A LETTER FROM THE HEADMASTER: Welcome to the new academic year

Dear parents and friends of RGS,

Welcome to our special edition of RGS News which contains some of the successes our students achieved on results day this summer.

We are all delighted with how our students performed at both A-level and GCSE, recording record results for the school in public examinations at both levels. Of course, Ofqual had signalled grading would return to a midpoint between grades awarded between 2019 and 2021, so we were expecting there to be a slight uplift on what might be classed as a 'normal year' such as 2019. Even so, to better 2021's results at A-level and be just a percentage or two short at GCSE was a remarkable testimony to the hard work and resilience of all our RGS students, as well as the result of the online and face-to-face support they received from teaching staff both during and after two lockdowns. My congratulations to all.


Our leavers of 2022 also achieved great success in their destinations, with a very high percentage securing places at their first choice of institution. Newcastle University, as ever, remained the most popular, but it was good to see more students heading south to destinations further afield, and also a large number taking gap years for deferred offers or evening choosing to withdraw and apply again with improved grades. For all our leavers, we wish them well, wherever life takes them.

And so to our new academic year. This week we welcomed those in Year 12 new to RGS - one third of the year group in fact - and those returning and moving on from Year 11; as well as our new Year 7 and 9 students - all happy and smiling amidst no doubt strange surroundings. Let's hope they all settle in quickly and find good friends.

To everyone else, I hope all members of the RGS community had a restful summer and feel inspired to return to school eager to learn and settle back into the rhythms of school life. We live in a world of uncertainty and a degree of crisis. We will endeavour to ensure our school remains a safe and happy place for all to thrive.

On a final note, thank you to the Friends of Ripon Grammar School, who have worked so hard organising what promises to be a spectacular Renaissance Ball at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate on November 19, featuring the New York Brass Band. Tickets will be on sale until the end of September. 

With best wishes,

Jonathan Webb

Headmaster