Foundation
The School dates its foundation from 1509 when Robert Beckingham, a Freeman of the City of London, left a bequest in his will to establish a free school in Guildford, Surrey.
The Tudor school house at the top of the High Street .
The Chained Library. The chaining of books to shelves traditionally allowed valuable books to be placed in communal areas for public to use rather than being locked away..
In 1958, the construction of the New Building on Allen House Field begins.
1552.
In 1512 the first governing body was formed and in 1552, By Royal Appointment, King Edward VI ordered that there was to be ‘one Grammar School in Guildford called the Free Grammar School of King Edward VI for the education, institution and instruction of boys and youths in Grammar at all future times forever to endure’.
1555.
Three years later, in 1555, the High Street site in Guildford was acquired, which remains the location of the main school to this day. The architectural heart of RGS has remained unchanged for over 500 years: an outstanding and unspoilt Tudor school house that sits at the top of the High Street. It represents one of Guildford’s proudest historic landmarks and one of Britain’s finest educational institutions.
Ever since, the Tudor rose has symbolized RGS and the School’s pride in its royal origins. This is wholly fitting for an institution whose architectural heart lies in its historic Tudor buildings and where the royal charter is still proudly displayed today.
Over the centuries the RGS acquired further buildings and playing fields, and endured a devastating fire in the 1960s in the Old Building, in which most of the original school documents, including the original King Edward VI’s Charter was sadly destroyed. Nevertheless, the School and its spirit persevered and the building was restored impeccably.
King Edward VI’s Charter was sadly destroyed. Nevertheless, the School and its spirit persevered and the building was restored impeccably.
1977.
In 1977, the School withdrew from the state sector and became an independent, fee-paying school, this was followed a year later by the acquisition of the prestigious and very successful Lanesborough Preparatory School, also in Guildford.
The School continues to grow and flourish, whilst retaining its proud historic roots and traditions. Over the centuries, RGS has continued to be a flagship for outstanding education and has established a national and international reputation for academic excellence.
In recent years the School has forged partnerships with United World Schools and has developed links with a school in Cambodia, which RGS helped to build, and with two schools in Besisahar, Nepal.
RGS International Family.
The 18th September 2016, will remain one of the most significant dates in the history of the RGS with the opening of The Royal Grammar School Guildford Qatar. Invited by the Qatari Government as part of Qatar’s ‘Outstanding Schools’ programme and the Qatar National Vision for Education 2030, the Senior Management Team (SMT) and Governors in Guildford have been heavily involved in the School’s development. The team regularly visits Qatar to ensure that the buildings, facilities and levels of tuition are of the same high quality as our two schools in the UK.
The School further expanded its reach with the opening of other overseas schools including RGS Dubai in the UAE, RGS Muscat in Oman, and RGS Nanjing in China. All the overseas schools provide the same outstanding curriculum based on traditional values of decency and respect, supported by exceptional pastoral care and a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities.