Wimbledon College

History

On the 18 January 1892, in the parlour of a newly founded church's presbytery at No. 3 Cranbrook Road, Thomas Lloyd started at Wimbledon College. He was the first-ever student, and on that day he was to be alone. His brother William was meant to attend alongside him, but fell ill. After the first academic year, six more students joined the Lloyd brothers. In this time the school had moved twice, once to a property on Darlaston Road and once to a building adjoining the All England Lawn Tennis Courts. In 1893 the college moved to a recently abandoned building on Edge Hill, the former site of Wimbledon School, and has never moved since. By 1900, 100 pupils were in attendance. In 1898 the Wimbledon College Army Department was established. This trained young men for entrance into Sandhurst or Woolwich.

During the First World War, the college was to lose a total of 129 former pupils. On 18 February 1922 the War Memorial at the rear of the chapel and the memorial stained glass window at the front, behind the altar, were unveiled. The memorial inscription reads: "To the greater glory of God and in the triumphant and loving memory of those who went from the College to die for King and Country."

In 1921 the Prefect of Studies (Head Master), Fr John Manning SJ, oversaw the transition from Oxford Local Examinations to Oxford and Cambridge Joint Board Examinations, allowing the college to compete with the top public schools. This quelled the tendency for the brightest 15 to 16-year-old students to leave the college for the more established Catholic schools. The same year, the house system was introduced with three houses (Fisher, More, and Campion). Southwell would be added later. In 1929, 8 acres of field beside Coombe Lane was bought for sporting purposes.

In 1933, due to the growing number of pupils, the decision was made to buy Donhead Lodge (a building across the road from the college) and establish a preparatory school there. The 72 pupils from Lower Preparatory, Preparatory, and Elements were taken from the college and settled at the new Wimbledon College Preparatory School (known as 'Donhead").

Fr John Sinnott SJ (OW) arrived as Prefect of Studies in 1937. A previous student at the college, he immediately sought to improve the college's reputation with the Board of Education, to allow acceptance of scholarship boys from elementary schools. After a favourable inspection in 1938, he implemented their suggestions by giving inter-house competitions a more academic, less sports character, with prizes in all main subjects. Elocution lessons were organised, boys were encouraged to play the violin, and a Careers Bureau was established. He also made plans for further development of the site, but was frustrated by the outbreak of the Second World War, when tight restrictions were placed on the use of steel and timber.

During the Second World War, the functioning of the college was much more disrupted than in the Great War. Fortunately, the Wimbledon College and Donhead buildings both had cellars which, with minor adjustments, were approved by local Air Raid Wardens. Sandbags were brought in and timber frames used to reinforce the ceilings. Since the college and Donhead were outside the evacuation area, school was allowed to proceed. Three weeks after the outbreak of war on the 3 September 1939, the new school term began. Unfortunately, because the games pitch was distant from the bomb shelters, games lessons were cancelled during the war and break was shortened.

Such was the disruption to lessons by increasingly frequent passings over of German bombers, that boys were required to take their books down to the cellars where lessons would continue amid the sounds of bombs exploding and anti-aircraft fire. The college acted as an emergency feeding post, first aid centre, and the college swimming pool provided valuable water for the local fire brigade.

On the 18 February 1944, a bomb exploded on the Convent of the Sisters of Mary, situated on the Downs (a road not far from the college), killing five nuns and wounding several others. Numerous windows in the college shattered, doors broke, and the roof of the college swimming pool caved in. During this time, Fr Sinnott was looking to the future of the college. He had concluded that the independent school model was not suitable and had applied to the Surrey County Council (at the time Wimbledon was contained within the borders of Surrey, these moved in the 1960s) for Deficiency Aided School status in January 1942 and this was granted later that year. This allowed the college to be funded by the local education authority while retaining its religious character. In March 1945, fees were abolished at the request of the Surrey Educational Committee. This marked the beginning of the process of the college becoming a Voluntary Aided Grammar School, which was formally recognised in July 1948.

The college lost 58 old boys as a result of the Second World War. They are commemorated by a memorial above the door of the college chapel.

In 1969, the college became a Voluntary Aided Comprehensive School. As of 2009, the Sixth Form had partnerships with the nearby Ursuline High School and Holy Cross School and Richard Challoner School in Kingston upon Thames.

Buildings

The college stands on a site where in 1860 John Brackenbury had purchased two large meadows below the Ridgway known as Tree and Boggy Fields. Brackenbury had helped to run Nelson House School, in Eagle House, Wimbledon High Street. His success there was such that in 1859 he took out a mortgage on the land below the Ridgway and founded the Anglican Preparatory Military Academy in 1860, also known as Brackenbury's. The grounds of this college were so attractive that the school was opened to the public once a week. Among the alumni of Brackenbury's were rugby union international Henry Bryden and Alfred D'Orsay Tennyson Dickens, son of Charles Dickens. Although initially successful, Brackenbury's declined under the control of the Rev. Charles Wynn, and closed in 1887.

In 1892 the buildings of the Anglican Preparatory Military Academy were purchased by the Jesuits and reopened as Wimbledon College (though Wimbledon College had existed at other sites earlier that year). During the summer holidays in 1977 the main college hall burned down. It is not clear what caused the fire but the kitchens were located in the basement of the hall and it was supposed that the fire started there.

Fr Michael Holman SJ became Head Master in 1995 and his main contributions to the school included an entire renovation of the old gym and swimming pool into a new Sports Hall, Learning Resources Centre (LRC), and IT Suite. Since Fr Adrian Porter's appointment as Fr Holman's successor, the college has undergone further changes, including a new visitors' entrance, refurbished classrooms, the addition of an electronic registration system which is used in parallel with the traditional registration system, and the movement of the LRC and IT Department to the location of the Sixth Form Centre. The centre has been relocated to the former LRC/IT Department site.

College Chapel

The Wimbledon College Chapel was opened on the 9 April 1910. It serves for lunchtime Mass, held once a week, and on occasions is used for minor assemblies. On 18 February 1921 the War Memorial commemorating the 129 boys of the college lost in the First World War was unveiled. Later, another memorial was unveiled for the 58 boys of the College lost in the Second World War.

Sixth Form

Since 1982 the college and the Ursuline have worked in partnership by having a joint sixth form together. Mr Dominic Boyse is the head of sixth form and there are two heads of years for both Rhetoric(Y13) and Poetry (Y12) each year the heads of year will switch places, once Y13 have left that head of year will become next years Y12 head. Mr John Lonergan and Mr Paul Fitcher both take this in turn. There is also a designated PSA of the sixth from, Ms Rachael Household. She is the woman that pulls all of sixth form together and makes sure all of sixth form form tutors, teachers and students know what is happening and are able sort issues with her.

Aims

Traditions

The sixth form at the college has many traditions which it does, most of these are separate to the rest of the school but they do also follow the school's traditions too. Each year a group of sixth formers will travel to India to take part in the College's 'Project Manvi', this is the project where sixth formers will help to build a school for the Dalit people. Another tradition the sixth form has is the 'Homeless Sleep out' this is where all of Rhetoric and Poetry students are offered the chance to sleep rough for the night in the schools grounds to get a feel for how life is for homeless people, this is done to raise money for charity. The sixth form also has a tradition at the end of Y13 after examinations to have all the boys back to say goodbye to them. This will include a farewell mass, an assembly to talk about the good times everyone has had over the years and then finally a BBQ and drinks reception with the sixth form team and sixth form teachers.

Charity

The sixth form often encourages students to join the blood donations and often have a blood donating day where sixth formers can sign up to donate blood. They do a competition of how long it takes for the amount of blood to be taken. The school also encourages the boys to join the Anthony Nolan register. Sixth form at the college does various other charitable events, such as collecting at the Wimbledon Tennis with Macmillan Cancer Support. Join the Wimbledon College Lourdes Hospitalité where a group of students will help out less able bodied people at the pilgrimage. Or helping to take children to the sea-side for the day who have been living in troubling times and who may not have even seen the sea before.

Lines

Within English Jesuit schools, year groups are referred to as named "lines", rather than being given a number. These names are: Figures (Y7), Rudiments (Y8), Lower Grammar (Y9), Grammar (Y10), Syntax (Y11), Poetry (Y12) and Rhetoric (Y13). Figures and Rudiments are sometimes shortened to "Figs" and "Ruds". Boys in Figures, Rudiments, and Lower Grammar are in "Lower Line". Boys in Grammar or Syntax are placed into "Higher Line". There is a Lower Line Deputy and a Higher Line Deputy, who control their Lines. Each Line (year group) has a "Head of Line" who runs the line (so there are three "Heads of Line" within the Lower Line and two within the Higher Line). Sixth Form has its own "Head of Sixth Form", with Poetry (Y12) and Rhetoric (Y13) within that VI form.

Prefectorial System

Every new school year, the school appoints 19 Prefects for different roles. Only those in the VI Form are able to hold a position as a Prefect. The Head Boy, Deputy Head Boy, House Captains, Chapel Prefect, Music Prefect, and Captain of Rugby are all Prefects. Beside all these positions you also have 8 regular Prefects. Prefects wear a blue tie patterned with the College shield.

AMDG and LDS

At the top left and bottom centre of every piece of work boys must write "AMDG (for Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, "For the greater glory of God") and LDS (Laus Deo Semper, translating to "Praise God always"). Again, this is a tradition with most Jesuit secondary schools in England and Ireland.

House System

When boys join the college they are assigned to one of eight houses. Each house is named after a saint.

Every house has a "Head of House" and a "House Captain".

The houses also act as forms. Each year group – Figures (Y7), Rudiments (Y8), Lower Grammar (Y9), Grammar (Y10), Syntax (Y11), Poetry (Y12), Rhetoric (Y13) – has 8 forms, the names of which are simply the house they are in, added to the name. So "Grammar, Southwell" is one form and "Poetry, Campion" would be another.

*= founded shortly after 1921

Activities

The college specialises in sports (especially rugby), extracurricular activities, and drama. A new music department was constructed in 2005. It is notable for its school productions, and to assist in these a revolving stage has been built in the auditorium. At least one dramatic or musical show has been produced every year since 1972. The Strings Project was activated in 2005 to give 50 boys in Figures the opportunity to learn the violin, viola, cello, or the double bass.

The college encourages students to take part in at least two of its wide selection of extracurricular activities. These range from a Drama Club to the Chess Club, and also from a Debating Society to numerous optional school trips over the year. The college also has a selection of major and minor sports. Rugby is the biggest major sport and is played until Christmas. In 2010, and again in 2016, Wimbledon College U13 won the Rosslyn Park HSBC National Schools Sevens Tournament Junior Trophy. On 24 March 2017 Wimbledon College U14 won the Rosslyn Park HSBC National Schools Sevens Tournament U14 Trophy. These are their biggest honours in the sport. During the lent term rugby is still played along with football.

In the summer term rugby is no longer played. Instead cricket and athletics become the major sports. Athletics is practised at Wimbledon Park athletics track, and cricket is played on the usual playing field at Coombe Lane. During the last week of the academic school year there is House Cricket tournament where all the best cricketers from the eight different houses play. Also in the last week of the school year there is a Sports Day; all students participate. Years 7 and 8 have their sports day one day before years 9 and 10. The sports take place at Wimbledon Park athletics stadium. Most track and field events are practised. The winners of the "A" team races get medals. The boy with the most medals on the day also gets the "Victor Ludorum". On 4 May 2012, the U14A football team won The Collingwood Trophy, 3-2 in the final.

Army Cadet Force (ACF)

The college is home to 136 Detachment, part of South West London Army Cadet Force and wears the cap-badge of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment. The ACF offers young people the opportunity to take part in activities such as field-craft, navigation, skill-at-arms, first aid, shooting, drill, sports, and the Duke of Edinburgh Award (Bronze, Silver, and Gold).

Guild of St. Stephen

The Guild of St. Stephen was started to recognise boys who had been regularly altar serving at college Mass. Members of the Guild are eligible for a bronze medal which they may hang around their neck while serving in school.

College Choir

The College Choir sing at school liturgies and concerts. Boys of all ages are permitted to apply for an audition, which they must pass to become members of the choir.

Intermediate Colours

Intermediate Colours are generally awarded in Syntax but occasionally in Grammar for outstanding achievement and commitment to a college activity. Staff in charge of school activities – such as major sports, music, drama, and service – nominate boys for colours each term. Nominations are confirmed or rejected by the Colours Committee, ensuring uniform standards across all activities. Boys who have been awarded Intermediate Colours are given a different tie, similar to the regular school tie but with the gold stripe wider.

Half Colours and Full Colours

Half Colours are generally awarded in Poetry but occasionally in Syntax. Full Colours are generally awarded in Rhetoric but occasionally in Poetry. Both Half and Full Colours reflect the highest levels of commitment, performance, and leadership in major school activities.

Boys who have been awarded Half or Full Colours are given a different tie, for Half Colours a Green tie patterned with the college shield and stripped gold (one stripe and then a space filled with shields, then another stripe, etc.) and for Full Colours it is the same but with two stripes rather than just one.

The College Prayer

Lord, teach us to be generous:  to serve you as you deserve;  to give and not to count the cost;  to fight and not to heed the wounds; 
to toil and not to seek to rest;  to labour and to ask for no reward;  save that of knowing we do your will. Amen.

Old Wimbledonians Association (OWA)

The Old Wimbledonians Association came into being in 1905 and was founded by old boys of its Alma Mater, Wimbledon College. Members of the OWA can be old boys of either Wimbledon College or Donhead Preparatory School (Donhead is the Wimbledon College Preparatory School).

Academics

Sports

Entertainment, media and the arts

Military

Politics, public service and the law

Religion

Notable Staff

Head Masters

A list of Prefects of Studies (before 1944) and Headmasters (after 1944) with the years they were in the role.