THE LUDGROVIAN SUMMER 2020
‘Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might’ Ecclesiastes IX v.10
Contents • • • • • • •
Lent Term highlights Ludgrove welcomes its boys back to school Pressing the button on Virtual Ludgrove Exploration Centre update Applauding our Top Year Leavers Fond farewell to staff Diary Dates for OLs
Welcome from the Headmaster Welcome to the latest edition of The Ludgrovian. I am delighted to share with you, Old Ludgrovians as well as current and prospective families, a flavour of what we have been up to in 2020. I hope you enjoy reading this summary of Ludgrove life. The last few months have been an extraordinary time and, as such, we have seen people achieve extraordinary things. I am proud to say that Ludgrove, its staff, boys and their families, have more than risen to the challenge and this newsletter illustrates the breadth of our achievements, some of which are unique in the boarding school world. Other news, and something that is close to my heart, is that
earlier in the year I joined a group of headmasters to present a cheque for over £100,000 to the charity, Place2Be. You may remember that last August 21 headmasters took on the ‘Heads Up’ Challenge to sea kayak, cycle and walk 65 miles in Wales, and this is the result of that achievement. Thank you to the Ludgrove community for helping me raise an amazing £21,850, reinforcing once again our on-going commitment to the well being of our young people.
Place2Be is a children’s mental health charity
Mr Barber records his Monday Message
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Lent Term Highlights at Ludgrove Spring seems a long time ago now and it is easy to forget that the Lent term at Ludgrove was packed full of activities for the boys including trips, music, sporting events and visits. Here are a few highlights from the three months before the Coronavirus crisis forced school lockdowns across the country.
Visit to the Tony Little Centre at Eton
Rugby against Summer Fields
Hockey against Cheam
Visit to Reading Museum
The IVs visit the Oxford Museum of Natural History
FInalists of the Handwriting Competition
Chinese New Year
Specialist speaker on the SAS Ludgrove’s drummers
Inter-set cross country
George joins the National Children’s Orchestra
Mr Barber’s half century (not out!)
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U12 and U11s win the cross country at The Oratory
Fives against Berkhampsted Rugby against Moulsford
The Debate team takes on the girls from Downe House
Building the Timetable Garden
Visit by a Speedcubing pro
Top Year boys ready for an evening social
Author visit by M.G. Leonard World Book Day
Pancake Day
Sunday Funday
Choral day at Wellington
Redecorated Music Block
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Ludgrove welcomes its On Monday 1st June, Ludgrove opened its doors once again to Year 6 (IIIs) boys - as far as we are aware, one of only two boarding schools in the country to do so. As you can imagine, this was not an easy task to accomplish. A herculean amount of planning went into the re-opening which came after a survey of parents gave their overwhelming backing for the move. Social distancing in the classroom
Enjoying BBQ lunches in the grounds
The boys were delighted to see their friends and soon got into a socially distanced routine
Supporting the School’s local community Outside of their daily jobs, during the lockdown Ludgrove staff stepped up to the plate to take on community projects such as making and delivering 700 face shields to the local council’s PPE appeal for doctor’s surgeries, a dozen care homes, refuges, a children’s hospice and public facing charities. And it wasn’t just staff that had their community hats on. During the Easter holiday, the School ran a campaign for the boys to create and send an Easter card to each resident of The
Ludgrove made PPE for care homes
To do so we adapted our facilities to adhere to the strict Government guidelines with boys in small pods in large classrooms to do lessons via the same Virtual Ludgrove on-line teaching as their counterparts at home; hygiene and social distancing became instinctive; the boys slept in smaller dorm numbers and used allocated toilets and showers; food was served cafeteria rather than the usual family style; and, while no competitive sport was allowed, they enjoyed plenty of outdoor activities including cricket nets and athletics. Having taken a leap of faith, the trial was a resounding success! As a result, not only
Berkshire Care Home. It proved so popular that some residents received two cards and several boys have committed to continuing to write to them. The School also found a way to help local school-age children by teaming up with the council-run Grub Club. Over a six-week period, over 600 meals were prepared and delivered to vulnerable families – they truly had a taste of Ludgrove! And finally, at the end of term, the kitchen staff cleared the pantry shelves to donate a range of dried goods and fresh fruit and vegetables to the Grub Club’s sister organisation, the Grub Hub, a foodbank providing much needed provisions to local people.
The Barbers deliver Grub Club meals
Easter cards for care home residents
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boys back did the Year 6s grow in number and continued to weekly board for the remainder of the Term but our experience paved the way for other years to return. In addition to our resident Year 6s, the School subsequently had all year groups back individually to enjoy a two-day/one-night stay to ‘touch base’ and get a feel for how life in Ludgrove may look next term. This culminated with a Leavers’ Evening for the Top Year packed full of outdoor activities, Leavers’ Review, last supper and midnight hot chocolate followed by a big breakfast and last Chapel service. A Leavers’ Assembly was broadcast to the rest of the School with more than 150 families logging on to see Mr Barber bring the academic year to a close. A fitting way for the Top Year to finish their time at Ludgrove and say good-bye to friends and staff.
Logging on to the Leavers’ Assembly
Ludgrove School is proud to support the BSA Boarding Covid-Safe Charter that confirms compliance with all government rules and guidance to ensure safe operation of our boarding facility for boys and staff.
All told, we are proud to say that we provided 546 nights of boys’ boarding over 4.5 weeks – to our knowledge, the only boarding school in the country to open its doors in this way.
Boys’ return lifts the School’s spirits
The Top Year filled the Chapel for the last time
On the return of the boys, Mr Barber wrote: “We were delighted and excited to welcome back on Monday 1st June, twenty of our Year 6 boys. The sight and sound of children enjoying life back at School has lifted everyone’s spirits. “After extensive planning to ensure that every detail and scenario had been considered as well as meeting all the relevant guidance, it has been a joy to finally have a semblance of School normality. We have adjusted our fortnightly boarding so that, for now, we are operating Monday to Friday with parents dropping off their sons off early on Monday morning and scooping back up on Friday afternoon thereby ensuring keeping visits to the School down to a minimum. The boys have been divided into three class ‘pods’ for lessons (during which they continue with the ‘Virtual Ludgrove’ programme) as well as sport, mealtimes
“It’s good to be back!”
Signing the Leavers’ Book
and showering and each ‘pod’ is split into two dormitories. “They are relishing being back with their friends and whilst a few are finding the social distancing tricky, the pluses of being back in a relatively normal routine are huge. They are also chuffed to have the whole School including the spectacular grounds to themselves. It is a unique time for us all and with so few boys in the School compared to normal, we are able to make things really special within an atmosphere that, we hope, feels like home.”
Leavers’ Supper
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Pressing the button on Virtual Ludgrove As soon as schools across the country shut at the end of the Lent Term, the team at Ludgrove swung into action to put together an accessible, engaging and sustainable on-line teaching package.
Watching Mr Barber’s Monday Message
Mrs Barber records VIs storytime
The aim was clear: although the boys wouldn’t be physically at Ludgrove because of the Coronavirus guidelines, the School wanted them to still benefit from the high standards of education, co-curricular activities and pastoral care that they would receive in normal circumstances. The results of many weeks of hard work, ‘Virtual Ludgrove’ went live at the start of the Summer Term on 22nd April. Mr Barber, Headmaster, wrote in a guide to virtual learning, produced for the School's families: "As we adapt to the new routine, the coming weeks will undoubtedly be tricky at times; however, it is also an exciting opportunity and I am sure that by
working together we will make the best of the current situation. Thank you once again for your continued support.” The success of Virtual Ludgrove is clear to see in the boys’ engagement in all on-line activities whether live teaching, PE and library challenges, art activities, music recitals, Sets’ competitions, even a packed three-week Leavers’ programme full of life skills such as cooking, finances and ironing! It is, however, best measured by our parents, in their emails of appreciation: “Just a quick email to say how marvellous we think [the teachers] have been with the boys since they all started the on-line learning. I hear the odd bit of chat coming out of the Div meetings and I am awestruck by their endless patience as the boys deal with the unfamiliar technology; by their kindness; by the positivity and encouragement that comes through the ether, by all the endless support.” “I just wanted to write to tell you how immensely proud I have felt to be a Ludgrove parent in recent weeks. After hearing so many other school stories of total lack of clarity, passion and focus, at times I’ve almost felt guilty describing, when asked, what Lockdown Ludgrove looks like. The massive organisation to nail completely unchartered territory has been amazing….”
Mrs Parnell ‘live’ paints the boys designs
Mr Smith-Bingham hosts the on-line Mums v Sons Tennis Tournament
Keeping in touch via a virtual meeting
Ludgrove comes tog
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Just because the boys weren’t with us in person didn’t mean that we ignored our school traditions!
Virtual Ludgrove kept the boys busy with on-line lessons; sport challenges; art, music, and drama activities; and even exams.
gether for historic virtual school photo
With some determination and the convenience of modern technology, we were able to bring all 192 boys and more than 50 teaching and support staff together in an historic virtual school photo that was sent to all Ludgrove families - definitely one for the archives. The smallest/tallest photo was also created starring Felix (VIs) and Jamie (Is).
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The new Art Room will be flooded with natural light
Building on the new Exploration Centre has continued throughout the Summer term
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Exploration Centre update:
We’ve come a long way... and the end is now in sight
During the summer months, while the pause button was pressed on everyday life and the boys were busy working from home via Virtual Ludgrove, the building team at the School continued to work on the School’s magnificent £2.5million Science and Art building. For those boys who were able to return to the School before the end of the Summer Term, the difference to the bare bones of the structure that they knew before lockdown would have been significant.
Walls are built, the impressive ‘floating’ curved staircase has been lifted into place, roof trusses puncture the new Ludgrove skyline and 22,000 roof tiles have all been securely placed.
Whereas at the beginning of the year the site would have been a sparse forest of scaffolding, steel columns and wooden beams, the structure has now transformed into a clearly identifiable, exciting new building.
Throughout all stages of the development, Headmaster, Mr Barber, has kept a keen eye on proceedings. In fact it was he who scaled three ladders to play his part in making the building weather-proof by laying the last roof tile and perform the ‘Topping Out’ ceremony. While there, he took the opportunity to enjoy the new skyline with the Theatre, Music Block and original house all blending
together to illustrate Ludgrove’s evolving history and commitment to provide state-of-the-art facilities that sit seamlessly with the School’s traditional setting. The next step is to install acres of glass including a cathedral-style window in the Art room and a dramatic, soaring glass curve that encases the staircase. During the summer holidays work is continuing to fit out the interiors of the Science, Coding, Art, DT and Ceramics rooms, with a view to moving into these facilities so that the boys can look forward to enjoying them next term.
We’ve come a long way since breaking ground last Summer, and despite the challenges of weather and a global crisis, we remain on track to produce one of the finest prep school scientific and creative learning facilities in the country.
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Senior Destinations 2020
Senior School Destinations Eton
10
Harrow
4
Radley
14
Winchester 1 Sherborne
3
Charterhouse
1
Marlborough
3
Bryanston
1
St Paul’s
1
Stowe 1 Wellington
2
It is no secret that we are unashamedly ambitious for our boys at Ludgrove, be it through academic success or creative, musical, dramatic and sporting excellence. As our motto states, ‘Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might’. Never has the resolve of the School and boys to reach their potential been more clearly illustrated than this year when four candidates sat their Eton scholarship papers while the School prepared to close its doors as the Coronavirus crisis loomed. While the world outside the School started to panic, these boys kept calm and carried on. Well done on displaying such strength of character. Despite the most difficult and trying circumstances for the Year 8s, they knuckled down to complete the rest of their Common Entrance, Winchester Entrance and scholarship exams at home and we are proud to say that all 41 pupils passed with flying colours. In addition to our scholarship and exhibition boys (please see list on the left), over 70% of the Top Year headed off to Eton, Harrow, Radley and Winchester, and the remainder to other distinguished schools. Good luck to all our leavers - we know that you all have a bright future ahead of you.
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Scholarships & Awards 2019-20 Harrow School 1. Academic Scholarship 2. Sports Scholarship Marlborough 3. Design Technology Scholarship Charterhouse 4. Art Exhibition
2 3
4
The names of this year’s scholars are added to the board
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A fond farewell to familiar faces The end of the academic year saw the School bid farewell to five staff who have each played important roles in the academic and support sections of Ludgrove life. They will be missed by colleagues, boys and families alike, and we wish them every success in their future endeavours, be it working in pastures new or shelving their exercise books for well-earned retirement. Mr and Mrs Austen Our dynamic duo of Deputy Head and Registrar are on the move to Lincolnshire to take up Mr Austen’s first Headmaster role at Witham Hall Prep School. Mr Milne After 38 years at Ludgrove, Mr Milne is retiring to the golf courses of Scotland. The annual French Trip will definitely lose some of its ‘savoire faire’ without this outstanding French teacher and Assistant Head. Mr Squire The Head of Classics is swapping rural Berkshire to explore his business ventures and love of the lifestyle and communities in Africa. Miss Jones Our much loved VIs Div Mistress and French and English teacher intends to retire to her house in France where she can indulge her passion for music and reading.
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Something to remember us by... A wonderful addition to the merchandise range are high-quality, handcrafted cufflinks, made of hallmarked 925 sterling silver and enamel and housed in a named box - perfect for a leaver’s or birthday present.
Only 20 pairs left!
Not only are the cufflinks a wonderful gift, their sale also directly benefits your prep school. From each pair sold, £50 goes to the Ludgrove School Foundation; and £1,500 has already been donated to the charity. Postage and packing is £10 (signed for UK Special Next Day Delivery). Price on application for postage of more than two pairs or international delivery.
Please email hglinks26@gmail.com to place your order
Diary dates for OLs Top: Over 120 OLs enjoyed a catch up at the Turf Club last November. Right: OLs Sets Football.
Prov OL Sets Football ision al Saturday 3rd October Burton Court, Royal Hospital Road, London Prov ision Annual OL Drinks al 6-8.30pm Wednesday 18th November Turf Club, 5 Carlton House Terrace, London Details may change as a result of Government guidelines regarding the Covid-19 situation. Please keep an eye on your emails and the school website for updates.
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