Sunningdale School


Sunningdale School is a family-run boys' preparatory independent boarding school of around 100 pupils, situated in Sunningdale in Berkshire, close to London, England.

Introduction

Sunningdale School is a small school that seeks to educate its pupils in a range of subjects and disciplines, and to encourage them to take the Common Entrance Examination for entry to senior independent boarding schools. In previous decades, many former pupils have gone on to some of Britain's independent schools, including Eton College, Harrow School, Shrewsbury School, Radley College, Winchester College, Sherborne School, Marlborough College, Wellington College and Charterhouse.
Founded in 1874 by Canon William Girdlestone, it stands in of gardens and grounds. He was later joined by his son, Mr Girdlestone, who helped run the school for the next quarter of a century. By 1900, when the school was sold to the next headmaster, Mr Crabtree, the pupils numbered 27. Since its foundation, the school has had only seven heads.
The school was the subject of a BBC television documentary, Britain's Youngest Boarders, first broadcast in September 2010.

Background

The school has its own chapel, and a house in Normandy, France to which each boy goes for a week three times during his time at Sunningdale. The school's major sports are football, rugby union and cricket in the Michaelmas, Lent and summer terms respectively. Boys also play tennis, squash, Eton Fives, basketball, indoor hockey, golf and table tennis against other schools. Fives has been played at Sunningdale since at least 1892 and the school has 3 courts on site. They also compete in athletics, cross-country, fencing, judo and air rifle shooting. There is a heated indoor swimming pool which means that the boys can swim all year round. The sports hall includes two full-length cricket nets and an air rifle range. There is also a 7-hole golf course in the grounds. Boys can also ride and do clay pigeon shooting and in their last term they do an outward bound course on Dartmoor. Indoor activities include chess, model railway, cooking, bridge, snooker, Scottish dancing, drama, model making and board games.

Former pupils

Former pupils of Sunningdale School include: