Ludgrove School

There are two mantras of Ludgrove life: ‘Be kind’ and ‘Be the best you can’ and our motto ‘whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all they might’ Ecclesiastes IX v.10 is as true today as it was when the school was founded in 1892. Since that date, society might have changed however, the hope that by the time a boy leaves Ludgrove he has acquired confidence in his own ability, a sense of moral awareness and a set of values which will remain with him throughout his life, has remained steadfast.

Ludgrove is a thriving fortnightly boarding school for boys age 8 to 13, which sits in 130 acres of spectacular grounds and it is a magical place to spend five years of childhood. We believe our homely environment provides a wonderful place where boys flourish and realise their potential.

As a school, we are unashamedly ambitious for every boy and are proud of our strong academic record. The boys have a wealth of opportunities: a stimulating curriculum, exceptional facilities and a vibrant extracurricular programme with exposure to music, drama, sport and art. We aim to develop the boys’ confidence in a caring supportive environment, where they are valued as individuals and learn to live as a community. Friendships are made for life and the unique Ludgrove spirit allows boys to thrive in an atmosphere of high achievement, happiness, good manners and kindness.

The principal aims of the school are for boys to grow and develop in a happy caring environment, to explore and expand their potential and to learn to develop an awareness and concern for others around them. We aim to prepare our boys to meet the demanding challenges they will experience at the next stage of their education with confidence and good humour.

Initially, considerable care is taken to see that new boys settle naturally in what to them may seem a strange place, particularly as they will not have experienced boarding before. As a consequence, much emphasis is placed on close relationships being formed between staff and pupils. We consider that during a boy's first year it is most important that he establishes a good rapport with his peers and adults. This, we believe, to be as essential as actual academic success, which will come once a boy has settled into his new community.

The headmaster, his wife and all staff take particular care to get to know each boy individually and maintain strong and frequent contact with parents.

As a boy grows older, increasingly more is expected of him in the way of self-discipline and self-reliance. He is encouraged to work hard and contribute fully to school life. All boys choose to become fully involved in a variety of different occupations, be they sporting, musical, dramatic or otherwise, with the emphasis essentially being on the need to do everything to the best of their abilities.

By the time a boy leaves Ludgrove, we hope that he has acquired a confidence in his own ability, a sense of moral awareness and a set of positive values that will remain with him throughout his life.

The school is set in beautiful grounds of 130 acres in rural Berkshire, with gardens and woodland in which to play. Its excellent facilities and beautiful surroundings give the boys a wonderful opportunity to develop their interests and talents, use their imagination and, from the start, they are encouraged to involve themselves in a wide variety of activities.

The enviable expanse of playing fields and first class indoor facilities enable all the boys to participate in a large variety of sports and activities. The games programme is full and varied and boys take part in organised games five afternoons a week – principally football, rugby, hockey and cross country in the winter and cricket, athletics, tennis and swimming in the summer.

The sport facilities include extensive playing fields and a wonderful nine-hole golf course. The all-weather Astroturf provides excellent grounds for hockey, cricket and tennis in addition to four hard core tennis courts. Indoor facilities include two squash courts, a sports hall, two Eton fives courts and a magnificent 20 metre indoor swimming pool.