Welcome to LWC News
Dear Parents and Guardians,
It’s been an incredible week to be part of LWC and this week’s issue will explain why.
From victories on the pitch to burying pants and everything in between.
We wish you an enjoyable and restful half-term and look forward to seeing you for the rest of the spring term.
As always, your comments and contributions are most welcome via 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
The March Continues!
Hundreds cheered pitchside as LWC’s triumphant U15A’s edged past Collegiate in a close-run U15 Schools Cup quarter-final clash on Wednesday.
It finished 23-21 to LWC and means the team have booked a place in the semi-finals against Wellington College on Sunday 2nd March.
The game was streamed live online via NextGenXV, attracting Sternian viewers from as far away as Antarctica (yes, really), Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
U15A coaches, Jack Malden and Paul Donald said, “We are delighted with the result, which is testament to the hard work the boys put in during tough training sessions in rain, snow and often sub-zero conditions. They prepared superbly for the match, which really showcased the talent to be found in schoolboy rugby at U15 level.”
Congratulations boys…a remarkable achievement.
Hampshire Cup Winners
The roll of honour continues for LWC Sport after the U18A hockey team took the Hampshire Cup this week.
The U16A’s finished second in the Hampshire Tournament, with the U14A’s taking third place for their age group.
LWC’s Director of Sport, Soma Singh commented, “All of our hockey teams representing the College in the Hampshire Cup Tournaments this year, have done so with energy and effort. Our 1st XI richly deserved the Hampshire Cup, after an incredible performance from all of the players, who stuck with it against some very strong hockey schools and colleges. A huge well done to them.”
Spring Term Summary
The last six weeks at LWC have moved at break-neck speed, bursting with activity in and around campus.
Deputy Heads of College, Aidan and Sofia have taken a brief pause to reflect on this term so far, as they edge towards the final few weeks in their roles.
“Interhouse Dance was a definite highlight,” explained Aidan. “There was a lot of time and effort put into creating and practicing. Playing hockey has also been a great release.”
Sofia added, “I think that spring term at LWC is always a super busy one and the prefect team have come together to work on big projects like the 5th Form tutoring scheme, which is now in place.”
Both look back on their roles fondly. “I’ve enjoyed building a community between year groups,” said Aidan. “This is something I’ve really enjoyed about being in a Boarding House. I have faith the College will continue to build on the great work our prefect team have done this year.”
Sofia continued, “I think the role has been an incredible opportunity, a chance to work alongside so many amazing characters that maybe I wouldn’t have had the chance to before. Knowing I played a role within this team has been so rewarding.”
Busting the Moves
We can’t go much further without talking about Interhouse Dance…
One of the most popular of all Interhouse competitions, it lifted the roof of Sutton Hall this week.
Gosden emerged overall winners, Summerfield finished second and Haygate took third place.
LWC Head of Dance, Molly Moffitt-McGrath concluded, “The night went incredibly well, with many students and staff commenting on how the standard continues to get better each year. Visiting judge, Paige Elson (Co-ordinator of Dance at Churcher’s College) had a thoroughly enjoyable evening.”
Well done to all involved.
Know Yourself, Grow Yourself
Eleven different activities designed to boost mental health, across five days…
LWC’s Lower Sixth Peer Mentors have been flat out this week, providing a lunchtime boost for students as part of Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week.
From positive rock painting, to circuits and mindful weaving to rock climbing, it’s all been going on.
Millie from the Mental Health Committee reflected, “We had a strong response to our posters and our in-House mentions. It’s been really nice to see the interaction between the Sixth Formers involved and the younger year groups. Everyone has had a great time getting to know new faces. Our aim was to show how important activities like art and exercise are for your mental wellbeing. We wanted to increase our presence within the College and felt that this week was a perfect opportunity to do so.”
Staying Safe
The Internet provides us with limitless opportunities….
But we all need the tools to keep us safe online.
This week’s PSHEE Focus Day marked Safer Internet Day, with a series of sessions around the College.
Workshops on Cyberbullying and the Law, Artificial Intelligence and Online Safety encouraged students from across the year groups to think more closely about their presence in cyberspace.
Head of E-Safety at LWC, Pat Risley added, “Pupils left assembly deep in discussion about the topics touched on in the opening talk. They enjoyed the opportunity to hear from external experts on topics that challenged them to think about and discuss their everyday internet activity.”
In for the Long Haul
19 LWC Juniors put in an impressive performance at the Junior Cross Country District Championships at Farnborough Hill this week.
The top 20 finishers are selected to compete for Aldershot District at the Schools’ County Championships in March.
LWC’s Head of Athletics, Ben Hazell said, “The team definitely felt nervous taking on the cross-country course. It was a cold afternoon, but each of them gave their best and worked hard to compete against the other schools. It was fantastic to see six of our runners placing in the top 20, earning a deserved selection for the next round at the County Championships. Pip earned the best-placed position, coming in third and deservedly so.”
Lunchtime Deliberations
Meanwhile, House common rooms have provided the setting for some lively lunchtime debates over the last few weeks.
The Inter-House Debating Competition is described as ‘The Greatest Showman on steroids’ and teams of three from each House have been battling it out to produce the line-up for the final.
Haygate and Sutton have emerged victorious and will go head to head in Gavin Hall for the final on May 1st.
Head of English and Inter-House Debating lead, Chris Radmann explains, “This is a wonderful chance to test your wits, verbal dexterity and research skills against a team of similarly motivated and articulate opponents. It’s like a verbal boxing match: you’re looking to land brutal punches and avoid killer blows, yet remaining polite and formal. It’s a dance to the death! Our LWC pupils have found the experience terrifying as well as exhilarating. It’s also hugely entertaining!”
LWC Olympians
It’s designed to celebrate the study of physics, with 35,000 students taking part in a series of challenges each year.
This week, six of our Lower Sixth physicists were awarded for their contributions to the British Physics Olympiad.
They received two gold, two silver and two bronze awards for their work in the British Physics Olympiad Senior Online Challenge.
Teacher of Physics, Esther Haydock added, “Our physics students performed exceptionally well in what is a prestigious and demanding competition that tests problem-solving skills and deep mathematical thinking. Every competitor earned a medal-level award. This puts them in a great position for the main Senior Olympiad coming up in March. Well done to all who entered.”
A Lesson with a Difference
1200 acres provide the perfect classroom for our Environmental Science students.
The last fortnight has seen them learning how to measure carbon in our oak and beech trees and concluding that both are equally good at storing the element.
In an unusual twist, they have also been burying cotton pants around the College site.
Head of Biology and Teacher of Environmental Science, Jo Mackenzie explained, “It was an idea from our farmer, Paul Sigley and is designed to see how good our soil microorganisms are at decomposing the pants. We have buried them in various locations and will return in a few months to see what has happened.”
If you unexpectedly discover a pair, you now know why.
Showcasing Skills
LWC will be taking part in the world’s largest youth Shakespeare festival next month.
The Coram Shakespeare Festival gives thousands of schoolchildren from across the country, the opportunity to perform the bard’s work in professional theatres.
LWC students will be performing Hamlet at The Haymarket Theatre on Tuesday, 11th March; sharing the stage with other local schools delivering their own Shakespearian pieces.
4th Form have been taking part in a Coram workshop focusing on characterisation, language and storytelling in preparation.
Tickets for the final performance are available here.
On Stage This Summer
Meanwhile, whilst many of us still have ‘Fat Sam’s Grand Slam’ ringing in our ears…
Auditions for LWC’s summer play are now underway.
‘One Man, Two Guvnors’ by Grant Olding, Carlo Goldoni and Richard Bean will be performed on the 11th and 12th of June in Gavin Hall.
LWC Teacher of Drama, Matthew McGrath explained, “The play famously starred James Corden as the protagonist, in the National Theatre’s original iteration of the play. The story follows his character, Francis as he tries to balance employment between two ‘gentlemen’, without revealing the truth of having two employers! However, all is not as it first seems…”
We can’t wait to see the finished product!
Fire & Ice in less than a Fortnight
Imagine this for a travel itinerary…
Day 2, exploring the country’s largest natural lake. Day 3, hiking a mountain pass and possibly catching the Northern Lights. Day 4, smelling the sulphur of the Geothermal Valley.
In less than two weeks, a delegation of intrepid parents and Sternian trekkers will be making their way to Iceland for a fundraising challenge in aid of the LWC Foundation.
The group sets off on the 26th February and we’ll keep you updated on their progress.
Since signing up, they have enjoyed regular training walks to get to know each other and to build up their resilience.
You can pledge your support for them here.
Networking Breakfast
LWC Connect’s Networking Breakfasts offer the opportunity for the LWC community to come together and share knowledge and expertise.
This week, engineering took centre stage, with members of the LWC community working within the industry, able to link-up over breakfast in Zanetas.
Towards the end of the session, Sixth Form students joined them.
LWC Head of Futures, Nicola Hirst explained, “These events give students exposure to industry professionals and an opportunity to understand paths into these fields, whilst improving networking skills and boosting confidence.”
Networking Breakfasts in the coming months will focus on Marketing, Media and PR, followed by IT and Technology.
For more information about LWC Connect or to sign up to be part of it, click here.
A Night of Quizzing and Curry
What’s not to love?
The deadline to purchase tickets for FLWC’s Quiz and Curry Night on Friday, 28th February is fast approaching.
The event will take place between 7 and 10pm in Gavin Hall.
Tickets are £20 per person, which buys you a curry, welcome drink and entry to the quiz.
Wine and a hamper donated by Penn Croft Wines are also up for grabs, with a percentage of proceeds from the night going towards the LWC Foundation.
Tickets are available here until Friday, 21st February.
Half-Term Clearout?
LWC’s Second Hand Uniform shop is a treasure trove of preloved uniform at knockdown prices…
But we need your help to keep it well-stocked.
If you have any surplus new-style uniform or PE kit in good, clean condition, we would love to take it off your hands.
Please drop it off at Main Reception. All funds raised from the sale of it will go directly to the LWC Foundation.
Feeling Inspired
LWC’s Upper Sixth fine artists have been immersing themselves in timeless works of art, as part of their final research trip to London.
Prompted by the new exam board theme of ‘union’, they visited the Tate Britain and National Galleries to view pieces that capture a moment, whilst continuing to engage and challenge.
LWC’s Head of Art, Graham Mobbs added, “The day concluded with a shared meal, where students reflected on their discoveries and discussed how they would develop their art projects back in the studio, carrying forward the inspiration gained from the visit.”
Scarlet Sunset
As the sun sets on another half-term, it seemed apt to feature this glorious scene.
Taken at the end of the day, just beyond the astro pitches, it’s proof that there is always beauty in the 1200, regardless of the changeable weather.
If you have a great picture of LWC, we’d love to see it via stories@lordwandsworth.org
Coming Together Through Cricket
The February half-term break holds a variety of possibilities.
Maybe a short break away, an opportunity to see family or just a chance to stay in pyjamas a little longer than usual.
For LWC 4th Former, Lottie, it involves hopefully learning a little Kinyarwandan (the national language of Rwanda).
Lottie is one of 35 volunteers spending the half-term break coaching and supporting communities in Rwanda. It’s all part of a scheme set up by the Indatwa Cricket Foundation, alongside the Hampshire Cricket Board and Cricket Without Boundaries.
The group has a packed itinerary which includes teaching English, supporting period health and first aid lessons, erecting cricket nets, painting the local school, coaching, playing matches and working with a women’s refuge.
“I’m hoping for some new experiences,” Lottie reveals. “I think I’ll learn quite a lot in a way which will make me view the world differently.”
The East African country will certainly seem a long way from LWC; both geographically and culturally. The project was partly the brainchild of Emma Cowdrill, Women and Girls’ Development Officer at the Hampshire Cricket Board, who led the first trip to Rwanda in 2023. “The majority of the families there don’t have running water,” she explains. “Although they have ambitions to work as doctors, teachers, cricketers, many of the girls are expected to leave school early and work to support their families.”
Whilst Lottie may find herself in very different surroundings, she will spot the occasional reminder of home in the form of old LWC sports kit. “We asked people last year, if they had any second-hand kit that they wanted to donate,” she continues. “We then drove it to the Utilita Bowl and it filled the training pavilion pitch with the clothes collected by other schools. It was cool to see pictures of them wearing it in Rwanda. It felt as though we were really helping.”
Lottie has been playing cricket since the age of seven. She now plays for Hampshire Under 15 girls and is one of nine female LWC students to be called up to county sides. She believes that her time playing for club and county will stand her in good stead on the trip. “I’ve done quite a bit of coaching compared to some people my age,” she says. “On Sundays, I help Mr Williams with the Odiham Under 15’s and Under 13’s training sessions at LWC.” She also admits that LWC’s Headmaster may well have taught her a thing or two to take with her: “I’ve learned to be energetic and supportive from him.”
You can read more about Lottie and her trip on the LWC website.
Planning Ahead?
Looking to book something but unsure of availability?
Confirmed term dates up until July 2026 and a provisional schedule stretching to July 2027 are now available on the LWC website.
You can find them here.
Pentathletes This Way….
If you’re looking for engaging half-term activities…
A Pentathlon Camp is running at LWC next Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th February between 9am and 3.30pm.
Swimming, running, fencing and laser shooting will be available for 8-16 year olds, at a cost of £110 for both days or £60 for one.
You can book your place here.
Key Dates
Spring Term Resumes
Monday 24th February
Iceland Trek in aid of the LWC Foundation
Wednesday 26th February – Sunday 2nd March
FLWC Quiz & Curry Night, Gavin Hall
7pm, Friday 28th February
Cotterill Cup Music Festival Prize Winners Concert, Nadine Uppal Theatre
7pm, Monday 10th March
LWC performs Hamlet at the Coram Shakespeare Schools Festival, The Haymarket, Basingstoke
7pm, Tuesday 11th March
Whole School Futures Fair
8.30am-3.30pm, Friday 14th March
Cotterill Cup Open Section Recitals, Nadine Uppal Theatre
7pm, Friday 14th March
Parental Engagement Programme Seminar: Adolescent Emotional and Mental Wellbeing, Gavin Hall
9.30-11am, Saturday 15th March
Dance Show, Nadine Uppal Theatre
7pm, Tuesday 18th & Wednesday 19th March
Parental Engagement Programme Webinar: Parenting Teenagers; Building Resilience and Self-Esteem
7-8.30pm, Thursday 20th March
Musical Scholars’ Recital, Nadine Uppal Theatre
7-8.30pm, Monday 24th March
Giving Day
Starts Tuesday 25th March (and continues for 36 hours)
Foundation Day
Thursday 27th March
End of Spring Term
Noon, Friday 28th March