Welcome to LWC News
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Welcome back to the second half of term!
As you’ll see from this week’s issue, we’re straight back into a full programme of events! Good luck to all LWC teams competing in our Varsity Weekend, starting under the lights this evening.
This LWC News reflects the variety that a week can often bring on campus. Whilst we look forward to supporting our teams this weekend, we’ll also be providing a very different kind of support during our Remembrance Service on Monday. Below you’ll read some of the stories of Sternians who made a huge contribution to LWC and to their country.
As always, your comments and contributions are very welcome via stories@lordwandsworth.org
Have a great weekend.
Calendar & Sports Schedule
The school calendar can be viewed using the link below:
LWC CalendarThe school sports calendar can be viewed using the link below:
LWC Sports CalendarPlease view the Sports Weekly Schedule here:
Sports Weekly ScheduleAs arrangements can sometimes change due to factors outside of our control, we recommend checking the calendar routinely.
News
Varsity Weekend!
Our Varsity Weekend against rivals, Pangbourne gets underway tonight under the floodlights.
LWC’s Head of Rugby, Lewis Starbuck explains, “We’ll compete against Pangbourne in girls hockey and boys rugby. All games will count towards the overall winner of the event.”
The showcase “Friday Night Lights” fixture features the Girls 1st Xl U18 Hockey team and begins at 7.30pm on the Main Astro. Mr Starbuck added, “All houses will be in attendance to support and parents are also welcome. There’ll be refreshments available at the event.”
Before the U18’s take to the pitch, the U15 A and B Girls will also be in action.
Tomorrow plays host to a series of staggered hockey and rugby games against Pangbourne. They get underway with the U14 Girls A’s at 10.45am and the U14 Boys B’s at 11am.
Mr Starbuck said, “The final game will be the 1st XV Rugby game at 1.30pm. At the end of this, we’ll know the scores and announce the winners.”
Good luck to all of our LWC sides taking part!
We Will Remember Them
On Monday, the Lord Wandsworth College family will come together to mark Remembrance Day.
Pete Maidment will lead a service at the War Memorial, attended by all LWC students and staff.
The memorial itself, which stands proudly overlooking the rugby pitches, was designed, funded and project-managed by students of the College.
It was unveiled in 2017, fittingly by Sternian, Squadron Leader, George Johnson. If the name seems unfamiliar, he often went by the name ‘Johnny’ Johnson and was the last surviving member of the Dambusters raid, until his death in 2022.
The memorial bears the names of 25 former pupils who gave their lives whilst serving for their country. But not all died in conflict.
David Love was a navigator for the RAF and died in November 1967, at the age of just 22. He had left LWC four years beforehand, having been based in Sutton House. He was a keen cricketer and an excellent fly-half for the 1st XV rugby team. Weeks after joining 205 Squadron, the aircraft he was crewing suffered engine failure en-route from Gan in the Maldives to Singapore. The pilot attempted to ditch into the sea but seven of the ten on board were killed, including David. He is buried at Terendak Mil Cemetery in Malaysia.
Patrick Priestley was an LWC Foundationer, with a love of rugby and motorbikes. He joined the army after leaving Lord Wandsworth and was described by fellow Hazelveareans as a ‘shooting star’ and a talented sportsman. On 5th July 1979, he was one of two crewmen assigned to a Lynx helicopter based out of Hildesheim in Germany. A system malfunction on take-off resulted in the aircraft crashing into a hangar, killing the pilot instantly and severely injuring Pat. He died six weeks later, having been able to give valuable evidence to an inquiry into the accident. He was also 22 and is buried in the Hanover Military Cemetery.
And Jonathan Williams attended LWC as a Foundationer between 1976 and 1981. He’s described a great ‘all-rounder’; equally as comfortable in the 2nd row of the rugby team as playing King Charles the First in a Junior House musical. He became a member of School House before leaving and joining the Royal Navy two years later. On 14th May, 1989, he was on-board one of the Lynx helicopters attached to HMS Brilliant in the Indian Ocean. A mechanical fault led to the aircraft crashing on a rocky outcrop en route to Mombasa. Jonathan died along with 8 other crew members and passengers. He is buried in Emsworth near Havant.
They will never be forgotten.
Racing to Remember
LWC will always be grateful to those Sternians and others who lost their lives whilst in service.
Lower Sixth Former, Phoebe is paying tribute in her own way by taking part in Race to Remember tomorrow, organised by Team Combat Stress.
The 36-kilometre event starts in Petersfield. The route then takes runners south, with a steep climb up Butser Hill (the highest point of the South Downs). The (brief) view from the top will take in the Solent as runners (and walkers) make their way towards Portsmouth, finishing at the city’s Historic Dockyard.
Phoebe explains, “This race will not only test my limits, but allows me to participate in a meaningful and reflective tribute. It feels like the perfect opportunity to express my respect whilst challenging myself.”
Phoebe is no stranger to long-distance running. She completed a 61km 24-hour endurance race in the summer. Last weekend, she finished third fastest woman in the Maverick Exposure Hampshire 2024 Race, which involved running 15km in the dark (pictured). All of this is even more remarkable, given that she hadn’t even set foot inside a running shoe until 3rd Form.
“I was adamant that I hated running,” she reveals. “But somehow my Dad convinced me to join the Chaplain’s Challenge (a 100km relay race organised by LWC) and I thought ‘quality time with my Dad, why not?’ Little did I know my 5k contribution would turn into 30k and that’s where my passion for long-distance running began. Now I’m signing up for all kinds of events; there’s nearly always something I’m training for.”
You can sponsor Phoebe here.
Half-Term Travels
Students and staff from LWC have been scattered across Europe on trips over half-term!
5th Form art and textiles students arrived back at the start of the break, having explored the fashion capital of Paris. They were able to take in the Sacre Couer and Marche Saint Pierre, along with designer stores including Christian Louboutin and Louis Vuitton.
Portugal was the destination for our 1st XV Boys Rugby & 1st XI Girls Hockey teams who visited Lisbon in the first week of the holidays.
For our LWC Classics and Latin students, Greece provided the backdrop to their half-term learning. Meantime, our CCF cadets were on an adventure training camp in North Yorkshire, where they were hill-walking, mountain biking, caving and rock climbing.
Our Stretching Sixth Form Centre…
Sixth Formers returning from the half-term break have been greeted with a boost on their return, in the form of a brand new Reading Room.
Z1 is similar to the spaces found in universities, colleges and libraries; providing a dedicated quiet area for students to work.
LWC’s Head of Sixth Form, Tom Rimmer added: “The main space, adjacent to the cafe, will continue to be somewhere where people can get together to chat and unwind (a bit like a high street coffee shop) but Z1 will be protected for anyone looking to work in a more focused and calm environment.”
Parents can also take advantage of Zanetas on Saturday mornings, when the coffee shop is open between 8.30-11.30am for hot drinks, cakes and pastries.
Hitting the Right Note
It was a huge success last year, which is why the LWC Music Department in Concert is returning next Thursday (14th November).
The event in the Nadine Uppal Theatre showcases the talents of our incredible LWC music teachers and peripatetic music staff.
It starts at 7pm, with tickets available via the LWC website.
Performances will stretch across the musical spectrum and involve students aswell as staff. From solos, to large ensemble numbers and chamber music to more contemporary pieces.
It’s a magical snapshot of musical life at Lord Wandsworth.
STEM-ulating
Today is National STEM Day, celebrating the fields of science, technology, engineering and maths. To mark it, LWC’s Dr Esther Haydock reveals what lured her into her fields of physics, astronomy and environmental science.
“I’ve been fascinated by space since I was a young girl and initially wanted to be an astronaut (my eyesight is too poor and I get travel sick so that was ruled out). I did the next best thing and studied Natural Science at university and then did a PhD in Astrophysics. Images from the Hubble Deep Field showed me how little we know about our universe and how vast it is.”
What do you love about science teaching?
“I love the range of topics I teach; astronomy, physics and environmental science – which means there is something new every day. I also love that I’m continually learning new, exciting things – like at one time the Earth’s oceans were red and the sky was orange! I enjoy sharing this with others, especially through STEM clubs, where we dive into ideas students might not have thought about before.”
What would you say to LWC students contemplating a career in STEM?
“I’d say go for it. STEM offers a huge range of careers, many of which pay well and help reduce the gender pay gap. It’s a field full of interesting challenges and it can take you all over the world. Before teaching, I worked at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and the Observatoire de Paris, so I’ve seen first-hand the doors that STEM can open.”
Serena’s Riding High
3rd Former Serena shone as she represented LWC solo over the half-term break.
With the rest of the Equestrian Team unavailable, Serena competed for the first time in LWC colours at the Dean Close Eventer’s Challenge at Rectory Farm near Cirencester.
Camilla Read, Head of the LWC Equestrian Team added, “Well done Serena for your first outing representing us. We’re excited for things to come.”
Silence is Golden
He describes the five years it took to create his collection ‘The Long Silences’ as ‘phenomenal’. Now LWC’s Artist in Residence, Mark Spray has brought his breathtaking work to campus.
Over the course of the three weeks that he’ll be working with students and developing a commissioned painting, Mark’s collection is being displayed in the Prideaux Gallery for all to view.
In conversation about the years he spent living outside in Cornwall to create the work, he remarked, “I’ve had experiences that I can’t explain, that are beyond my understanding of the world. I was out there in all weathers, sleeping out there and going back to the studio to develop the work.”
Mark will lead a private viewing tonight in the Prideaux, for all LWC parents, students and staff (from 6pm). Joining him will be poet Mark Goodwin who has written a response to the pieces.
You can read more about Mark here.
Teen Tips….
Parenting teens can be quite the minefield. Fortunately, parenting expert, accredited therapist and founder of Teen Tips, Alicia Drummond is on-hand to guide us through.
She’ll be leading the next of our Parental Engagement Webinars on Tuesday November 19th on the subject of Parenting Teenagers; Relationships, Consent and Porn.
Alicia told us, “I think the greatest threat to our kids is the ever-widening gap between what we as parents think they know and what we think they’re doing and what they actually know and what they’re actually doing. The only way we can really close that gap is through having conversations, through curiosity and through connection. This is what we’ll explore in the webinar.”
The session takes place between 7 & 8pm and you can sign up here.
There’ll be more about Alicia and her approach to parenting in next week’s LWC News.
A Well-Trodden Path…
You can’t get a much better setting for a cross-country race than LWC’s 1200 acres.
Which is why 180 pupils from schools across the area will be coming to compete here in the District Cross-Country Championships on Wednesday (19th November).
Around 35 athletes will be taking part from LWC. The top runners from the four races held will be selected to take part in the Schools County Championships.
Head of Athletics at LWC, Ben Hazell said, “Being able to host an event like this puts LWC on the cross-country map. We’re the only school in the district to be able to offer such a glorious setting, with the open fields and wooded area. Other schools love to race here, because it offers a real cross-country experience.”
The course certainly isn’t plain sailing though. Mr Hazell added, “We have an easy descent down to the crossroads, which is followed by an uphill stretch that ascends into the woods. I call this ‘hell’; it’s a gradual incline that narrows, twists and turns as it gets steeper.”
Good luck to all taking part!
Firework Fun…
You may have enjoyed some fireworks already this week, or they could be on the agenda this weekend. A quick trawl through the LWC archives reveals that bonfire nights gone-by weren’t quite as safety-conscious as they are today.
1937’s edition of The Sower (the yearly LWC magazine) included a short report on November 5th by Andrew Gates, then aged 10. He remembered, “We were excited when we saw the men building the bonfire…We went and stood on the wall by the football field. Then one of the men tried to light the bonfire…..It burned on one side but not on the other….Miss Dewing went and got the bellows and Miss Pearson some methylated spirit and at last there was a blazing fire.”
In later years, much-loved Head of Science, Bob Walters was remembered by Sternian, Richard Sullivan for also assisting a bonfire that wasn’t burning well: “Bob decided that what it needed was a bit of ‘oomph’ and proceeded to throw petrol from a jerry can, which promptly ignited with a huge backdraft. Bob literally ran down the garden followed by a track of flame…It was the fastest we ever saw him run.”
May your celebrations be considerably safer.
Christmas Countdown…
Once the bonfires have stopped smouldering, our attention turns towards Christmas and one of the highlights of the LWC calendar, our annual open-air Carols and Christmas Market.
Tickets are now available for the free event on Thursday 12th December from 6-9.30pm.
Carols will be followed by a spectacular festive fireworks display, as you tuck into warming bowls of food, mulled wine and hot chocolate.
More than 40 stallholders will also be selling their artisan goods at our Christmas Market, giving you an opportunity to shop for unique and local stocking fillers.
Entry is via pre-booking only and you can get tickets here.
We’ll meet some of stallholders in next week’s LWC News.
Spectacular Sunsets…
It may have been half-term, but the 1200 continued to look glorious during the break.
Our thanks to Mr Hamilton for capturing this moody sunset at the end of a warm autumn day.
If you have a great photo of our stunning setting, we’d love to see it via stories@lordwandsworth.org.
New Boarders Settle Bee-autifully
LWC is no stranger to welcoming new residents and this week, 35,000 of them have arrived and set-up home within the 1200.
Fortunately, no extra space was required in our boarding houses. Instead, our Grounds Team has been working hard to provide the perfect setting in a sheltered hazel copse behind Stern Farm.
Since Monday, LWC has been home to a colony of honeybees. The project has been led by Catering Manager, Iain Hedley who was inspired to take up apiculture after a chance encounter with a local charity.
“We saw a stall run by an organisation called Hive Helpers at a sustainability fair in Farnham,” he explained. “I went on one of their ‘Pollen-8 courses and that was it.”
Together with the Founder of Hive Helpers, Erica Evans, Ian has researched, planned and now brought the colony to LWC. He describes the moment he first opened up a hive as being pivotal in his decision. “It was a breathtaking moment, being in amongst the bees,” he explains. “There were five hives, with upwards of 200,000 bees but they weren’t flying around us. They were all going about their business, solely focused on getting the job done. I think if I had been there and not come away inspired to kick on and do something, then I’d have missed the point altogether.”
The bees will overwinter in the copse until spring brings some warmer weather. Then they can slowly begin the pollination process, enhancing our eco-system and providing much wider benefits for LWC as a whole.
“Aswell as the agricultural impact, there’s also the potential for student engagement,” Iain points out. “I genuinely believe that when the pupils can understand the opportunities, they’ll be all over it. Some can use beekeeping as a DofE skill. It’s also great for wellbeing. Beekeepers do a lot with veterans because from a mindfulness perspective, it’s such a rewarding activity. And in the longer term, there’s the honey. But if you are keeping bees to make honey, then you’re doing it for the wrong reasons.”
Erica Evans is delighted that the College has taken the next step in sustainability within the 1200. “I’m really heartened that LWC wants to pursue sustainable, fair and low-intervention beekeeping,” she remarked. “They are also keen to embrace supporting wild pollinators, as well as their own honeybees.”
In terms of what we can expect from our new neighbours, she adds: “It’s quite possible for beekeepers to notice different personalities in their colonies. You can have one quite calm hive and another feisty one.” Hives are also often given names according to Iain, who remembers those at the centre of his first beekeeping experience being called Barbara and Elizabeth. “We’ll end up naming ours,” he quips.
We’ll keep you posted on how they settle in and you can read more here.
Iain Hedley in the hazel copse
Poppies….
The poppy has been a symbol of Remembrance for more than a hundred years.
It was chosen in the wake of the First World War, when the resilient wildflower grew and flourished in the devastated Flanders Fields.
Poppies are now available across campus; at all Houses and Main Reception, with all proceeds going directly to the Royal British Legion.
Key Dates
Mark Spray Exhibition – The Long Silences, Prideaux Gallery
until Saturday, 23rd November
Remembrance Service
Monday, 11 November
Autumn Term Sports Photos
Wednesday, 13 November
LWC Music Department in Concert, Nadine Uppal Theatre
7-9pm, Thursday, 14th November
LWC Connect Networking Drinks, The Castle Pub, Farnham
7-9pm, Thursday 14th November
Parental Engagement Programme Webinar led by Alicia Drummond: Parenting Teenagers; Relationships, Consent and Porn
7-8pm, Tuesday 19th November
Student-Led Cabaret Evening, Gavin Hall
7-9pm, Thursday, 21st November
Exeat Weekend and Non-Uniform Day
Exeat begins from 4pm Friday, 22 November
Carols and Christmas Market
Thursday, 12th December
End of Autumn Term
Noon, Friday, 13th December