Oakham School

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Oakham School
Motto Et quasi cursores vitai lampada tradunt
(Latin: And, like runners, they pass on the torch of life)
Established 1584
Type Public School
Religious affiliation Church of England
Headmaster J. A. F. Spence, BA, PhD
Chairman of Trustees T. H. White, MA, FRGS
Founder Archdeacon Robert Johnson
Location Oakham
Rutland
England
Staff 160
Students 1,080
Gender Coeducational
Ages 10 to 18
Houses 16 day and boarding houses
School colours Red and Black          
Former pupils known as Old Oakhamians
Website http://www.oakham.rutland.sch.uk/

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% from overseas). It was founded in 1584 by Archdeacon Robert Johnson, along with 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. Under the late John Buchanan, Oakham was the first public school in Britain to accept both male and female students. In 1995, it was the first public school to go on-line. The current headmaster is Dr Joseph Spence, who, in 2002, replaced Tony Little.

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

Annual fees range from £12,960 to £23,850.

Contents

[edit] History

Oakham School was founded in 1584. Johnson received an income from four church positions and used this 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.

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.

69 old boys of the school were killed in the First World War. As a memorial to them, the Chapel was built in 1925.

In 1970, the school became fully independent from the local authority, and in 1971, Oakham admitted female pupils for the first time.

[edit] Curriculum

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

[edit] 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.

[edit] Summary of the Academic Curriculum

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

[edit] The Middle School

All pupils study English (Language and Literature), Mathematics, Sciences, RE and a foreign language (French, German, Spanish or Latin) to GCSE, as well as at least two of History, Geography and Creative Arts. Pupils also take part in Physical Education, but not to an academic standard. Students in the higher sets for Mathematics also study for a Higher Maths GCSE.

Physics, Chemistry and Biology are taught separately by specialist teachers as part of co-ordinated Sciences leading to a double GCSE certificate. Religious Education is taught to all in Forms 3 and 4, and at the end of Form 4 a GCSE Short Course is undertaken, with recent results to a very high standard. Most pupils also take a second foreign language (French, German, Spanish, Latin or "Gratin"*) while some take three, but this involves removal from the Creative Arts programme or the loss of either History or Geography. Social Science is available from Form 4 for those who do not take a second language after Form 3. Other options include PE GCSE, Food Studies and Classical Civilization.

*Gratin is a combined course of Latin and Greek.

[edit] 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. Oakham offers both the International Baccalaureate(IB) and AS/A2 levels.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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

[edit] 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 standard or higher level.

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

[edit] IB Subject Options

[edit] Group 1: Language A1
  • English A1 (Higher Level / Standard Level)

[edit] 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)

[edit] Group 3: Individuals and Societies
  • Geography (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • History (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Economics (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Business and Management (Higher Level)
  • Philosophy (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Ecosystems and Societies (Standard Level)
  • Information Technology in a Global Society (Standard Level)
  • Politics and Conflict Studies (Standard Level)

[edit] 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)
  • Ecosystems and Societies (Standard Level)
  • Astronomy (Standard Level)
  • Electronics (Standard Level)

[edit] Group 5: Mathematics
  • Mathematics HL (Higher Level)
  • Mathematics Methods SL (Standard Level)
  • Mathematics Studies SL (Standard Level)
  • Computer Science (Higher Level / Standard Level)

[edit] Group 6: Arts
  • Theatre Arts (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Visual Arts (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Music (Higher Level / Standard Level)
  • Film Studies (Standard Level)

[edit] Houses

Oakham School has a total of 16 houses; 2 in the Upper School (1 boys and 1 girls), 10 in the Middle School (5 boys, 5 girls; 6 boarding, 4 day) and 4 in the Lower School (Jerwoods) (2 boys, 2 girls; 2 boarding, 2 day).

[edit] Upper School

Boys

  • School House

School House is the Seventh Form Boys' Boarding House, which sees all boys in that form housed under one roof. It is set in Chapel Close, separate from the main school campus and located by the Market Place, at the centre of the town.

The Head of School House is traditionally the Head Boy, 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. It is situated in Chapel Close, next to School House.

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

[edit] Middle School

[edit] Boarding

  • Boys: Chapmans, Haywoods, Wharflands
  • Girls: Buchanans, Rushebrookes, Stevens

[edit] Day

  • Boys: Barrow, Clipsham
  • Girls: Gunthorpe, Hambleton

[edit] Lower School (Jerwoods)

[edit] Boarding

  • Boys: Peterborough House
  • Girls: Lincoln

[edit] Day

  • Boys: Sargants
  • Girls: Ancaster

[edit] Notable Old Oakhamians

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The Arts and Science

Religion

  • John Henley (August 3, 1692 – October 13, 1759), English clergyman, commonly known as 'Orator Henley'

Public Service

Military

  • Air Vice-Marshal D O Crwys-Williams, CB, RAF(Rt'd), Commander British Forces Falkland Islands

Broadcasting

  • Annabel Amos, radio broadcaster
  • Miles Jupp, Actor/comedian

Sport

Aristocracy

Adventurers and record breakers

  • Richard Profit, polar explorer
  • Lt. Charlie Bairsto, world-record-breaking, youngest-ever Atlantic rower and RMC Sandhurst Physical Training Prize Winner

Other

[edit] Notable masters