News
He Who Dares
Sarah Walker | 4 June 2026
What links Lord Wandsworth College and the UK Scouting movement?
More than you might think, according to LWC Lower Sixth Former, Jonathan, and he almost certainly has a point.
Next week, the 16-year-old will be presented with three top scouting awards and admits that it was the close alignment of LWC’s values with those of the Scouts which encouraged him to join the College for Sixth Form in September last year.
“The Scout Promise reminds me of the values we have at LWC,” Jonathan suggests. “Doing your best and doing a good turn, helping the community and being of service. Scouting is also about improving your skillset and being able to do things that not everyone else can do, which also reminds me of what we’re encouraged to do here.”
For the last year, Jonathan has been gathering invaluable experience to count towards his incoming awards. On Wednesday, 10th of June, he’ll receive his Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Scouts Young Leader Award and the Chief Scout’s Diamond Award. The latter being the highest of the Chief Scout’s Awards and the final step before the ultimate scouting accolade.
“I want to earn the King’s Scout Award because it’s the biggest honour in youth Scouting,” he continues. “It’s often presented by a member of the Royal Family at one of their residences, which makes it pretty special.”
As you would expect, the King’s Scout Award isn’t easily earned and requires Jonathan to complete his Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (at LWC), along with a range of activities from the Scouts’ International, Community & Values List.
“Part of the reason I applied to become a prefect was because, as Mr Rimmer says, if you don’t try, you don’t know. I can now see the fruits of that philosophy. You’ve got to be in the arena.”
— Jonathan, Lower Sixth
Jonathan has been involved in the Scouting movement since the age of six and little did he know that this would be good experience for eventually joining the upper years at LWC. Head of Sixth Form, Tom Rimmer, is evangelical about ‘giving everything a go,’ even if it takes you out of your comfort zone.
“The message that Sixth Formers get from me most often is inspired by the Theodore Roosevelt quote about the man in the arena,” Mr Rimmer explains. “It’s about daring greatly and striving valiantly. That speech is about not being one of the cold and timid souls who never know victory or defeat. You’ve got to be in the arena giving it a go and it’s better to fail than never to try.”
Jonathan certainly can’t be described as either cold or timid. This term, he has begun a role as 1st Form Academic Prefect, continuing to work on skills that he’s developed as a Scout.
“I don’t think I would have put myself forward for the Young Leader Programme without the Scouts,” he admits. “And completing the Young Leader Award has given me experience that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I’ve just agreed to help Mr Lovell (LWC’s Head of Outdoor Learning) with next year’s 4th Form Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and I wouldn’t have done that without experience of leadership.
“Part of the reason I applied to become a prefect was because, as Mr Rimmer says, if you don’t try, you don’t know. I can now see the fruits of that philosophy. You’ve got to be in the arena.”
Being in the arena during the pursuit of his Scouting honours has also given Jonathan some invaluable life experiences.
Whilst working towards his Chief Scout’s Diamond Award, he found himself taking part in an international camp in Belgium, where he visited World War battlefields, met Belgian Scouts and witnessed a spine-tingling moment at a world-famous monument.
“Taking part in a service at the Menin Gate was the highlight,” he admits. The memorial to the missing is one of four located in the Flanders region of Belgium and is dedicated to the British and Commonwealth soldiers killed in the Ypres Salient of WW1. “They hold a ceremony at the Menin Gate every day,” Jonathan continues. “We joined in full uniform and took flag bearers with us. It was an honour to be part of it.”
As part of the same trip, Jonathan was also able to ring the bells at the St George’s Memorial Church in Ypres. “The church is the only one in Belgium which has bells hung in the same full-circle way as British bells,” he explains. “It felt special to be able to be part of that when there are so few on the continent.”
Having been galvanised to ensure he remains in the ‘arena’, Jonathan is now slowly turning his attention towards the King’s Scout Award and the final year of his A-levels in Chemistry, Physics and Maths. He hopes to begin a degree apprenticeship in engineering beyond LWC, which he remains grateful to have chosen for Sixth Form.
“Having access to 1200 acres of outdoor space is excellent,” he admits. “LWC offered the courses that I wanted and the opportunities, advice and help that’s provided by people like Mrs Hirst (LWC’s Head of Futures) is invaluable. I’m also part of a smaller year group than some sixth form colleges that I applied to, where I might have felt more like a number on a spreadsheet.
“I’ve really enjoyed being a prefect so far and there’s a lot of support for it at LWC. Mr Rimmer takes a guiding approach, which is great. Once you’ve elected this group of young people that you want to help lead the school, it’s about guiding and not instructing them to share their ideas.”
And of course, encouraging them to dare greatly.
Find out more about LWC’s record -breaking Sixth Form here.
You’ll find details of how to visit us on our website, including via our Sixth Form Open Morning on Tuesday, 23rd June from 9.30am.
