We receive testimonials from parents and pupils on a regular basis and are proud to share them with you here:

There is a huge range of opportunities on offer – sports, drama, sailing, CCF, the Guard – and crucially for our son, masses of music-making! The listed extracurricular programme is so impressive at the school that it can be easy to forget it is the specific teaching teams that encourage, actively promote, and go above and beyond to inspire and provide enthusiasm to try something new and see where that takes you. All abilities are catered for and the gifted stretched. 

RHS excels at its full boarding offering. They provide a variety of activities which the pupils can relax and enjoy, which enables the various year groups to gel as one house/school community.

Our son arrived at the school underconfident. He is now both a foot taller in height and confident in his own abilities. He contributes far more to school life than he ever did at his prep school. His confidence has been built by his housemaster encouraging him to try new things. CCF is giving him the opportunity to be in the Guard and the recognition/merits to encourage him to keep up the effort at his studies.

 

The food is apparently "better than home" both in terms of quantity, quality and choice. My 15-year old is, at the age, where the entire contents of the fridge can be emptied in a day, so for him to be content with the quantity is impressive.

What I truly value is the knowledge that three key people are looking out for my child; their houseparent's, matrons and tutor. Equally, the school encourages and rewards those pupils who look out for each other.

We are impressed with the diversity within both staff and parent body - from different backgrounds/outlooks but all determined to give the pupils the best educational experience. There is a good mixture of local families and UK and International boarders with no cluster from any one country.
 

Our son is able and has achieved well so far (all GCSEs at 7+, including six 9s) and that is not at all unusual among his peers. There has never been a sense that he hasn’t been challenged or stretched, and provision for the most able – of whom there are many – is excellent. Those who have aspirations towards Oxbridge and other top universities are well advised and supported, and pupils are encouraged to look at all options for the their life beyond RHS. 

RHS is an exceptional school, and has been absolutely the right place for our son. The site, the quality of teaching, the ethos and the opportunities offered combine to make up a unique experience which is hard to beat, for the right child. The day he leaves will be an enormous wrench for us all, and our gratitude for his time at RHS will stay with us all.

The Music Department is a powerhouse, putting on numerous high quality concerts and performances which attract large audiences. The Chapel has one of Europe’s finest romantic organs, the choir is 80-strong, and the sound of whole-school services has to be heard to be believed.

 

We cannot emphasise enough the exceptional opportunities on offer. With the Chapel Choir, our son has sung at St Paul’s Cathedral, St John’s College Cambridge, St Martin in the Fields, St Edmundsbury Cathedral, and at various large churches and venues in New York on tour. He has been taught organ by some of the finest organists in the country, on one of the biggest organs in Europe . 

We have been constantly in awe of the dedication, commitment and expertise of our son’s teachers and support staff. They work incredibly hard, and will do whatever they can to enable their students to achieve their potential. They are also interested in their pupils as people, and take the time to get to know them well 

The food is excellent, there is always plenty of it, and as far as we know it’s very balanced. There are always snacks (healthy and otherwise!) available in house. Pupils are busy, and use up lots of energy during the day, and the school seems to take a sensible approach to ensuring that they have fuel! 

The house system works extremely well, for both day and boarding pupils. The transition to senior houses in Y8 enables pupils to build friendship groups, find their identity, and get to know people from other year groups. House staff are superb, and any problems are dealt with smoothly. The tutor system works well and tutors are in regular contact – not just when there are problems. 

The school has a more ‘comprehensive’ intake and is less selective than its nearby competitors, which makes for a healthily diverse school community. 

The most wholesome aspect is the recognition, acceptance, confidence and comfort that sits with all students and their peers as they feel recognised, appreciated and seen for who they are. This creates a great and positive environment for all learning." 

We chose RHS for a combination of reasons, but particularly for the outstanding music provision; our son is a music scholar. We also liked the ethos and atmosphere, and chose RHS over a similar school because of the values, the feel of the school, and the attitude of the headmaster and other key staff.

 

 Whilst our son may not go on to a career in the military, the skills he is learning through taking part in CCF are hugely important and transferable to the modern world. 

Whether you are from a naval background or not, most families embrace the school’s heritage and Divisions. 

Individuality is truly treasured at RHS and the opportunities to explore and develop each individual student's own interests is a fundamental principle that underpins the school's ethos. If you are a naturally sporty person that doesn't mean you wouldn't pick up a brass instrument and find you had a knack with the French horn! If you are a musical genius, you might also unlock a passion for public speaking and debate. It isn't either/or at the Royal Hospital School. It's about discovering what you enjoy, encouraging hidden talents and very often finding brand new ones that you never expected.  

I love the ability to constantly try new things. Fancy a mock trial in London? Of course! Want to sing at St Paul’s Cathedral with the school’s chapel choir? Sign me up! I am never bored at RHS and I am so grateful for the opportunities it has given me so that I could develop the skills I have today. 

Each boarding house has a matron that looks after us, constantly looking out for us and being and being someone to go to if we need medicine, as well as someone we can always talk to. We are also very fortunate to have a health centre on site with a doctor, physiotherapist, dentist and more. The sisters of the health centre are equally as lovely and whenever I am unwell they provide you with a space to rest.