Have you ever sat in your old English, Chemistry or French classroom and thought what is the greatest classroom in the school? I’m sure you haven’t but let’s answer the question anyway. In another addition to our much-loved top 5 series, welcome to: The Top 5 Classrooms in the RGS. So, sit back, relax, and join me on a trip around our hallowed grounds, as we journey from the ancient halls of big school all the way to the towering spires of T floor. A quick note before we get into this all-important topic: I will be discounting rooms not classed as classrooms, so rooms such as the recital room, the under croft and the auditorium will be discounted (and may even get a list of their own).

NUMBER 5: AO2

Few have heard of this classroom. Nestled at the top of the art building, where few dare to venture, this room is a bastion of aura. Enter the art building, follow the corridor and you will find a mysterious set of stairs, seemingly leading to nowhere. Most turn back here, never to return, but a select few may choose to venture up past the awe-inducing artwork on the wall. Upon reaching the top you will find A02, one of the most underrated classrooms of all time. It has its own separate corridor for students to leave their bags and blazers, which exemplifies the luxurious atmosphere which often draws visitors into a trance. Its only flaw is that it does become messy, particularly with the pesky First Formers roaming around. Nevertheless, this classroom has wonderful views over Guildford, and it is calm and peaceful throughout the day due to its secluded location. Furthermore, its plethora of artistic equipment makes it the perfect place for students to learn and thrive and grow.

NUMBER 4: F13+F14 (The Old Computer Rooms)

A relatively new addition to the RGS landscape of classrooms, the F13 and F14’s polished, un-graffitied desks and state of the art interactive board make a strong case for it being one of the finest classrooms in the school. While it may seem strange that I have put two classrooms in one category, the classrooms are so similar that I could not set them apart. Originally the computer rooms, an (alleged) robbery of the two rooms rendered them locked away from all, sitting there useless, waiting for their return to status. Their return has certainly come with a bang. With a new, clean and gum free carpet laid down, a pristine whiteboard, and what feels like acres of space in both rooms, I couldn’t help but put these modern and brilliant classrooms in. The F floor just gained two new huge assets in their fight to avoid relegation to being the worst floor in the school.

NUMBER 3: JBFO2 (the history classroom)

Now, you may call me biased here, being an A level history student and all, but where else would you want to have a warm and brilliant lesson on history? Although, the real USP of this room is the library along the left side wall. Where else in the school can someone be sitting in a lesson, drawing on a whiteboard and casually picking a book from the wall behind them at the same time? Certainly not the much-overrated economics floor. Truly, one of the greatest advertisements for choosing history must be the top quality classrooms which all centre around JBFO2.

Number 2: T06

Few of those who are still at the school remember the day the T floor was opened for the first time. But all of us remember the first time we clambered up the winding stairs on the way to our first modern language lesson and reached the pinnacle of the RGS. Up at this height, oxygen concentrations are lower and the views to the quiet quad down below cause a risk of vertigo. Certainly, the T floor is not for the faint-hearted. But for those of us who can bear these risks, and the climb up, the T floor is one of the most wondrous places in the school. It feels as if you are in a different building. The views across Guildford are lovely, and the large windows create a sense of modernity which symbolises the advancement of the RGS. Furthermore, the classrooms are spacious and clean. T06 exemplifies these qualities best, and even for those who find modern languages to be dull, simply being in this beautiful room raises spirits.

Number 1: G19

One year ago, the G corridor by the Allen House Fields was a dark and dreary place. The narrow corridor, the dirty walls, the cramped classrooms: Finding that you had maths on the G floor used to cause fear and terror amongst many students. Yet, brand new this year, the RGS have installed two top of the range biology labs along this corridor. Not only does the reduction in the number of classrooms reduce corridor traffic, it also makes for a spacious learning environment with the best of equipment. These rooms are perfect for biology lessons and experiments, and the spacious desks mean that experiments can be done with plenty of space for all equipment and books, which is a major quality of life upgrade. Additionally, the quick access to the G floor toilets and the Allen House Fields outside make it optimally situated. The drone of the drill heard around the maths base for most of Trinity term last year was most definitely worth it.