Welcome to LWC News
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Welcome to a new year at LWC!
We hope you had an enjoyable, restful break and are ready for an exciting 2025.
Having dodged any significant snowfall this week, the campus is buzzing with the return to lessons, Bugsy rehearsals and the changing sport timetable.
Below you can read about the remarkable ways in which our current students have been challenging themselves, alongside the Sternians who have been making their mark on the world.
As ever, if you have any contributions or comments, please email stories@lordwandsworth.org
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 ScheduleHere’s a guide to required kit per sport:
LWC SPORTS KIT LIST
News
Long Sutton Snowfall…
This last week has provided the 1200 with its first snowfall of the year (although it was gone just a few hours later!)
Luckily, we were able to capture a few of the flurries in all their glory, before everything melted away.
One-Way System
A permanent one-way system will be in place across campus, every day (Monday to Friday) between 0730 and 0830 (term time only) from this coming Monday (13th January).
This is to ensure a safe and smooth journey into College for all.
The system is being brought in now to help minimise the disruption caused by a set of roadworks at The Chequers Pub in Well, which are scheduled for Monday-Friday of next week.
A separate note has been sent to you regarding these changes to your journey from Monday. You can also find the information here.
Fat Sam’s Grand Slam
LWC’s production of Bugsy Malone at the Haymarket Theatre in Basingstoke is just under two weeks away.
Cast and crew are rehearsing hard to bring Alan Parker’s splurge gun-toting gangster story to life.
Upper Sixth Former Luke will be taking on the larger-than-life character of Fat Sam in the show; a role he wanted from the very beginning.
“Following my performances in Oliver! and Macbeth, I knew that I had to be in the next big musical the school put on,” he explains. “When I found out that it was Bugsy Malone, I researched all I could about the play and watched the movie. I went over all of the characters and eventually landed on Fat Sam being the one I wanted to go for.”
Luke admits that learning ‘the accent’ has been the biggest Bugsy challenge so far. “At the start, my accent sounded more like something fresh off EastEnders than a New York mafia show. I’m sure I’ll be able to crack it though.”
Accent withstanding, he can’t wait for show week. “There’s just no beating that special feeling that’s somewhere between elation and accomplishment,” he reveals. “The memories made during these times will stick with us forever.”
There are still a few seats available for Bugsy (22nd-23rd January) via The Haymarket Box Office. Please add the promotion code LWCBUGSY25 in the box below the pricing information.
“You Need to be at Your Best all the Time”
Sternian, Max Lilley will be stepping into the spotlight next week, when he performs in the English National Ballet’s Giselle at the London Coliseum (15th-18th January).
Max is currently in training with the ENB to become a professional dancer. He’ll play the roles of a vine gatherer and part of a court couple in Mary Skeaping’s production; which is billed as featuring some of the most dramatic scenes in ballet.
Max added, “As an audience member, you don’t see everything that goes on behind the curtain and if you’re not in the theatre, you don’t understand the feeling of waiting to go on stage.”
“As an up-and-coming dancer, you need to make sure that you’re ready to step in for anyone and at any time you are asked. Taking these moments and showing that you’re capable gives a great impression and in a world where you are always being watched, you need to be at your best all the time.”
The Coliseum may feel like a long way from the LWC Dance Studio, but Max doesn’t underestimate the importance of those early days in the 1200:
“On Saturdays, I would spend the whole day in the Dance Studio doing different classes. This got me that first step towards going to vocational ballet school.”
There’ll be more from Max in the coming weeks in LWC News.
Moonshot
Giving our young people the psychological skills they need to be extraordinary, has been the focus of a series of Moonshot workshops this week.
1st, 2nd and 3rd Form all took part in the sessions, delivered by former England hockey star, psychologist and performance consultant, Jenna Ashford. Jenna has worked with the Football Association, elite-level athletes and many others to come up with sustainable strategies for managing pressure and building confidence.
Students were encouraged to explore their personalities and to develop individual toolboxes full of coping mechanisms, to help face challenges.
Making a Splash…
Getting out on the water at this time of year may be ‘bracing’, but our LWC marathon canoeists have been grabbing the opportunity where they can.
Two crews (Dan and Freya, Jonny and Xander) were invited to participate in one of the National Junior Development Squad training days at Polesden Lake near Woking.
The programme brings together some of the most talented junior paddlers from across the country to train alongside the nation’s top athletes within their age group.
LWC’s Head of Canoeing, Graham Mobbs added, “This experience not only sharpened the paddling skills of our LWC crews, but provided an inspiring environment to network in and learn from peers at the highest level of junior canoeing.”
Stranger Things
Stranger Things is the second most watched TV show ever on Netflix…and the spin-off stage show is proving just as popular.
4th, 5th and Sixth Form Drama students took a trip back to Hawkins, 1959 this week, when they went to see Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End.
The show won two Laurence Olivier Awards last year and has received huge critical acclaim for its insight into the events leading up to the beginning of the award-winning TV series.
The trip gives students the opportunity to review live theatre, which is a requirement of their GCSE and A-level Drama courses.
BBC Introducing
LWC’s Musician in Residence, Max Rhodes appeared on BBC Introducing this week when his band Noon A.M featured as Track of the Week on BBC Radio Solent.
The track was partly recorded in the Nadine Uppal Theatre at LWC.
“It’s a huge honour to be played on the radio,” Mr Rhodes said. “I believe it’s a vital part of grassroots music to have a platform to be heard.”
Noon A.M is an indie-rock outfit, formed initially as a two-piece group in 2021, before expanding to a four-piece.
The featured track is called Hollow Mind. You can listen back to it on BBC Introducing here.
Creative Corner
The LWC Art School is one of the most magical places on campus.
It’s full of breathtaking work from our many talented artists and it’s throwing open the doors and exposing the canvasses to Sixth Form parents and LWC staff next Thursday.
The Art School Sixth Form Open Studio presents the opportunity to view students’ work in progress, meet the artists, teachers and catch a glimpse of the ongoing exhibition ‘Revisited’ in the Prideaux Gallery.
The Open Studio is on from 6-8pm on Thursday, 16th January.
To the Extremes….
It’s known for being a land of contrasts. From sparkling glaciers to hot geysers and in just under two months from now, a team of LWC parents and Sternians will trek in Iceland; the land of fire and ice in aid of the LWC Foundation.
A couple of the trekkers have been updating us on their ‘training’ progress and motivations for getting involved.
“About ten of us met on a Sunday morning a few weeks ago and walked the route of The Beckwith,” reveals Sternian, Joe Ives. “Initially, the trip appealed because of the prospect of trekking in Iceland. But the emphasis has slowly changed to just being with a group of people from all walks of life, none of whom know quite what is in store.”
Joe was one of 25 LWC trekkers to take on the Sahara in 2023, raising a staggering £51,000 in the process. “Some of my friends roll their eyes and say, ‘he’s off again’, he admits. “But it’s good to get the word about the Foundation out there. I’ve had nothing but encouragement from everyone.”
Emma Turner also admits that her friends and family have been supportive of her decision to take part. “They think it’s brilliant!” she said. “They know it will push me out of my comfort zone and it’s for a great cause! I really hope to raise more than the set amount for the Foundation.”
The group will meet this weekend for another practice session. You pledge your support for them here.
On the Right Path
Sternian, Theo Doran is a Hampshire Cross-Country Champion after finishing first in the senior men’s race at Fairthorne Manor in Botley last weekend.
The LWC cross-country tradition continues next weekend, when current students will represent the College at the District Senior County Championships.
Sweet Support
Quality Street still winking at you after a hard day at work? Tubs of Celebrations empty? (Aside from the Bounty chocolates of course)….
You can turn your Christmas ‘empties’ (once emptied) into something worthwhile this year.
LWC is supporting ‘Tub2Pub’; a recycling campaign to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Until Friday 14th February, the Catering Team is collecting any empty plastic sweets and biscuit tubs, together with lids.
There is a drop-off point at Grab & Go inside Julyans Dining Hall.
Thank you for your support!
New Year Resolve Waning?
If you set yourself a challenge for 2025 that you want to stick to, it’s well worth reading the thoughts of LWC’s Head of Psychology, Lottie Howes in her latest blog post on the LWC website.
She reveals, “Research suggests that most resolutions don’t make it past the first few weeks. A big part of the problem is that our rational intentions often clash with ingrained habits. Resolutions like ‘I want to lose weight’ or ‘I’ll be more organised’ sound great, but they’re often too vague to translate into real action. Without a clear plan, we default back to our usual routines.”
For advice on how specifics can lead to success, read more here.
All-Weather Welcome
The 1200 has been subjected to all weathers over the Christmas break.
From bright sunshine and crystal clear skies, to sideways rain showers and silent snowfall.
Standing defiant, through it all….our welcoming Acorn Gates.
If you have a glorious picture of the 1200, we’d love to see it via stories@lordwandsworth.org
“I love being part of the start of something”
When Adam Williams first set foot in the 1200, he describes LWC as being akin to a slightly awkward teenager.
“Hair draped over our eyes, scruffy shoes…,” he reflects. “But there was the potential to develop that inner self-confidence. I didn’t believe that the place believed in itself enough. I wasn’t interested in following what everyone else was doing….Things evolve and develop when you look at them slightly differently.”
Nearly a decade later and things at LWC have certainly evolved. More pupils now attend the College than ever before. Record-breaking A-level results and sporting achievements have added to the ongoing ‘buzz’ about the place….along with the 35,000 bees that are now a couple of months into their residence.
But if you think that’s the end of the story, then think again.
In order to understand the direction of LWC under the Headship of Adam Williams, you need to understand the man. He loves to find a new opportunity in everything and in his words ‘explode into it’. “I love being part of the start of something,” he admits. “Just making something happen. That’s why I love education. There are lots of people who are up for making things happen, not because they’re going to get paid more, but because it’s exciting.”
2025 promises much for LWC. From the ongoing redevelopment of Boarding Houses, to the creation of plans for a new cardiovascular suite and golf range. But don’t be fooled. The real motivation remains simple for Mr Williams; offering great, character-led education, delivered by inspiring teachers….and he certainly knows how to spot those.
Excellent teachers, he says, “…are invariably, in fact, they are always optimistic, even when they pretend they’re not. I worked with someone many years ago who had a really successful group of children and he would say to me, ‘Adam, these kids thrive on neglect.’ It was a complete lie. He would tell them (with his tongue firmly in cheek), that they were his least favourite class ever, but he would also write them individual, handwritten letters before they sat their GCSE’s or A-levels. People like him always do stuff on the fringes. They get it. Teaching is a way of life and the job is to create the conditions for kids to go and smash it.”
You can read more about Mr William’s approach and his own story which shaped it here.
Key Dates
LWC Presents Alan Parker’s Bugsy Malone, The Haymarket, Basingstoke
Wednesday 22nd-Thursday 23rd January
Non-Uniform Day
Friday, 24th January
Eat, Meet and Greet at Julyans
3-4pm, Friday 24th January
Exeat Weekend
From 4pm, Friday 24th January
Piano Recital with James Lisney in the Nadine Uppal Theatre
7-9pm, Friday 31st January
Parental Engagement Programme Seminar: Online Safety and Managing Social Media, Gavin Hall
9.30-11am, Saturday 8th February
LWC Connect Networking Breakfast in Zanetas (Engineering)
7.30-9am, Thursday 13th February
End of Half-Term
4pm, Friday 14th February