Ludgrove School

Ludgrove School is an independent preparatory boarding school for 200 boys, aged eight years to thirteen. It is situated in the civil parish of Wokingham Without, adjoining the town of Wokingham in the English county of Berkshire. Aside from certain cathedral schools, it is one of the few remaining single-sex full boarding preparatory schools in the country.

Ludgrove
Address
Ludgrove

Wokingham
,
Berkshire
,
RG40 3AB

England
Coordinates51.400°N 0.826°W / 51.400; -0.826
Information
TypeIndependent preparatory boarding school
MottoWhatever Thy Hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might.(Ecclesiastes 9:10 )
Religious affiliation(s)Church Of England
Established1892
FounderArthur Dunn
Chairman of the GovernorsPhilip Edey QC
HeadmasterSimon Barber
Staff50
GenderBoys
Age8 to 13
Enrolment200
HousesJellicoe, Kitchener, Haig, Drake, Wellington, Nelson
Colour(s)Blue and white    
Former pupilsOld Ludgrovians
Websitehttp://www.ludgrove.net/

Founded at Ludgrove Hall, Cockfosters, in 1892, in 1937 the school moved to its present site at Wokingham, previously occupied by the former Wixenford School, which had closed in 1934.

History
Ludgrove Hall, c. 1900. The former home of Francis Bevan and subsequently the first home of Ludgrove School.
Ludgrove Hall in 2015.

The school was founded in 1892 by Arthur Dunn in north London. Dunn, a footballer, recruited a number of sportsmen to assist him as masters and was succeeded, on his premature death, by two England international football captains, G.O. Smith and William Oakley, who became joint headmasters.

Ex-pupil Alistair Horne wrote an unflattering account of his time at the school in the 1930s in which he described "humbug, snobbery and rampant, unchecked bullying" which he thought was intended to toughen the boys up.[1]

In 1937 the school was moved from Cockfosters to its present location at Wixenford, Wokingham, taking over the buildings of the former Wixenford School.[2] Alan Barber, a well known cricketer, was headmaster for many years. The school business was turned into a charitable trust in 1972, and Barber's son Gerald—together with Nichol Marston—became joint headmasters. In July 2004, Marston retired. In 2008, Ludgrove's headmasters were Sid Inglis and Gerald Barber's son Simon. In July 2013, Inglis left the school to take up a headship at Elstree School.

In 2004, Ludgrove was the victim of an arson attack which caused over £100,000 in damage to the school's cricket pavilion.

The school today

The school buildings include a private chapel, two science laboratories, a music school, specialist art, carpentry, pottery, information technology departments,a gymnasium and theatre. Its extensive sporting facilities include a 9-hole golf course, a swimming pool, two fives courts, two squash courts, four tennis courts, and around eleven pitches for ball games, all set in 150 acres (0.61 km2) of school land.

The fees are £9,420 per term.[3]

Notable Old Ludgrovians

Notable masters

References
  1. Horne, Alistair (2012). A Bundle From Britain. Macmillan. p. 85. ISBN 978-1-4472-3177-6.
  2. Donald P. Leinster-Mackay. (1984) The Rise of the English Prep School. p. 154.
  3. Fees. Ludgrove School. Retrieved 03 Dec 2019.
  4. "Yugo-Slavian Boy Prince", The Citizen (Gloucester), 9 May 1935, p. 8. British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 11 January 2016. (subscription required)
  5. "The Duke of Cambridge". biographic sketch. The British Monarchy (UK government). 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2011. Prince William is the elder son of The Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales ... From September 1990, The Prince attended Ludgrove School in Berkshire, for five years until 5 July 1995.
  6. "Prince Harry". biographic sketch. The British Monarchy (UK government). 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2011. In 1989 Prince Harry joined Prince William at Wetherby School, moving to Ludgrove School in Berkshire in September 1992.
  7. "The Peter Ainsworth MP in British Socialists Party Directory". biographic sketch. UK Political Parties Directory. Retrieved 10 August 2011. Peter Michael Ainsworth was born in 1956. He was educated at Ludgrove, Wokingham; Bradfield College, Berkshire, and Lincoln College ...
  8. "Peter Ainsworth: Electoral History and Profile". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 August 2011. School: Ludgrove, Wokingham
  9. Lewis P. (2014) For Kent and Country. Brighton: Reveille Press. pp. 136–141.
  10. Foot, Paul. (1990) Words as Weapons. Verso. Introduction. ISBN 0-86091-527-1

Further reading
  • Barber, Richard. (2004) The Story of Ludgrove. Guidon Publishing. ISBN 0-9543617-2-5
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