Western Quad It was in March 2008 that the School first publicised its intention to develop the western part of the School’s campus, now known as the Western Quad. On these two pages we celebrate the success of the first stage of this development, the building of a new Sports Centre and at the same time announce our vision for Science, the last major phase of this transformational scheme.
On a rather chilly, but thankfully dry, Saturday morning (5th March), we were delighted to welcome Sebastian Coe, the chairman of the organising committee for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London, as our Guest of Honour at the official opening of the Uppingham School Sports Centre. The four times Olympic medal winner and former MP, addressing a gathering of 1,200 including pupils, parents and staff, said: “It will be centres like this that will be able to build on the extraordinary excitement, the exposure of young people to extraordinary things both in Olympic and Paralympic sport in the next year. I hope the basis of many Olympic teams in years to come will be honed and fashioned in Uppingham’s sports hall.”
joined parents and friends in a marquee on The Leicester rugby pitch to raise a toast to the new Sports Centre. The Headmaster said: “It was a huge privilege for us that such a fantastic sportsman as Lord Coe honoured us by officially opening our superb new Sports
Lord Coe, who was presented with his own School rugby shirt during the ceremony, said that Uppingham had made the investment in the centre for the “broader social perspectives” that sport offers, and he added that he was pleased to be at a school that “does not tuck sport away at the edge of the curriculum.” Before the official opening ceremony he had enjoyed a tour of the USSC, seeing pupils give demonstrations in each of the different areas of the facility.This was followed by a Q & A session, when twelve of Uppingham’s elite sporting pupils had a chance to put their questions to Lord Coe. After the opening ceremony, Lord Coe
32
The Magazine for the Old Boys & Girls of Uppingham School
Centre.The new facilities have been enthusiastically welcomed by everyone at the School and in the local community.The Sports Centre project is the culmination of a vision that started four years ago and it has been worth every ounce of effort that has been put into it.”