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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

RGS Surrey Hills

11 replies

CookieG · 23/02/2026 13:24

Hi everyone,
We applied to Reigate Grammar School and my Daughter was offered a place at RGS Surrey Hills which became part of the RGS family in Sept 2025. She is on the waiting list for Reigate Grammar.
we have until the 4th March to accept or decline the offer. They offered her a scholarship which we were not expecting. Now the thing is we only saw RGS Surrey Hills briefly during her interview day and it was not one of the schools we were considering. It is a lot smaller than Reigate Grammar and doesn’t have the same facilities.
she is currently at Notre Dame Cobham and she is happy there but really wanted to get into Reigate.
Are there any other families in the same position? Can anyone give us a review of RGS Surrey Hills? Feeling a bit lost at the moment.

OP posts:
hockeyfun · 23/02/2026 13:36

It might be helpful to add that RGS Surrey Hills is Box Hill school under new ownership. I would keep her at ND and try again at 13 for RGS Reigate or wait and move her for 6th form.

NoName47 · 23/02/2026 14:32

Op, hope you don't mind but following as interested in anyone experience of RGS Surrey Hills as I'm thinking of applying for my DD.

LIZS · 23/02/2026 15:46

Whereabouts do you live as Cobham to Box Hill or Reigate is quite a trip especially at peak times.

CookieG · 23/02/2026 15:48

LIZS · 23/02/2026 15:46

Whereabouts do you live as Cobham to Box Hill or Reigate is quite a trip especially at peak times.

Hi LIZS we live in Epsom

OP posts:
LIZS · 23/02/2026 16:06

That feels like an unnecssarily long trip, although I’m sure others do it.? Is RGS Reigate your preferred first choice? Are you too late to apply for a deferred 13+ place?

CookieG · 23/02/2026 16:19

LIZS · 23/02/2026 16:06

That feels like an unnecssarily long trip, although I’m sure others do it.? Is RGS Reigate your preferred first choice? Are you too late to apply for a deferred 13+ place?

The trip from Epsom to Cobham is 9 miles 30 minutes. Notre Dame doesn’t currently have a coach service from Epsom ( even though we were promised one)
RGS Surrey Hills is about 5 miles from us and has a bus going not far from where we live so that’s a bonus. And the school seem very keen for her to join.

OP posts:
CookieG · 23/02/2026 16:25

LIZS · 23/02/2026 16:06

That feels like an unnecssarily long trip, although I’m sure others do it.? Is RGS Reigate your preferred first choice? Are you too late to apply for a deferred 13+ place?

I forgot to say yes Reigate was our first choice! Isn’t a deferred place even harder for competitive schools?

OP posts:
hockeyfun · 23/02/2026 17:51

Due to distance I would really push RGS Reigate on your WL place and say you will pay the deposit immediately if offered. There is a vast gap academically between RGS Reigate and Surrey Hills and you need to see if you are prepared to take this step. Is there anyone else from ND considering Surrey Hills because it will give you an idea of the academic level of the cohort?

Surreysliving · 23/02/2026 18:29

The two schools are quite different propositions - one is a big academic school and the other a much smaller, more nurturing and less academic school. They suit different children - what do you think is right for your child?

If you accept the Surrey Hills place, then there seems very little incentive for them to offer you an RGS place.

I assume you are aware of the history but in case not..

RGS took over Box Hill (now Surrey Hills) given its difficult financial position. The idea is to funnel the children from the feeder preps (RSM, Micklefield and Chinthurst) who don’t make the academic level required for RGS to Surrey Hills. They’ve obviously decided to extend that out RGS applicants too.

This is trickier than it might sound though given that Dunottar has traditionally served that market in Reigate (with better results/reputation/location near the feeder schools than Surrey Hills).

So RGS is super keen to make the Surrey Hills move a success. They got their fingers burnt when they bought Dunottar c15 years ago and then sold it on again. Your daughter would be part of the first few cohorts going through Surrey Hills as RGS try to turn it around - there will be pros and cons to that - how does that feel to you?

Can you try and arrange to go and visit again before you have to make a decision? Given the background, you are in a strong position to ask the Surrey Hills for more information/visits/answering of questions if you need it to make a decision. I would push hard for this - you applied for one school and have been offered another.

LIZS · 23/02/2026 18:33

Assume you also applied to Epsom College, CLFS and St Johns given your location?

Deanofvenice · 23/02/2026 20:34

Personally there is no way I'd accept a private school offer from a school I had not even applied to. Even with a scholarship, this is a significant amount of money.
RGS Surrey Hills is a very different offering. Smaller and nurturing, less academic. This will be brilliant for the right child. But you applied for Reigate. A totally different proposition.
I would keep her at Notre Dame, where you say she is happy and apply for Reigate for year 9 entry if she is still keen in year 8.
As previous poster said, I'd also be very clear with Reigate registrar that you are very keen and it is your first choice. Waiting lists do move!

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