Schools & Colleges
Schools & Colleges
Part of Whitgift’s golf academy
“I think school groundsmanship is the ultimate round-the- calendar professional challenge. No two days are the same. I love it”
Pitch switch. The autumn term sees Northfield in rugby mode
straight into the school’s irrigation tank. Another major work in recent times affected the school’s Southfield, which oddly is not to the south of Northfield. It was koro’ed and laser levelled last July using 700 tonnes of topsoil and looks a picture, even on a cold, wet late spring day. Talking of weather, Stuart has persuaded the Bursar that an investment in a weather station would be money well spent. The plan, later this summer, is to have a Davis Vantage Pro 2 installed, and this will be connected to the school’s website for use as a science teaching facility as well as a pitch care asset. In February this year, the whole of the outfields and all of the pitches were re- seeded with Barenbrug SOS, and 740 tonnes of topsoil were added. In June, a further re-seeding, with a combination of 100% ryegrass iSeed Pitch and 100% fescue iSeed Fairway, was scheduled. Another routine Stuart introduced is daily cutting of all the pitches and outfields, almost without exception, come rain or shine. They are also fed every four weeks. The weekend coming up was a big cricket weekend for the school, with matches against fierce rivals St Bedes.
Stuart still finds time to check the Pitchcare website
Liquid feeding of the outfield, earlier in the week, had left the outfield looking magnificent, if a little soggy. The cricket season at Whitgift had, thus far, been a damp squib. Only four games in six weeks had been possible, so fingers were firmly crossed for the St Bedes matches. The business area between the stumps looked ready for action, invitingly white and flat. County
standard covers were keeping it so. As part of his action plan to make Whitgift pitches even better, Stuart got the Headmaster’s backing for stopping pupils’ breaktime use of the four main sports areas - Northfield, Southfield and the so-called Big site and Little site, again, oddly, not reflecting their relative size. They now have a restricted, yet ample grassed area alongside the indoor sports hall for ball games and the like. Stuart reckons this is already making a noticeable difference, and respect for himself and his team has gone up a few notches too. They certainly looked every inch professional in matching groundsman kit. The school has sport as a curriculum priority and facilities are always being extended. In 2008, golf was added with the introduction of a golf academy, with facilities including a two-tiered green with a 30 to 40 yard chipping practice area, as well as several smaller chipping pods, a four-bay section for driving and a putting green. All pupils are able to get lessons in school time from golf professionals. The academy was officially opened by HRH Prince Andrew.
Stuart vows to continue to drive Whitgift pitches forward. It’s good for the school’s sporting prowess, and it’s good for business. Parents, above all, want and need to be impressed by the outdoor facilities and surroundings. At Whitgift, they certainly are. “I think school groundsmanship is the ultimate round-the-calendar professional challenge,” says Stuart. “No two days are the same. I love it.”
Surrey in CB40 action at Whitgift
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