extraordinary effort, baking three different cakes - including a standout Basque cheesecake - all of which were as tasty as they were impressive. Congratulations to all our brilliant bakers!

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None of this would have been possible without the tireless energy and teamwork of staff, students, and volunteers across the whole school community – a collective effort that perfectly reflects the values that have guided the school for centuries.  If you have any feedback on the day, please do let us know here

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