AMBITIOUS IMPROVEMENT PLANS

Hertfordshire’s Aldenham School says they have ambitious improvement plans across their sports surfaces.

Regarded in the Good Schools Guide as ‘seriously sporty’, Danny Wells (pictured above), the school's grounds & gardens supervisor, believes he is well-placed to continue the development of the highly historic sports facilities across the 110-acre site. 

Danny only recently took charge of the facilities in June 2024, although he’s certainly no stranger to Aldenham. “I worked here previously before taking up a ‘dream role’ at Arsenal FC’s Colney training complex for three and a half years. When an opportunity arose to bring everything I learned there back to Aldenham, it was one I couldn’t turn down” he explains. 

To help with his endeavours, Danny has recently expanded the school's fleet of Kubota equipment, with the back up support from local dealer George Browns Ltd.

Danny said, "“Our tractors are the workhorses for the vast majority of operations we do here –-whether that’s spraying feeds on the cricket outfields or hitched up with our scarifier, aerator or top dresser for mechanical maintenance on the fifteen winter sports pitches.” 

Recently joining two Kubota L2-452 compact tractors in the shed is a cabless L1-382 fitted with flotation tyres. Danny explained, “Our pitches are mainly clay-based so can lay very wet over winter. This capable yet lightweight tractor will enable us to still get implements on the ground without causing damage.” 

Danny and his team of six also rely on ride-on mowers for the upkeep and presentation of lawned areas. “Our F3890 is fantastic for cutting the banks around the site, as well as some of our more natively-managed areas which might only get one or two cuts a year. It poses no match for this machine”

He concluded, “My predecessor did a fantastic job at bringing the surfaces on and with the Kubota equipment at my disposal, I am confident I can continue this great work and lift the bar even higher.”