The Rochester Grammar School

About the School

The Rochester Grammar School Mission: “Transforming life chances”

The Rochester Grammar School (RGS) is a heavily oversubscribed seven 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. In November 2010 the school became an “Academy of Excellence” under the government‘s academy programme for outstanding schools. In June 2012 All Faiths‘ Children‘s Community School became an academy and formed a Multi Academy Trust with the RGS, forming “The Thinking Schools Academy Trust”. This Trust is now highly successful and expanding in both Medway and in Portsmouth.

The school has excellent facilities, including interactive whiteboards in all classrooms, network and wireless ICT, a sixth form centre, a two newly built and hi–tech teaching and training suites 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. The latest new suite has six air conditioned new classrooms, a teacher training facility and a conference room with video conferencing installed. It is named after our first headmistress “The Elizabeth Easton Suite”.

In the sixth form The Rochester Grammar School delivers the International Baccalaureate diploma as an IBO World School. They 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 Rochester Grammar School is a National Support School and a National Teaching School.

Leadership and Management
The Senior Leadership Team is currently composed of the Trust Chief Executive Officer, Principal, two Vice–Principals and three Assistant Principals. The Trust Chief Executive Officer is a National Leader of Education. The Rochester Grammar School l has an extended senior leadership team of Associate leaders. 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 and then access to a range of appropriate courses by the end of Year 11.

Care and Support
The pastoral system is inextricably linked to the ethos “Every child achieves”. 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 12 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 they were graded as “outstanding” and were praised for their commitment to the highest standards in teaching and learning. The Rochester Grammar School aims to create a working environment where all students can think independently and engage enthusiastically with their own learning.

Equal Opportunities and High Expectations
Equal opportunities for all students continue 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.