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Rigorous intellectual activity lies at the heart of Oundle’s purpose. While academic success is an aim for every pupil, the School’s culture makes it a place where staff and pupils co-exist harmoniously and where pupils are carefully nurtured up to and through adolescence into adulthood. We recognise that everyone has different capabilities and try to ensure that every individual’s achievement is celebrated. The town of Oundle shares and shapes our destiny, and the School’s size makes possible a diverse range of activities and opportunities. House arrangements, with community dining and a strong pastoral structure, create an environment in which all feel secure, recognised and supported. Oundelians are noted for their friendliness and the success of their ventures. Whether on expedition, on the games pitch or on CCF camp, much is expected and much achieved. The energy of our boarding culture enhances teamwork and provides time to practise newly learned skills, to develop initiatives and to make lifelong friendships. Equally, it strengthens the bonds with home through the development of con dent adults who are secure in themselves and their capabilities.
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A hundred years ago the educational reformer Frederick William Sanderson was Headmaster, and the creative ethos founded in his workshops and nurtured in his laboratories has motivated many former pupils to shape the scienti c and commercial landscape of the last century. Old Oundelians respect his legacy, and the Chapel, at the heart of the School, commemorates him as well as the fallen of the First World War. Today, SciTec and The Patrick Centre inspire pupils to be creative and innovative through a vision that embraces design, science and technology: preparing each generation to go out and play its part in the world. Dating from the seventeenth century, the School buildings are dispersed throughout the market town encouraging a co-existence that bene ts both School and local community. The School’s history dates from 1556 when Sir William Laxton, Master of the Worshipful Company of Grocers and Lord Mayor of London, endowed and re-founded the original Oundle Grammar School, of which he was a former pupil. In 1876, the Grocers’ Company divided the School into two parts: Laxton Grammar School, mainly for the offspring of the local townspeople, and Oundle School, mainly for pupils from further a eld. To mark the Millennium, the two schools were reunited. In 1990, Oundle became the co-educational community that ourishes today.
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Four and a half centuries after its foundation, the School offers educational possibilities to meet contemporary needs: co-educational boarding or day education, with Laxton Junior School as a 4 – 11 day school, and Oundle School predominantly a boarding school with entry at 11, 13 and 16. The House community fosters a sense of purpose that leads individuals towards con dence in the larger community of the School. Oundle has thirteen senior boarding Houses, each designed to accommodate at least sixty pupils. There is also a mixed junior House: The Berrystead. These Houses are scattered throughout the town and each retains an individuality fashioned by its pupils, its location and its architecture.
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As they progress through the School, pupils are assured a measure of privacy appropriate to the growing academic demands placed upon them. All Sixth formers live in bedsits and all Upper Sixth formers have single bedsits, enjoying greater exibility in preparation for life at university. Each House has recreation areas, kitchens, a TV room and a library. Communication and academic study are aided by each desk having a connection by Thin Client to the School’s Intranet. Great communal strength comes from each House having its own dining room where members sit down together for all three meals of the day. The School organises a wide range of inter-House competitions, from team sports, debating and chess to the annual singing competition in which almost all pupils take part. In addition, Houses put on their own concerts, charity events and plays, all of which make a signi cant contribution to extra-curricular life.
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Each Housemaster or Housemistress heads a team of Tutors responsible for providing pastoral and academic guidance. All members of the academic staff are attached to one of the Houses, and help to identify, broaden and develop their tutees’ talents and interests, and advise about academic matters. Parents are encouraged to consult with Tutors and Housemaster or Housemistress, and to become conversant with the life of the School and the House to which their son or daughter belongs. Oundle’s day pupils make up approximately a fth of the School’s total number, with both sexes in almost equal proportion. Laxton’s buildings occupy the attractive churchyard site of the original Guild School, which Sir William Laxton attended. The Head of Laxton is responsible for the admission of day pupils and the administration of their curriculum, and, with a Deputy, leads a team of Tutors. The pastoral system extends to the Prefects, who have signi cant responsibility for the smooth running of Laxton and who look after speci c age groups so that each pupil can identify with a senior member of the House.
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At the heart of the School’s educational philosophy is the life of the mind and an understanding of how the individual pupil learns best. Pupils’ social, intellectual, spiritual and emotional needs determine the educational agenda. The curriculum is organised by intellectual content rather than by assessment, and equips pupils to have a broader understanding of the world and to think for themselves. It is suf ciently exible to give everyone the opportunity to excel. Courses are designed to inspire pupils of all ages and abilities, to enhance individual strengths, and to ensure coherence in the curriculum from point of entry through to the Upper Sixth. The curriculum consists of two distinct but complementary strands. Within the examined curriculum, ef ciency in preparing pupils for public examinations is important and success in external tests is held to be a worthwhile educational aim. However, pupils are taught well beyond the constraints imposed by syllabus speci cations, and their intellectual horizons are broadened through non-examined courses. Parents are fully informed and discussion is welcomed at every stage; Heads of Department and the Director of Studies are always available to give advice. The Educational Support Department offers help to a range of pupils (including those for whom English is not their rst language) and liaises closely with mainstream teachers and Tutors. Pupils across the full ability spectrum use the Department for advice and support. All members of the Upper Sixth follow a weekly lecture and discussion programme on issues of social, political, ethical, scienti c and cultural interest, led by a distinguished list of speakers that includes Nobel laureates, politicians, academics and sports personalities.
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SciTec aims to maintain Oundle’s position at the cutting edge of science and technology education, since instruction through experimental work is one of the most enjoyable and effective ways to promote pupil learning. SciTec has become much more than a building for teaching Science. Pupils develop enthusiasm through individual Sixth Form projects, which allow them to develop skills of independent research, as well as to foster a love for the experimental side of the subject. Junior pupils enjoy a range of science-based activities to capture their imagination. In keeping with the SciTec philosophy, the building has a speci cally ‘green’ theme. The sedum roof acts as a rain lter for water supplies, while photovoltaic panels and solar collectors emphasise energy ef ciency.
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The Cripps Library is a well-used resource – the collection comprises over 22,000 volumes with subscriptions to daily newspapers and magazines as well as a range of online resources. The collection is catalogued online, and is searchable from any computer via the School’s intranet. The Library is happy to purchase any book that a pupil requires either for academic reading or for pleasure. It is staffed throughout the School day and is open for research, independent work and reading as well as for group work, for which two separate rooms provide class and meeting space. Each new pupil is introduced to the use of the Library’s facilities, and Third Form pupils bene t from a fortnight of library-based research. The Library organises an annual week of author visits and workshops and is actively involved with the Oundle Festival of Literature. Rare and valuable books are housed in the Muniments Room, and include a 1541 Cranmer Bible and a fteenth-century Book of Hours. Other collections include an autographed manuscript and rst editions by the Northamptonshire poet John Clare, private press books and a growing John Piper archive. Many of these rare books are used to introduce pupils across the age range to the history of the early printed book – as sources that illustrate changing political and intellectual trends, and as opportunities for special study relevant to a variety of subjects. The School Archive collects, digitises and catalogues the vast number of documents relating to School life, including the rst School Register of 1641.
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The Chapel, where the School meets as a community, links past and present and bears witness in its worship and its art to the values of the Christian faith. The building was consecrated in 1923, and contains some of the most important stained glass in the country. This includes Hugh Easton’s Seven Ages of Man series (1949) and the windows in the apse, which were designed by John Piper and made by Patrick Reyntiens (1955–6), and show the Son of God in nine roles, the human gures being based upon sculptures from Chartres and paintings by Picasso. To mark the Millennium, the School commissioned Mark Angus to create a series of thirty-six windows illustrating Old and New Testament themes. The Chapel is a Church of England foundation with Chaplains who lead worship, provide pastoral care, and prepare candidates for con rmation. The Chapel Choir provides music of the highest standard and there are two organs to lead congregational singing. There is a weekly Catholic mass, and almost all pupils attend Chapel as part of the Oundle community. Special provision is made for celebrating particular religious festivals.
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The emphasis in the Art Department is on Fine Art, with a particular focus on analytical drawing, and the Sixth Form curriculum includes Art History and life classes. Annual visits to European cultural centres are well supported, as are Sunday visits to London galleries. There are four large, light studios with excellent facilities for painting, printmaking, sculpture, pottery, photography and fabric design. Specialist teachers staff the studios throughout the week and at weekends so that pupils may visit whenever they wish and embark on ambitious, large-scale pieces. Oundle has a tradition of Artists in Residence. The Yarrow, a small but very attractive art gallery situated within the Chapel gardens, is also part of the Art Department. The annual programme includes four or ve School-sponsored exhibitions by professional artists and the main exhibition of pupils’ work at the end of the Trinity Quarter.
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The Stahl Theatre was opened in January 1980 by Her Royal Highness, Princess Alice. This converted 265-seat chapel is acknowledged to be one of the nest small theatres in the country. It houses not only School productions, but also those of visiting professional companies. All performances are open to the public. School productions, which number between seven and ten per year, vary from musicals and classics to the latest in contemporary drama, House plays of all types, and small-cast, physical theatre pieces. Theatre staff have a training or background in the theatre and the Stahl is run on professional lines. It has a large, wellequipped workshop which is used to construct sets, and is well supplied with the latest technical equipment in lighting, sound and backstage areas. Many pupils are involved; they provide the crews for all School productions and operate lighting and sound for visiting companies. They also act as ushers at all performances. A growing number of pupils enter the theatrical profession, both as actors and technicians.
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The Music Department occupies a Georgian rectory – an attractive and well-equipped environment. It aspires to excellence in both performance and academic work, with a programme extending into every area of musicianship. In addition to the ninety-one Music Scholars and Exhibitioners, more than 600 pupils learn a musical instrument. Fifty fulltime and visiting instrumental staff form an experienced and dedicated team, sharing their expertise through individual and ensemble coaching. Participation in instrumental and choral ensembles inspires loyalty, teamwork, con dence and an appreciation of excellence. The Symphony, Chamber and String Orchestras, Oundle Brass, the Concert Band, the Symphonic Wind Orchestra and Big Bands offer opportunities to perform in a wide variety of styles, and the Chapel Choir and Schola Cantorum maintain Oundle’s strong choral tradition. Musicals are staged in the Stahl Theatre, while instrumental ensembles perform regularly in competitions and concerts both inside and outside the School. Pupils appear as soloists in Masterclasses, and public concerts by eminent musicians are a regular feature of the Music Diary. RocSoc events cater for popular styles. In recent years concerts have been held in St John’s Smith Square, St Martin-in-the-Fields and Symphony Hall, Birmingham. Orchestras and choirs have toured the Far East, Italy, Austria and Barbados. Pupils, many of whom gain organ or choral scholarships at university, study composition in the Music Technology Laboratory and recording studios that place Oundle at the forefront of this eld.
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Sport is an integral feature of life at Oundle. Appropriate sport for all ages and abilities is provided, with expert coaching to assist development; opportunities to play in team and individual games are paramount. School sport offers the development of specialist skills and teamwork, and helps pupils to learn how to win and lose graciously. It also promotes, through the demands made on pupils by their sporting commitments, tness, self-discipline, and a generosity of spirit that enriches every aspect of their education. The School has a strong sporting tradition, especially in athletics, cricket, football, hockey, netball, rowing, rugby and tennis. As pupils move up the School, the programme of options widens and, whatever their aptitude, they have the opportunity to involve themselves in an activity that they nd rewarding and at which they can have a measure of success. Oundle produces a number of county champions, Midlands representatives and internationals, but everyone is encouraged to represent the School and parents are always welcome to come and support.
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There are excellent facilities for traditional team games and a multitude of other sports. In addition to extensive playing elds, there are two Sports Halls catering for indoor sports such as climbing, basketball, fencing, volleyball, indoor football and cricket, and a well-equipped tness suite. There are also ve squash courts, four Rugby Fives courts, two oodlit Astroturf pitches, twelve outdoor netball courts (also used as tennis courts during the summer), and an indoor long-course, deck-level swimming pool. There are School boathouses beside the North Bridge over the River Nene and at Tansor, where the river has an almost straight mile ideal for training purposes. Sailing takes place on a nearby lake. There is an indoor small-bore shooting range in the School grounds and an outdoor full-bore range locally. There are three games afternoons each week when pupils participate in traditional games. In addition, a wide variety of other sports is offered at different ages, including badminton, canoeing, cross country running, ves, golf, riding, rowing, sailing, shooting and squash. This range of options gives pupils the best chance of nding the sporting activities that they will enjoy and that will suit them best.
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It is expected that leisure time will be used constructively, and pupils are encouraged to engage in an extra-curricular programme that will give them experience of leadership, adventure, service, and creative and cultural activities. Some are compulsory, but it is generally the responsibility of individuals in consultation with Tutors to commit themselves to a personal programme that will enable them not only to meet the School’s expectations, but to develop their own interests. The CCF aims to promote a sense of self-discipline, cooperation and service. In the Fourth Form all pupils join a section of the CCF for one year, during which time they undertake basic training which leads to a pro ciency examination. Thereafter, cadets may opt out to take part in another activity, opt for training in the Non-Commissioned Of cer Cadres or join one of the specialist units: Adventure Training, Fire and Rescue, or Advanced Infantry. In the Sixth Form they can go on to become NCO instructors, responsible for others in serious, carefully-organised activities where they reap the bene ts of leadership training. In addition to Field Weekends, camps and courses take place during the holidays: these include Alpine skiing, Adventure Training, diving, and power-boating. Oundle offers all levels of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The scheme is voluntary and most pupils nd that its requirements re ect their existing interests. All are offered a challenge, and initiative and organisation are developed. At any one time almost half the School is involved in the scheme, making Oundle’s Award group one of the largest in the country.
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The School’s Community Action programme enables pupils to bene t the local and the wider community and aims to cultivate a spirit of service and an awareness of society’s needs. It has an extraordinary diversity, with more than 300 Fifth and Sixth formers actively engaged on a weekly basis. Involvement with local pensioners takes the form of visiting their homes or hosting events in the Sixth Form Club. A large contingent of pupils assists with nursery groups, in primary schools and in special needs schools. Some pupils are involved with disabled groups; others work at a local hospital, learn sign language or develop equipment for local disabled or in rm people. Conservation, environmental and gardening activities are popular, and regular help is offered to homeless people. Annual events include the Pensioners’ Christmas Concert; the sponsored sleep-out to raise funds for St Basil’s Hostel for homeless young people; work with disadvantaged youngsters in conjunction with a Franciscan House in Birmingham; and Have-A-Go-Day, when the School hosts a variety of activities for mentally and physically handicapped adults. Each summer, current and former pupils spend a week helping at a residential holiday run at the School for young mentally handicapped children. This programme requires extensive charity fund-raising, which is a feature of the Community Action year.
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Academic departments run societies at junior and senior levels, and meetings welcome distinguished guest speakers, a particular feature of the Law, History and Science Societies. Inter-House Debating competitions take place each year. The Societies Fair at the start of each academic year encourages new pupils to discover what is on offer – from Green Team to War Games. New pupils can attend Open House, a weekly forum for Christian fellowship, or write for the Oundle Chronicle, the town’s newspaper. They can even host a show on the School’s pupil-run radio station, OSCAR. There are many opportunities for pupils with dedicated ‘Voluntaries’ periods, under informal supervision in the Art Studios, the Theatre, the Music School, the Patrick Centre, SciTec and the Observatory. Activities range from Astronomy to an Amnesty Support Group and from Circus Skills to Car Building.
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There are plenty of opportunities for pupils to experience the political, social and cultural diversity of the national and international community in which they will live as adults. There is a strong international agenda and contact with the wider world is made through the many guests invited to share their expertise and experience. Artists and musicians, management consultants and entrepreneurs, judges and lm directors are among the many visitors who help to broaden horizons. Regular study visits and academic expeditions are arranged in the UK and abroad. Second Form Latin pupils go to Verulamium to see the Roman remains and Third Form groups visit Prague to explore aspects of European History at rst hand. For over twenty- ve years, the History Department has arranged a study visit to Berlin for Fifth formers. Sixth Form trips to Moscow and St Petersburg, and to Vienna and Budapest provide opportunities to visit cities of historical importance and interest, and trips to Paris, Florence and New York enhance the study of Art and Literature.
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Exchange programmes with overseas schools, as well as study trips, are an integral part of Modern Language teaching. In addition, Sixth Form linguists can participate in ventures designed to expand their cultural understanding and linguistic horizons: these include stays in ‘twin’ schools and work experience abroad. Further helping to de ne the possibilities beyond Oundle, the Careers Department advises on Higher Education (including Oxbridge). The Sanderson Fellow introduces pupils to the challenge of industry by arranging initiatives, and the Careers Department encourages them to gain work experience. Many Oundelians take a gap year, some engaging in challenging, often independently organised programmes of service in far ung parts of the world. Recent School trips have included expeditions to the Galapagos Islands, Borneo, Hawaii, Syria, Alaska and Antarctica. Ongoing projects assist communities in Kenya and Mozambique. Sports tours have ventured to Australasia, South Africa and South America, and musicians have been to Rome, Malta and New York. There is nothing better than personal experience of other cultures to widen horizons and build an international perspective.
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The Oundle Society was inaugurated in September 2003 to link the various constituencies that comprise the Oundle community. Members include pupils, staff, parents, Governors, and others who have a strong interest in the School. The role of the Society is to communicate news to its members, and to provide social opportunities to return to Oundle and reconnect with others. To this end, it hosts more than fty events each year. Among these are national and international gatherings of Old Oundelians, parent and staff social activities, and cultural and musical events at Oundle and elsewhere. The Society incorporates the Old Oundelian Club, which serves the interests of former pupils, and the School’s charitable and fund-raising arm, responsible for funding future development plans. This includes increasing the endowment for scholarships and bursaries, administering an Annual Fund for smaller projects achievable within a year, and running the capital campaign for SciTec and other ventures.
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Only by visiting the School can you appreciate the warmth of the welcome and the purposeful attitude of this vibrant community. At Oundle everyone is important and everyone has a part to play. We hope the challenge to succeed and the stimulation that inspires success will energise life beyond school. We anticipate that learning a multitude of skills and developing both stamina and resilience will ensure that our pupils embrace opportunities with enthusiasm. Oundle’s roots may lie in Sir William Laxton’s School of 1556, but since then, and particularly in the last twenty years, development has been dramatic. Our resolve remains strong. As the world changes, so will the focus of education, but we remain committed to the high ideals of academic achievement, service, teamwork, cultural and artistic development, humility and humanity that make for a well-balanced and well-rounded Oundelian. Charles Bush Headmaster
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