Feature: 50 Years of Co-education

Celebrating 50 Years of Co-education

To celebrate reaching the landmark of 50 years as a co-educational school, we held a year-long series of events, talks and activities that involved current and former pupils.

We kickstarted the celebrations by holding a commemorative Chapel Service and afternoon tea for former pupils who attended the School during the first decade of co-education. 60 Old Oakhamians returned to their former School in September 2021 to reminisce about this historic period of the School’s history, enjoying some wonderful cakes and conversations in the process.

During the Chapel Service, new Old Oakhamian Club Chairman Jonathan Stevens (’79) shared his thoughts and stories of when the School first introduced girls in his address. “Everyone adjusted very quickly. We were all very proud to be part of a forward-thinking School which always ensured everyone had a sense of belonging.”

Following the theme of co-education, Oakham School’s Drama Scholars took on the issue of inequality in education in their empowering production of Blue Stockings by Jessica Swale. Form 7 pupil Zsolti, who took on many roles in the play, said: “I’m really pleased that we got to portray this on the stage and demonstrate the difficulty women had in the nineteenth century.”

Oakham’s youngest pupils in Lower 1 enjoyed a special class focused on the history of the School. Biology Teacher and Old Oakhamian Sue Healey (’76), the School’s Archivist Aurore Guillomot-Bonnefond, and Charlotte Woodward, who works for the Old Oakhamian Club, brought old photographs and memorabilia and shared stories of life at School during the 1970s. Lower 1 pupil Isabelle, said: “It was fun looking at the different uniforms and how the School buildings have changed. I prefer how the School uniforms are now, but I suppose that’s how it was in those days.”

In the Summer Term, pupils made sporting history in cricket and athletics. Oakham fielded its first mixed cricket teams and staged an inaugural, highly competitive mixed staff v Form 7 pupils cricket match. At both the Lower School and Middle and Upper School Sports Days pupils also made Oakham School history by running mixed relay races.

In another Oakham first, members of Oakham School’s community took to the airwaves in a series of specially recorded broadcasts to celebrate 50 years of being a co-educational school, and which covered interesting and thought-provoking topics representing life at the School.

The inaugural episode of the Oakham School Podcast, hosted by Headmaster Henry Price, explores what it means to be a truly co-educational school. Included in the episode are comments from Old Oakhamians who were at the School when co-education was introduced, as well as an interview with current pupils on how co-education benefits them in today’s society. The episode finishes with a quickfire quiz, putting the pupils’ knowledge of Oakham School to the test. Reflecting on the benefits of living and working in a co-educational school, Form 7 pupil Paul said: “When you work as a group, it’s best when you have loads of minds that can think differently together.” Fellow pupil Grace said: “The staff actively encourage pupils to pursue any interest, hobby, career, university choice, because there are no boundaries that constrain them because of their gender.” The second episode looks at how co-education benefits the Creative and Performing Arts, with a conversation between Art, Design Technology, Drama and Music.

Old Oakhamians from the world of stage and screen and the medical community returned to their former school to film two episodes of the lecture series Oakham Talks and discuss issues relating to their field of work. In the first episode ‘A Peek Behind the Curtain’, former pupils Richard Hope (‘71) and Sarah Moss (‘04) talk to Old Oakhamian President David Gilman (’89) about their time at Oakham School and subsequent careers in the world of TV and theatre.

In the second episode, ‘Medicine and Me’, Old Oakhamians Dr Navin Leanage (‘07), Surgeon Lt Issy Guy (’14), and medical students Adrian Patenge (’15) and Jemima Ball (’18) share their experiences of working in the world of medicine in conversation with Biology Teacher Dr Andrew Nicoll.

Mixed relay races at Sports Day The commemorative Chapel Service for Old Oakhamians from the first decade of Co-education

Former pupils Richard Hope and Sarah Moss with David Gilman in the first Oakham Talks episode The Scholars’ Production Blue Stockings

Read more in our publication Celebrating 50 Years of Co-education. Visit www.oakham.rutland.sch.uk/about-us/ celebrating-50-years-of-co-education/

Teacher of Biology and former pupil Sue Healey visiting Lower 1 pupils

The staff vs Form 7 pupils cricket match

The mixed U14C cricket team