Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe

Originally established by the mayor and burgesses of the town in 1551, in the ecclesiastical premises previously acquired by Sir Edmund Peckham (c. 1495 – 1564) during the Dissolution of the Monasteries,[6] the school received its Royal charter in 1562 (which still survives today at the school's current location). It was based in the buildings of the former Hospital of St John the Baptist in the town centre until 1883. After the old hospital was demolished, the school was moved to new buildings nearby for a short time, and was moved to its current location in 1915.

The school expanded greatly under the headmastership of Edmund Tucker from 1933 to 1964, celebrating the 400th anniversary of its Royal Charter in 1962 with a visit from Queen Elizabeth II. To commemorate the visit, the school's main hall became Queen's Hall and bore an engraving to mark the occasion. In 1997 a new building was erected (the Language Block) entirely dedicated to the teaching of languages, which was opened by the Duchess of Gloucester.

There are several Royal Grammar School sites in the UK, of which High Wycombe, Colchester, Clitheroe and Lancaster have maintained their grammar school status, whilst Guildford, Newcastle upon Tyne and Worcester are now privately funded, independent schools.

In 2006, tabloid accusations against then-headmaster Timothy Dingle led to an independent investigation. The school's governors concluded that he should be dismissed for "gross misconduct", but he had already resigned to take the position of head at a private school in Argentina. Dingle did not take up the position.[7][8]

In 2016, the school made national headlines after a question set in a practice maths test by a volunteer (a retired teacher) was deemed homophobic after it stated "marriage is between one man and one woman, as God intended when he made humans male and female". The school immediately withdrew the practice test when informed of the question by students. Headmaster Philip Wayne apologised "on behalf of the whole school community of governors, staff and boys" and said the volunteer who set the question would not be returning.[9][10]

The Headmaster is Philip Wayne, who was Headmaster of Chesham Grammar School for eight years before joining RGSHW.[11] He succeeded Roy Page in September 2015.[11]

In order to gain entry to the school, pupils from primary schools in the local area are invited to do an entrance exam, the eleven-plus exam.[12] RGS admits 182 day boys each year and 10 boarding boys. Entry for boarding is somewhat different, with the school having extra requirements for applications such as interviews beyond the 11+ exam requirement.[13] Prospective boys who did not take the 11+ (e.g. those who join in later years or those who come from different counties or countries not taking the 11+) also take the school's own entry tests, consisting of a test in both their Mathematics and English subject abilities.[14]

Though primarily a day school, some pupils have boarded at the school since the 1800s.[15] For most of the 20th century, boarders were lodged in one of three boarding houses: School House, a purpose-built residence on the school premises, and Uplyme and Tyler's Wood, two converted private houses located near the school. In September 1999 the entire boarding facility was consolidated into the newly built Fraser Youens Boarding House.[16] It incorporates en-suite bedrooms, communication technology, three resident Housemasters and a committee of House Tutors.[17] It has room for 70 resident boys,[15] who stay throughout the week and return home for weekends. This facility enables pupils to attend RGS, who would otherwise be unable to: pupils from Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan, Kenya, Russia and Singapore reside in Fraser Youens. The house is named after alumni Ian Edward Fraser and Frederick Youens, who were awarded the Victoria Cross during the Second World War and First World War respectively.

RGS also has a sixth form which the majority of boys in lower years will continue onto. The sixth form have their own private mezzanine within the school grounds where they can do private study. All RGS boys joining the sixth form are expected to study 4 A Levels for the first year and then at the second year drop one or continue with all 4. External students can join the school for just the sixth form but face strict entry requirements to do so, having taken 8 GCSEs (grades 5-9) and achieving a grade 6 or above in 7 of those (including Mathematics & English).[14]

The school has over 120 classrooms, a large multi-purpose hall named "the Queen's Hall",[19] four ICT rooms with computers for boys use, several art workshops and technology labs, an interactive library, two large sports fields, an indoor swimming pool, sports hall,[20] a canteen, modern language block and a three floor science block.

A music centre was opened in late 2004, improving the school's music facilities, including the ability to now offer A Level boys the subject Music Technology. Amongst the many extracurricular activities, boys can participate in the on-site Combined Cadet Force,[21] the Public Speaking Society, music and orchestras, drama, social service, fencing and a very large variety of sports. The school has two very large playing fields for its sporting use. The RGS also has its own .22 25 yard indoor range which is used by the shooting team of the school.

In winter 2010, building work started on the Shaping Our Destiny campaign, a large-scale plan produced by the school's senior staff and board of governors to expand and renovate existing facilities. Phase I was completed in June 2011, and the new Sixth Form Mezzanine opened in 2012. The whole campaign added extra maths classrooms, improved Sixth Form study facilities and school changing rooms, added more toilets and expanded the fitness/gym suite.

In 2013, planning permission for an All Weather Pitch was granted, and in 2014, work began raising £1m to fund the creation of this 3G floodlit pitch,[22] a new grass pitch, which was completed in April 2016,[23] and also to renovate the 100-year-old Main Block classrooms. As of November 2019, 8 classrooms in the Main Block have been renovated, and another has been converted into the 'Student Hub'. So far, four History, three English and one Geography classrooms have been renovated; all complete with a large flat-screen, sliding whiteboard panels, automatic lights, economical lights, a computer for the teacher, new carpeting and paint, and new furniture.

Alumni of the RGS are known as Old Wycombiensians, or OWs, and include Chris Grayling,[38] former UK Secretary of State for Transport, the singers Ian Dury and Howard Jones,[39] the comedian Jimmy Carr[12] and the philosopher Roger Scruton.[40] The Old Wycombiensians' Committee hosts an annual reunion dinner for Old Wycombiensians at the RGS. Notable sporting alumni include former England rugby union player Matt Dawson and sprinter Martin Gillingham.

T. S. Eliot taught for a term at the school in the autumn of 1915.[41]

• In 2001, the school was used as one of the sets in the 2001 thriller film The Hole, as a county prison. Various scenes were also filmed inside the school's old boarding house.
• In 2003, the school was thrown back into history when it served as the location for two seasons of the television series That'll Teach 'em for Channel 4. The school was re-branded as "King's Grammar School" and took thirty sixteen-year-olds for a summer of '50s style boarding school education. This first series was nominated for a BAFTA. The second series saw thirty sixteen-year-olds of lesser academic achievement experience '60s style Secondary Modern School education; in this case the school was re-branded "Hope Green Secondary Modern". However, different parts of the school were used in each series, giving the impression that the school used in the second series was not that used in the first.
• On 1 May 2009 BBC TV show Top Gear recorded at the school. They filmed in the Quadrangle (teacher's car park) against the old main building and clock tower for a segment where Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May were undertaking the challenge, Finding the perfect car for 17-year-olds.[42] Clarkson used a Volvo estate, Hammond a Hyundai S-Coupe and May a Volkswagen Golf. The episode was aired in June 2009.[43]
• In 2011 the corridors of the same building appeared in the opening and closing scenes of the BBC Documentary series, Our War, in which current history teacher and CCF leader Bjorn Rose talks about the tragic loss of comrade Chris Gray during his service for the British Army in Afghanistan.[44]

• List of Victoria Crosses by School
• List of English and Welsh endowed schools (19th century)

• RGS Website