Oundle School Guide – Reviews, Fees and Programmes
Discover the beauty of Oundle School, where tradition meets innovation. Nestled in the charming English town of Oundle, the school offers a world-class education, a vibrant community, and endless opportunities for students to explore their passions. From ancient architecture to cutting-edge facilities, every corner of Oundle is filled with history, creativity, and excitement. Interested to know more? Check out our comprehensive guide of Oundle School below.
Table of Contents
Oundle School Summary
- Type of school: Co-educational
- Age range: 11-19
- Pupils: 1130; Boarders: 820; Day: 310
- Fees: £37,435 – £49,015
- 2024 A Level Results: 66% A* – A
- 2024 GSCE Results: 74% 9-7
School Overview
Oundle School currently hosts 820 boarders and 310 day pupils. Since its founding, the school has been fully co-educational, maintaining a steady 60:40 ratio of boys to girls. Class sizes are generally small, ensuring that each student gets personalised attention from the tutors.
Oundle School draws local students from more than 120 schools across the UK and welcomes international pupils from over 30 different nations, creating a vibrant and diverse community. International students make up 20% of the student body, while an additional 8% consists of expatriates. The school prides itself on having a global perspective that significantly enriches its community, all within the framework of quintessentially British boarding education.
The architecture of Oundle School is a striking blend of history and modernity, with buildings ranging from the 17th century to the 21st century. These structures are thoughtfully spread across the lively market town of Northamptonshire, situated in the heart of central England.
Oundle School Courses and Programmes
11+ Curriculum
For the creative and eager learners, children aged eleven and twelve are provided a customised curriculum that fosters independence and self-organisation. Core academic subjects are taught in the mornings, when students are most alert, while afternoons are dedicated to creative subjects, sports and reading. The school also offers an Electives programme twice weekly, allowing their students to explore their interests. The school operates on a biweekly timetable, with academic lessons from Monday – Friday and an enrichment programme, Omnia, on Saturday mornings.
Unique to Oundle School, Omnia is a programme designed to inspire, explore new opportunities and stimulate students’ minds. It is a programme that the school introduced as they realised that a 6-day week with Saturday lessons can be exhausting for many 11-year-olds. Through a wide range of activities, Omnia encourages exploration, nurtures climate awareness and develops critical thinking.
13+ Curriculum
In Third Form (Year 9) students flourish as learners. The curriculum is broad and well-balanced, designed to ignite intellectual curiosity and foster a love of learning, laying the groundwork for future academic success.
The core curriculum includes subjects like English, Maths and Sciences, with additional subjects like Art, Computing, DET (Design, Engineering and Technology) and many more. These subjects run throughout the year, preparing students for GCSE and iGCSE selection and examinations.
Sixth Form
Sixth Form at Oundle offers students the freedom to choose their subject choices and shape their future through a personalised programme of study. As one of the largest co-educational boarding schools, Oundle provides a wide range of subjects that can be combined in any way, along with extension options for diverse experiences and challenges.
A Level courses focus on learning rather than just assessment, helping students achieve excellent exam results and gain entry to top universities. The curriculum is enhanced by experienced teachers and exceptional facilities, allowing students to research, experiment, and explore in various settings.
Oundle School Rankings and Results
Oundle School has consistently excelled in various boarding school rankings, earning recognition as one of the top UK boarding schools. In the 2024 A-Levels examinations, 66% of students scored A*-A, securing Oundle School a top 30 spot in the A Levels League Tables. As for the GCSEs, 74% of students scored 9-7 in the 2024 exams, cementing Oundle School as one of the top schools in the UK within the GCSE League Table.
Boarding Experience in Oundle School
As one of the largest boarding schools in the UK, they are among the few that truly embrace a genuine modern boarding experience. This ethos is central to their school’s identity, shaping the unique opportunities available to their pupils. The all-inclusive nature of senior Houses fosters a strong sense of community and ensures that friendships among pupils thrive throughout the entire week.
At Oundle School, around 75% of their students are full boarders, while the remaining 25% are day pupils. The school embraces a full boarding ethos, which is a significant advantage, providing boarders with a wide range of activities and opportunities throughout the entire week, including an extensive weekend programme during term time. For day pupils, the diverse range of activities and experiences available during and outside school hours greatly enhances their education, offering them a boarding-style experience while they return home each evening.
Oundle School is home to eight boys’ houses, five girls’ houses, Laxton for local day pupils, and Berrystead, a mixed boarding house for junior students in years 7 and 8. Located next to Berrystead, the junior day house fosters close connections between day and boarding students. Spread throughout the town, Oundle’s boarding houses are spacious, well-managed, and well-equipped. The house system functions as a series of smaller school environments, providing individualised attention and support for every student.
Oundle School Pastoral Care
When it comes to student wellbeing, what makes Oundle School stand out is its focus on respectful collaboration between the students and staff. This special relationship is enhanced by the enriching experiences and connections fostered within the vibrant boarding community.
Each student’s Housemaster or Housemistress, along with their Tutor, plays a central role in their school experience. Every student is assigned to a House-based Tutor group, typically comprising eight to ten members. These groups are mixed across different year levels, fostering a familial atmosphere. Tutors and their students engage in regular meetings, both formal and informal, including lunch twice a week in their House.
These interactions offer valuable chances to review progress, set goals, address issues and celebrate achievements. The Tutors, who are also the primary contacts of the parents are dedicated to supporting the personal development and well-being of each student, striving to understand their unique needs and interests.
Oundle School Application Deadline and Admissions Process
To gain admission to Oundle, you first need to select an entry point. The school welcomes both boarding and day pupils at various year groups, but the requirements vary depending on the year of entry.
11+ Entry (Boarding and Day)
- Assessment: All candidates must take an online Cognitive Abilities Test in November of Year 6
- Further Tests: Applicants, except those from Oundle’s Laxton Junior School, will take entrance exams in Maths, English, and Science in January of the entry year.
- Interviews: Prospective boarders will stay overnight and have an interview.
- Selection Criteria: Admission is based on exam performance and the interview. Academic and Music Scholarships are awarded at this stage.
12+ Entry (Boarders Only)
- Availability: A limited number of boarding places are offered in The Berrystead if space allows.
- Assessment: Entrance exams similar to those for 11+ Entry are held in January of the entry year.
13+ Entry (Boarding and Day)
- Assessment Timing: Evaluation takes place in Year 8, the year before entry
- Boarders: Join in the Third Form through Common Entrance exams in June or Academic Scholarships exams in June or Academic Scholarship exams (preliminary exams in late January/early February and main exams in May)
- Non-Prep School Applicants: Take Oundle’s entrance exams (NCE) in January, which include Math, English, Science, and usually a Modern Foreign Language, plus an informal interview.
- Scholarships: High-performing candidates may be invited to the Academic Scholarships exam in May. Scholarships available at this level include Academic, Music, Art, Drama, Design Engineering Technology, Sport and General.
14+ Entry (Boarders Only)
- Availability: A few boarding places are offered at 14+, subject to availability.
- Assessment: Oundle’s entry tests (NCE) are administered in January, either at Oundle or at a British Council Office overseas.
16+ Entry (Boarding and Day)
- Minimum Requirements: Three subjects in Grade 6 and three in Grade 7 or equivalent at GCSE. High grades (7,8, or 9) in subjects to be studied in Sixth Form are highly desirable.
- Application Process: Applicants must provide expected GCSE grades and a CV. Shortlisted candidates are invited to an assessment weekend at Oundle in November before joining the following September.
- Assessment Details: Includes an interview and exams in three chosen Sixth Form subjects or general and subject-specific exams.
- Scholarships: Available in Academic, Music, Art, Drama, Design Engineering Technology, Sport, and General categories.
Overseas Entry
- Procedure: Overseas applicants follow the same entrance process and take the same exams as UK applicants. They should take exams official invigilator centres or British Council Offices, if not at Oundle.
- UKiset Requirement: All overseas applicants must provide a UKiset report, an adaptive cognitive test assessing ability and language proficiency. For details, refer to the UKiset guide.
Oundle School Fees
Boarding | Termly | Annually |
Third Form – Sixth Form (Years 9 – 13) | £16,338 | £49,015 |
Second Form (Year 8) | £14,438 | £43,315 |
First Form (Year 7) | £12,478 | £37,435 |
Day | Termly | Annually |
Third Form – Sixth Form (Years 9 – 13) | £10,475 | £31,425 |
Second Form (Year 8) | £9,240 | £27,720 |
First Form (Year 7) | £7,970 | £23,910 |
Oundle School Reviews from Parents/Students
Caring staff, fantastic Pastoral care, facilities are amazing and the town of Oundle is amazing.
Both my kids at Oundle have only good things to say about the school. The pastoral care here is outstanding!
Loved my time at the school, they provided a great education and a wonderful experience.
Frequently Asked Questions about Oundle School
Yes, international students can apply and must take the UKiset test if not attending Oundle directly.
The institution is looking for students with strong academic results, good performance in tests and interviews, and active participation in extracurricular activities.
Oundle School has a strong reputation for providing top-notch modern independent education, particularly in its boarding programmes.
Complete an application form, take online and subject-specific tests and attend an interview or assessment day.
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