An event which broke the mould was the recent ‘Back to Fan Court’ reunion. When Claremont School and Fan Court School merged in 1978 to form the co-educational school we know today, the Fan Court site in Lyne was sold and split into private residential homes. Today the land and the main house has a total of fifteen private residences.

It was a pleasure to welcome back over fifty attendees, who included a mixture of alumni and former staff, to Fan Court on Saturday 14 October 2023. The sun shone whilst friendships and conversations were resumed in the very place they began and, for some, nearly seventy years had passed since they were last there. Once let loose (some ran!) with shoe coverings, two maps and a copy of their original admission form filled in by their parents, our alumni enjoyed a morning exploring the grounds and available homes. The houses on the estate were kindly opened by the residents. Open houses included the former locations of the changing rooms, the wood workshop, the conservatory, the main entrance, the wood-panelled billiards room and the classrooms in the stable block area. A particular favourite for many was the chance to rediscover the shrubbery at the back of the estate. To our knowledge, no impromptu games of flag-raiding or conkers were played, nor any potatoes were roasted in the shrubbery though we do remain open to surprises!

In the afternoon, a buffet lunch reception was enjoyed in the ‘Old Bar’ at The Crown Hotel & Pub in nearby Chertsey. Next to a roaring log-burner, attendees thoroughly enjoyed the chance to reminisce and peruse an array of archival material on display which included whole school photos and the video ‘A Year at Fan Court’. Leatherbound editions of the school magazine The Vox Leonis were also uncovered from the archives. Alumni rediscovered their Prep School age handwriting, colourful drawings, cricket match reports and articles. An interactive screen displayed our digital archive found on Claremont Connect for attendees to enjoy a walk down memory lane. Another opportunity on offer was the chance for attendees to share their favourite memories as part of our ‘100 voices of Claremont Fan Court School’ project. The stories shared were endless and all the more sentimental after the morning’s visit back to Fan Court.

Our alumni community played an essential role in making the 'Back to Fan Court' reunion possible, thanks to their dedication and enthusiasm for the school. Your collective efforts in spreading the word played a crucial role in facilitating our reconnection with lost alumni. We are immensely grateful to the residents of Fan Court who opened up their homes and gave our alumni the chance to revisit a place they hold with such fond memories.

If you are a Fan Court alumnus or alumna who missed our ‘Back to Fan Court’ reunion and you would like to reconnect with any lost friends or pay a visit to the Fan Court site, please email alumni@claremont.surrey.sch.uk