Raffles Girls' School (Secondary)

Template:Infobox Singapore School Raffles Girls' School (Secondary) is an independent girls' secondary school in Singapore. RGS was further recognised by the Ministry of Education in 2006 by being awarded the School Excellence Award (recognising schools with 'exemplary school processes and practices'), among other awards. [1]

RGS offers the first four years of the Integrated Programme in the Raffles Programme, together with Raffles Institution and Raffles Junior College, which allows students to proceed directly to Raffles Junior College without taking the GCE 'O' Levels. It was also one of the first few schools to offer the Gifted Education Programme.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not officially affiliated with Raffles Girls' Primary School, despite having a common history.

The school also has a history of excelling in academics, sports and the arts. RGS remains one of the top schools in Singapore, and has attained many sporting achievements.

Motto

"Filiae Melioris Ævi", Latin means "Daughters of a better age".

History

Previously, before Raffles Girls' School became a school in its own right, it existed as a part of Raffles Institution (RI).

The department for girls was opened in the RI campus of Bras Basah Road on 4 March 1844 with 11 students, 5 day-scholars and six boarders, who were clothed, fed and instructed by the institution itself. The demand for education grew and in 1847, the school moved to RI's eastern wing, extending towards Bras Basah Road. A wall known as the 'Berlin Wall' separated the boys' and girls' buildings. In 1871, the school moved into a house, the George Family's Old Mansion at the corner of Bras Basah Road. In 1879, the school separated from RI and Miss Nelson was appointed the school's first headmistress. Together with three assistants, she ran the school which had an enrolment of 77. Since then, 1879 has been officially regarded as the year of the founding of RGS.

From 1882 onwards, English speaking boys were admitted to the lower, middle and primary classes. This was discontinued in 1927 due to the increasing demand for accommodation for girls. The Raffles Old Girls' association was formed on 7 July 1950. The school motto was introduced in 1953, with the school's first Annual speech day held on the same year as well. RGS became a government school of considerable prestige in 1903. It was then located at Queen Street. In 1959, the primary and secondary sections of the school were separated and the secondary section moved to Anderson Road, while the primary section remains in Queen Street. The school stopped offering 'A' level courses in 1983, and the Gifted Education Programme started in 1984. The school later moved to a holding school located at Jalan Kuala in 1988 and moved back to a new building at Anderson Road on 1 November 1992, becoming independent on 1 January 1993. In 1994, the RGS chapter was formed, to replace the Women's Rafflesian Chapter.

The curriculum when the school first started was confined to reading, writing, needlework and cookery, as the main objective in those days was simply to shelter girls from the temptations they were exposed to. The provision of some form of education was considered secondary. At present, the curriculum has expanded to include all the sciences, humanities and aesthetics. Among other things, students today undergo lessons in Philosophy in order to develop creativity and critical thinking. The Lower Secondary students also enjoy lessons in Speech & Drama.

Today, Raffles Girls' School has a student population of about 1,800 students (Secondary One to Secondary Four) and 151 teachers.

School Song

From High Olympus

From High Olympus flows to us the glory
On us the sacred fire descends.
Rise, sisters, rise, the world is all before ye
Fear not to grasp what fortune sends.

Chorus:
Sisters in learning and sisters at heart
Life lies before us,
Here's luck to the start.

A little while the sun shines high above us
And youth's elixir fills our veins.
The magic fire, that moves the gods to love us
The fire by which the will attains.

Chorus:
Sisters in learning and sisters at heart
Life lies before us,
Here's luck to the start.

From heart to heart we'll scale the heights of learning
No mean desires our days shall shame.
Whole-hearted, true, with pride and ardour burning
On sisters, on to life and fame.

Chorus:
Sisters in learning and sisters at heart
Life lies before us,
Here's luck to the start.

Recording of RGS School Song

The school song was not composed specially for the school, but was chosen out of a songbook by the first principal, Miss Nelson. It was officially adopted as the school song in 1954. It was originally titled "From High Olympus". The pagan overtones of the school song are in keeping with how Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom, energy and creativity, watches over the school's side gate.

Other songs sung at school events include "Inspiration", "Dedication", and "Pass it On". "At the Beginning" used to be sung as well.

Culture

Uniform

The uniform of RGS consists of a navy blue pleated pinafore over a white collared blouse; the belt is sewn onto the pinafore to prevent students from removing it after school. Girls opt to wear shorts underneath. Students customarily fold their sleeves, following a time-honoured school tradition. The school badge, with the school crest and its motto, is worn on the top left of the uniform together with a name tag. On Fridays, during Hall Assembly, students wear a black and white striped tie on a green base as part of the uniform.

Students wear white socks which cover the ankle bone, and white shoes. Sports shoes can be worn, but these must be at least 80% white, and cannot be high cut. Prefects or Student Leaders are required to wear socks which bear the school logo.

Prefects from Secondary 3 and 4, wear a white blouse with a skirt of the same hue as the pinafore. They also wear the school tie at all times when in uniform. Their prefect badge is pinned at the bottom of the tie and above their name tag.

Student Leaders from Secondary 1 classes, and Prefects-in-Training from Secondary 2 classes, wear a tie with green, black and white stripes, underneath the pinafore, as well as a Student Leader badge or a Prefect-in-Training badge respectively.

Class chairpersons, vice-chairpersons, members of the Student Leaders' Network and house captains also wear a badge above their name tag, denoting their position. This badge is green for the chairpersons, and of corresponding colour to their houses for the captains. Peer Support Leaders also wear a collar-badge, while some CCAs (such as Red Cross, Library and Handbells) also create their own school-approved badges to pin on their collars.

On Tuesdays, Saturdays and during certain school events, students are allowed to don culottes, pleated knee-length shorts which looks like a skirt. A white RGS polo T-shirt for Physical Education (PE) usually accompanies the culottes. The culottes can also be worn with a House T-shirt, a Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) T-shirt, or a class T-shirt. The latter can be designed by students with approval from teachers and the school administration. Any shirt worn with the culottes must have a nametag pinned on.

RGS was infamous in the late 1990s for having rules stating that students may not loiter in public places in uniform, implemented after incidents such as an RGS girl getting into a fight with another girl over a boy.

Houses

There are five houses: Buckle (Green), Tarbet (Red), Richardson (Blue), Waddle (Yellow), and Hadley (Purple). They are named after five past principals of RGS. Miss Hadley introduced the House System.

The five houses take part in friendly competitions throughout the school year, with two major events pivotal in deciding the overall champion house. These are the Swimming Carnival and the Sports Festival, held annually in the early part of the year.

Throughout the rest of the year, various interhouse games such as netball, squash, photography and even sandwich-making allow members of every house to contribute to their house's tally of points while doing something they like.

For the year 2007, Tarbet emerged champions in the annual Swimming Carnival. Hadley won the top award for Sports Festival. Richardson House topped this year's Cheerleading Competition. Waddle emerged as the Overall Champion and Best Organised House.

Disciplinary System

The RGS discipline system seeks to maintain the professional image which every pupil of the school should uphold. Enforcement of this system is carried out in the form of bookings. Three bookings in the same category of offences would land a student in Detention Class, which requires students to reflect on the consequences of their actions.

Some students may consider the school's booking system relatively undemocratic as some prefects seem to lack a sense of discretion where bookings are concerned. It is also questioned as to whether some of the bookings of the offences are made fairly.

The disciplinary system is upheld by members of the staff and prefects, who sometimes conduct spotchecks and are also in charge of the maintenance of the booking system. In cases concerning recalcitrants, their parents may need to work with the school Discipline Committee to guide the student back onto the right path.

The RGS Girl

RGS girls are known for being weird, not least due to the manly growl that they use to cheer at sports meets, which scares boys away from dating them. Although confident and competent, they are assertive and stroppy and aren't very feminine, scaring some men.

Student Leadership

Prefectorial Board

The Raffles Girls' School (Secondary) Prefectorial Board, more fondly known as RGSPB, was established in 1950. The Prefectorial Board is the premiere student leadership body in the RGS student community.

The vision of the RGSPB is for prefects to be leaders for life, igniting spirit and passion for the school, and educating students to be responsible, rational members of society.

The Board's 84 members consist of prefects from Secondary 3 and 4, as well as Prefects-in-Training from Secondary 2. Upper secondary members of the Board carry the honour and privilege of being full-fledged prefects, donning the distinctive white blouse and dark blue skirt.

Apart from the fundamental role of maintaining discipline in school, prefects also teach and lead in Rafflesian Cheers during school events and inter-school competitions. The Board also offers a range of services centered on the welfare of the student population, through the selling of Rafflesian products and the loaning of items such as blouses, pinafores and blazers. Prefects-in-training also help raise funds for various CCAs during their concerts and performances. Also, RGSPB organises and executes many large-scale functions in the school and assists the RGS staff in running school events.

RGSPB also plays a collaborative role in the school, working together with other leadership boards, like the Peer Support Board and the Student Leaders' Network, to form organising committees for larger events, like the annual Secondary 1 Orientation.

The Prefectorial Board 2008 will be lead by Head Prefect Tessa Ong E-Lin, and her three assistants, Vice-Head Prefects Tan Juanmin, Teo Wei Shan and Jocelyn Teo.

Peer Support Board

The Peer Support Board (PSB) was set up in 1995 and has 87 members as of April 2007, consisting of Secondary 2, 3, and 4 Peer Support Leaders (PSLs). The board was set up with the main aim of acculturating the new Secondary 1 pupils into the relatively foreign environment, to offer emotional help and support to their fellow peers whenever others are in low spirits, and to serve the school as student leaders wholeheartedly.

The board is actively engaged within the school community, co-organizing various school functions with the Prefectorial Board. Some examples of collaborative leadership between the two boards are the annual Student Leaders Investiture, Teachers Day Celebrations, and the Secondary 1 Orientation amongst many other school events.

The Peer Support Programme is an experiential learning programme which works on the principle that people absorb information and values from one another. It encourages the building of support networks among peers and seeks to develop successful human relationships through PSL sessions.

Apart from organizing school events, the key event for all PSLs in their leadership journey in PSB is the weekly PSL sessions as mentioned above. In these weekly sessions, PSLs meet with their respective Secondary 1 classes-in-charge to share their experiences and thoughts on certain issues pertinent to Secondary 1s, and to also interact and provide support or a listening ear to the Secondary 1s. Through these sessions, PSLs form strong, long-lasting bonds with the Secondary 1s.

Having just undergone much organizational restructuring in 2005, while continuing its role within the school and community, the PSB is proud that Junior PSLs, or JPSLs, were officially introduced in 2007. Secondary 2s were recruited into the board after a round of selections, giving them the chance to apply their leadership skills. Being the closest of age to Secondary 1s, they would be most able to understand and emphathize with the Secondary 1s.

The logo of the PSB is the dolphin. Dolphins are friendly creatures and travel in groups. Similarly, PSLs are friendly and approachable people, and never walk alone. The motto of the PSB is “riding the waves with you”, parallel to the concept of never being alone.

Led by chairperson of 2008, Rachel Miao, and vice-chairpersons Ng Jean Hui and Laura Gan, the board will continue to spread the Peer Support Spirit, bringing this family of messengers of love to greater heights.

Student Leaders' Network

The Student Leaders' Network (SLN) comprises student leaders from the various leadership boards and student organisations in school. These leaders are selected because they possess the fundamental qualities of a leader that the school upholds in addition to their commitment and desire to hone their leadership skills in the serve of those they lead. With a strong focus on personal mentoring and peer sharing among leaders, the vision of SLN is "to continually aspire, strive and dare to be better leaders in the service to all". The SLN has a unique place in the student leadership body in RGS, as it acts as a think-tank where school-wide proposals and projects that enhance school life are conceptualised and executed.

Student Congress

The Student Congress is a formal structure to facilitate the student populace's experience and participation in the process of active citizenship. There is a main speaker and 2 alternate speakers. Tying in closely with the strategic thrusts of student leadership, the 5 C's, it hopes to:

Create - provide a platform and create an open atmosphere for students to participate in a public forum on issues important to them and the school

Change - act as agents of change for the betterment of the school and its stakeholders

Civil Governance - represent their schoolmates in presenting the views of the student populace which are significant and with their interests at heart

Construct - consciously nurture a responsible and caring culture in the exchange of views and ideas with the focus on school improvement

Cultivate - cultivate an appreciation of, and involvement in, the process of participatory and open leadership

In essence, the significance of Congress lies in it being planned and run by students, for students.

RGS-International Convention for Youth Leaders

The RGS-International Convention for Youth Leaders (RGS-ICYL) was the first of its kind organised and hosted by the student leaders of RGS. A gathering of female student leaders from local and international institutions, the 1st RGS-ICYL was held from 20th - 24th November 2006, and serves as a global platform for female youth leaders with diverse cultural and leadership backgrounds to exchange their ideas and experiences, and thus gain a better understanding of how they can contribute to society as a female leader.

Through participating in the convention, participants had the opportunity to interact with and learn from experienced and world-renowned leaders. Prominent guest speakers from the Corporate sector (e.g. Multi-National Coporations, commonly known as MNCs), Political sector (e.g. government agencies) as well as from the Humanitarian sector (e.g. non-governmental organisations) were invited to share their perspectives.

In addition, RGS-ICYL offered opportunities for fellow youth leaders to be ambassadors of their respective countries in the context of a formal exchange of ideas across cultures. This experience was also coupled with problem-solving from a global perspective.

Notable Alumnae

• Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan, Mayor of South West Community Development Council
• Ms Lim Hsiu Mei, first woman Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Community Development
• Ms Lim Soo Hoon, first woman Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Community Development
• Justice Judith Prakash, second woman judge
• Professor Jackie Ying, accomplished scientist; Director of A*star's Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN)
• Mrs. Leaena Tambyah, woman of the year 1994
• Ms. Claire Chiang, woman of the year 1998
• Beatrice Chia, actress and director
• Kit Chan, singer
• Stefanie Sun, singer
• Emma Yong, actress
• Siow Lee Chin, a world-class award winning violinist
• Fiona Sze Lorrain, transcultural and interdisciplinary artist in France
• Corrinne May (Real name: Corrinne Foo), singer-songwriter

• Annabel Chong, born Grace Quek. Formerly a pornographic actress, now an artist and web designer
• Denise Phua Lay Peng, People's Action Party candidate for member of parliament in the 2006 Singapore general elections
• Ng Hui, actress
• Noreen Au, MOELC French HOD, Winner of MOE Long Service Award
• Miss Valerie Teo, Singapore National Bowler
• Mrs Jennifer Yeo, lawyer and wife of George Yeo
• Koh Zhengning, Campus Superstar Season 2 Female Runner-up
• Lin Jia Jun, Campus Superstar Season 2 Top 20 Finalist
• Rachel Lin, SPH journalist

Links

• Raffles Institution

External links

• Raffles Girls' School (Secondary) Website
• Raffles Institution Website
• Raffles Programme Website