By Geoffrey Stanford, Headmaster, RGS Newcastle
As a school, we aim to help students understand the world around them while supporting them emotionally and equipping them to think critically and compassionately.
Students today face a world where the news is instant, immersive and often overwhelming. Whether through traditional media, social media platforms or conversations among peers, global events have the potential to form a constant backdrop to their daily lives.
At Royal Grammar School (RGS) Newcastle we seek to create an environment where students can approach current affairs with confidence, balance, and an open mind, knowing that they are supported every step of the way.
Student Support
When major global events unfold, we understand that students may have family ties to affected regions, personal experiences that heighten concern, or simply a natural emotional response to unsettling news. In these moments, our pastoral teams play a vital role in supporting students. At RGS, whether in the Junior School, Senior School or Sixth Form, students always have someone to turn to. Our teachers, Form Supervisors, Academic Tutors, Heads of Year, pastoral leads and counselling team are all on hand, ensuring that every student can speak to a trusted adult whenever they need support.
Critical Thinking
Central to engaging young people with current affairs is guiding them in how to think, rather than telling them what to think. Across subjects such as Geography, History, Politics and Economics, students are encouraged to examine global issues, compare differing viewpoints and consider the wider context. This fosters thoughtful analysis over quick assumptions and equips our young people with the intellectual tools to approach complex events with maturity.
Debate and Discussion
At RGS, we believe strongly in dialogue. Assemblies, form-time discussions, academic lessons and our extensive co-curricular programme provide opportunities for students to explore current events in structured, respectful settings. Debating clubs and student discussion groups allow pupils to test ideas, challenge one another and learn the value of actively listening. These skills are vital in an increasingly polarised world.
Media Literacy
Today’s students are growing up in a media landscape that is dense, fast-moving and often unreliable. For this reason, media literacy is woven across the RGS curriculum. Students learn to evaluate sources, identify bias, question headlines and spot misinformation. They discover the importance of verification and the dangers of reacting to incomplete or emotive information. These habits of mind are crucial not only for academic success but for responsible citizenship.
Ethical Awareness
Understanding current affairs also means engaging with the moral questions they raise. Through student-led initiatives such as RGS Diversity, we encourage pupils to consider social justice, cultural understanding and global responsibility. Events including RGS Culture Festival celebrate the richness of different perspectives and reinforce the value of inclusion and the importance of belief in each other that is at the heart of our school ethos.
Student Voice
Young people care deeply about the world. Platforms such as the RGS Student Council and other pupil-led groups ensure that their voices are heard and valued. Students learn how to express opinions constructively, negotiate differences and contribute to positive change both within our inclusive school community and beyond.
Supporting students in discussions about current affairs is not merely an educational exercise. It is integral to students’ wellbeing and personal development. By nurturing critical thought, emotional resilience, ethical awareness and a strong sense of their voice, we help our students to grow into well-rounded individuals who are ready to make a positive impact on the world they will inherit.
www.rgs.newcastle.sch.uk
