WHITGIFT’S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS

As well as raising money to offer life-transforming bursaries to deserving local families, we offer a number of wider opportunities for local pupils to experience at least a small part of what makes Whitgift special, and to allow current Whitgift pupils to participate in this work.

Our aims are to improve the following things for local pupils:

1. Aspiration – helping disadvantaged pupils across Croydon have the highest aspirations for themselves.

2. Achievement – supporting pupils, teachers and schools across Croydon to raise levels of academic achievement among disadvantaged pupils.

3. Access – increasing access for local and disadvantaged pupils to Whitgift, both through attending community programmes and raising the profile of the JW Foundation bursary programme amongst parents and schools. Identifying and funding deserving local pupils to attend Whitgift through Whitgift for All.

Alongside these aims, we have significantly increased opportunities for Whitgift pupils and staff to be involved in these activities. Some of the programmes which are available to local pupils are listed below.

Primary Project

35 local primary schools (one per week) send a class to Whitgift for a week of stimulating and challenging lessons, focusing on developing computing skills and offering access to high quality technological equipment and resources. Pupils also experience exciting lessons in Languages, Music, Science and PE. This project has been running since 2000, so recent alumni will certainly be aware of it and may even be one of the 26000 Croydon pupils who have attended with their primary school in that time. Whitgift Sixth Form pupils act as teaching assistants during their free periods and benefit enormously from being involved.

Masterclasses

100 disadvantaged local primary pupils receive a 6-week block of Saturday morning Masterclasses, aiming to stretch those with academic potential and develop both their skills and their academic confidence. These sessions are in Maths, English and Science and are delivered by Whitgift teachers, with Sixth Formers also actively involved in the teaching of the lessons.

Community Summer School

200 disadvantaged local primary pupils attend a week of lessons and co-curricular activities designed to give opportunities to those who might otherwise not receive them. Whitgift staff teach the sessions and Sixth Formers from both Whitgift and Old Palace act as mentors.

Winners 2022 | Independent Schools of the Year

We are delighted that Whitgift was recently announced as School of the Year for Community

Outreach at the Independent School Parent

Magazine awards. We have been recognised for both the quality of the work we do in the community and the steps we have taken to measure impact.

If you would like to find out more about Whitgift’s work in the community, please email community@whitgift.co.uk

Andy Marlow Director of Partnerships & Community

This is a new project which consists of a series of monthly online meetings focusing on different fields and subjects. Each session will be led by a Sixth Form boy who will present a subject and idea they are passionate about, we will then open the floor to questions and discussion, allowing young minds to absorb advice from and exchange perspectives with professionals from across the Whitgift Community.

We are keen to widen our Whitgift networking community and Innovation Meets Experience will be a perfect start to this. We invite every member of Whitgift community to join and will look forward to seeing you there.

Join us to

˃ Make connections with successful professionals in your industry

˃ Help current Whitgift students achieve their professional goals

˃ Help grow our Whitgift community

This is the geographical spread of our Whitgift Connect Network.

An envelope arrived recently –the archivist eagerly opening it in anticipation of something rather exciting. He wasn’t disappointed. It was several items that belonged to the late uncle of Croydon resident, Mrs Bridget Wray, Frank Donald Hall [OW 1924-29]; she had contacted the School to ask if they were of any interest.

Out of the envelope came a small number of printed items along with two photographs – the first was one I had seen before but nonetheless was a worthy addition to our archive collection, though not in finest condition. It showed the Prince of Wales sitting with a group of Whitgift OTC (Officer Training Corps) staff and boys at Stamford Bridge on 20 April 1921.

During the Easter Holidays that year the Whitgift School Corps of Drums were invited to play at the Public School Sports at Stamford Bridge, at which the Prince of Wales was present. Their performance there brought them great praise thanks to the revered Drum Major Etches, seated third left, front row, in the photograph. The Daily Telegraph stated that “During the afternoon the excellent drum and fife band of the Whitgift O.T.C. played and was indeed a revelation as to the standard an O.T.C. band can reach. Their performance of ‘ Swanee ’ after they had been photographed with the Prince of Wales was truly memorable.”

The second, larger photograph shows a group of OWs standing in front of the Clubhouse at Croham Road, South Croydon, believed to be in the 1970s. Amongst those present – my predecessor, the late Freddie Percy, Raman Subba Row,

John Lindblom, Bob Coatman and David Straw. Fortunately, Bridget provided a list of some of the names linked to the photograph; it would be good if someone were able to complete those that are missing from the list.

Of particular interest was a very small four-page booklet: Whitgift School Rules. Inside included the rules on property being marked with the owners name, articles impounded must be recovered from the Porter at 4.15pm on payment of 1d [pre-decimal, old penny!] for each article, private bottles of ink must not be brought into School – and one of the best rules I believe… Pistols, squirts, catapults, and similar instruments must not be brought into School – I would imagine the meaning of ‘pistols’ probably refers to air pistols or similar and not ones that required bullets!

There are also four Programmes for OW Rugby Football Club Annual Suppers including one for the Twentieth held on 26th March, 1927, which was signed in pencil on the front and back by many of the attendees and another for the Twenty-First which was held at the Greyhound

Hotel in Croydon on 31st March, 1928. In the Chair on this occasion was the late S.R.K. Gurner, who was Headmaster from 1928-39. The Greyhound Hotel, a popular venue for many years, was situated in Katherine Street opposite the old Town Hall and Public Library. It was demolished in 1964 along with other buildings to make way for St. George’s Walk Shopping Centre and St George’s House [better known by many as the former Nestlé HQ].

Thank you to Bridget for thinking of the Whitgift School Archive – such items of School and OW history might otherwise have been lost for good.

Myself and my colleague David are always keen to received items of memorabilia and in particular, we are looking for any film or videos of events that have taken place over the years – whether at the School or on field trips, overseas tours, visits to museums and sports fixtures. We are always happy to have for the archive collection, on permanent donation, such things as School photographs, House magazines, journals, magazines relating to societies and clubs – especially the Meccano Club or similar, medals and awards, programmes for concerts and plays, etc. If you have any items that you feel may be of interest and happy to donate them permanently, then do get in touch by email: whitgiftarchive@whitgift.co.uk or write to: Bill Wood, Archivist, Whitgift School, Haling Park, South Croydon CR2 6YT.

With Sadness We Report The Passing Of The Following Old Whitgiftians

DECEMBER 2022

Guy Heslop (OW 1932-39)

Died 5 December, aged 100

Alan Perry (OW 1943-48)

Died 12 December, aged 91

NOVEMBER 2022

Brian Jobson (OW 1944-50)

Died 6 November, aged 89

Bob Schad (Staff 1950-98)

Died 17 November, aged 96

OCTOBER 2022

Charlie Walker (OW 1975-80)

Died 23 October, aged 60

Christopher Ward (OW 1959-66)

Died 23 October, aged 74

SEPTEMBER 2022

John Bartram (OW 1944-51)

Died 16 September, aged 90

Michael Thornton ISO (OW 1943-50)

Died 19 September, aged 90

Paul Redd (OW 1966-74)

Died September, aged 65