THE LUDGROVIAN WINTER 2020
‘Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might’ Ecclesiastes IX v.10
Contents • • • • • • •
Michaelmas Term highlights The show must go on Parents at the pitch side Exploration Centre update A part of the community The Ludgrove family is growing Remembering fallen OLs
Welcome from the Headmaster Welcome to the Michaelmas Term 2020 edition of The Ludgrovian. Needless to say school life has been as busy as ever and we hope the following pages give you a snapshot of what we have been up to. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the entire Ludgrove community, our boys and parents, along with all who work here for their support and responsible approach during these Covid-19 times. We were fortunate not to have a single positive case in the School which enabled Ludgrove life to continue pretty much as ‘normal’ with boys having fun with friends and doing their best in and out of the classroom. On the last night of the term we held Supper Night and instead of the traditional speeches we gave a warm welcome back to Old Ludgrovian and incredible
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magician, Archie Manners who performed a surprise show for the boys. He had us all enthralled and no doubt he inspired some budding magicians. It capped a happy term during which the relatively small size of the School allowed us to be agile when responding to the latest Government guidelines. Sadly parents were unable to visit as regularly as we would have liked but we much enjoyed seeing many on the touchline
when guidance permitted. Happily in the last week of term we were able to invite parents into the Theatre to watch their sons in the D.S. and, later in the week, the Nativity Play. I very much hope this is the sign of things to come and whilst adhering to
all guidance, we will be able to hold more such gatherings. As ever I am incredibly proud of Ludgrove and all it stands for and we look forward to 2021 with confidence. I wish you all a very peaceful and Happy Christmas.
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Michaelmas Term Highlights The beginning of the academic year at Ludgrove brought with it more than its fair share of challenges. Not only were our 39 new boys adapting to unfamiliar surroundings, the School itself was finding the best way to comply with Covid restrictions whilst keeping Ludgrove life as normal as possible, as you can see here.
Public School interviews for the IIs
Lots of outdoor fun
Showing the younger boys the ropes
Spanish Day culinary feast
Elevate study skills session for the Top Year boys
Donation of a Teqball table
Jerry passes Grade 8 bassoon
Act of Remembrance
New names on the board
Autumn Concert
Onslow joins the School
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Mastermind final
Wellington is crowned Sets’ Football champions
Poetry Recitation Competition Senior (left) and Junior (above) winners
Hot chocolate with the P-H’s
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Odd Sock Day for Anti Bullying Week
Drake wins Sets’ Race
Happy Thanksgiving!
Bonfire Night
Christmas puds on the Top Lawn
Is at Oakwood Centre
‘Go Red’ for Dyslexia Day
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vity
VIs Nati
The show must go on...
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With the lifting of Covid restrictions in December, Ludgrove was able to perform the VIs’ Nativity and Top Year DS to an audience of parents - the first and only productions in the Michaelmas term.
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Saluting Ludgrove’s sporting heroes At Ludgrove we are proud of our sporting roots and so on National Sporting Heroes Day we celebrated some of the staff who were sporting legends in their formative years. Ludgrove founder, Arthur Dunn, played for England in international football matches 1883-92. He went on to recruit G.O. Smith and W.J. Oakley who played football for England in the 188090 and succeeded Mr Dunn as joint headmasters. Alan Barber, Headmaster 1937-1973 captained the Yorkshire County Cricket team at just 24 years old, played for Corinthian FC in the FA Cup in the 1930s and was Eton Fives national champion in 1934 and 36. What a remarkable history to inspire our boys today!
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Parents at the pitch side Having played to empty sidelines during the second lockdown, the boys were delighted to see their parents back at the pitches as soon as regulations allowed spectators to attend school sports’ fixtures once again. Parents shrugged off the cold weather to watch the ever popular Sets’ Football matches and, to show our appreciation, we served up hot chocolate, brownies and flapjacks to keep the chill at bay.
In the Top 50 The School is delighted to once again be featured as one of the country’s top 50 Junior and Prep schools in The Cricketer Schools Guide 2021. Keeping cricket alive during lockdown posed difficulties but Ludgrove’s great love of the game meant that, whether at home or back at School, staff and boys kept going. Not surprisingly, cricket bat and bag was always the first thing out of the car on their return! Simon Hughes, Editor, said: “This year’s Schools Guide is particularly important in showcasing our schools who have kept the game alive through a very challenging summer. Whether it has been remote video sessions, drills in the garden or even Zoom quizzes, schools’ cricket has emerged resolutely from this pandemic and the appetite to get back out on the playing field is palpable.
“There should be much praise for all the teachers, coaches and volunteers who have put in so much hard work, in the most difficult circumstances, to preserve a love of the game among the next generation.”
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An update on the Exploration Centre: Getting ready for a new start in the New Year As soon as the School finished at the end of Michaelmas term, the team at Ludgrove went full throttle to complete the remaining classrooms in the new Exploration Centre ready for the boys return in the New Year. And what a busy time it has been.
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State-of-the-art classroom furniture has been installed into pride of place in the Coding Room. The pieces can be easily manoeuvred, rearranged and even stacked away to provide a flexible learning and experimental space. Boys can either work at tables or clear everything to use the floorspace. New and old have been brought together beautifully in the Ceramics Room. Two new kilns have been fitted as has the selection of stunning handmade tiles, a legacy from last year’s Top Year boys. Fixtures and fittings are being put in place
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in the spacious, wonderfully light Art Room. Both Art and DT departments have completed the hard work of transferring equipment from the old to new building (assisted by the Estates Team and helpers!). Outside, the turf that was put down several weeks ago has flourished and landscaping has taken place to soften the exterior of the building. And, finally, the lift has been commissioned for use by our mobility impaired visitors. With everything completed the Centre truly is ready and able to accommodate all who are lucky enough to use or visit it.
1. The staircase is a focal point of the building.
3. Landscaping will soften the exterior.
2. The Art Room is flooded with perfect Northern light.
4. State-of-the-art furniture makes for an adaptable teaching space.
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5. Tiles made by last year’s Top Year provide a stunning splash back in the Ceramics Room and an important connection with past pupils.
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8 9 6, 7 & 9. The VIs were the lucky boys who had the honour of having the first Science lesson in the Exploration Centre. 8 & 10. The boys have been helping to move pictures from the old Art room to the new one. Even Derek the life model marmoset has settled into his new home. 11. The sun ray window of the Art room beautifully mirrors the School’s traditional building style.
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OL Archie Manners had lots of assistants in the audience
’Twas the night before Christmas (end of term)... ’Twas the night before the end of Christmas term and, rather than being as quiet as a mouse, Ludgrove was filled with the sound of fun, laughter and much excitement for the culmination of the Michaelmas term, Supper Night.
speeches made, Mr Barber announced a surprise treat for the School’s final night together - Archie Manners, successful magician and Old Ludgrovian, was putting on a private performance for the boys in the Theatre!
Little did the boys know, however, that when they sat down to tables heaving with roast turkey and all the trimmings followed by rich chocolate log, that this was just the ‘starter’ before the main course of the evening.
Excitement barely contained, the School enjoyed an evening of the most marvellous and mind boggling magic with Mr Manners, proudly wearing his Old Ludgrovian tie.
Once plates were cleared and farewell
Supper Night and a surprise celebrity show that left them “oohing” and “ahhing” - the boys certainly ended their term on a high.
A Christmas feast and lots of smiles on Supper Night
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Caring for our community As we neared the end of the Michaelmas term our thoughts turned to those in our local community who are not as fortunate as others. Having forged strong ties with local families during the first lockdown through our community work providing hot meals through Wokingham Borough Council’s Grub Club, we reached out to ascertain whether we could partner with them again for Christmas. The answer was a resounding “yes!”. We immediately swung into action to fulfil their request to provide 120 craft packs of all the equipment and fun ideas needed to keep young ones occupied during the holidays. With the help of the Bursary team that sourced all the elements and craft activities, the IVs then got to work on their Santa’s Little Helper production line to put the packs together. With the packs completed, three boys gladly volunteered to help Mrs Barber and Mrs Humphreys, the School’s liaison point with WBC, to make the festive delivery.
Not forgetting our senior friends
While looking after the local families, we also made sure to remember our senior citizens and reconnected with The Berkshire Care Home in Wokingham. During the first lockdown, the boys answered the call to lift the spirits of the residents by hand making and personalising Easter cards for everyone there. The boys were just as eager to help again and so Santa’s Little Helpers from the VIs and IVs made Christmas cards - enough for each resident to receive three or more!
To complete our campaign of Christmas cheer we also sent The Berkshire a little festive entertainment courtesy of a recording of the VIs’ Nativity play.
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Sunday Fundays: best day of the week
Every day of the week is full of challenges and fun at Ludgrove but it is at the weekend that the boys really show what they are made of. Following Chapel and writing letters home to parents, excitement builds for the real highlight of the week - Funday Sunday. Even in times of Covid, the School has been able to keep up a fantastic array of activities from tree climbing and reptile handling to more home-grown pastimes in the garden and Art block.
All in the mix No matter what the activity, be it adventurous, skilled or requiring sheer bravery, there is one time on a Sunday that unites all the boys - Pinchin Mix! What a treat to have your own sweet shop, stocked with everything you could possibly want. Move over Willy Wonka.
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The Ludgrove family is growing Love has definitely been in the air at Ludgrove this term. Alongside providing the boys with a happy, safe and challenging three months, some familiar faces have also been ‘engaged’ with their own adventures. Congratulations to one and all. Mr and Mrs McCraw (left) Good luck to the McCraws who are expecting their first baby in January. We can’t wait to meet the ‘new boy’ in the New Year. Mr Hands (right) Delighted to announce the engagement of Mr Hands, Head of History, and Dr Horton who are planning to tie the knot in Summer 2021. Mr and Mrs Plescia (below left) Unfortunately, Covid scuppered Mr Plescia and Miss Pearson’s plans to get married in South Africa in the Summer, and so they had a simple ceremony in Wokingham at half term. They are also excited about the arrival of their baby next year. Mr and Mrs Turner (below) Ludgrove’s new Head of French and his wife are expecting their first baby in early Spring 2021.
Gappers
Prep school love match Miss Cheater and Mr Foster Congratulations to Miss Cheater, former VIs teacher, on her engagement to Mr Foster. The couple met at Ludgrove when Mr Foster escorted a team from Summer Fields to a fixture here. A match made in prep school heaven!
Farewell Gappers At the end of an unusual year for them, we are bidding farewell to some of our wonderful posse of Gappers. The best of luck to Miss Stewart, Miss Mitchell, Mr Johnson and Miss Neave who are moving on to pastures new and we look forward to welcoming back Miss Davies and Mr Eliot-Cohen in 2021.
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Remembering fallen OLs On Remembrance Day the School reflected on the role of Old Ludgrovians in the two World Wars. Here we look at the deeds of some of whose stories provide an insight into their character and period in history. During the Act of Remembrance, Mr Barber read out the names of those who died during last century’s conflicts. Of 250 OLs who fought in WWI, 64 lost their lives. Tragically this included three Barrington-Kennett brothers. The bravery of these men is evident in the honours they received: the Victoria Cross, 17 DSO’s, 26 Military Crosses and 49 Mentioned in Despatches. The country’s highest award, the Victoria Cross, was awarded posthumously in 1917 to Lieutenant J.S. Dunville. While directing a mission to demolish the enemy’s wire, he placed himself between the enemy and his men. Although fatally wounded he directed operations until successfully completed, displaying “magnificent courage, determination and devotion to duty”.
OL Diary Dates
Unfortunately, Covid regulations has meant that a number of our normal and much anticipated OL events were unable to take place this year. We look forward to once again holding the Sets’ Football and Annual Turf Club Drinks in 2021.
Four members of staff also served in the Armed Forces and one of them, Wilfred Bird, died in 1915 as he was leading his men over an exposed 300-yard stretch of no-man’s land. The School’s Cricket Pavilion was erected in his memory at Ludgrove’s original London site and was later moved to Wokingham when the School relocated. During WWII, 48 OLs lost their lives in the conflict. Once again, one family lost three brothers, the Hamilton-Russells. The bravery displayed by OLs during all theatres of the War resulted in 14 DSO’s, 24 Military Crosses, 3 DFC’s and 3 DSC’s. One old boy, Lord Harewood, recalled being confined in Colditz prisoner of war camp where he was surprised to find he was in the company of six other OLs! Sadly, Ludgrove’s founder, Arthur Dunn, was to suffer a double tragedy losing his son, Johnny, in WWI and his grandson, John Boldero, in WWII.
GOOD NEWS FOR GOLFERS THE GOLF DAY HAS ALREADY BEEN PUT IN THE 2021 DIARY. The event will now take place at The Berkshire Golf Club on Sunday 25th April 2021. All details to be confirmed. Please keep an eye on the website.
Contact us: For enquiries regarding registrations for OL events, to update your contact details, or to send us news, please visit the OL section on the website or use the email below Telephone: 0118 978 9881 Email: development@ludgroveschool.co.uk Website: www.ludgrove.net Address: Ludgrove, Wokingham, Berks, RG40 3AB Join us on Instagram - Ludgrove_School Join us on Twitter - @Ludgrove