350 Years Strong: Honouring Our Past, Welcoming the Future

350 years ago, life in Britain looked quite different to the world we know today. London was slowly rebuilding following the Great Fire of London in 1666, which included the reconstruction of St Paul's Cathedral. The Royal Greenwich Observatory was founded by King Charles II and Reigate Grammar School was founded by Henry Smith. Following his death, Henry Smith has bequeathed a sum to the parish of Reigate to 'educate the poor boys of Reigate' and a school was founded where the existing school stands today. Though much smaller than the present day site, the school started the legacy that is known today, 350 years on. 

In recognition of Henry Smith, each year we celebrate our Founder's Day with a token of commemoration to mark the occasion. In previous years we treated the students to sweet treats topped with the Founder's day logo, and another year we gave each student a flag to wave with pride whilst the school flagpole donned our Founder's Day flag. 2025 brought the milestone of 350 years and to acknowledge this, we gave every student a leather bonded commemorative bookmark embossed with the 350 and Founder's Day logos.

Fast forward 350 years and we are hosting our annual open morning to continue the legacy of our school and protect the rich history that promotes our establishment. A record breaking 450 families attended, hearing from Headmaster Shaun Fenton and Captains of the school for 2025-2026. Showcasing the very best of the classes, education, facilities and extra curricular offering, our staff were out in force to promote our school and welcome a new generation of students. RGS Foundation were on hand to chat to our community about the rich past of the school and how the journey at RGS doesn't end when they leave. A global network on our Reigatian Hub platform offers opportunity to engage with others professionally or simply to reconnect. From work placements to mentoring, community clubs and professional advice, our platform encourages a long lasting engagement with RGS and those that have been a part of this rich culture.