Reigate School


Reigate School is a state secondary school in the town of Reigate, Surrey, England, for students from the ages of 11 till the age of 16. The current headteacher of the school is Mr Matt Alexander.

Ofsted Inspections

During the 2012 Ofsted inspections of 2012/2013, Reigate School was ranked an 'Outstanding School'. The Ofsted report stated: "Reigate is an outstanding school where students make exceptional progress to reach very high standards from average starting points."

Location

Reigate School's central location in the centre of Reigate and Redhill, Surrey, makes it ideal for many students, and the school has a catchment area of about 2.5 km. The nearest state-owned secondary schools to it include The Warwick School, Redhill and Oakwood School, Horley, and is in a partnership with these two schools and 6 other schools known as the Warwick partnership, which allows teachers to train at all these various schools. The school is also a feeder school into Reigate College, a very popular Sixth Form college in Reigate, Surrey, which makes it very popular with parents living nearby.

GCSE Courses Offered

Reigate School offers a wide choice of GCSEs for students to select from. Students study all subjects from Years 7-8, and where in Year 9 this would have continued, the school is now changing the system so students pick their options in Year 8 and study their selected subjects from Year 9 onwards. The school's core subjects which all students must study, as well as the exam boards used, include:
From 2016, Students will also be made to study one language, from either French or Spanish and one humanity, from either History or Geography. All students are encouraged to study via the EBACC route, however, this is not compulsory. Other option subjects offered include:
On top of all the listed subjects, Students also have the choice to take additional GCSEs, such as Astronomy or Media Studies after School. Although this will require them to stay in school additional time every week, it allows students to learn new skills, and could help them make better career choices in the future. Students who are fluent in another foreign language not offered at the school such as Hindi, German or Mandarin may also take the GCSE in that subject if they are ready to give up some free time, however it is well worth it for students who do. Overall, the average student will end up with 11 GCSE certificates by the time they finish school.

Facilities and Amenities

Reigate School has many facilities throughout including Astro Turf, Tennis Courts, a dedicated Food Technology Block and many more different options for students to learn from.

Main Building

The main reception leads to the main Hall in which Assemblies for students are held, Parents' Evenings occur once in the year, and pupils have their Lunch during the 12.25-13.00 lunch period. During the summer term, students are also able to have lunch on the school field, located behind the Mathematics Department. Behind this main hall is also a canteen which provides one of three options for students to get lunch; a faster self-service option is located on the other side of the main hall. The school canteen serves many different meals, including breakfast in the morning, and is operated by Surrey County Council. On the ground floor of this section is the Modern Foreign Languages Department, the School offers several languages including French and Spanish and the department consists of six Modern Foreign Languages classrooms. The Humanities department can be found on first floor of the main building and includes History and Geography classrooms. The main school building forms a square-like shape, which can be seen on the satellite view of Google Maps with a courtyard and playground located in the centre of the main building. To the left of this area is the Religious Education Department, with RE being one of the core subjects offered by the school. To the west of the main hall, located on another corridor, is the Performing Arts Department, with Music, Dance and Drama being several options available to students. Two multi-use classrooms can also be found here, known as D1 and D2, which host a variety of different activities such as the School Council Meetings and staff reunions; these rooms are also used as form rooms during the registration period which takes place from 8.45 to 9.05. The Drama and Dance studios both have fairly modern equipment, including Laser Lights, several other lighting options including Spotlights and even a disco ball. Performances for Dance and Drama are also often performed in the main hall with big performances such as the 'Youth Theater' musical hosted in the nearby Harlequin Theatre, Redhill . Found behind the main hall and Performing Arts Department is the Science Department. The Science Department in Reigate School covers a vast range of topics, and hosts events throughout the year, such as the Science Festival in early July. The Science Department spans all of the main corridor to the north of the School and is connected to the Performing Arts/Administration corridor, as well as the Physical Education department. In late 2009/early 2010, a new Food Technology Block was added to the north-east of the main building. Three new Science classrooms were added several years earlier, one of which was a computer room until September 2013. At the western end of the science corridor is the Physical Education Department, where PE changing rooms and the three main Gyms can be found. Exams are usually sat in the three gyms during the exam seasons for Year 10s and 11s, as well as students taking subjects such as French in advance. The three Gyms are fairly recent additions and support a huge variety of different activities, including many extra-curricular and after-school activities.

The English, Technology and Mathematics Departments

Throughout the Mid-2000s, several new building were constructed in order to accommodate the ever-increasing capacity of the school. This Included the English and Tech Block, and the Mathematics Department.

The English and Technology Building

Whilst Exiting the main School Building through either the Gymnasiums or the Exit opposite Room 6 or 7, the English Department is immediately Accessible. On the ground floor of this building, the Technology Department is a series of 4 Different classrooms including Resistant Materials Rooms, one of Many options available for GCSE, and the Graphics and Design room in front of the Staircase to go up into the English Department. The technology department is equipped with everything students need to make successful projects, and a Technology Club is available on the Wednesday Afternoon run by a notable staff member. On the first floor of the Building, is the English Department of the School. In the English Department of the School, 7 Classrooms lay parallel to each other, and have a nice view on the All Weather Surface of the School. Many clubs are run in this department, such as Debating Club and Carnegie Medal Club is also available weekly.

The Mathematics Building

After Exiting North of the English and Technology Building, the Mathematics Department is directly opposite. The Mathematics department has 6 New Mathematics Classrooms, and hosts brand new technology all throughout, including the Smart Board and several other additions. The Mathematics Classrooms have a view on the School Field, a Corridor being on the South Side of it, facing the English Block, and all classrooms have Central Heating and Large Open Windows. The building is two floors high, and offers all the support students deserve when in their math class.

The ICT and PE Buildings

In late 2010/2011, work began to construct a new PE building, featuring new changing room facilities for students, and two new classrooms for PE theory work and graphics and design. This allowed the school to expand its capacity, and meant that students have easier access to the sports facilities including the astro turf opposite. This is also after a new ICT department was added to the school in the mid-2000s, where three ICT rooms are located, and used for teaching IT, Business Studies and Computer Science, which was recently added to the curriculum starting 2015. The transformation of an old art room in the ICT Building also meant that there are two new multi-use classrooms at the end of the building, used for English, Maths and Student Support Lessons.

The Learning Resources Centre

The Learning Resources centre, or LRC for short, is the school's library centre, where students have a choice from a wide range of books available, and have many resources available to help them with their homework's. The LRC is used after school to host a Homework Club, where students can do their homework's and revise using the school's facilities. In December 2015, a new initiative by the school's Maths reps and Maths Department led to the creation of a school tuck shop in the LRC, supplying stationery to students at an inexpensive price. For example, a pencil can be bought for the small price of 10 Pence, making it easy for all students to be well equipped. The LRC is also used for lessons, where teachers read to students or students can revise for exams. The LRC offers printing facilities for students to print their work, and offers a great all-round experience.

Sports Facilities

Reigate School hosts many excellent sports facilities for students to use, including a large multi-purpose terrain and several tennis courts. The school also features a large field, which students are permitted to have lunch on in the summer months, and where PE lessons often occur in the summer. The field also features a running track, used to host running activities and contests against other schools, and also used at the school's yearly 'Sports Day'. The tennis courts located behind the School's Science Department are also used for a wide range of sports, including Tennis, Netball, Handball and more. Three gyms also make up a portion of the main building, and are used all throughout the year, as well as to hold exams during the exam seasons. The school offers a wide range of extra curricular activities, and offers something for everyone. Some examples of clubs offered at the school in 2015/2016 include:
Reigate School's Headmaster is currently Mr Alexander. Over his time at Reigate School, the school has improved significantly, and the quality of education has increased greatly, with new schemes introduced to support all students. The Deputy Head Teacher at the School is Mr Baston, and the Chair of Governors for the school, elected every four years by the local authority, is Mr N. Gout.

Uniform

Likewise to the majority of schools in Britain, Reigate School has a strict approach to uniform, ensuring students look their very best at all time. The Uniform for boys and girls varies, and all uniform is sold through Swots Shop in Reigate, Surrey. The Uniform consists of:

Boys

In the summer term, boys are also permitted to remove their jumper and instead wear a plain white polo shirt, which must be purchased from Swots.