Centenary bluebells for Luckley

SPRING has come early to Luckley House School in Wokingham! When pupils and staff returned from their half term break, they found the front of the school flooded with 100 stunning, specially commissioned metal bluebells to mark the school’s Centenary birthday week.

Jane Tudor, Head, said: “Bluebells are a strong memory for all of the school community, whether their memories are from the 20th or 21st century. Every spring, Luckley’s woodland bursts into a sea of bluebells, symbolising hope, life and growth, and that is why we have adopted the flower as the symbol of our Centenary.”

The bluebells will be in situ throughout the academic year. At the end of that time, families and friends of the school will have the opportunity to own one of the 1m high stems that have been produced by Paul Cox, master craftsman, sculptor and graduate of the Royal Academy Schools, London.

This week signifies the start of the Centenary celebrations with a Service of Thanksgiving held yesterday and attended by the whole school community, past and present.

Today, the Head Student and youngest pupil will mark the school’s official birthday by laying flowers on the grave of one of the school’s founders, Miss Bertha Drake, at All Saints Church. The group will be joined by Gwendoline Needham, Miss Drake’s great niece, who has made the journey all the way from her home in New Zealand, to attend the Centenary Service.

The original Luckley School was opened in 1918 by Miss Bertha Drake and Miss Ivy Barratt, firstly in Southland Road, Wokingham and then moved to its present-day Luckley Road site in November that year. The School became Luckley-Oakfield in 1959 when it amalgamated with Oakfield, Arnside in the Lake District, with 55 girls moving south to join 35 Luckleyans in 1959.

With a Centenary year cohort of over 270 pupils, a lot has happened since then, most notably a name change to Luckley House School in 2013 and the first boys to put on the School uniform in 2015.