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Oundle School,奥多中学 Oundle,
Peterborough PE8 4GH
Tel: 01832 277125 Fax: 01832 277128
Website: www.oundleschool.org.uk
• CO-ED, 11–18, Day & Boarding
• Pupils 1067, Upper sixth 207
• Termly fees £3632 (Day), £6632 (Boarding)
• HMC
• Enquiries/application to the Registrar

What it’s like
It originated from the bequest of Sir William Laxton, to the Grocers’ Company in 1556, although an earlier school dated from 1485. The Grocers’ Company established the school to provide a liberal education in accordance with the principles of the Church of England. In 1876, the school was divided into the day school (Laxton School) and the new boarding school (Oundle School). They were formally re-united in 2000. Girls were first accepted throughout in 1990. The school is extremely well equipped and its buildings (from 17th to 20th century) are scattered through the small and very agreeable town. There is a close town and gown relationship. Religious instruction accords with the teaching of the Church of England and there is some emphasis on regular worship. A very large staff allows a staff:pupil ratio of about 1:8. Academic standards are high and examination results are consistently excellent. There is a strong music department and 60% of the pupils are involved in numerous musical activities in the school and beyond it. The school has a distinctive approach to technology teaching: pupils are building their own go-karts and cars in fairly large numbers in the new engineering centre. There is also an excellent art department and many pupils are engaged in dramatic activities. An art gallery, The Yarrow, and a 200-seat theatre, the Stahl, are used both for pupils and for visiting artists and professional productions. It has long had a reputation for high achievements in sports and games, especially rugby, cricket and girls’ hockey (a number of county and national representatives). The CCF contingent and voluntary Duke of Edinburgh’s Award group are both very large. There is also emphasis on outdoor pursuits and an adventure training section whose members have made expeditions to Greenland, Kenya, Australia, Alaska and Zimbabwe. Over 200 pupils are engaged in local community services. The only British school represented at the annual conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

School profile

Pupils & entrance
Pupils: Age range 11–18; 1067 pupils 241 day (125 boys, 116 girls), 826 boarding (496 boys, 330 girls).
Entrance: Main entry ages 11 and 13; small number at 16. Common Entrance and own exam; for sixth-form entry, GCSEs passes (including English, maths, science and a modern language), 6 at grade B, preferably grade A in sixth-form subjects. State school entry, 8% main intake. Pupils from over 280 different feeder schools.

Scholarships & bursaries Up to 45 pa scholarships, up to 50% of fees: of which 28 are academic, others all-rounder, art, drama, music, design, technology (2 at 11, 31 at 13, 2 at 16). 20 bursaries for existing pupils.

Head & staff
Headmaster: Dr Ralph Townsend, in post from 1999. Educated at Scotch College, Western Australia, and the universities of Western Australia and Oxford (English). Previously Headmaster at Sydney Grammar School, Head of English at Eton, and Research Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford.
Teaching staff: 118 full time, 12 part time. Annual turnover 9%. Average age 36.

Exam results
GCSE: In 2003, 182 pupils in fifth form: 96% gain at least grade C in 8+ subjects; 4% in 5–7 subjects. Average GCSE score 62 (60 over 5 years).
A-levels: 204 in upper sixth: 25% pass in 4+ subjects; 75% in 3. Average final point score achieved by upper sixth formers 397.

University & college entrance 95% of 2003 sixth-form leavers went on to a degree course (55% after a gap year), 13% to Oxbridge. 7% took courses in medicine, dentistry & veterinary science, 20% in science & engineering, 5% in law, 42% in humanities & social sciences, 13% in economics and business studies, 3% in art & design, 11% in other vocational subjects eg media studies, estate management, agriculture. Others typically go on to art or music courses, management training, advertising or own business.

Curriculum GCSE, AS and A-levels. 23 AS/A-level subjects (including Mandarin).
Sixth form: Most sixth formers take 5 subjects at AS-level, 3 or 4 at A-level; general studies taught but not examined; breadth in sixth-form courses encouraged. 28% took science A-levels; 23% arts/humanities; 44% both. Key skills: all six regarded as important, integrated into courses and activities, but not formally assessed.
Vocational: Work experience available.
Special provision: Extra English. Dyslexic tuition by qualified team (limited in numbers).
Languages: French (from age 11), German (from 12), Spanish (from 13) offered to GCSE and
A-level; also beginners’ German, Spanish and Russian available in sixth form. 70% take GCSE in
more than 1 language; 65% take a language to AS or A-level. Regular exchanges (France, Germany, Spain, Russia and China); work experience for lower sixth in Germany and France.
ICT: Taught both as a discrete subject (2 lessons a week) and across the curriculum. 220 computers for pupil use (open all day), all networked and with email and internet access. Many pupils have their own desk/laptops.

The arts
Music: Over 40% of pupils learn a musical instrument; instrumental exams can be taken. Some 25 musical groups including choirs, choral groups, orchestras, brass, concert band, jazz orchestras, blues, string and wind ensembles. Typically, 3 members of National Youth Orchestra; 1 National Youth Chamber Orchestra; 5 Oxbridge choral scholarships; 4 National Youth Music Theatre Orchestra; 3 take regular instrumental tuition in London. Concerts in St John’s, Smith Square; evensong at St Paul’s, Lincoln and Canterbury cathedrals. Foreign tours to France, Spain.
Drama & dance: Both offered. GCSE and A-level drama may be taken. About half of all pupils are involved in school and house/other productions in some capacity during their career; drama classes for all third form.
Art & design: On average, 70 take GCSE, 15 A-level. Design, pottery, textiles, photography, printmaking, sculpture also offered.

Sport & activities
Sport: 20 choices from sailing to netball; emphasis on rugby, hockey, cricket, rowing, soccer. Sport compulsory in 1st year only. RLSS, RYA exams may be taken. Some county
and national representatives.
Activities: Pupils take bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh’s
Award. CCF compulsory for 1 year at age 14, optional thereafter; wide range of activities.
Community service optional for 2 years at age 15; 2 summer holidays, 1 for mentally handicapped children, 1 for inner city children; 4-week summer school for adults with learning difficulties, run by Social Services with school volunteers. 46 clubs, eg astronomy, chess, croquet, law, politics, science, war games, creative writing, debates, community service, school and local newspaper, FM radio station.

School life
Uniform: School uniform worn throughout.
Houses & prefects: Competitive houses. Prefects, head boy/girl, appointed by the Headmaster; also head of house and house prefects.
Religion: Attendance at chapel service compulsory for C of E pupils. Those of other faiths encouraged to be instructed in and to worship according to their own religion. Roman Catholic mass in school chapel on Saturday evening.
Social: Exchanges and visits abroad; trips abroad for sports, rugby, sub-aqua; geography field trips; history trips to Somme battlefields, Berlin, Prague, Budapest, China, Moscow. Pupils allowed to bring own bike to school. Meals formal, taken in houses. School shop and sports shop. No tobacco allowed; alcohol only in licensed sixth-form club for those 17+, and with ID card for 18+ in pubs.

Discipline Pupils failing to produce homework once might expect to re-write it or a house detention; those caught smoking cannabis on the premises would be expelled.

Boarding Single sex houses, of 60 (8 boys, 5 girls); 1 junior mixed house. Dining rooms in houses. Limited exeats.

Alumni association is run by Cris Piper, Secretary of the Old Oundelian Club, The Stables, Cobthorne, Oundle. Tel 018832 273216.

Former pupils Al Alvarez; David Edgar; Sir Peter Scott; Maxwell Hutchinson; Prof Richard Dawkins FRS; Cecil Lewis; Prof Sir Alan Budd; Charles Crichton; Dr Jonathon Gipps; Arthur Marshall; Sir Howard Stringer; Sir Clough Williams-Ellis.