
Waddesdon School has officially opened the Jacob Rothschild Sixth Form Building, a project inspired by Lord Rothschild’s vision for positive global change.
Designed to foster leadership, social action, and aspiration, the centre features collaborative workspaces, an innovation lab, a performance area, and a reflection space.
Cllr Mimi Harker OBE (Chair of Buckinghamshire Council), Michael Jarrett MBE (Service Director, Education and Inclusion), Sophia Sunthareswan (Head Girl), Annalies McIver (Head of Sixth Form), Keira Dance (youngest student in the school), Julie Nicholas (Director of Finance and Administration), Dame Hannah Rothschild DBE (Chair, Rothschild Foundation), Emmy Freeman-Attwood, Matthew Abbott (Headteacher), stand alongside Waddesdon CE School students. Image © Waddesdon Image Library. Photo: Ben Crowther Photography
The opening also marked the launch of the Waddesdon Blueprint, a unique programme connecting students' learning to the renowned collections and sustainable estate management at Waddesdon Manor.
Headteacher Matthew Abbott praised the collaborative efforts behind the project, highlighting the transformational opportunities it will provide for generations of students. Hannah Rothschild, Chair of the Rothschild Foundation, described the initiative as an investment in the future, while Buckinghamshire Council’s Michael Jarrett celebrated the expanded facilities as a milestone for education in the county.
Hannah Rothschild, Chair – Rothschild Foundation, says: “The Rothschild Foundation’s support for the Jacob Rothschild Sixth Form Centre is an investment in the future. Here, young people will gain the knowledge and confidence to tackle tomorrow’s challenges. Through the Waddesdon Blueprint, we will deepen a partnership rooted in education and opportunity. And as students engage with Waddesdon’s Collection, Archive, and natural surroundings, their creativity will inspire us in return. This is how we build the future—by empowering the next generation.”
The project was made possible through the support of the Rothschild Foundation, Buckinghamshire Council, and the wider Waddesdon community.
© Waddesdon Image Library. Photo: Ben Crowther Photography