Supporting children who have been bereaved of one or both parents, or who have lost their support through other circumstances, to benefit from the stability, structure, and pastoral care provided by our award-winning boarding environment.
The Lord Wandsworth Foundation grew from the bequest left by Lord Wandsworth in 1912. His will contained instructions to establish an orphanage bearing his name, for children of agricultural workers.
Several years after his death, the Trustees bought Gosden House near Bramley in Surrey, and several farms in the village of Long Sutton in Hampshire. In 1920 the first pupils were admitted to Gosden House which accommodated boys to the age of 11, and girls to the age of 16. At the age of 11, the boys moved to the newly formed Lord Wandsworth College in Long Sutton. The first pupils arrived in 1922.
These first boys received very little formal education but were given lectures and practical lessons in a variety of rural subjects. They spent their mornings in the classroom and their afternoons out in the fields.
After the war, the Foundation concentrated on educating boys who had lost one or both parents. In 1946 fee-payers were first admitted in order to supplement the income the Foundation earned from investments and the farm.
The concept of the orphanage gradually developed into a boarding school and today the College is a co-educational day and boarding school for children aged 11-18. Sadly, Lord Wandsworth was not able to see his dream fulfilled as he passed away shortly after the Foundation was established but at the heart of the College, Lord Wandsworth’s legacy continues to live through the work of the Lord Wandsworth Foundation.
‘LWC provided a foundation and safe haven that my broken family could not’
After my mother died the family was in turmoil and my going to the school was the best thing that could have happened to me
This year is hugely significant for Lord Wandsworth College as 2022 marks the 100th year of the LWC Foundation.
There have been profound changes over the past 100 years, but the Foundation remains true to its core values, enabling children from a variety of backgrounds to attend school without the pressures and distractions of a challenging home life. We continue to deliver transformational education to around 50 young people who have lost the support of at least one parent. We give these children the space to live, learn and grow within a supportive boarding school environment, enabling them to thrive and reach their potential.
Our staff provide inspiring and supportive adult role models often missing from our young pupils’ lives, and offer nurturing pastoral care and support, catered to the development of each individual. We aim to ease home pressures for carers and family and are often the difference to a child on the cusp of going into care.
Lord Wandsworth’s vision is as relevant today as it has ever been. There will always be children in need of support and we will work to ensure the Foundation continues to thrive and provide that vital support for the next hundred years, and beyond.
It can be the difference to a child on the cusp of going into care
It fosters deep friendships
It provides inspiring and supportive adult role models often missing from their lives
It supplies a rich range of academic and co-curricular challenges and opportunities
It offers nurturing pastoral care and support, catered to the development of each individual
It eases home pressures for carers and family
It has been a difficult journey.
The knowledge that the children were in a caring environment has allowed me to sleep better at night. This story could have been very different were it not for the support and guidance of the Foundation
The LWC Foundation is at the very heart of everything we do as a school, and the “team” is in fact all of our pupils, our staff, and our Governing Body; every one of whom embrace the Foundation and are proud to be a part of this extraordinary community.
The Foundation is led by the trustees, all of whom are governors of LWC and live in our local community. The dayto-day running of the Foundation is the responsibility of our Director of Admissions, Pete German, who works alongside the Foundation Manager, Georgina Dainton, and our Foundation Tutor and Chaplain, Pete Maidment. Simon Clements, himself a former Foundationer, is the Governor with special responsibility for the Foundation.
Pete Maidment is our Foundation Tutor. With many years of experience of youth work in the voluntary sector, Pete provides excellent pastoral care to Foundation pupils and their families. In addition to the formal tailored pastoral care available to all students, all our Foundation pupils benefit from regular one to one pastoral meetings and free access to counselling for the whole of their school life.
Our Foundation pupils also spend time together informally, gaining strength and confidence in knowing that they are not alone in facing these difficult circumstances.
With one in thirteen of our students a Foundationer, our teachers know that, in all probability, at least one child in every class they teach, or every activity they run, is dealing with difficult home circumstances. This means that learning is approached with sensitivity and respect.
It’s their story – all of our Foundation pupils have their own story, unique to them. It’s their story and they can tell it to who they want to, when they want to. There is no Foundation uniform, no badge. Many of our Foundation pupils are proud of their position within the College and are happy to talk about their experiences and challenges, but many are more private and not ready to share. Both are fine – we are ready to listen when they are ready to talk, but there is no pressure for them to do so.
Financial awards are means tested by our independent advisors and are reviewed annually. In some circumstances we offer financial assistance up to 110%. Some families pay the percentage of the fees that they can afford. However, we recognise that families often chose us for the pastoral support we offer them, and they join us as full fee payers.
We work in partnership with many national charities and trusts and are proud to be associated with the following:
Royal National Children’s SpringBoard Foundation (RNCSF) works to bring the transformational opportunities offered by the UK’s leading schools to the young people who will benefit from them the most.
The promotion of education of girls in schools and colleges in the United Kingdom, primarily by awarding bursaries to assist girls aged 11 to 18 to attend schools which charge fees
EYLA’s aim is to create leaders of character and purpose for tomorrow’s world, drawn from those most in need in grassroots communities. We view education as a launchpad for this mission and as a gateway to belonging to an influential peer group who will individually and collectively exert positive influence in society.
Child Bereavement UK helps families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies.
Giving children in crisis a chance for change.
WAY aims to provide peer-to-peer emotional and practical support to young widowed people.
Supporting looked-after children and care leavers
Provides financial support to improve the educational opportunities for young people in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and parts of Wiltshire and Hampshire.
Since the College first opened its doors, it has been our privilege to welcome over 2,500 Foundationers into the College family. 2,500 children who, with the transformational support of the College community, have faced adversity with courage and tackled challenges with perseverance and optimism.
Set in 1,200 acres of rolling countryside on the North Hampshire/Surrey border, LWC provides a safe, caring and inspiring learning environment.
We are 1 hour from London.
We
houses,
Our average class size is less than 20, and our pupils are cared for in tutor groups of less than 15
We are 100 years old this year.
Over 50% of our Foundation pupils
110% financial support
We are very proud to have won the following awards:
Independent School of the Year Award 2020 Student Wellbeing
Boarding Schools’ Association Awards 2021 Working with Vulnerable Children
For further information, to support us, or arrange an informal visit please either: Email: foundation@lordwandsworth.org or Call: 01256 862201
To make an initial enquiry please use this link: Foundation Initial Enquiry
