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Prestwood Lodge School Chiltern Academy

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Prestwood Lodge School Chiltern Academy

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Welcome to Prestwood Lodge School. [now called Chiltern Way Academy - Prestwood campus]
Memories, photos & comments by those connected to the school in any way whether it's former students or staff...

Welcome back to Prestwood Lodge School

30/04/2026

Some 37+ years later, I still have a lot of my coursework and letters etc from my time [Ian Hydon] at Prestwood Lodge School.

We had to study the "Scottish Play" [Macbeth] - Shakespeare was always tricky to get our heads around, but our English teacher was my favourite most inspirational teacher suggested we then we all become time travelling journalists and do on the School's BBC Micro Computers [remember those?!]

To do a Newspaper style of all the shocking events from the days in Macbeth set in the Eleventh Century!

***

Do you have anything from your days from PLS you still have folks?

23/04/2026

Who else remembers our Plane Spotters Club [which I was chief organiser of along with Michael McCourt who also as well as teaching English at Prestwood Lodge in my time, also loved aircraft too.

Two years ago today 23rd April 2024 at Filton, near Bristol, with my brother we've just been on Concorde.

For me [as it was then] nearly 35 years since I last went on-board a Concorde at the British Airways hangar at Heathrow Airport.

It's even possible that one of the pair of Concordes that on Monday 11 December 1989 were in the Britsh Airways hangar

Could have been this very Concorde. Golf-Bravo-Oscar Foxtrot.

It felt really emotional being back with Concorde after so long. She was retired in 2003 from commercial flight.

I am planning to revisit Filton and this Concorde again this year [2026].

20/04/2026

On this date 38 years ago exactly, Wednesday 20th April, 1988, we left from Prestwood Lodge School and went on an amazing journey for many of us our very first flights ever, our first then took place from Luton Airport to Dublin - a half day then in Dublin, before then a return flight the same day.

I have lots of memories from my school days -- but also a lot of things from my school days as well, which is very useful as it also helps others remember who were at my school as well.

But before the flight, we had our school group photo taken and I think almost the whole school of 30+ SEN Students were there plus three staff members. We also appeared in a subsequent newspaper article as well of which I still have to this day.

Was an amazing experience - and yes Ryanair really cared then for its customers back then and we were their VIP Guests of the day. For most of us it was our first flight ever and first time we'd also left the United Kingdom, albeit it was a fairly short journey across to the Republic of Ireland.

I and a few other boys from my school got to go in pairs up to the Pilot's Cabin and to meet the Pilot and Co-Pilot.

I was the last of the pairing [sadly bad weather meant the rest of the boys missed out the return journey], but we flew over Liverpool with then crystal clear skies and bright sunshine.

Looking down below at Liverpool - including Anfield [home of my favourite team Liverpool FC] - and also out to the Isle of Man and over the Irish Sea to the Irish Republic.

The Pilot saw and heard from my great enthusiasm for aircraft [I was chair and chief organiser of the School's Plane Spotters Club as well] and explained to me for me in detail some of the controls for the aircraft we were flying in, a Ryanair BAC One-Eleven. Before it was time to start our descent as we were over the Irish Sea then looking at the coastline and hills in the distance of the Republic of Ireland. We then buckled up for the descent [a bit of turbulence at Dublin Airport] but otherwise a smooth journey.

My best friend at the school enjoyed having his photo taken on board the aircraft in-flight.

On the top left photo, is me in Phoenix Park in Dublin.

Having landed and cleared customs, we had a walk around Dublin as a group then later, a bus tour of Dublin with a local guide.
It's not for nothing that in 1988 that Guiness is totally black, when you saw where the Sniffy Liffy [River] water came from that goes into the black stuff!

The return journey was cloudy and a bit more blustery but we landed back at Luton again later in the day and then climbed on board the minibus and the staff cars as well to go back to the School.

21/01/2026

Happy 50th Birthday Concorde!

21st January 1976 after the test flights with both British Airways and Air France respectively, the most beautiful aircraft and marvel of 60's and 70's engineering went into commercial flights carrying passengers on this day 50 years ago.

I well remember our many trips up to Heathrow from Prestwood Lodge to go and see Concorde take off and land & to try get any freebies from the Terminal 4 check in desks as well.

As elected Chair and chief organiser of the Plane Spotters Club, by Michael McCourt my then English teacher and plane fanatic as well as me, on a split vote in 1986 when we together set up the Plane Spotters Club I have so many memories of my time then over the few years I was at PLS.

In 1989 we were invited to be special guests of British Airways and in the afternoon got to go in the British Airways Hangar [no members of the public allowed], Two Concordes either side of a 747 Jumbo Jet greeted us and we went right to left, Concorde, 747, Concorde as our guide from the vast hangar answered all our questions.

Then unknown to me, Michael Mccourt and the Guide got chatting and in return for promising him not to touch any of the controls, he let me sit in the Co-pilots seat of a live Concorde that was going out that very evening to JFK New York and was on Maintenance Jacks undergoing final testing.

It meant that I was in charge for a few golden memories, of the flagship of British Airways and a multi million pounds aircraft off the ground!

In 2024, I went with my Brother as a early 50th birthday treat to Filton in Bristol and we got to go in the Concorde Alpha-Golf Hangar and on board as well, was super to return again to such a beautiful aircraft and I plan to go back again this year.

What are your Concorde memories?

19/12/2025

A Happy Christmas and all the best for 2026 for each of us former Prestwood Lodge / Chiltern Way Academy Students/Staff [from Ian Hydon - I was at PLS from 1986-90].

What do you remember of Christmas at the Lodge as we approached it?

The rather nice Ghost of Christmas Past is that I have kept so much of my things from my boyhood including my school work and also my Christmas Cards as well written to me by my friends at School amongst the Students and Staff as well.

Each year we would write Christmas Cards to each other within our S.E.N. Secondary Boarding School and deliver them to each other.

I may have left School over 35 and half years ago -- where does that time go!

But it's nice to reflect back on my past as to where I've come from and time from then as well.

It was not always easy at the School I faced a lot of challenges personally but for someone who was shy and introverted up to my second year of the SEN Secondary Boarding School I gradually blossomed as "a late developer" [as they used the term in the 1980s.

Though now of course thanks to being diagnosed thirteen months ago in November 2024, I know I am actually on and always have been on the autism spectrum - which does help explain a lot about myself back then and indeed now as well, how I react in some situations and don't cope in others etc.

11/02/2025

Hello again everyone, hope we are all having a good 2025, so far,

When were you a student - or staff member at Chiltern Way Academy [any campus - including Prestwood], or as most of us knew it, Prestwood Lodge School?

What are your memories of your time at the School? Do you have any favourite ones, favourite things you did there, or favourite staff members?

15/12/2024

An advance Merry Christmas 2024 & Happy New Year 2025 to each of us who follow our fantastic page. I [Ian Hydon] wish each of you and your families, all the best for this festive time.

Meanwhile from Christmas Present, to Christmas's Past ...
Wow! This brings back memories!

Does anyone remember this as well? Before Christmas at Prestwood Lodge School, we used to write to the staff and our friends as well amongst other students, Christmas Cards to each other.

Amazingly over 34 years have passed since I left PLS, but I still have many of the Cards given to me in turn. I have many more than are in just this photo to...

It is interesting to remember Christmas's Past and remember where we were then and to reflect on the years that have passed since then.

Also I remember we had wonderful Christmas Roast Lunch prepared by the wonderful kitchen staff & also we had a Carol Service or Play of some variety with a Festive theme that we put on for our parents on the last Thursday before we broke up for Christmas holidays....

Anyone remember those or starring in those? My class had to learn Stile Nacht [Silent Night] in German one year taught by Mrs Rosner who taught Music... Very difficult as we had not studied German before! Indeed we hadn't even had to learn French, so plunging straight into German with not to long to practice and get familiar with the difficult pronounciation of the words, was a challenge, but Mrs Rosner was a good teacher.

Meanwhile, As for Christmas Future - let's hope we all have a good number of those ahead of us.

12/11/2024

Brings back such happy memories of our plane spotting days to Heathrow and the magical VIP day of British Airways including going in their hangar for part of a day in 1989.

Where we saw two Concordes and the 747 Jumbo Jet in between them, we went right to left, the guide from the Hangar answered all our questions.

Because of my years of organising the Plane Spotters Club and a special thank you, Michael Mccourt had a quiet discussion to the guide about me [Ian Hydon] and the guide allowed me alone, to sit in the co-pilots seat - I had promised not to touch any of the controls!

That very Concorde was going out to New York's JFK Airport that evening it was on aircraft jacks with the wheels off the ground undergoing last checks.

So my magical golden moment at the School indeed of all my schooldays was that few minutes being at the controls of a Concorde and one off the ground as well!

Meanwhile,

If you like me and my brother, want to see Concorde, you can go to Filton, near Bristol, where she was built as well, to see Alpha-Foxtrot and get to go on board her yourself.

Link in the first comment. If you keep your ticket you can go again for free for an entire year!

Photo by Ian Hydon - taken 23rd April 2024 [I celebrated early my Golden Birthday!]

03/11/2024

Hello, amazing to think it's already November, where does the time go!

I don't know about you, but where I live in Berkshire now, the fireworks have been going off for a few days now.

Back at Prestwood Lodge School, I was wondering if anyone remembers if we had fireworks then around 5th November or the closest weekend to it?

I know we had a huge bonfire on part of the school field though not on the football pitch area.

I [Ian Hydon] have a long lasting memory of standing next to on my very first Bonfire celebration back in 1986 [I was there at the School until 1990],

I think I was next to Jim Archibald or Ann Hammond - or someone else from the staff, when they realised that I was on Fire!

Well thankfully they acted incredibly quickly and it was a rogue stray spark from the bonfire that unknown to me, had been blown down and I was rather unlucky that it chose to land on my lovely 1980s woolie jumper! It was actually a favourite of mine that jumper.

However I was incredibly lucky, in that the staff member brushed it off before it could burn my t-shirt underneath my jumper. But I was for as long as I had the jumper for years to come, a reminder of how close things could have been disastrous at my first bonfire celebration.

Do you have any memories of the bonfire at Prestwood Lodge School - or Chiltern Way Academy?

I wonder also what we had for supper or for treats around that time?

"Remember, Remember, the 5th of November,
Gunpowder, Treason and Plot,
I see no reason, why Gunpowder and Treason, should ever, be forgot!"

08/10/2024

Hello everyone - how are we all doing?

What are your memories of Halloween at Prestwood Lodge School / Chiltern Way Academy?

I definitely remember bobbing for apples and the sweets in a pile of flour we had to take out with our mouths afterwards.

Think we may have had decorated spooky biscuits to.

What other memories do you have?

I was [Ian Hydon] at Prestwood Lodge from 1986-90.

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Nairdwood Lane, Prestwood
Great Missenden
HP160QQ

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