Dale Chambers
Head of StringsDepartment: MusicJob title: Head of StringsDate joined the RGS: 1992
Q. What's the best thing about working at the RGS?
A. the people
Q. What do you love about your department?
A. the people and the boys
Q. Which staff social groups are you involved in?
A. staff football
Q. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
A. making music
Q. If you could choose any other career, what would it be?
A. lawyer
Q. What is your motto in life?
A. stay calm
Q. If you could give one bit of advice to your younger self what would it be?
A. its people not stuff you fool.
Matthew Baggs
Head of Lower School, Head of PSHME and Teacher of PEDepartment: Physical EducationJob title: Head of Lower School, Head of PSHME and Teacher of PEDate joined the RGS: September 2022 (Having previously worked here between 2010 and 2016)
Q. What's the best thing about working at the RGS?
A. The enthusiastic, positive pupils who have a real desire to learn.
Q. What do you love about your department?
A. The breadth of expertise, the hugely collegiate atmosphere and everyone pulling in one direction towards a common goal.
Q. Which staff social groups are you involved in?
A. Football, cricket, golf, poker and the less formally organised visits to local hostelries.
Q. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
A. Playing and watching sport, travelling, cooking, spending time with my two young children.
Q. If you could choose any other career, what would it be?
A. TMS cricket commentator.
Q. What is your motto in life?
A. Be nice to people - there's no reason not to be.
Q. If you could give one bit of advice to your younger self what would it be?
A. Do what you enjoy, not what you feel you should do.
Q. What would be the title of your autobiography?
A. Baggs of unfulfilled potential - The stories of an amateur sportsman.
Jan Newman
Head of KeyboardDepartment: MusicJob title: Head of KeyboardDate joined the RGS: September 2008
Q. What's the best thing about working at the RGS?
A. I have a lot of autonomy and work with very talented, serious boys who achieve way above what might, at first sight, be their potential.
Q. What do you love about your department?
A. Great colleagues, full of humour and a passion for our subject.
Q. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
A. I'm a great reader, enjoy cooking and also practising; I'm still freelance so I have work outside of RGS despite being here full-time.
Q. If you could choose any other career, what would it be?
A. Psychiatrist!
Q. What is your motto in life?
A. Keep smiling!
Q. If you could give one bit of advice to your younger self what would it be?
A. To know that no-one else knows much either. There's no need to pretend.
Q. What would be the title of your autobiography?
A. Too difficult! You'd have to ask my pupils.. (that's my reaction, not the answer to the question).
Alexander Hadley
Teacher of MathematicsDepartment: MathematicsJob title: Teacher of MathematicsDate joined the RGS? 2016
Q. What's the best thing about working at the RGS?
A. Teaching gifted and well-mannered students
Q. What do you love about your department?
A. The positive atmosphere, the fact that everybody is always willing to help each other, the huge amount of experience and mathematical expertise, the drive to ensure our students achieve as much as they possibly can and the pride we take in doing so.
Q. Which staff groups are you involved in?
A. Mathematics and timetabling.
Q. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
A. Walking with my wife, watching sport and playing golf.
Q. If you could choose any other career, what would it be?
A. A professional golfer - a chance to travel the world playing golf everyday!
Q. What is your motto in life?
A. Work hard, be yourself and smile!
Q. If you could give one bit of advice to your younger self what would it be?
A. Try more things!
Q. What would be the title of your autobiography?
A. Teach for the Stars (sorry...!)
Ian Rossiter
Teacher of BiologyDepartment: BiologyJob title: Teacher of BiologyDate joined the RGS: January, 2022
Q. What's the best thing about working at the RGS?
A. A combination of wonderful colleagues and engaged pupils
Q. What do you love about your department?A. They are genuinely friendly, supportive, talented and fun team!
Q. Which staff groups are you involved in?
A. Staff football on a Friday after work; informal trips to the pub after work as and when; fantasy football wine league; staff prayer on a Friday morning before school.
Q. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
A. Playing hockey; playing music; watching live sport (especially Nottingham Forest FC); playing golf; taking my two dogs for a walk with my wife & son; volunteering at my local church.
Q. If you could choose any other career, what would it be?
A. Professional sportsman! (In a dream life. Never got to even close!!)
Q. What is your motto in life?
A. Ladies and gentlemen, of the class of 99: wear sunscreen.
Q. If you could give one bit of advice to your younger self what would it be?
A. You’ll never get the time you spend watching Neighbours back. Especially twice in a day.
Q. What would be the title of your autobiography?
A. “Read something else!"
Liz McEwan
Teacher of EnglishDepartment: EnglishJob title: Teacher of EnglishDate joined the RGS: 2018
Q. What's the best thing about working at the RGS?
A. The way that it makes you feel welcome straight away, nothing is too much trouble and everyone is ready with a friendly word or a helping hand.
Q. Which staff social groups are you involved in?
A. I run staff shooting with a colleague which takes place on Wednesday lunchtimes.
Jonah Varney
Teacher of MathematicsDepartment: MathematicsJob title: Teacher of MathematicsDate joined the RGS: 2022
Q. What's the best thing about working at the RGS?
A. Teaching enthusiastic young mathematicians.
Q. What do you love about your department?
A. It is large, which means there is often birthday cake available.
Q. Which staff social groups are you involved in?
A. Football.
Q. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
A. Ultimate frisbee and cycling.
Q. If you could choose any other career, what would it be?
A. Premier League Footballer.
Q. What is your motto in life?
A. Don't take yourself too seriously.
Q. If you could give one bit of advice to your younger self what would it be?
A. Invest in Zoom January 2020.
Q. What would be the title of your autobiography?
A. Lucky
Emma Straw
TechnicianDepartment: BiologyJob title: TechnicianDate joined the RGS: September 2022
Q. What's the best thing about working at the RGS?
A. The school has a strong community spirit with pupils keen to learn, plus the food is great!
Q. What do you love about your department?
A. Friendly and supportive staff, biology is fun!
Q. Which staff social groups are you involved in?
A. Staff choir.
Q. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
A. Cooking, eating out, choir, Zumba.
Q. If you could choose any other career, what would it be?
A. Research.
Q. What is your motto in life?
Take the opportunities, life is too short
Q. If you could give one bit of advice to your younger self what would it be?
A. You can say no.
Q. What would be the title of your autobiography?
A. Small but mighty.
Trainee Teacher of DT
Curious about teaching?Have a passion for DT?Want to make a difference to young people's lives?
We are inviting applications for a Trainee Teacher of DT. You will have, or be working towards, a Bachelor's degree (2:2 or above).
The successful candidate will become a student with Ofsted Outstanding training provider South Farnham SCITT and spend the majority of the 2026/27 academic year learning and working alongside colleagues in the RGS DT department.
As a School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) student, you will:
- Enjoy student status as a Trainee Teacher
- Achieve Qualified Teacher Status in one academic year
- Attend weekly professional study sessions with South Farnham SCITT
- Have the option to achieve PGCE alongside QTS
- Be eligible to apply for student loans and a tax-free government bursary of £20,000
RGS Guildford is a thriving, academically selective school. The latest ISI inspection report acknowledged the calibre of our teaching and inclusivity, identifying two "significant strengths" within the school; mutual respect and scholarship.
There is just one placement available at the RGS for the academic year 2026/27 and applications will be considered on receipt. Please register your interest now to find out about next steps.
- Locations
- RGS Senior
- Job role
- Teaching
RGS Senior
About Royal Grammar School Guildford
The RGS Prep and Senior Schools are situated in the heart of the historic town of Guildford, a flourishing and vibrant place to live and work.
Our strong staff community is the result of many factors.
Teaching and support staff collaborate professionally to ensure a first class education and excellent pastoral care.
Individual contribution is celebrated through the sharing of new ideas and best practice as well as personal and departmental achievements.
Social groups flourish and are a great opportunity to get to know colleagues in a more informal setting.
Our staff body is diverse and however you choose to involve yourself in school life, you will find yourself among like-minded people.
Already working at Royal Grammar School Guildford?
Let’s recruit together and find your next colleague.
Trainee Teacher of Chemistry
Curious about teaching?Have a passion for Chemistry?Want to make a difference to young people's lives?
We are inviting applications for a Trainee Teacher of Chemistry. You will have, or be working towards, a Bachelor's Degree (2:2 or above).
The successful candidate will become a student with Ofsted Outstanding training provider South Farnham SCITT and spend the majority of the 2026/27 academic year learning and working alongside colleagues in the RGS Chemistry department.
As a School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) student, you will:
- Enjoy student status as a Trainee Teacher
- Achieve Qualified Teacher Status in one academic year
- Attend weekly professional study sessions with South Farnham SCITT
- Have the option to achieve PGCE alongside QTS
- Be eligible to apply for student loans and a tax-free government bursary of £29,000
RGS Guildford is a thriving, academically selective school. The latest ISI inspection report acknowledged the calibre of our teaching and inclusivity, identifying two "significant strengths" within the school; mutual respect and scholarship.
The Chemistry department itself consists of seven chemists and two technicians with excellent resources including five laboratories, three preparation rooms, multiple class sets of data loggers and an IR spectrometer.
There is just one placement available at the RGS for the academic year 2026/27 and applications will be considered on receipt. Please register your interest now to find out about next steps.
- Locations
- RGS Senior
- Job role
- Teaching
RGS Senior
About Royal Grammar School Guildford
The RGS Prep and Senior Schools are situated in the heart of the historic town of Guildford, a flourishing and vibrant place to live and work.
Our strong staff community is the result of many factors.
Teaching and support staff collaborate professionally to ensure a first class education and excellent pastoral care.
Individual contribution is celebrated through the sharing of new ideas and best practice as well as personal and departmental achievements.
Social groups flourish and are a great opportunity to get to know colleagues in a more informal setting.
Our staff body is diverse and however you choose to involve yourself in school life, you will find yourself among like-minded people.
Already working at Royal Grammar School Guildford?
Let’s recruit together and find your next colleague.