History
The Rochester Grammar School has a unique history. It was opened in 1888 under the Endowed School’s Act of 1869 which allowed the charitable trustees of the Bridge Wardens to donate the necessary funds for a girls’ grammar school. It was progressive even then, pioneering higher education for girls and its reputation has grown over the years. It is characterised by high expectations and the pursuit of personal excellence. Each year they celebrate their founding with a special service at Rochester Cathedral. In 1990 the school moved to a new site and since then it has grown in size to over 1100 students. The school is a combined Mathematics/ICT and Music specialist school, the first nationally. There are nearly 300 in the sixth form, including (since 2004) male students. The school’s mission statement is “Furthering Excellence through support, encouragement and achievement”.
In November 2010 the RGS became an “Academy of Excellence” under the Government’s academy programme for outstanding schools. The school has facilities including interactive whiteboards in all classrooms, network and wireless ICT, a sixth form centre, a newly built and hi-tech teaching and training suite 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 RGS has a flexible and unique curriculum, which includes early entry to advanced level studying and the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. The school claims to have a commitment to the highest standards in teaching, attaining independence and lifelong learning.
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“Every literary critic believes he will outwit history and have the last word.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“We don’t know when our name came into being or how some distant ancestor acquired it. We don’t understand our name at all, we don’t know its history and yet we bear it with exalted fidelity, we merge with it, we like it, we are ridiculously proud of it as if we had thought it up ourselves in a moment of brilliant inspiration.”
—Milan Kundera (b. 1929)
“As I am, so shall I associate, and so shall I act; Caesar’s history will paint out Caesar.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)