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Supporting academic progress
To ensure all our pupils reach their academic potential during their time at School, we provide support tailored to their individual needs and challenge them in a variety of ways.
SUPPORTIVE TUTORS
Tutors play a vital role at Oakham in helping pupils to maintain a balance between academic, creative and social activities. Each pupil has his or her own Tutor and all Houses have Resident and House Tutors to give additional support. Working with Housemasters, Housemistresses and parents, Tutors have an important role helping pupils fulfil personal goals, guiding them with strategies to manage their busy lives and ensuring they are both academically and socially stimulated. Our small tutorial groups – between 7 and 8 pupils per group – enable Tutors to get to know their tutees very well, so they are well placed to help with any issues – academic or pastoral – that may arise.
TRACKING PERFORMANCE
Tracking performance, through detailed assessment and target setting by both teachers and the pupils themselves, is an essential way to understand progress towards personal goals. If we think there is an issue that may hamper success, we will flag this up immediately and take remedial action. We keep in regular contact with parents through Housemasters and Tutors and also more formally via Progress Reports (PRs) that are published twice a term and an annual parents’ evening for each year group.
ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT
We enrich our pupils’ learning through our academic societies and clubs. • From Dissection Club to Spanish Society, there are over 20 academic societies and clubs for pupils to join. • We run a rich programme of regular lectures and seminars from leading academic thinkers. • Our Academic Scholars are stretched further by their Senior
Academic Mentor to encourage wider academic reading and research.
ACADEMIC MENTORING
We consider it essential that students with a particular interest and ability in an academic field are able to develop fully. We offer participation in scholarly events and departmental societies, and mentoring schemes whereby individuals are paired with older students, younger students, and specialist teachers, to explore their areas of intellectual passion beyond the classroom.
Key to all this is our Senior Academic Mentor, who guides the intellectual development of our most academically able pupils throughout their School careers; from helping them to identify and expand their academic interests through guided reading and discussion via the Scholars Society, to equipping students to make strong applications, including guidance for any admissions tests, to the top universities in the UK, including Oxford and Cambridge.
LEARNING SUPPORT
Our experienced team of dedicated Learning Support teachers works with individuals, small groups and in some classes to help pupils to achieve their potential. Housed in a new purpose-built suite of classrooms boasting the latest technology, the department provides a safe haven for pupils who require additional support with their studies. We welcome the opportunity to discuss with you how the School can best cater for your child’s interests, and identify any challenges they may face. So, at the initial enquiry stage, please let us know about any learning difficulties your child may have and send us copies of any assessments.
ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE (EAL)
Our team of two highly qualified EAL teachers help to support and develop the achievements of pupils for whom English is not their first language through small group teaching, individual lessons and in-class support.
They also offer IELTS test preparation lessons to students who do not have an English Language GCSE qualification, and who enter Oakham in Form 6 to study on the A-level courses. This qualification is an entrance requirement for UK universities.
