One of the things that people comment on when they visit Oakham School is how down-to-earth and grounded our pupils are. We attribute this to our uniquely balanced community of 50:50 boarders and day pupils and 50:50 girls and boys who live and work together within a culture of mutual respect, support and honesty.
The boarders give our School community a cosmopolitan atmosphere whilst the day pupils ensure the School has a local presence. All our pupils benefit from our boarding ethos and exceptional pastoral care, at the heart of which is our House system.
All pupils – boarders and day pupils – belong to a House, which is their physical and spiritual home when they at School.
Our Boarding and Day Houses are strong and vibrant communities with facilities and specially trained staff. There is healthy and friendly rivalry between the Houses and over 60 interhouse competitions each year for pupils to contribute to their House.
Every pupil at Oakham, whether boarding or day, belongs to a House.
Their House is central to life at Oakham, providing a place of security, support and friendship. Most importantly, their House is your child’s home whilst they are at School.
Led by a Housemaster or Housemistress, and supported by a team of Tutors, Prefects and a Matron, each of our 16 Houses provides our pupils with the care and support they need to develop intellectually, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
We look after your child as you would expect; recognising each as a unique, talented and special individual.
Whether a boarder or a day pupil, each House is filled with lots of different places where your child can do their work or relax with friends. Plus there are lots of creature comforts for them to enjoy, such as their own study area, large sitting rooms with relaxing sofas and chairs, TVs, consoles and games, and a kitchen stocked with fresh fruit, snacks and hot drinks, as well as changing rooms.
All pupils entering Oakham aged 10+/11+ join one of our four Lower School Houses, situated on the separate Jerwoods campus. Each House contains a mix of around 50 day pupils and boarders, which helps children to integrate quickly into the School and socialise with one another.
Filled with lots of indoor and outdoor spaces for pupils to live, work and play, Jerwoods provides a safe home base from which pupils can explore the rest of the School.
Boarders stay in the comfortable and homely surroundings of Hodges, right in the heart of the Jerwoods campus with a mix of full and flexible boarders who stay between two to five nights a week.
There is great integration between boarders and day pupils and the latter often take full advantage of the option to extend their day and take part in after-school activities and then join boarders for breakfast, supper and prep.
All pupils entering Oakham aged 13+ and 16+ join one of our 10 Boarding and Day Houses, situated in the heart of the School campus.
With all of the School’s fantastic facilities just a stone’s throw away, pupils can get stuck into School life straightaway and take advantage of everything we offer.
Form 6 (Year 12) pupils have the opportunity to lead their House and act as a role model to the younger years before moving to the Final Year Houses in Form 7 (Year 13) where they enjoy greater independence and can focus on their studies and plans beyond School.
In line with our boarding ethos, the Oakham School week is structured to enable all our pupils – boarding and day – to make the most of the countless opportunities available to them, both inside and outside the classroom. Lessons for pupils from Form 1 (Year 7) to Form 7 (Year 13) take place from Monday to Saturday morning, with time for co-curricular activities built into the weekly timetable.
A typical school day starts with Roll Call at 8.15am, followed by morning lessons lasting 50 minutes each with a half-hour mid-morning break. An hour at lunch gives everyone a chance to relax and enjoy a delicious and nutritious cooked lunch in the Barraclough Dining Hall. Depending on the day of the week, there are lessons, sports training and fixtures in the afternoon, followed by leisure time for House socials, interhouse competitions, a chance to catch up on Prep, or simply relax.
Wraparound care for day pupils
Day pupils are very much part of our 24/7 boarding environment and benefit from the same extensive programme of activities and opportunities as our boarders.
Our Day Houses are open Monday to Saturday from 7.30am, with staff on hand to help the pupils with their day-to-day needs. Pupils can opt to arrive for breakfast and stay on for supper at no extra charge, which is particularly useful if they have Prep to complete or need to be in School for activities. This free service provides invaluable flexibility at the beginning and end of the school day to many families of day pupils.
Lower School Houses stay open until 6.00pm each day, with day pupils welcome to join the boarders in Hodges until 7.30pm under special Extended Day arrangements.
Middle School Houses stay open until 7.30pm each day. In addition, the library is open until 9.15pm each evening, so pupils can stay on at School after their Day House has closed if they need to get work done.
Full Boarders
Pupils travel from the local area, further afield in the UK and from overseas to join our large and vibrant Boarding House communities. Lower School (aged 10–12 years) boarders live in the comfortable and homely surroundings of Hodges on the Jerwoods campus, while Middle and Upper School (13+) boarders live in 8 separate Boarding Houses.
After Saturday morning lessons there is a busy and varied weekend programme for boarders, including sport, social events, activities and visits to local attractions. Chapel on Sundays is also a cornerstone of life for full boarders.
We offer many opportunities for families to stay in touch. As well as the regular times at home (Leave-Out Weekends and half-term Exeat), we always welcome families to come and support their child at House events, sports fixtures, concerts and drama performances, or to take their child out for a meal. We take special care to ensure that children whose parents are overseas feel at home and we work closely with their guardians.
Weekly boarding
Pupils can choose to board up to six nights per week with the flexibility to tailor their routine to suit their individual needs.
Our weekly boarding provision benefits everyone due to the balance it provides for both working families and busy pupils. It offers a structure and rhythm to the School week, meaning pupils are able to benefit wholly from the School infrastructure and environment around them.
With valuable time not being taken out of a student’s week for travelling to and from School, this is invested back into their work, rest and play, ensuring they are able to spend more time doing what they love.
In the Middle and Upper School Houses we offer weekly boarding of up to six nights per week. In addition to weekly boarding, in the Lower School we offer flexible boarding from two to five nights a week in Hodges on the Jerwoods campus.
Boarding in Hodges
Boarders in the Lower School stay in the comfortable and homely surroundings of Hodges on the Jerwoods campus. Here they are cared for by the Head of Lower School Boarding and resident staff. This includes two Houseparents and two Resident Tutors. Jerwoods is also home to the Head of Lower School. Together this resident team provides a strong and supportive network for our youngest boarders.
In addition to the separate boarding areas for the boys and the girls, Hodges provides a wide variety of communal areas where the children can relax together: the Kitchen for toast and hot chocolate and other snacks; the Snug for curling up in front of the TV and generally chilling out; the Studio for dancing and karaoke singing; and the Joint Common Room with its pool table and other games.
Children can choose to board full time, stay from just 2 to 5 nights a week as flexible boarders, or up to 6 nights a week as weekly boarders, with fees graded accordingly. Transitional boarders can also stay on non-boarding nights for prep, supper and activities until school bedtime.
Whether a flexible boarder, weekly boarder or a full boarder, your child will have the same facilities and routines while they are in School.
A typical weekend in Hodges
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