Working together

There is nothing new about our two schools working together. As immediate neighbours, we have enjoyed a close relationship for many years and have already shared opportunities, expertise and resources in different ways. This next step is about giving a little more structure to that longstanding relationship and asking what more we can achieve together. We are fortunate to geographically sit on one another’s doorstep and we want to make the most of that for the benefit of pupils, staff and our shared local community. Both schools bring different strengths, experiences and expertise and we believe there is a great deal to be gained by working alongside one another more deliberately.

The new programme of partnership activity will begin from October 2026. We expect this to develop gradually, with new opportunities emerging as pupils and staff from both schools spend more time working together.

Long Sutton pupils will have access to a wider range of experiences and opportunities throughout the year. This will include at least 100 hours of access each year to specialist facilities at Lord Wandsworth College, including science laboratories, art and design spaces, theatres, sports facilities and our wider 1200-acre campus. There will also be opportunities for specialist sports coaching, STEM activities, performing arts, outdoor learning, environmental projects and shared events. Over time, we also hope to share relevant elements of some of LWC’s wider programmes (where they can add value for Long Sutton families) including opportunities designed to help children prepare confidently for the move to senior school. The aim is not simply to provide more activities, but to create experiences that broaden horizons, build confidence and give children opportunities they might not otherwise encounter.

The partnership creates some really valuable opportunities for LWC’s young people, who can learn from the Long Sutton Primary School community and build valuable skills. Through mentoring, coaching, leadership and shared projects, pupils will have the chance to work with younger children, lead activities, communicate ideas and take on genuine responsibility. We believe these are enormously important skills. Learning how to encourage others, explain something clearly, lead with confidence and contribute to the wider community are all an important part of education at LWC. Working alongside younger pupils also gives our students a chance to see the impact they can have on others, whilst developing empathy, patience and confidence themselves. This is very much a partnership in which pupils from both schools will gain.

One of the most exciting aspects of the partnership is the opportunity for staff to learn from each other. Teachers and other colleagues will be able to share expertise through professional development, curriculum collaboration, coaching, pastoral work and joint projects. We know that working alongside other excellent educators sharpens our own practice and encourages us to think differently. Both schools have a great deal of expertise to bring, and both expect to learn from the relationship. At its best, partnership should not simply create more opportunities for pupils; it should make all of us better at what we do.

Yes, Long Sutton Primary will continue to have its own leadership, governance, curriculum, admissions arrangements, identity and statutory responsibilities. Lord Wandsworth College and Long Sutton Primary remain two entirely separate schools. This is a collaboration between neighbours, not a merger or takeover, and there are no plans for shared governance. The partnership is about finding more opportunities to work together, whilst protecting everything that makes each school distinctive.

No, admissions to the two schools will remain completely separate. A number of Long Sutton pupils already choose to continue their education at Lord Wandsworth College, just as others move on to one of our excellent local state schools or to another independent school. With this partnership, we hope to offer opportunities that prepare children confidently for the move to senior school, wherever that next step may be. The aim is to equip pupils with the skills and they need for this transition, rather than to direct them towards any particular school.

There is no fee or financial payment between Lord Wandsworth College and Long Sutton Primary as a result of the partnership. Much of the opportunity comes from making better use of the expertise, facilities and capacity that already exist across our two schools. For LWC, this includes opening up specialist spaces at appropriate times when they are not otherwise being used by College pupils, allowing those facilities to have an even greater educational impact without compromising the provision available to our own community. The partnership also sits very naturally within LWC’s charitable purpose and our longstanding belief in widening educational opportunity for young people.

Lord Wandsworth College was founded on a belief in widening opportunity, and we believe schools should play an active part in the communities around them. We are also enormously proud to be part of Long Sutton. The Primary School, the church, the village hall and the College all form part of the life and character of this very special village, and we want to play our part in helping that community continue to thrive. We are fortunate to have outstanding facilities, extensive grounds and significant educational expertise. Where we can share those intelligently and sustainably, it allows those resources to benefit more young people. But this is not simply about what LWC can offer. We also believe our own school becomes better when our pupils and staff work alongside others, encountering different perspectives and learning through partnership. For us, this is a very practical expression of what Widening Worlds means: looking beyond ourselves, creating opportunity, being a good neighbour and learning from those around us.

We very much hope the partnership will continue to grow. There are no plans for the relationship to develop into a merger, takeover or shared governance arrangement. Both schools will remain independent. What we do hope is that the range of things we do together will develop over time. We will learn from the activities we undertake, listen to pupils, staff and families, and look for new opportunities where working together can genuinely improve education for young people. Being immediate neighbours gives our two schools an unusual opportunity, and we want to make the most of it. The ambition is simple: to keep finding thoughtful, practical ways in which two schools, sitting side by side, can make life richer for the young people and communities they serve.