A trip to Tatler’s Schools Awards
On September 14th, 2009, Ardingly College Headmaster Peter Green, and his wife, Brenda, along with Head Boy Tom Durkin and Head Girl Laura Williams went to Claridge’s in London to celebrate the Tatler Schools Awards. This is Tom’s report of the evening’s festivities.
We had been invited to this prestigious event because Ardingly had made it, for the very first time, into Tatler’s Schools Guide 2010.
On arrival at Claridge’s one cannot help but be taken aback by the sheer beauty of the hotel. Gleaming marble flooring, elegant dining rooms and chic shops marked it out for me as an art-deco masterpiece. We were guided into one of the many function rooms of Claridge’s. The first thing I noticed was the glistening presence of five chandeliers, which sparkled throughout the evening. The second thing was the sheer number of people within the room from all four corners of the country. I even met one man who had travelled all the way down from Edinburgh that day! A glittering array of smart suits and cocktail dresses added a distinctly glamorous tone to the evening. Only the tinkling of champagne flutes interrupted the noise of busy chatter.
The ceremony started with a presentation about gap years. We learned about the opportunity to be sponsored by a travel company to do conservation work in Africa. The award ceremony then began and we were shown which schools cooked the best dinners, which was the best prep school, which was the best public school and who was the best headmaster. Alas, Ardingly did not win any awards, although it was only our first year and I think we were content that our school had finally been perceived by Tatler as a “Good School” – a fact we have all known for years!
We left the event in good spirits and ended the evening with a quick pizza before journeying home by train.
Needless to say, coming to school the next day was a bit of a shock to the system but it was a real honour to have been invited to such a special occasion and I sincerely hope that my successor, and Laura’s, will have the same opportunity to go to such an incredible event.
It is also wonderful to note that Ardingly is being recognized as the fantastic school that it is. Not every school gets in to Tatler’s guide to the top 225 prep and public schools in the UK. Who knows, we may even win a prize next year!
Tom Durkin, Head Boy at Ardingly College
