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Oakham School

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Template:Infobox English Public School

Oakham School is an English public school in the market town of Oakham in Rutland, accepting around 1,000 students, aged from 10 to 18, both male and female, as boarders and day pupils (including about 10-15% from overseas). It was founded in 1584 by Archdeacon Robert Johnson, along with its smaller sister school Uppingham School, a few miles away. Both share a common badge design (and a strong rivalry), but while Uppingham's colours tend towards blue and white, Oakham's are usually black and red. Oakham was one of the first public schools in Britain to accept both male and female students, under the late John Buchanan. The current headmaster is Dr Joseph Spence, who, in 2002, replaced Tony Little, now headmaster of Eton College.

Leicestershire County Cricket Club occasionally play games on the School grounds.

Anual fees go from £12,210 to £22,500.

History

Founded in 1584 by Archdeacon Robert Johnson (1599–1625), as was possible then, was at one time able to collect the income from four further church posts. He used his wealth to set up a number of charitable institutions, including the two free grammar schools at Oakham and Uppingham.

As someone on the Puritan wing of the Church of England he had a strong belief in the benefits of education.

According to Johnson's statutes for the school, 'the schoolmaster shall teach all those grammar scholars that are brought up in Oakham, freely without pay, if their parents be poor and not able to pay, and keep them constantly to school'. The master of the school was to teach Hebrew, Latin and Greek. Of course, although the schooling was free, permanent attendance meant the loss to a family of an income, so not many very poor would have attended, or wanted the education. The master could supplement his income - of £24 per year, by taking in boarders. Johnson was careful to ensure that his schools were sufficiently endowed. This endowment was confirmed by Royal Charter granted by Queen Elizabeth I.

File:Oakham school old school.jpg
Old School

The original school building was restored in the eighteenth century, but remained the sole classroom for 300 years. In 1749 a case involving payment of rates recorded that 'the school of Uppingham is not nor hath been of equal repute with that of Oakham.' However, while Uppingham flourished in the second half of the nineteenth century, Oakham did not. In 1875 there were just 2 day boys and 2 boarders in the school. A new headmaster lasted three years before being dismissed.

All classes were still taught in the one room - the original old school. The school did see some development. Science and Modern Languages had recently been added to the curriculum. The subjects examined for a scholarship within the school were: English History (1066-1603), Geography of the British Isles, English Grammar, Arithmetic, English Composition and Dictation. A more successful headmaster, the Rev.E.V.Hodge, Headmaster from 1879 to 1902, saw numbers increase, to 125 in 1896, with slightly more boarders than day boys.

This was a temporary peak - by 1905 numbers had fallen back to 66. The response to the obvious financial difficulties which accompanied this decline was to apply for a Direct Grant from the local authority, and to become in effect the grammar school for Rutland at the same time as continuing as a public school. New facilities for Science teaching were created, boarding accommodation was improved with new building and then a new school house was built. Pupil numbers rose again, to 105 in 1910, and to 200 in 1923.

File:School 1878.jpg
Oakham School boys in 1878

69 old boys of the school were killed in the First World War. As a memorial the Chapel was built in 1925 - the amount of money collected for its building is a measure of the feelings of the time. The school continued to develop, materially in its buildings and modernising and extending the curriculum.

In 1970 the school became fully independent from the local authority and in 1971 took in girls for the first time, committing itself to becoming fully co-educational. Since then the school has developed remarkably, with growing pupil numbers (over 1000), and new buildings - the latest must be one of the finest school libraries in the county. It has also seen its standing in academic results grow, while also successfully encouraging its pupils to make the most of the range and quality of activities outside the classroom.

Curriculum

Oakham School offers academic programmes for boys and girls aged 10 to 18 years.

The lower School - Jerwoods

All pupils study English, Mathematics, French, Science, History, Geography, Religious Education, Information and Communication Technology(ICT), and a series of Creative Arts courses and most pupils take Latin.

Summary of the Academic Curriculum

  • English
  • History
  • Mathematics
  • Geography
  • French
  • Latin
  • Creative Arts
  • Religious Education
  • Science
  • Physical Education
  • Information & Communication Technology (ICT)

The Middle School

All pupils study English, Mathematics, French, Sciences, History and Geography to GCSE. Physics, Chemistry and Biology are taught separately by specialist teacher as part of Co-ordinated Sciences leading to a double GCSE certificate. Religious Education is taught to all in Forms 3 and 4. Most pupils also take a second language (German, Spanish or Latin). Some take three languages, but this involves removal from the Creative Arts programme. Social Science is available from Form 4 for those who do not take a second language after Form 3.

The Upper School

The Upper School academic curriculum is designed to give students a wide range of choices that will prepare them for higher education and future careers. To provide students with the best possible options, Oakham offers both the International Baccalaureate(IB)and AS/A2 levels.

AS/A2 levels

The AS/A2 levels structure at Oakham has been designed to encourage students to take a wider variety of subjects and offers increased permutations of choice and much greater flexibility than was possible within the previous A Level system.

Most students take 4 subjects at AS Level and continue to A2 level in at least 3 of those subjects. However, there will be those who wish to study 5 subjects or an additional AS level subjects in the second year.

AS/ A2 Subject Options
  • Art & Design
  • English
  • Latin
  • Biology
  • Ethics & Philosophy of Religion
  • Mathematics
  • Business Studies
  • French
  • Music
  • Chemistry
  • Further Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Classical Civilisation
  • Geography
  • Politics
  • Computing
  • Geology
  • Spanish
  • Critical and Contextual Studies
  • German
  • Empire Studies
  • PE & Sports Studies
  • Design & Technology
  • History
  • Theatre Studies
  • Economics
  • Greek

International Baccalaureate(IB)

The IB Diploma is an international pre-university qualification recognised by universities and governments throughout the world.

Studying within the Upper School, all students take six subjects. Usually, students take a literature course in their own language, another modern or classical language, a science and a mathematics course, a humanities and an arts course. These are at various levels.

In addition, all students complete a research paper, take a course in critical thinking and complete a programme of creativity, action and service (CAS).

IB Subject Options
Group 1: Language A1
  • English A1 (Higher Level / Standard Level)
Group 2: Language A2 or B
  • German A2 (Higher Level)
  • German B (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • French B (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Spanish B (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Italian ab initio (Standard Level)
  • Japanese ab initio (Standard Level)
  • German ab initio (Standard Level)
  • Latin (Standard Level)
Group 3: Individuals and Societies
  • Geography (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • History (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Empire Studies (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Economics (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Business and Management (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Philosophy (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Ecosystems and Societies (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Information Technology in a Global Society (Standard Level)
Group 4: Experimental Sciences
  • Biology (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Chemistry (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Physics (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Design Technology (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Environmental Systems (Standard Level)
  • Ecosystems and Societies (Standard Level)
  • Astronomy (Standard Level)
Group 5: Mathematics
  • Mathematics HL (Higher Level)
  • Mathematics Methods SL (Standard Level)
  • Mathematics Studies SL (Standard Level)
  • Computer Science (Higher Level / Standard Level)
Group 6: Arts
  • Theatre Arts (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Visual Arts (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Music (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Film Studies

Houses

Oakham School has a total of 16 houses; 2 in the Upper School (1 boys and 1 girls), 11 in the Middle School (5 boys, 5 girls; 5 boarding, 4 day) and 4 in the Lower School (Jerwoods) (2 boys, 2 girls; 2 boarding, 2 day).

Upper School

Boys
  • School House

School House is the Seventh Form Boys' Boarding House, which sees all boys from all Middle School houses under one roof and the current acceptable tutelage of Senior Housemaster, David Jackson, School House is set in the idyllic Chapel Close, separate from the main school campus and ideally located in the Market Place, at the centre of the town.

The Head of School House is traditionally the Head Boy, currently Jethro Hancock, who is supported by the Headmaster's prefects - the male members of the School's Decem.

Girls
  • Round House

The Seventh Form Girls' Boarding house, Round House brings all the Middle School girls together under one roof for their last year. Situated in Chapel Close, next to School House, Ms L.E. Asher-Roche took over as Housemistress in 2005.

The Head of Round House is the Head Girl, currently Alex Middleton, who is supported by the female members of the Decem.

Middle School

Boarding

Boys
  • Chapmans - CBDawson
  • Haywoods - SCNorthcott
  • Wharflands - NSPaddock
Girls
  • Buchanans - FLCove
  • Rushebrookes - PGEvans
  • Stevens - SBurrows

Day

Boys
  • Barrow - AJWilliams
  • Clipsham - GEDoodes
Girls
  • Gunthorpe - MEGrimley
  • Hambleton - MNicholls

Lower School (Jerwoods)

Boarding

Boys
  • Peterborough House - SBFoster
Girls
  • Lincoln - JRWelch

Day

Boys
  • Sargants - MDurose
Girls
  • Ancaster - SAWragg

School Clubs & Societies

  • The Scholars' Society
  • The Debating Society
  • 20:20 Projects
  • The OO Club

Notable Old Oakhamians

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