A Virtual Welcome to Reigate St Mary’s (RSM)
When families visit us, they often comment on the school’s warm and friendly atmosphere and the happiness of the children. School days here are full of exciting activities, both inside the classrooms and outside in our wonderful grounds – there is always something imaginative and fun happening!
Under normal circumstances, we would be delighted to invite you in to experience this wonderful buzz for yourself. However, in view of the current situation, we are unable to run our usual programme of open mornings and individual tours during the school day. Instead, we hope the videos, photographs and interactive map below will go some way to giving you an insight into the education, supportive ethos and strong community that makes Reigate St Mary’s such a special place to be.
You will already have been in contact with Jenny Myddleton, our Admissions Officer and she is on hand to guide you through each step of the entry process. For 2021 entrants, she is very happy to arrange an out of hours tour of the school site and Zoom or Microsoft Teams meetings with myself and other key members of staff. She will be in touch with you shortly to answer any further questions you may have after your virtual visit.
Marcus Culverwell
Headmaster
Upper School at RSM
In Upper School, children receive an inspirational and exciting education that prepares them not only for senior school, but for a happy, fulfilled and socially responsible life well beyond.
Pupils have busy days filled with exciting and creative lessons, trips, visiting speakers and workshops. We develop them into confident, resilient and creative young people who will one day become leaders who care deeply about a sustainable and equitable future for everyone. We do this by providing:
- A stimulating and tailored curriculum with a problem-solving approach to learning
- A breadth of study that celebrates non-core subjects alongside English and maths.
- An outstanding teaching team and excellent staff ratios giving them time to get to know each individual child and provide support and stretch when needed.
- Significant and ongoing investment in the latest technology to future proof learning
- Acres of green space and an emphasis on outdoor learning
- A comprehensive extracurricular programme at lunchtimes and after school.
- A focus on Education for Social Responsibility which includes community outreach, sustainability and teamwork
- A welcoming school community where children and families feel a sense of belonging
Welcome from Head of Lower School
As Head of Lower School, I love to see the children grow and develop and an important part of my role at RSM is to get to know each one of them really well as they progress through the year groups. I like to build genuine partnerships with parents too and most mornings and afternoons you will find me at the school gate or in the playground, as a familiar face to greet Early Years families. I am always available in person or on the phone to talk through worries or concerns and I host termly coffee mornings for each year group, so parents have a regular forum to discuss different aspects of life at the school.
I work with a fantastic team of warm and caring teachers and teaching assistants. We focus on making sure each child feels happy and secure because ultimately, we know that happy children learn. The days in Early Years are filled with exciting adventures designed to harness the children’s natural curiosity and make them enthusiastic learners, eager to come to school. Our wonderful classrooms and dedicated Early Years playgrounds, as well as a whole 15 acres of trim trails and nature areas, provide endless hours of fun and enjoyment as well as excellent learning opportunities.
Sport at RSM from RSM on Vimeo.
Opportunities to Perform
We provide as many opportunities as possible for the children to perform throughout the school year. Our busy programme of events ranges from small informal concerts and assemblies to large musical productions and end of year celebrations. Parents are always warmly invited to attend.
Harvest, Remembrance Day, Carol and Easter Services: Take place in St Mary’s Church opposite the school and the children have the opportunity to read, sing and play instruments.
Lower School Christmas Nativities: Green Shoots, Kindergarten, Reception and Years 1&2 perform in wonderfully festive shows.
The Upper School Christmas Concert: A delightful evening of song, dance and instrumental music in our spacious sports hall
The Year 5&6 musical production: Always of an exceptionally high standard, every child in Year 6 has a speaking part. Year 5 provide the singing chorus. Recent shows have included Rock Bottom and Ali Baba & The Bongo Bandits.
End of Year Celebrations: Each year group invites parents to an end of year celebration which has a variety of wonderful individual and group performances and recordings from throughout the year. Parents and children always enjoy looking back over the highlights.
Class Assemblies: Each class in the Upper School takes an assembly once a year to which parents are invited. It is usually in the form of a short play and song relating to their learning. Year 6 leaders take assemblies and many other children also either perform, speak or play their musical instruments weekly.
Interhouse Poetry, Public Speaking and Music Competitions: Always competitive and great fun, the children love to perform to gain points for their House.
Choirs: There are several choirs in the Upper School, and they perform regularly at school events and in the wider community.
Choristers: Our choristers perform Matins and Evensong twice weekly as well as singing at many outside events and occasions.
Within the community: Pupils have the chance to perform in external events such as the Redhill & Reigate Music Festival, Loveworks charity concerts in association with St Mary’s Church or to residents at Eversfield Care Home in Reigate.
A Typical Winter Week at RSM from RSM on Vimeo.
RSM Online
At Reigate St Mary’s the curriculum has always been carefully tailored to the individual needs of our children and is the cornerstone of the excellent academic outcomes we achieve year on year. Our RSM Online programme is designed to ensure that this high standard of education and pace of learning is maintained whilst the children are learning at home.
The school once again smoothly transitioned to RSM Online in January 2021, building upon the successful experiences of last year and using the same fundamental principles of learning that RSM’s excellent academic reputation is built upon.
RSM Online provides a sensible balance of live and recorded lessons, alongside practical learning opportunities to maximise the children’s outcomes. Our blend ensures families have flexibility and children have some much-needed time away from screens. As closely as possible, the children follow the same bespoke curriculum they would follow if they were onsite. It is tailored to the strengths, current position and future potential of each child, just as it would be if the children were in school. We value all the subjects within the RSM curriculum and continue to teach the full breadth within the RSM Online programme.
Wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do at RSM whether the children are at school or learning online. We believe that happy children learn, and the online timetable has carefully planned sessions throughout the week to support wellbeing and plenty of opportunities for virtual interaction with teachers and classmates. Children also need to have plenty of fresh air so playing outside is encouraged as an essential part of good mental health.
Our industry leading platforms facilitate the delivery of RSM Online and the all-important continuous dialogue between teachers and pupils. Teachers review every piece of work daily and are available during the school day to provide support after live lessons and form times.
Grounds and Play Areas
Our 15-acre site is a short walk from Reigate town centre and railway station.
The children love to explore the many playgrounds, dens and nature areas and there is a firm emphasis on learning outside.
“Many a time I have observed children do something outside that they had yet to achieve inside. That sense of space for many young children is key.”
Sam Selkirk
Sport
The children play a variety of sports including rugby, hockey, football, netball, cricket and athletics. In the Upper School there are two full afternoons a week dedicated to games and there are regular fixtures and tournaments throughout the school year.
Our 15-acre site provides ample space for sport with four football and rugby pitches, two multi-purpose courts, an artificial cricket strip and a 200-metre grass running track. We also have a fantastic, fully equipped sports hall to further develop skills in both PE and games. Reigate Grammar School’s impressive sports ground at Hartswood is a short distance away and children in Year 5 and 6 also make use of the excellent facilities there.
Swimming lessons begin in Reception and continue throughout the school to Year 6. Dedicated, specialist games teachers work hard to find a sport that each child enjoys and our after-school electives programme gives the children the chance to develop their skills even further.
Green Shoots
Children join Green Shoots in either September or January of the academic year in which they turn 3 (depending on when their birthday falls in the year). Our Green Shoots team has been in place for many years and the staff know how important it is for children to feel safe and loved. Lots of time is spent getting to know each child individually and forming the strong bonds that are so vital for their wellbeing. It is important that families feel a sense of belonging too and staff are always available to talk and to provide reassurance whenever necessary.
There is a focus on developing the children’s independence and having lots of fun. Green Shoots go outside at every opportunity and have their own dedicated play area as well as making full use of the school’s wonderful grounds. They particularly enjoy the regular Forest School sessions.
Kindergarten
Children move into Kindergarten in September of the academic year in which they turn 4.
Exciting topics bring learning to life for the Kindergarten children and there continues to be an emphasis on learning through play. Creative activities are great fun and encourage the children’s gross and fine motor skills as well as building the essential foundations for reading and writing. Technology in the classroom supports and enhances learning and the children love to use Easipeak microphones and recordable whiteboards as well as coding Codapillars and mark making on lightboxes.
Kindergarten is very much a part of the whole school. There is a joined-up curriculum and the children are involved in sports days, assemblies and performances. They become familiar with routines, staff and buildings so the transition to Reception is seamless as they already belong to the school community.
Reception
Children join Reception in September of the academic year in which they turn 5.
Reception follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum which cultivates thinking skills by developing the characteristics of effective learning. The children are encouraged to be Have a Go Hippos, Choosing Chimps and Busy Bees
We never forget that children learn 10% of what they read, 15% of what they hear, but 80% of what they experience, and the teachers carefully design purposeful activities with this in mind.
Years 1 & 2
Key Stage 1
To ensure a smooth transition, Year 1 teachers spend time with the Reception classes, so the children are familiar with them by the time they move up in September.
There is a gradual shift from child initiated to adult led activities in Year 1. Exciting lessons develop strong reading and writing skills and the children continue to be encouraged to learn effectively using the familiar characteristics of Have a Go Hippo, Choosing Chimp and Busy Bee.
Throughout Key Stage 1 the children grow in confidence. By the time they complete Year 2, they have the skills to question and challenge, take risks, persevere and learn from mistakes – essential foundations for successful future learning.
We know that happy children learn, so looking after their emotional wellbeing remains a priority. We also recognise the importance of fresh air and the children have plenty of time during the day to play outside in the grounds with their friends.
Drama
Drama at RSM explores all aspects of the subject, from improvisation to stage craft, performance poetry to mime/movement, and characterisation to devised pieces. The children continue to benefit from an exciting curriculum as they move into Upper School and the school production is the highlight of the RSM Drama year.
In Lower School, drama is delivered alongside the English curriculum. The children explore literature and language through role play and have many opportunities to perform throughout the school year in regular assemblies, informal recitals and seasonal shows.
Perhaps the highlight of the RSM Drama year is the Upper School production. Years 5 & 6 pupils perform an exciting upbeat musical and commit to extremely disciplined rehearsals for many weeks beforehand. The standard is always extremely high, and everyone thoroughly enjoys collaborating to bring together a full-scale show. Confidence blossoms and it is always wonderful to see children, who may be initially reticent, performing on stage with poise and self-assurance.
STEM
Computing
Children need to be ready for fast moving, flexible workplaces of the future and it is therefore essential that strong computing, coding and robotic skills are taught right from the very beginning of their time at school.
At RSM we have a well-equipped PC suite where children from Kindergarten upwards learn the fundamentals of communicating, creating and managing information as well as the safe use of the internet and 3D design. Coding and robotics form a fundamental part of the curriculum and the children can really engage with this in our dedicated Mac suite. The school regularly enters teams in the global robotics challenge, First Lego League, and have been national finalist many times.
However, technology is not just confined to the computing suites. It is used in every area of learning throughout the school and classrooms are exciting and inspiring places where the children use a variety of software and hardware, such as iPads, recordable whiteboards and digital cameras, to expand their learning.
Science
Science starts in Kindergarten with textures, magnifying glasses and lots of fun. As the children move up the school, they are encouraged to be inquisitive and hands on investigation is a fundamental part of every science lesson. By the time they reach Year 6, the children can confidently dissect a heart, not only to study the physiology of the organ, but also to develop the hands-on skills to investigate a complex structure and the research skills to analyse how it beats.
Science Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM)
STEM is a curriculum which draws together science, technology, engineering and maths into practical lessons that teach children to be creative problem solvers. STEM lessons begin in Early Years with activities that help the children to think outside the box. By Year 5 and 6 the children are having timetabled weekly STEM classes and the skills and attitude to learning they acquire carry over into other lessons with a particularly positive impact on problem solving in maths.
Music
From Green Shoots to Year 6, music is taught by our specialist teacher, Mrs Whitehead using the Kodaly philosophy. This develops the children’s musical skills using the voice as the principle instrument. Lessons are always practical and fun.
The children initially play lots of musical games involving short songs and carefully chosen instruments which teach them pulse, rhythm, pitch and structure. When ready, they begin to use non-standard forms of notation (specifically designed to support standard notation but more accessible to younger children).
Once the children have mastered skills such as reading, writing, singing and part-singing using this, they seamlessly transition to a more topic-based approach to music in Upper School which is linked to their learning in other subjects.
Individual music lessons are available in a wide range of instruments and there are plenty of opportunities for the children to perform at assemblies, informal concerts and musical evenings.
Choristers
Reigate St Mary’s is one of only 46 schools in Great Britain who are members of The Choir Schools’ Association. Life as a chorister is busy but fulfilling and rewarding. It provides a unique musical education and experience and is probably the best musical training any child can receive. By the time they leave the choir, the choristers are proficient sight readers and confident performers with a knowledge of a vast repertoire of beautiful music. Choristers learn to perform at a professional level at a young age, quickly developing confidence, self-discipline, focus and time management skills which will stay with them for life. They form a strong team bond and make lasting friendships, often enduring for many years after they have left the choir.
The choir sings regularly at concerts and special events. They performed at the opening of the Rugby World Cup in 2015 and have sung evensong in many of the UK’s beautiful cathedrals, including Winchester, Wells, Hereford and St Paul’s. The choristers also sing at The Worshipful Company Cutlers’ Boar’s Feast every December in the City of London.
Children can audition to be choristers from the age of eight.
Below is a recording of ‘Look to the Day’ performed by the Choristers at St Mary’s Church prior to lockdown.
Spanish
The children absolutely love their Spanish lessons with Miss Maria. Her classes are full of songs, rhymes and fun activities and the children participate enthusiastically. As a native Spanish speaker, Miss Maria is a passionate Spanish teacher and helps the children to develop a love of languages throughout their time at RSM. (French is available as an after-school club).
Extracurricular at RSM
With over fifty clubs on offer, there are extracurricular clubs to suit everyone. Children are encouraged to enjoy a rich variety of these activities which take place during lunchtimes and after school. Music, dance, drama, team and individual sport, art, chess, martial arts and robotics are just a few examples of the clubs provided. They help the children to develop a range of interests and, above all, to have fun with their friends.
