Royal High School Bath celebrates its 20th year!

This year the Royal High School is celebrating 20 years since its official foundation in 1998 when Bath High and the Royal School merged to become one.

In September, we kicked off our 20th anniversary year with a special whole school assembly and guest speaker Miss Margaret Winfield, former Head of Bath High and first Head of the Royal High School until her retirement in 2000.  Miss Winfield gave a wonderful talk telling us what it was like to bring two schools together of differing cultures, one a boarding school and the other a day school who were fierce sporting rivals, and what it took by all involved to make the merger the success that it was. 

Having cut a celebration cake, Miss Winfield, who recently celebrated a significant birthday herself, was presented with a bouquet by Gemma Elliot of Year 13 whose late mother Justine, formerly of the Royal School, was the first Head Girl of the newly formed Royal High School.  Other guests included alumnae, staff, former and current Governors all of whom were part of the Royal High’s first assembly 20 years ago.

We are continuing our celebrations throughout this academic year with some exciting and unique events.  Over the weekend of Saturday 17th to Sunday 18th November, the Sophie Cameron Centre at the Royal High School opened its doors to both the public and whole school community for 20 Years of Art, Work by Perry Harris following a Private View for our donors and key supporters.  Perry is a talented artist and illustrator and has been a member of the school’s Estates Team since the merger of Bath High and the Royal School in 1998.  The exhibition was an uplifting and entertaining display of Perry’s work, demonstrating how his two worlds of art and work have combined throughout the last 20 years.

On 28th February 2019 we will be hosting an alumnae tour of the new Hope House development, former home to Bath High and subsequently the Royal High Junior School, prior to its move to Cranwell House, Weston in 2014.  The tour will be followed by a presentation from the Royal Logistics Corps on the removal of the unexploded WW2 bomb found beneath the playground during the early stages of the site’s development. 

We have RHS Rocks for the Crane Academy to look forward to on Saturday 9th March, when parents, staff, alumnae and former staff will come together to rock along to the sounds of Purple Fish starring former member of staff, Adrienne Hale, headlined by Mick Jogger and the Stones Experience.  A wonderful opportunity not only for a lot of fun in celebrating our 20th year but also to raise much needed funds for our partner school, the Crane Academy in Kitale, Kenya. 

Other events include a 20th anniversary Dance Show, Spring Concert, Annual Alumnae Reunion and Summer Music Festival, and our artistic alumnae will be contributing to this year’s annual art show in the Summer.

At the Royal High School we are proud of our boarding heritage, unique within the GDST family, which we have inherited from the Royal School, and the international flavour it brings to our school community.  As we reflect on the past 20 years we are reminded of how far our alumnae is now spread across the world, and so on 29th November we held our first international reunion in Hong Kong!   

Whilst an ‘I remember when …’ archive display of RHS memories contributed by all our Heads and Head Girls from 1998 to date will record our reflections the past 20 years, we will also consider what the future may hold through a ‘What will I be in 20 years?’ competition.  We look forward to hearing from any RHS Class of 1999 girls, who can inspire with stories of their own personal journeys over the last 20 years!

For any further information regarding any of the events outlined in the article please contact f.orr@rhsb.gdst.net – all GDST alumnae are welcomed to join us in our celebrations!