Ludgrove School

Infobox UK school
name = Ludgrove School


size = 140px
latitude =
longitude =
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motto = "Ipsa Scientia Potestas Est"
("Knowledge itself is power")
motto_pl =
established = 1892
approx =
closed =
c_approx =
type = preparatory school
religion = Church of England
president =
head_label = Headmaster
head = Simon Barber,Andrew Inglis
r_head_label =
r_head =
chair_label = Chairman of the Governors
chair = The Earl of Rosslyn
founder = Arthur Dunn
founder_pl =
specialist =
street = Ludgrove
city = Wokingham
county = Berkshire
country = England
postcode = RG40 3AB
LEA =
ofsted =
staff = 30 including gap students
enrollment = 191
gender = Boys
lower_age = 8
upper_age = 13
houses =
colours = Blue and white color box|navy color box|White
publication =
free_label_1 = Former pupils
free_1 =
free_label_2 =
free_2 =
free_label_3 =
free_3 =
website = http://www.ludgrove.net/
website_name = www.ludgrove.net

Ludgrove School is a private boarding preparatory school for about 200 boys aged 8 to 13. It is situated in the civil parish of Wokingham Without, adjoining the town of Wokingham in the English county of Berkshire.

History

The school was founded in 1892 by Arthur Dunn in north London. Dunn, a noted footballer, recruited a number of eminent 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.

In 1937 the school was moved to its present location at Wixenford, Wokingham. The school business was turned into a charitable trust in 1972. On the death of Alan Barber, his son Gerald Barber and Nichol Marston became joint headmasters. In July 2004, Nichol Marston retired. Ludgrove's headmasters are and Sid Inglis and Simon Barber (Gerald's son). The pupils perform plays and concerts, and sports matches are organised with other schools.

The school today

The school buildings include a private chapel, two science laboratories, a music school, specialist art, carpentry, pottery, IT departments and a combined 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 football/rugby/hockey/cricket pitches, all set in 150 acres of school land.

The fees are about £6,000 per term. The average class size varies, but gets smaller as the boys get older (to around eleven boys). Most of the boys move on to public schools such as Radley and Etonand Marlborough College .

Notable Old Ludgrovians

* Princes William and Harry of Wales (sons of Charles, Prince of Wales)
* Peter Ainsworth MP
* George Askew, a contestant on Big Brother 7
* Alexander Thynn, 7th Marquess of Bath
* Rear Admiral Sir Nigel Cecil
* Charles Cumming
* John Spencer Dunville VC
* James Carnegie, 3rd Duke of Fife
* Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
* George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood
*Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, 14th Earl of Home, as Sir Alec Douglas-Home Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1963 to 1964
* General Sir Oliver Leese
* Sir Shane Leslie
* Robert R. McCormick
* Sir Osbert Sitwell, 5th Baronet
* Sir Frederick Warner
* Dick Smyly, portrait painter [ [http://www.dicksmyly.com/about.asp About Dick Smyly] at dicksmyly.com (accessed 1 November 2007)]
* Nick Pretzlik, Fundraiser for the Palestinian cause [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,,1285894,00.html Obituary of Nick Pretzlik] by Robin Allen in The Guardian newspaper, London, August 19, 2004 (accessed 1 November 2007)]

Notable masters

* Alan Barber (1905 - 1985), Yorkshire cricket captain, headmaster
* Arthur Dunn (1861 - 1902), founder of the school
* William Oakley (1873 – 1934), England football captain, joint headmaster
* G.O. Smith (1872 - 1943), England football captain and centre-forward, joint headmaster
* Robin Milford (1903 – 1959), composer, part-time Music master

References

External links

* [http://www.ludgrove.net/ Ludgrove School website]