Making the right decisions about university choices and preparation for future careers are undoubtedly some of the most important decisions that students will be faced with during their time at the RGS.
Careers & Higher Education
ISI Report 2025The careers guidance programme is comprehensive and well planned. It provides pupils with up-to-date guidance on a broad range of educational and career options.
Individual Guidance
The design of the curriculum ensures that critical decisions are not made until students make their A Level choices. Plans are discussed individually with each student so that they are aware of the potential implications of choices made in terms of university and career aspirations. This same rationale underpins the guidance on university applications.
Universities
The School is very proud of its record in securing places at leading universities: over the last ten years, on average, 50% of students have taken up places at Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Bath, Exeter and Bristol, with others going to Warwick, Nottingham and the London universities of Imperial, UCL and KCL. Support is also given for those choosing to apply to American Universities or to follow the increasingly popular Degree Apprenticeship route.
Results 2024-25
The most common grade achieved by RGS students was the A* grade; 70 students achieved a clean sweep of grades at A or A*, 35% of all grades were A*s and 74% of grades were A* or A: an incredible achievement.
A Levels
2024 Results
| Subject | A* | A | B | C | D | E/U | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art | 1 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 3 |
| Biology | 15 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 35 |
| Chemistry | 13 | 24 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 52 |
| Design & Technology | – | 1 | 2 | 1 | – | – | 4 |
| Drama & Theatre Studies | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Economics | 25 | 24 | 11 | – | 1 | – | 61 |
| Electronics | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | 2 |
| English Literature | 3 | 1 | 2 | – | – | – | 6 |
| French | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | 5 |
| Further Mathematics | 21 | 11 | 3 | 1 | – | – | 36 |
| Geography | 4 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 21 |
| German | 1 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 3 |
| Government & Politics | 3 | 10 | 3 | – | – | – | 17 |
| Greek | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | 2 |
| History | 4 | 5 | 7 | – | – | – | 16 |
| Latin | 2 | 3 | 2 | – | – | – | 7 |
| Mathematics | 54 | 41 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 114 |
| Music | 3 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 5 |
| Physics | 15 | 18 | 5 | 2 | 1 | – | 41 |
| Physical Education | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | – | – | 10 |
| Religious Studies | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | – | – | 10 |
| Spanish | 2 | 2 | 3 | – | – | – | 7 |
| Totals | 176 | 169 | 78 | 18 | 8 | 5 | 458 |
Leavers' Destinations
2025 destinations
| University | Number of Students |
| Durham | 20 |
| Bath | 15 |
| Exeter | 14 |
| Bristol | 12 |
| Oxford | 9 |
| Nottingham | 9 |
| Warwick | 8 |
| Southampton | 8 |
| UCL | 7 |
| Edinburgh | 6 |
| Leeds | 4 |
| Overseas | 4 |
Oxbridge Numbers
2014-2023
| Subject | Cambridge | Oxford | Total |
| Ancient History and Archaeology | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| AMES | 2 | – | 2 |
| Anthropology | 1 | – | 1 |
| Architecture | 1 | – | 1 |
| Biological Sciences/Biochemistry | – | 4 | 4 |
| Biomedical Sciences | – | 2 | 2 |
| Chemistry | – | 7 | 7 |
| Chinese Studies | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Classics | 6 | 8 | 14 |
| Computer Science | 6 | 1 | 7 |
| Earth Science | – | 1 | 1 |
| Economics | 13 | – | 13 |
| Engineering | 19 | 5 | 24 |
| English | 5 | 4 | 9 |
| Experimental Psychology | – | 2 | 2 |
| Geography | 3 | – | 3 |
| History | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| HSPS | 5 | – | 5 |
| Land Economy | 4 | – | 4 |
| Law | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| Material Science | – | 1 | 1 |
| Mathematics | 23 | 4 | 27 |
| Medicine | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Modern Foreign Languages/Linguistics | 12 | 7 | 19 |
| Music | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Natural Sciences | 42 | – | 42 |
| Philosophy | – | 3 | 3 |
| Physics | – | 6 | 6 |
| Philosophy, Politics and Economics | – | 13 | 13 |
| Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics | – | 1 | 1 |
| Theology | – | 2 | 2 |
| Veterinary Science | 2 | – | 2 |
| All Subjects | 157 | 94 | 251 |
University Courses
Degree choices 2025
| Degree Programme | Undergraduates |
| Economics | 27 |
| Sciences | 19 |
| Maths / Computer Science | 14 |
| Engineering | 13 |
| Business Management / Finance | 7 |
| Medicine / Dentistry | 7 |
| Classics / Archaeology | 6 |
| Geography | 5 |
| Philosophy / PPE | 5 |
| Modern Languages | 3 |
| Politics / International Relations | 3 |
| Joint or Combined Honours | 2 |
| Law | 2 |
| History | 2 |
| Architecture | 2 |
| Music | 1 |
| English | 1 |
Careers
Students are given plenty of opportunities to investigate and explore potential career paths. All Fifth Form students undertake a period of Work Experience following the completion of their GCSE examinations.
The annual Careers Convention, at which over 80 professions and companies are represented including many alumni, and the programme of career-specific seminars which run throughout the year provide further opportunities. The fortnightly Careers and Higher Education Bulletin provides advice on university applications and the opportunities available in and beyond school to develop their own particular interests. In addition, as Director of Careers and Higher Education, Mr Dunscombe is always available for one-to-one consultations with both students and parents.
