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Home | About RGS Surrey Hills

About RGS Surrey Hills

Welcome to RGS Surrey Hills, where education extends beyond the curriculum. As a proud member of the Reigate Grammar School Group of Schools, we create a holistic and personalised learning experience that promotes inclusivity and aspiration. This is a local school in a global village. Students from the local area form a lovely, kind, caring community. As they move towards the Sixth Form, our community is enriched by new friends, classmates who join us from around the globe, enabling a distinctive, rich international experience, preparing today’s children to inherit the world.

 

Every student’s individuality is cherished. 

Hayley Robinson, Headmistress

Hayley Headshot

Our Prospectus

As a proud founder member of Round Square, we embrace the educational philosophy of Kurt Hahn. Round Square’s pillars – Internationalism, Democracy, Environmental concern, Adventure, Leadership, and Service (IDEALS) – are central to our educational approach.

We provide a holistic education, helping students find identity, meaning, and purpose through connections to the community, the natural world, and humanitarian values. This is achieved through a wide range of activities, including sports, creative arts, service, outward bound pursuits, and democratic participation, alongside academic learning. We are academically ambitious for the children to achieve qualifications that open doors of opportunity, and we aim to be the first choice for those who understand that education is about growing the whole child.

On top of this, we are pleased to have been invited to join HMC, the exclusive association of leading independent schools from across the UK.

Round Square

Round Square is a global association of schools preparing students for life beyond education, offering experiences that demand courage, generosity, imagination, principle, and resolution.

Opportunities with Round Square:

  • Service Projects: Our students have participated in service projects in South Africa, partnering with the Good Work Foundation.
  • Student Exchanges: We offer student exchanges within our international Round Square network, primarily for Year 10 and Year 12 students.

 

Our History

Established in 1959 by Roy McComish, RGS Surrey Hills (formerly known as Box Hill School) has a rich history. As a founding member of Round Square, we have always provided a supportive yet challenging environment. Our main building, Dalewood House, designed by Victorian architect John Norton, is a masterpiece of architectural beauty with a storied past, including service during World War II.

 

FAQs

Is RGS Surrey Hills a private school?

Yes. RGS Surrey Hills is a private school in Surrey — a fee-paying independent secondary school and sixth form. Families comparing private schools in Dorking, Leatherhead and across Surrey value its small size, where every student is known as an individual.

Is RGS Surrey Hills part of the Reigate Grammar School Group?

Yes. RGS Surrey Hills is proudly part of the Reigate Grammar School Family of Schools. Being part of the Group means students benefit from shared expertise, high standards and a wider network of opportunities, alongside sister schools including Chinthurst, Micklefield, Reigate St Mary’s, St Christopher’s and RGS International.

What are the school's values and ethos?

RGS Surrey Hills is relationship-focused and internationally minded, guided by the Round Square IDEALS of Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership and Service. Academic challenge sits alongside exceptional pastoral care and a genuine sense of belonging, with students from Surrey, across the UK and more than 30 countries.

Is RGS Surrey Hills the right fit for my child?

RGS Surrey Hills is ideal for students who thrive in a supportive environment where they are encouraged to be ambitious, curious and confident. Whether a child excels academically, enjoys sport, loves the arts or simply benefits from smaller class sizes and individual attention, families often tell us their children quickly develop a strong sense of belonging.

What does RGS Surrey Hills offer at secondary level?

As a senior school in Surrey, RGS Surrey Hills teaches students from Year 7 through GCSEs and on to A Level or the IB in the Sixth Form. It is a popular senior school in Dorking and the surrounding area, with small classes and a broad, flexible curriculum.

What academic pathways are available?

Students progress through GCSEs before choosing either A Levels or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in the Sixth Form. This flexibility allows every student to follow the pathway best suited to their strengths, interests and future aspirations.

What are class sizes like?

Our deliberately small class sizes allow teachers to know every student well, providing personalised support, meaningful feedback and the confidence for students to participate fully in lessons.

What support do students receive?

Alongside excellent teaching, students benefit from dedicated tutors, experienced pastoral staff and a culture built around kindness, wellbeing and academic ambition.

What is Round Square?

RGS Surrey Hills is proud to be a Round Square school, giving students international opportunities, leadership experiences, service projects and exchanges that develop global awareness, resilience and character.

What opportunities are available beyond the classroom?

Students enjoy a wide range of opportunities including sport, music, drama, leadership, Duke of Edinburgh, outdoor learning, international exchanges and Round Square activities, helping every student discover their passions and develop confidence beyond academic study.

What sports does RGS Surrey Hills offer?

Sport is central to life at RGS Surrey Hills. Students can take part in more than 20 sports, from football, hockey and netball to golf, equestrian and athletics. Teams compete locally and nationally, with recent success including national football titles.