Lord Wandsworth College
Encyclopedia
Lord Wandsworth College, often abbreviated to LWC, is a medium-sized fully co-educational independent school
in Hampshire
, England
. It takes both day and boarding pupils from the ages of 11 - 18. It is set among farmland adjacent to the small village of Long Sutton
, near the small town of Odiham
and village of South Warnborough
. The current headmaster is Fergus Livingstone.
straightforward orphanage
. The executors of his will, however, followed the letter rather than the spirit of the will and began instead a school teaching agricultural skills to boys who had lost one or both parents. Starting as a kind of agricultural orphanage with a few lessons, the balance of farming against school work slowly shifted until the 1950s, by which time Lord Wandsworth College was a fairly typical independent school, albeit one surrounded by farmland whose operation (by a separate company) still provides a small profit to the school's accounts. The school first accepted fee-paying pupils, to supplement Lord Wandsworth's original bequest, soon after World War II
. This pattern of foundationers and fee payers provided a remarkable experience, whereby boys from very different backgrounds lived and worked together in the traditional atmosphere of a minor independent school. By the early 1960s there was nothing to separate it from other independent schools other than the distinctive make up of the school body.
The Foundation still provides funds to allow pupils who have lost parents to attend the school, although falling investment yields and increasing costs mean that in recent years the numbers of Foundation pupils has fallen to 1 in 10.
Pupils begin in Junior House for two years, then move into one of four boys’ houses (Hazelveare House, Summerfield House, School House or Sutton House) or three girls’ houses (Park House, Gosden House or Haygate House). The school has excellent facilities, including two astroturf
pitches, an indoor swimming pool, two sports halls and a Music and Drama Centre.
scheme, Combined Cadet Force
(CCF) and Community Service programmes.
Although the school focuses on one main sport in each of the three terms: Rugby, Hockey, Netball and Cricket, alternative sports such as canoeing, squash, badminton and athletics are all on offer.
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It takes both day and boarding pupils from the ages of 11 - 18. It is set among farmland adjacent to the small village of Long Sutton
Long Sutton, Hampshire
Long Sutton is a small village and civil parish in the Hart district of Hampshire, England. The village lies about south of the town of Odiham. Neighbouring villages include Well, South Warnborough and Upton Grey....
, near the small town of Odiham
Odiham
Odiham is a historic village and large civil parish in the Hart district of Hampshire, England. It is twinned with Sourdeval in the Manche Department of France. The current population is 4,406. The parish contains an acreage of 7,354 acres with 50 acres of land covered with water. The nearest...
and village of South Warnborough
South Warnborough
South Warnborough is a small village and civil parish in the English county of Hampshire. In the 2001 census, the population was 542.South Warnborough is approximately south of the village of Odiham and north of the town of Alton...
. The current headmaster is Fergus Livingstone.
History
LWC was founded in 1928 by a bequest in the will of Sydney James Stern, Lord Wandsworth, who had intended to create a fairlystraightforward orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
. The executors of his will, however, followed the letter rather than the spirit of the will and began instead a school teaching agricultural skills to boys who had lost one or both parents. Starting as a kind of agricultural orphanage with a few lessons, the balance of farming against school work slowly shifted until the 1950s, by which time Lord Wandsworth College was a fairly typical independent school, albeit one surrounded by farmland whose operation (by a separate company) still provides a small profit to the school's accounts. The school first accepted fee-paying pupils, to supplement Lord Wandsworth's original bequest, soon after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. This pattern of foundationers and fee payers provided a remarkable experience, whereby boys from very different backgrounds lived and worked together in the traditional atmosphere of a minor independent school. By the early 1960s there was nothing to separate it from other independent schools other than the distinctive make up of the school body.
The Foundation still provides funds to allow pupils who have lost parents to attend the school, although falling investment yields and increasing costs mean that in recent years the numbers of Foundation pupils has fallen to 1 in 10.
Pupils begin in Junior House for two years, then move into one of four boys’ houses (Hazelveare House, Summerfield House, School House or Sutton House) or three girls’ houses (Park House, Gosden House or Haygate House). The school has excellent facilities, including two astroturf
AstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
pitches, an indoor swimming pool, two sports halls and a Music and Drama Centre.
Activities
All pupils are expected to take part in the extensive activity programme. Activities on offer range from cooking and dance to public speaking and climbing. Many students take part in The Duke of Edinburgh's AwardThe Duke of Edinburgh's Award
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award , is a programme of activities that can be undertaken by anyone aged 14 to 24, regardless of personal ability....
scheme, Combined Cadet Force
Combined Cadet Force
The Combined Cadet Force is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. Its aim is to "provide a disciplined organisation in a school so that pupils may develop powers of leadership by means of training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self reliance,...
(CCF) and Community Service programmes.
Although the school focuses on one main sport in each of the three terms: Rugby, Hockey, Netball and Cricket, alternative sports such as canoeing, squash, badminton and athletics are all on offer.
Religion
The College is non-denominational welcoming all faiths and cultures. Traditional Christian values are observed and there is an Anglican Chaplain who is responsible for the spiritual welfare of the whole College community.Notable former pupils
Notable former pupils include:- Julian SandsJulian SandsJulian M. Sands is an English actor, known for his roles in the Best Picture nominee The Killing Fields, the cult film Warlock, A Room with a View, Arachnophobia, Vatel, the television series 24 and as Jor-El in the television series Smallville.-Career:Sands began his film career appearing in...
, actor - Jonny WilkinsonJonny WilkinsonJonathan Peter "Jonny" Wilkinson OBE is an English rugby union player and member of the England national team. Wilkinson rose to acclaim from 2001 to 2003, before and during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and was acknowledged as one of the world’s best rugby players...
OBE, rugby union international - Peter RichardsPeter Richards (rugby player)Peter Charles Richards is a former English rugby union player. A versatile player, he has played in three positions: scrum half , fly-half and centre. Richards retired in the summer of 2010 because of a back injury.-Early career:His began playing mini rugby at , before he went to the Royal...
, rugby union international - Ugo MonyeUgo MonyeUgochukwu "Ugo" Chiedozie Monye is an English international rugby union player who plays club rugby for Harlequins in the Aviva Premiership....
, rugby union player, who has represented England in the Sevens and has also been capped at full international level. - Charlie AmesburyCharlie AmesburyCharlie Amesbury is a rugby union footballer who plays on the wing or full back for Sale Sharks after signing from Newcastle Falcons in the Summer of 2011. He also plays for England Sevens....
, rugby union player
External links
- Lord Wandsworth College - official web site
- Sternians Association - the Old Boys Association of Lord Wandsworth College