News

The £5m modern languages and science centre was officially opened on Founder's Day by Professor Martin Swales (1958), Emeritus Professor of German at University College London.

The new development, called the Andrew Brode Wing, which also incorporates a new sixth form centre, has been substantially funded by a donation from Andrew Brode (1959) who is the Executive Chairman of RWS Holdings and a keen linguist.

John Claughton, Chief Master, said: "The gift given by Andrew Brode is of great scale and significance and has enabled us to create outstanding new facilities for science and modern languages, including new laboratories, new classrooms and a new language laboratory. And there is a wonderful new space for Sixth Form pupils, too. 

"Languages are more important at King Edward's now than ever. Every boy takes at least one modern language to IGCSE and, since the introduction of the International Baccalaureate, every boy continues to study a language for two years in the Sixth Form. The school also has an outstanding scientific history with two Nobel Prize winners and the great tradition continues: this year we have seen the highest number of pupils ever to go to read Medicine at Oxford or Cambridge."

The development is part of a £25 million building programme that the school is undertaking. The first phase, the Ruddock Performing Arts Centre, was opened last year and the final phase will be a major development of the school's indoor sports facilities.

Read the transcript of Professor Swales' opening speech.