Back to School Day 2025 and RGS 350 A Journey Through the Years Exhibition

As we approach the end of the Summer term 2025, we hosted our last two Foundation events for this academic year. We kicked off the week with a nod to our RGS heritage and showcased the history of Reigate Grammar School in our ‘RGS 350 – A Journey Through the Years Exhibition’. With amazing artefacts such as the Admissions Register detailing the first pupil - after the new school was up and running after being rebuilt in 1862, the son of Headmaster John Gooch, or the telescope from the rifle range in use until the 1970s, sat preserved in a moment in time, this exhibition brings to life the history of Reigate Grammar School.

Starting with an introduction to the school’s founder, Henry Smith, who left a sum of money to the town to educate the ‘poor boys of Reigate’, we head into the journey from 1675 and begin to walk the pathway that so many students have walked before us. A background of Reigate and Britain sets the tone for each decade, whilst pictures of the eras bring the stories to life. We see Reigate as it was in the 1800s, familiar shops such as Oliver Bonas (as it is now) was once home to The Grapes Inn’ and the establishment of the second boy to be registered in 1862, 1 month after John Gooch (junior).

The journey takes us into the 1900s when Headmaster Mr Ragg was prolific is forming the first ‘Old Boys Club’ (later to be known as the Old Reigatian Association) and from an RGS point of view, is more like our Reigatian Hub network – keeping in touch with former pupils, staff, parents and the local and global community.

We see the first boys of RGS head to war and sadly become the first Reigatians to fall in conflict (that we have knowledge of). We remember them with honour and dignity.

As we wander into the 1920s, we see the proud prefects and sports teams sat outside the Headmaster’s House – now used as the offices for the support teams at RGS. These years highlight the need for the OTC and prepare us once again for the conflict that approaches in 1939. The war years bring comradery and photos of our school affected by the bombing that took place. We recreated a bomb shelter with a school desk lit by a lantern, books and paper under a shelter of darkness. A Pathé video plays behind the scene of Britain at war. As the 40s draw to a close, we walk through a post war era with school boys in caps and band on parade. Times change as the 60s bring a change in style and influences of music and movies shape our culture. The 70s bring independence at the school, long haired lads and the first girls in Sixth Form. The 80s years bring more colour photos, more recent documents of exams, letters and drama. We enter the 90s, an era of baggy shirts, ‘curtains’ and the rise of the CD. We see the school start to become fully co-ed in 1993 and begin a journey into the digital age, fewer hard copies of documents, photos and more colour.

We offer the chance to have your photo taken in our ‘Back to School classroom’ and even offer a tuck shops for guests to visit. Behind the exhibit we have a video playing of photos with former pupils

With the exhibition ready to welcome guests, we hosted our second biggest event of the year with close to one hundred former pupils returning to RGS for our bi-annual Back to School Day. The visitors arrived into the playground and were greeted by our RGS Foundation team with a brochure of photos and chilled bottle of water. They greeted each other with fondness and delight, some not having seen each other for years. They made their way to the exhibition and strolled around hoping to catch sight of themselves as young students. The stories prompted by our memorabilia were just fabulous. We were lucky enough to have the magnificent Art and Design Exhbition displayed in the Sports hall next to the concert hall so our guests had the added extra of RGS’ talented students.

The group left the exhibition and made their way to PMH for a traditional school lunch of fish and chips followed by chocolate cake. The chatter was wonderful to hear and no doubt they were each recalling their time at school.  Once lunch was finished, they head to their last stop on our Back to School day tour, and went for assembly at St Mary’s Church. Greeted by RGS Foundation Director Jonny Hylton (RGS’99), he reminded everyone to take their seats quickly and quietly, ensure shirts are tucked in and ties straight. With his own double breasted RGS school blazer on, yes remarkably still a good fit, Jonny welcomed everyone back to school and spoke of the connection that unites the RGS community no matter from what era and how far and wide they may be. The 350 year anniversary highlights the strong foundation of history and heritage that the school has behind it, creating a legacy for the years to come. As he introduced a new generation of students to the stage, the Fourth Formers, Tilly A, Ryan F and Isaac B, performed a couple of songs from their band before Jonny invited our group to stand and sing loud and proud, the school song, ‘To be A Pilgrim’ accompanied by Richard Hare on the organ.

The group of former students were dismissed at 3pm and we said a fond farewell until next time to our guests. Some carried the moment on as they headed into town for a drink and a catch up, others popped back into the exhibition to soak up the history one more time.

See the exhibition in our photo gallery.

See the Back to School day event photos here.