WHAT? WHERE?

LORD WANDSWORTH COLLEGE HOOK HAMPSHIRE pupils

Welcome to the farm! Although Lord Wandsworth College is like no farm you will ever visit. This Senior School, set deep in the Hampshire countryside, is located in the quintessentially English hamlet of Long Sutton and sits in a whopping 1,200 acres.

A selective, co-ed day and boarding school for ages 11 – 18 yrs, LWC really embraces its location. It’s outdoorsy, offers lots sport, fresh air extra-curricular activities and a working farm that help students learn about agri-tech and entrepreneurship. Pupils numbers are currently sitting at 680, but plans are in motion to increase it to 700, and in recent years it has become an ‘It’ school for parents living in Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire.

The original Manor House has been expanded out in all directions over the years over a large campus which comprises of listed buildings and new cool contemporary blocks that sit surprisingly well next to each other. The school has a warm, village feel to the campus, with open walkways, pristine grounds and pitches that are tended to by one of Tottenham Hotspur’s former pitch perfectionists.

LORD WANDSWORTH COLLEGE HOOK HAMPSHIRE aerial view

Philanthropy is the beating heart of LWC. Originally founded in 1912 as a boarding school, it was transformed in 1922 by the Baron of Wandsworth who gifted a fortune in his will to create a school for bereaved children of agricultural workers. ‘Foundationers’ combined lessons with working on Stern Farm, an arable, 850-acre on-site farm that’s still on the site today (don’t worry, today’s kids aren’t expected to muck in and harvest the crops – unless they desperately want to). In the school’s first century it has proudly educated 2,500 Foundationers – and there are currently 50 pupils with supported places.

In 2021, Lord Wandsworth College and St Neot’s prep school struck formal collaboration, geared to creating a joint educational ethos and to provide an all-through school. Other pupils join the school from the likes of Wellesley and Twyford along with nearby Surrey and Berkshire schools like Edgeborough, Bishopsgate, Hallgrove and Thorngrove.

FACILITIES

SPORT

LORD WANDSWORTH COLLEGE HOOK HAMPSHIRE pupils on playing field

Sport is a big deal here. Often described as a rugby school, having turned out the likes of Jonny Wilkinson, Ugo Moyne and Charlie Amesbury, pupils are more likely to claim silverware in hockey and cricket – it was recently named a Top 100 senior school for cricket for the 8^th year running. That’s not to say rugby isn’t taken seriously, the multiple pristine pitches and first XI’s hallowed turf, tell you that. But there’s more depth to the school’s sporting endeavours with county and national success in hockey, rugby, equestrianism, marathon canoeing, dance and they reached the schools’ national Hundred cricket finals.

Hockey is the most popular sport. Most pupils (80%) play both for fun and competitively. Lord Wandsworth College fields 18 boys’ teams and 14 girls’ teams, with links to local clubs, England Hockey Development Centres and the Hampshire Hockey Development Centre for training.

Facilities-wise, there’s plenty of space to play – the vast campus is surrounded by multiple, county-standard pitches for rugby, football and cricket, including new cricket grounds built specifically for girls’ cricket. Hockey is played on several large, floodlit Astro pitches and there are outdoor tennis courts, too. Making use of the woodland space, there’s a mountain bike track and an area earmarked for 5K and 10K ‘Beckwith’ Runs. Indoors are netball courts, a 25m swimming pool, a climbing wall and trampoline.

Lord Wandsworth College also offers riding classes, in conjunction with Wellington Riding School (offering first class facilities), and has an increasingly successful equestrian team. Great fun – and good preparation for Oxbridge potentials – the school’s Paddling Club trains pupils to take part in the epic 125 mile Devizes to Westminster Canoe race.

CREATIVE ARTS

LORD WANDSWORTH COLLEGE HOOK HAMPSHIRE THEATRE PRODUCTION DRAMA

The well-equipped Art School has had a substantial refurb. Inside, a Sixth Form studio, ceramic studio, printmaking area and specialised Art Library are made good use of by the decent numbers here who go on to take Fine Art and 3D Art. Results are consistently good and the standard of work is mind blowing, with space for students to create large format pieces.

The Nadine Uppal Theatre, opened in October 2021 after a major refurb by Room With A View actor and ex-pupil Julian Sands, is very well equipped. Sands sadly passed away in California last year, so LWC theatre feels like a fitting legacy. GCSE Drama numbers are growing and it’s a hugely popular co-curricular activity: LAMDA classes (offered between Y3 and Y8) are oversubscribed.

The cohort are pretty musical too – there’s a concert band, regular trips to the Albert Hall, Cadogan Hall, Glyndebourne, London’s West End and local venues, masterclasses, workshops and lectures delivered by professional musicians. Plenty of pupils (approx. 65%) play an instrument and take individual lessons and they’re encouraged to explore all musical genres. One pupil we met had just returned from a punk festival where he had been playing saxophone with his band. Very cool.

GENERAL

Phase one of a massive £20m development project has been completed. The jewel in the crown is the slick science building, boasting 13 laboratories, top-spec facilities and a walled garden for outdoor experiments. It’s a dramatic block, featuring Corten steel on the outside and vast amounts of glass and space. There’s also a new Sixth Form Centre and café – providing space to hangout and a quieter floor for study.

Dining Hall Lord Wandsworth College school in Long Sutton Hampshire

In recent years Humanities and English classrooms have been updated, as has the new Health Centre (which looks like a fresh out of the box GP surgery), additional girls’ boarding accommodation and a light-filled dining hall extension, doubling the existing capacity. Students have been influential in design decisions and the overall feel is grown up. Areas of the campus have been pedestrianised (aka The Street) and the flow of traffic and car parking are less glamorous, but important, upgrades.

The second phase includes another big development to create a STEM building, plus a new outdoor theatre, classrooms and shepherd’s hut in the woods (part of the 1200 Acre Project) and if the Head gets his way, a TopTracer driving range with short game practice area, alongside Padel tennis courts.

SIXTH FORM

LORD WANDSWORTH COLLEGE HOOK HAMPSHIRE sixth form centre

The new Sixth Form Centre gives students a taste of life after LWC. It’s slick, stylish and very grown up. The café is certainly proving popular for a flat white and flapjack between lessons. Like the rest of the school, whether day or boarding (weekly, flexi or full), the Sixth Formers, currently numbering 175 pupils, are part of the thriving boarding house and school community.

The majority take part in drama, sport and other activities, like debating club, outside of lessons. Classes average just 8-12 students, giving plenty of scope for individual tuition, and there’s time dedicated to one-to-one careers programme with their Head of Futures – which was nominated for an award.

Most Sixth Formers go on to University, around half to the Russell Group, with Bath, Cardiff, Exeter, Royal Holloway all popular choices, plus Oxbridge and medical schools. Others have successfully landed places on degree apprenticeships at the likes of Rolls Royce and PWC and many budding entrepreneurs have gone on to start their own businesses.

ACADEMICS

Lord Wandsworth College school in Long Sutton Hampshire girl doing chemistry experiment

Very good. Results have significantly improved in recent years and there’s a recognition that education needs to have a more tailored approach. Alongside traditional GCSE subjects, pupils can study Mandarin, Photography and Media Studies. At A Level, Politics, Psychology, Computer Science, Business Studies and DT are in the mix too.

Sixth Formers looking for more practical paths can opt for BTECs in Sport, Creative Digital Media and Enterprise and Entrepreneurship. In 2023, 47% of pupils achieved A or A* at GCSE and 85% achieving A* – B. At A Level, 34% achieved A* – A and 86% achieved A – C.

It’s popularity has soared in recent years, with many parents considering moves to St Neot’s to smooth the path for a place. Popularity can lead to the brightest being cherry picked, but fit and the ability to cope with the curriculum are key factors. The school has its own pretest (developed by Atom Learning) and on the assessment day, prospective pupils take part in a series of practical and creative activities.

PASTORAL CARE

LORD WANDSWORTH COLLEGE HOOK HAMPSHIRE girls hugging in boarding house

Lord Wandsworth College is a pastoral care power house. It has won multiple awards for its boarding provision as well as mental health and wellbeing. It was also shortlisted for the BSA Working with Vulnerable Children Award in recognition of the work of the Foundation. Community is everything; the staff go above and beyond. From the matron, houseparents and tutors, there are plenty of safety nets and lots of support for off days to problems big and small.

Pupils can book an appointment at the Health Centre which is staffed by a GP two days a week and nurses six days a week. Counselling is available five days a week, 70 members of staff are qualified as Mental Health First Aiders, a FEIPS- (Framework for Enhanced Individual Pastoral Support) Qualified staff member and an onsite chaplain.

The school also has Wellbeing prefects and is big on programmes that enhance self-esteem, inviting external guest speakers every fortnight to discuss wellbeing topics. A parent engagement programme offers support on wellbeing topics like support with revision, online safety and inclusion and diversity.

A dedicated Charity and Outreach programme also enables students to work with the wider community, including disabled youngsters and care home residents.

BOARDING

LORD WANDSWORTH COLLEGE HOOK HAMPSHIRE health centre

Boarding is massive at Lord Wandsworth, outnumbering day pupils 60/40 – and encourage a strong sense of community. To avoid any sense of them and us, every student automatically becomes part of a boarding house. Flexi, weekly or full boarding options are all on offer with the majority (around 70%) choosing to flexi-board, despite the fact that 90% live within 40 mins drive and just 6% come from overseas. Three quarters of the teaching staff live onsite.

The eight boarding houses are spread around the campus with large kitchens and communal areas. Some of the houses are located a leg-stretching walk from the main school, but the pupils seem to enjoy the physical separation – although rain, wind and sleet may test their positivity. The bedrooms are functional with sweeping views, but the houses feel home-from-home, friendly, with areas to hangout as group or quietly curl up with a book.

IIf they have time to read a book, of course. The co-curricular programme is mind blowing. There are over 100 activities ranging from canoeing and chess, to Mandarin and Music Tech. Aside from Saturday enrichment, weekends are quieter but there’s the chance for full boarders to go off-campus for bowling, go karting, cinema and shopping trips.

THE HEAD

LORD WANDSWORTH COLLEGE HOOK HAMPSHIRE head Adam Williams

Energetic, enthusiastic and charming with a side of humility, Headmaster Adam Williams has been in the hot seat since 2015 and has been a real force for change at Lord Wandsworth College. He grew up on the West Coast of Australia and, after moving to the UK, was educated at Bradfield College, later graduating with a degree in Geography from Durham University. During his eight years, he has steered a whopping £25m development project – creating a new science centre, sixth form centre, dining room extension and pedestrianisation of the campus. Many heads would not be thinking about embarking on another big build, but Williams feels taking on phase two – a £50m build is like a second headship. A fresh start but with all the learnings from the last one.

Williams is a keen cricketer (he coaches the girls’ team), Williams is also a talented Speed Golfer. Never heard of it? It’s a a golf-sprint mash up. Forget about the all-day amble to the clubhouse, this is an adrenaline-fuelled dash to the last hole. Quick Google and you’ll discover that Adam Williams is a very talented player – and he’d love to see it added to the Olympics. Could a Team GB tracksuit be in his future? He’s charming, enthusiastic, modest and ambitious for LWC. He’s believes in Character Education, kindness and Pupil Voice. Sharp elbows have no place here.

QUIRKS

Still a cornerstone of the school, the charitable Lord Wandsworth Foundation continues to support bereaved children and those who’ve lost the support of one or both parents through other circumstances such as divorce, disability or mental ill-health.

Well, there are not many schools that can say they have a working farm. A team manage the farm’s arable land day to day, pupils can learn about entrepreneurship. It’s more than a rural relic, there are plans for it to be at the sharp end of agricultural technology. Very cool.

The mantra is “all about choices” – and they take it to the max. Here you can study for a GCSE in Astronomy and take part in everything; extra-curricular activities from bike surgery, carriage driving, sailing, dissection and Greek clubs. Academic clinics, Oxbridge preparation and other academic extension programmes also take place on Saturday mornings, upskilling the pupils on everything from activism to networking and setting up a company.

Colour run Lord Wandsworth College school

Kicking off the school year on a messy high, the Lord Wandsworth College Colour Run sees pupils take a two-and-a-half kilometre route around the schools grounds to raise money for charity – while enthusiastic onlookers throw armfuls of coloured powder at them. Oh, and another unusual sporting quirk – Lord Wandsworth College have a long tradition of playing ‘Puddex’, a hybrid game of cricket and rounders.

ISI REPORT

In its 2020 inspection, the ISI rated the quality of students’ academic and other achievements as Good and the quality of students’ personal development as Excellent. Inspectors also visited in 2023 following LWC’s request to expand pupil numbers to 710 – and gave the plans the thumbs up.

MOBILE PHONE POLICY

Lord Wandsworth College believe in the mental health benefits of having time offline. Brought in as part of a digital detox three years ago, there’s a well adhered-to no mobile phone policy between 8am – 5pm on school days.

TRANSPORT

The school runs a morning bus service Monday to Friday and a reduced service on some routes on Saturday mornings, picking up and dropping off from towns and villages in Berkshire, Surrey and Hampshire. The school day is officially 8.30am – 4pm but activities can run up to 8pm and all students have access to boarding house facilities, allowing flexibility on pickup times for day pupils.

FEES

Junior School fees: Day £8,400 per term; Flexi Boarding (3 nights) £10,750; Weekly Boarding £11,930 and Full Boarding £12,350. Senior School fees: Day £9,880 per term; Flexi Boarding (3 nights) £12,080; Weekly Boarding £13,390 and Full Boarding £14,000. Occasional boarding is £81 per night. Fees include stationery, books and laundry.

Scholarships are offered at all the main entry points (11+, 13+ and 16+). The majority are honorary (no fee discount) but a small number carry a financial reward of up to a 10% reduction in the annual fees.

WORD ON THE GROUND

Lord Wandsworth’s popularity has soared in recent years. Word has spread of its buzzy community spirit, first class facilities and progressive all-round education. Parents who once described LWC as a ‘rugby’ school now realise there’s opportunities for all and joining in is very much the name of the game. They love the outdoorsy vibe and opportunity to decompress between lessons, homely boarding houses and there’s lot of positive feedback about entrepreneurial zeal of the school. One of the major anxieties is actually getting a place. Now that St Neot’s Prep has been bought by LWC, it will inevitably become its main feeder school.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: Independent thinkers, sporty types and budding entrepreneurs will all do well here, with plenty of individual attention and a nurturing boarding community that benefits everyone.

Not for: Kids who aren’t so keen on co-curricular and leave bang on the bell will find themselves in a minority. Logistics-wise, the rural location doesn’t make an easy pickup for all routes, especially in darker winter months. There’s no pressure from the school but many day pupils do apply pester power to transition to flexi-boarding, which won’t be for everyone.

Dare to disagree? Be my guest! Tours of the school are available by appointment. Register for open events at Lord Wandsworth College here.

Lord Wandsworth College, Long Sutton, Hook, Hampshire, RG29 1TA. Tel. 01256 862201

Lord Wandsworth College, Long Sutton

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