Welcome to our school...

I am exceptionally proud to be the Principal of this school, the greatest asset of which is our students, who come from over 35 primary schools across Reading and beyond, as well as the commitment and dedication of all our staff.  Our girls are intellectually curious, enthusiastic and caring individuals who have a love of learning.

At the heart of RGS is a clear focus on academic excellence, as well as developing thoughtful, mindful citizens, with an appreciation and respect for the world around them.  Consequently, the Department for Education has identified RGS as being in the top 1% of schools in the country in terms of progress of students between KS2 and KS4, using the Progress 8 measure.

Every day is 'open day' at RGS, and we encourage all prospective parents to visit us without an appointment to see our school in action and speak to our pupils.  We do things quite differently to other schools, and we strongly believe in what we do, backed by academic research.

We are without doubt a multicultural community with 17 different ethnic groups and over 50 languages spoken.  By our very nature therefore, pupils are exposed to many beliefs, faiths and identities. As school leaders, we believe it is our role to foster experiences within this context.  Unlike other schools, we do not identify three values that we impress upon people because we believe that has limiting factors on personal development.      

Rather, we fundamentally believe in the moral and social justice that education can provide for young people without prejudice.  As leaders and staff, we are relentless in our drive to ensure that such an ideology becomes an everyday experience for our girls.

To this end, in 2018 we re-structured our school day to create longer blocks of learning time that allow us to provide coherent learning experiences for all pupils in association with our external partners from the world of business and academia.

A love of learning is at the heart of RGS with a strong emphasis on high quality teaching. Our principal strategy for doing so is 'deeper applied learning through R.E.A.L. lessons'.  We aim to foster these experiences so that pupils can transfer their academic and lifelong knowledge and skills between different contexts.  Our departments work with external links to co-deliver learning that relates to the world beyond the textbook and the school gates. Our industry-led KS3 weekly STEM day is a prominent example of deeper applied coherent learning.   

Similarly, whilst teachers are trained specialists to deliver their subject, that is not necessarily the case when it comes to personal development issues. Therefore, our age-appropriate Personal Development days are also delivered by a variety of guest organisations from business, NHS outreach and beyond.

Our sense of social responsibility has led to a wealth of opportunities to engage and support our communities, as well as develop individuals who are considerate to those around them.  Our Student Leadership Team, RGS PLEDGE charity work, Anti-Bullying Ambassadors, Mental Health Ambassadors and Year 7 Nature-Nurture Leaders student-led programmes, are key features of our approach to developing these lifelong learning skills. 

Finally, I hope that you will enjoy perusing the site finding out about our extraordinary school and the excellent education we offer. However, schools are not about websites. They are about people and most importantly, young people in action.  Reading Girls' School is a school that belongs to its students who look forward to welcoming you.