Welcome to LWC News
Autumn Term has gathered pace this week, with The 1200 (mostly) bathed in September sunshine.
This week in LWC News:
What happens when you gather nearly a thousand members of the LWC community on Southview Pitches? Where in the world is the College heading this week? and how are Sternians helping our current Upper Sixth Form to navigate their next steps?
All of this and much more is detailed below. Have a great weekend.
News
Picture Perfect
It’s a herculean feat of organisation and fortunately the weather gods halted the drizzle just in time for LWC’s biannual whole school photo on Tuesday.
Just under a thousand students and staff gathered on Southview Pitches for the shot, before Prefects, Leavers and House photos were taken later in the day.
The Whole School photo can be ordered here, Prefects photos can be found here, with Leavers and House portraits here.
Orders received by The School Photography Company by Friday, 2nd October will take advantage of their exclusive prices.
LWC Sets Off for Middle Kingdom
The worlds of 16 LWC students are being widened all the way to China.
A six-day football tour, led by Senior Deputy Head, Tom Hicks and supported by Head of Football, Georgia Bowers and Assistant Deputy Head (Director of Studies), Scott Sanderson, will begin on Sunday.
The group of 4th and 5th Formers will stay in the south-eastern Chinese city of Shenzhen (pictured), playing two matches against local opposition and experiencing a taste of China’s many cultures.
“We will also explore China’s contribution to tech and AI, with a visit to factories supplying BYD vehicles and drones to the rest of the world,” explained Mr Hicks, who lived in Hong Kong for five years before joining LWC. We look forward to sharing the trip highlights upon their return.
‘An Outstanding Contribution’
3rd Former, Florence played a part in cricketing history last week.
She represented The Lord’s Taverners in their inaugural women’s cricket match against MCC on Monday, 7th September.
“Florence made an outstanding contribution to the team’s success,” revealed Becky Howie, Head of Philanthropy & Events at The Lord’s Taverners. “She bowled brilliantly, delivering six overs with an excellent economy rate of just 3.33 and playing a key role in keeping the experienced MCC batting line-up under pressure.”
1st Form Head to The Mendips
LWC’s youngest year group leave The 1200 on Wednesday, bound for a three-day trip to The Mendips.
“The Mendips give our new 1st Formers the chance to build excellent relationships with their new classmates, whilst exploring what character means in the broadest sense,” explains Bramley Houseparent, Pete Maidment.
“By taking risks, living outside of their comfort zones and overcoming challenges, the children discover just how much they are capable of.”
Students will try their hands at climbing, abseiling, and caving in the beautiful Mendip Hills, not far from Cheddar in Somerset.
Making Waves
She’s only been swimming in the open water for a few months…
But 4th Former, Betty has just won her first race: a 750m swim event at Shepperton Lake.
“I’m very happy with myself,” she explained. “I train open water once or twice a week, but swim in the pool seven times a week. I raced last month and came second, but believed I could do better.”
Persistence pays off.
Explore Life in LWC’s Sixth Form
“Approach subjects you may not have considered and keep an open mind.”
Upper Sixth Former & Academic Prefect, Jack, has been giving his take on the value of attending LWC’s annual Sixth Form Open Morning and Subjects Fair on Saturday, 10th October.
It’s a chance to explore the post-16 opportunities available at LWC and to meet our record-breaking Sixth Form Team.
“I found the event was really helpful in gaining an insight into what different subjects entail,” Jack continues, when asked to reflect on his attendance at the fair during 5th Form.
“It was also great to hear from those studying the subjects and it helped me to whittle down six possible A-level choices to four.”
You can book your place and find out more here.
Strong Sternian Network
We love welcoming our Sternians back to The 1200.
Last Friday, our current Upper Sixth Form were able to benefit from the experience of our alumni, as they make some crucial choices about the next stages of their lives, beyond LWC.
“During Forum, we were delighted to welcome back a fantastic group of Young Sternians who are at different stages of their journeys,” explained Head of Futures, Nicola Hirst.
“We heard from those who have recently completed amazing gap years, those beginning their second years at university and from some who have completed their university courses and are heading off to begin something new.” This kind of insight into what to expect in the coming months and years is invaluable.
Already in the Swing
LWC’s golfers got their 26/27 South of England Schools’ Golf Tour campaign off to a flying start last week.
They competed in the U15 and U18 Strokeplay Championships at The Springs Golf Club in Wallingford.
“The highlight of the day came from the U15 Team (pictured), who finished first with a combined score of 242 (+26) and 10 shots ahead of runners-up Reed’s School,” explained LWC’s Head of Golf Craig O’nions.
“Well done to all the golfers who represented the College, including Harrison (who placed first in the individual competition). It was an encouraging start to the new campaign, with plenty for both age groups to build upon over the coming months.”
Creative Collection
Last week we gave you a glimpse of the stunning work produced by last year’s GCSE Textiles students.
This week, we celebrate the compositions of last year’s phenomenal GCSE artists.
From Monday (21st September) until next Friday (25th), their work is available to view in the Prideaux Gallery as part of the Class of 2026 Art Exhibition.
There is also a Private View, which is open to all between 5 & 7pm on Monday.
The Grove
It’s designed to inspire our designers..
The Grove, LWC’s new home for Art, Design, Textiles, Ceramics, Computer Science, Film and Media is nearly complete.
“Our new specialist spaces, in The Grove, provide an inspiring environment where creativity, innovation and practical skills can flourish,” reveals Head of Design & Technology, Lara Swan.
“With access to new and emerging technologies, students can turn ambitious ideas into reality whilst exploring sustainable design solutions that reflect Lord Wandsworth College’s ethos and an awareness of the world around us.”
Stream LWC Sport
Rugby is back!
The LWC 1st XV’s home game against Epsom College is being live streamed for free by Schools Sports TV this weekend.
Kick off is at 2.30pm tomorrow (Saturday, 19th September) and you can access the game by clicking the streaming link and creating a free account.
Alternatively, we look forward to seeing you at the sidelines for our many sports fixtures taking place this weekend.
September Saturday in Summercombe
It’s just over a year since the Summercombe Centre, our welcoming SEND space opened for the first time.
Last Saturday, the parents of our newest students to require support were invited to join our specialist staff (pictured) for an introductory coffee morning.
Led by LWC’s Senior Head of SEN and Inclusion, Brigitte Wood, parents and carers were also able to meet with Senior Deputy Head, Tom Hicks, Deputy Head (Academic), Angela Watson and Deputy Head (Pastoral), Ali Cocksworth.
“We were able to learn more about our newest students, hear about their strengths from those who know them best and be on hand to answer questions,” explained Dr Wood. “There was a really lovely atmosphere and we were all able to put faces to names.”
Strategy 2030
If you think that this summer’s redevelopment work at LWC was ambitious… wait until you see what else is in the pipeline.
Join, LWC Head, Adam Williams, for more of his Strategy 2030: Widening Worlds events this academic year.
This is an opportunity to learn more about the College’s vision for the future and to offer your input into it.
You can reserve your place for the forthcoming talks on Saturday, 14th November or Saturday, 9th January from 9.30-11am.
Beauty & the Beast Beckons
The cast has been chosen and now it’s all eyes on rehearsals for LWC’s production of Beauty & the Beast.
Over 70 students auditioned for the 54 roles on offer last week.
“Decisions were incredibly difficult for this casting,” explained Director & Head of Performing Arts, Gemma Papadimitriou. “The standard improves every year! These were the most prepared students I’ve ever seen!”
Rehearsals began last Saturday for the performances which will take place between Wednesday, 20th and Friday, 22nd January at The Haymarket in Basingstoke.
Academic Highlight – Science
It’s a little like receiving your first wand at Hogwarts (but with arguably more responsibility).
LWC’s 1st Form have been put through their paces in order to demonstrate they’re worthy of an LWC Bunsen Burner Licence.
“They needed to identify risks and hazards, put precautions and safety measures in place and successfully manage to execute their first practical of the year whilst managing their Bunsen burners safely,” explained Teacher of Science, Mike Cheong.
Congratulations 1st Form.
Celebrating Our Heritage
Each September, thousands of volunteers organise events at historical sites across England as part Heritage Open Days.
Here at LWC, we have our own valued volunteer who makes it his mission to faithfully record all aspects of the College’s 104-year-history.
Sternian, James G Gregory-Marshall has been involved in the College as a Sternian Archivist since 1974, leaving the post for a few years to live in the US, before returning to it in 2016.
“I was a history teacher for 37 years and so archival work has always been part of my career,” he explains.
“My favourite building at the College was never built! It is the foundations of a quadrangle, designed by Sir Guy Dawber in 1914. This summer, part of those foundations were visible, near to the Acorn Gates because of the dry weather.”
New Staff Spotlight
LWC’s newest staff are settling into life here in The 1200.
Teacher of Art, Ewan Ormond is looking forward to embracing the unique opportunities here on offer in the North Hampshire countryside.
“I’m excited to bring my passion for nature and the outdoors into Art and I can’t wait to get involved with the huge number of co-curricular activities here,” he explained.
In his spare time, Mr Ormond enjoys painting with different textures, mountaineering and water sports (although inevitably not together).
London Calling
Live in London?
There’s a new Sunday night ritual for our weekly boarders who live in the capital.
They can now hop on our London Express, offering a direct service between London and LWC, with stops at Richmond Station, East Putney and Clapham.
The aim is to make our transport links with the capital as convenient as possible. For information on this and all of the bus routes we offer, please visit our dedicated webpage.
LW Sea
LWC’s CCF contingent has a brand new addition.
The Royal Navy has joined the Army and RAF sections.
It offers a broad programme, with an emphasis on practical skills, adventure and time on the water. There will also be opportunities to attend Royal Navy camps and courses, alongside working towards recognised qualifications.
The CCF offers a distinctive form of co-curricular education: developing confidence, teamwork, resilience and leadership skills.
Anyone from 3rd Form onwards can join. Interested? Contact Contingent Leader, Alex Hamilton.
Golden Ticket-tastic
LWC’s Rocky Road is the stuff of legends.
This week, eight students from across the College’s boarding houses won the chance to make their own, using the special LWC recipe.
To mark Roald Dahl Day, the LWC Catering Team randomly attached a golden ticket to one packet of snacks in each House.
The eight lucky recipients have now won a place at our Rocky Road Making Workshop.
LWC Life
Hoping to hit the slopes soon?
If you’re dreaming of some alpine action and après ski, then head to the LWC Life Benefits Portal right now.
For this month only, Ski Solutions is offering a discount of £50 off per person for LWC Life members booking February half-term packages. When used in conjunction with other discounts, this could save up to £400 pp for some destinations.
To take advantage of this and a whole host of other bespoke offers, sign up to LWC Life for free. It’s open to all LWC parents, staff and Sternians.
September Sunshine
Have you noticed that autumn ushers in a different kind of light?
Golden hues replace the bright summer rays thanks to the position of the sun in the sky.
In summer, it shines directly overhead, but as the season draws to a close it bathes everything in a golden glow because of where the Earth is placed in relation to it.
Here in the The 1200, it bounces beautifully off the stone facades of our buildings, as it has done for more than a century.
We’d love to see your photos captured at LWC (whatever the weather). Please email them to stories@lordwandsworth.org.
During the Holidays at LWC…
Half-term is only a few weeks away and this October, Activate Camps are back at LWC with their JDH Next Level Hockey Camps.
There are sessions available between 9.30am and 4.30pm on Monday 26th and Tuesday 27th October for both 6-7-year-olds and for the 8-14-year-old age groups.
You can find out more and book via the Activate website.
Culinary Creative
Memories of the summer may already seem distant.
Late mornings, the opportunity to inhale a book or two and the scent of consistently applied suncream has been replaced with a return to routine for many of us.
For Sternian, Henrietta Russell, summer is her busiest time of the year.
As the owner of luxury catering company, Peapod & Co., Henrietta’s experience of June to September each year is a whirlwind of weddings, private parties, business functions and opportunities to be involved in classically British events such as Royal Ascot and the Chelsea Flower Show.
It’ll come as no surprise that adventure lies at the heart of this former LWC student, but Henrietta’s passion involves taking us on a journey we’ll remember with food.
“There’s something so satisfying about creating food that catches someone’s eye, makes them stop and look, and then surprises them with that first bite,” she reveals. “I’ve always believed that you eat with your eyes first, but the flavour has to deliver too. I’d describe what we create as edible artwork. It’s food that looks almost too beautiful to eat but delivers an unexpected burst of flavour and I love being there to see it happen.”
It’s certainly a strategy that works. Having trained at Ireland’s Ballymaloe Cookery School upon leaving the LWC Sixth Form, Henrietta worked as a private chef in Verbier and for the Hotel Du Vin Group before finding her love for event catering. She set up Peapod & Co. in 2019 and now boasts a host of celebrity clients, has worked on projects for the likes of London Fashion Week and the V&A and this year has become an accredited caterer at three high-profile Hampshire event venues (Avington Estate, Froyle Park and The Grange).
But she retains fond memories of her time at LWC, where she was encouraged to follow her passions. “I made some of my best friends there,” she admits. “I loved the grounds and the amazing teachers. We were treated (as Sixth Formers) like adults rather than children. It felt like a mature Sixth Form compared to some of the schools that my other friends attended.”
As summer has made way for autumn, Henrietta’s attention will turn towards the functions that this new season will bring…
“One of my most memorable events was catering for 200 at a Christmas event in London,” she admits. “It was ski-themed and so there were alpine lodges, skis and lots of snow.”
But whether witnessing the reaction of a couple on their wedding day, or receiving feedback from a corporate event at Christmas, Henrietta loves her time in the kitchen as much as ever.
“I work in both the kitchen and the office, but I always want to be in the kitchen as much as possible because that’s where I’m happiest. Everything else falls away and I get into a kind of flow state that I find almost therapeutic. I’m completely focused on the food.”
Read more of Henrietta’s story here.
Key Dates
Class of 2026 GCSE Art Exhibition, Prideaux Gallery
Monday, 21st- Friday, 25th September
Class of 2026 GCSE Art Exhibition Private View, Prideaux Gallery
5-7pm, Monday, 21st September
Exeat Weekend
4pm, Friday 25th September
Suzanne Winn, Artist-in-Residence Finding the Light Exhibition, Prideaux Gallery
Monday, 28th September – Sunday, 11th October
LWCGS Golf Day, North Hants Golf Club
Wednesday, 30th September
LWC Connect Networking Breakfast, Zanetas
7.45am, Thursday, 1st October
Suzanne Winn, Artist-in-Residence Finding the Light Exhibition Private View, Prideaux Gallery
6.30-8.30pm, Thursday, 1st October
LWC Sixth Form Open Morning & Subjects Fair
9am, Saturday, 10th October
Half Term Begins
4pm, Friday 16th October
Autumn Term Resumes
Monday, 2nd November
LWC Music Department in Concert, Gavin Hall
7pm, Friday, 13th November
Exeat Weekend
4pm, Friday, 20th November
LWC Connect Networking Drinks, Covent Garden
6pm, Wednesday, 25th November
Cabaret Evening, Gavin Hall
7pm, Thursday, 3rd December
Carols & Christmas Market
6pm, Thursday, 10th December
End of Autumn Term
Noon, Friday, 11th December
Useful Links
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