Lucton School

The school was founded by John Pierrepont in 1708. Pierrepont had made his fortune as a vintner in London and, being unmarried, elected to use his fortune in good works. He restored the chapel in Lucton village and provided a stipend for a minister. In his will, he also provided bequests to The Royal Hospital of St Bartholomew (of which he was a governor) and Mile End Hospital.[4] His generosity is recorded on a funeral cartouche, originally mounted in the chapel in Lucton but now in the dining hall of the school. By Act of Parliament in 1708, Pierrepont established a free school in Lucton, based on the tithes due him from estates and manors such as those in Yarpole, Bircher, Luston and Eyton.[5] The school was founded as a Bluecoat school (although the governors provided for pupils at Lucton the cheaper alternative of brown coats) and the building was erected on land purchased from Pierrepont’s friend, Sir Herbert Croft of nearby Croft Castle. Pierrepont himself set out detailed rules for the foundation and running of the School, aided by his parish priest at St. Botolph, Aldgate, Rev'd Dr White Kennett (later 16th Bishop of Peterborough.) His school was, he decided, to provide a sound Anglican education, as well as studies in Greek, Latin, reading, writing and arithmetic. The endowment was to provide free education to 50 boys from poorer families, whilst 30 boys from wealthier families would pay up to 10/- per annum.

Since 1989, the school has been managed by the Lucton Pierrepont School Educational Trust.

The school is housed in a listed Queen Anne building,[6] and a range of Victorian and modern buildings set in about 22 hectares (54 acres) of Herefordshire countryside.[2] It comprises a nursery with about 60 infants (aged 6 months to 4 years), a preparatory school with 72 pupils (aged 5 to 10 years), a middle school with 72 pupils (aged 10–13 years), a senior school of 92 pupils (aged 13–16 years) and a sixth form of 56 pupils (aged 16–19 years).

Queen Anne House is the original school house, with quarters for the headteacher, and two large school rooms, now the Queen Anne Dining Room and the assembly hall. The top storey, originally long room style dormitories, has been converted to a sixth form centre, a library and an ICT suite. The building also contains classrooms, the Senior Common Room, offices and sports changing rooms.

The Victorian building houses science laboratories, ICT room, classrooms and the Upper Hall, an auditorium with stage, lighting box and green room. The Hereford Block is a prefab housing the middle school, and a DT classroom and workshop. Croft House is home to the school's senior boarders, with younger boarders living in School Cottage. The former Hall Design School has been converted to house the preparatory and nursery schools.

Sporting facilities include an indoor swimming pool (opened by British Paralympian swimmers Sascha Kindred and Nyree Lewis, and formally named The Wessex Pool by HRH Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex as part of the school's tercentenary celebrations in 2008)[7] and a large playing field, named The Holland after its donor. The conversion of the former covered playground known as The Acky into an up-to-date, weather-proofed sports hall was completed in the summer of 2013.

In 2009, the school developed a new equestrian centre and, in 2015, Lucton purchased an extra 2.2 hectares (5.4 acres) to increase the playing field provision.[8]

Class sizes are small with an average of 14 pupils per class and the syllabus broadly follows the English National Curriculum.[2] In addition to the core curriculum (English language and literature, maths, biology, chemistry and physics) subjects taught include art, business studies, dance, design technology (DT), drama, environmental science, economics, EFL/EAL, ethics, French, geography, German, history, information and communication technology (ICT), Latin, Mandarin, music, psychology, philosophy, Spanish, textiles and theatre studies. All pupils pursue a course of RS to Year 9 and a course in philosophy and ethics to GCSE, with the option to continue that course to 'A' level. Pupils also study PSE up to Year 11, with COPE (Certificate of Personal Effectiveness) available to pupils in the Sixth Form.[2] Pupils are prepared for qualifications at GCSE, IGCSE and 'A' level.

The School produces an annual magazine, The Luctonian, as well as a weekly newsletter, Lucton News.

The operation of the school is supported by an active group of parents, staff and other supporters (The Friends of Lucton) and by a growing alumni society, The Old Luctonians' Association.

In 2018 ITV’s Exposure documentary featured a former pupil who recalled how in 1975, when he was 13, a housemaster, David Panter, had begun abusing him. He had seen other boys abused. The boy had repeatedly reported the abuse to headmaster Keith Vivian, who at first did nothing, but eventually Panter was removed. His teaching career continued in the state sector. Exposure tracked down the headmaster who employed him at his next school – telling the programme he would have received a reference from Lucton School. In 2016, Panter was jailed for nine years for indecent assault and gross indecency against seven Lucton pupils.

To avoid a contested trial, he was only convicted for the crimes he admitted. He pleaded not guilty to the allegations made by the pupil appearing on the programme. [15]

• Eustace Jotham (1883–1915): soldier, awarded the VC[16]
• Sir Charles Irving (1924-1995): Conservative MP[17]
• Thane Bettany (1929-2015): Actor and former dancer; father of actor Paul Bettany[18]
• Jan Pieńkowski (1936-2022): Illustrator, writer and designer.[19]
• Graham Baker (b. 1952): Businessman; Chairman of Butcher's Pet Care.[20]
• William Chase (b. 1965): Businessman; Founder of Tyrrells Crisps and Chase Vodka.
• Commander D.B.Vaughan: England Rugby 1949 to 1950. Lions tour Manager 1962.[21]

Luctonians Cricket Club Ground Luctonians