Frequently Asked Questions

There are many ways that you can visit the School either physically or virtually. You can visit us at one of our Open Events that we hold throughout the year. You can book an individual visit at a mutually convenient time. You can also make a Virtual Visit to our School.

The three main entry points to join Oakham School are at the following ages:

• 11+ (Year 7)
• 13+ (Year 9)
• 16+ (Year 12)

However, we welcome pupils at other stages if there are spaces available.

Complete our registration form, along with a registration fee of £150. Parents are welcome to register their child with us at any time. We ask that registrations are received by the following dates in the year prior to intended entry:

• 16+ entry: early November (early October if applying for a scholarship).
• 13+ and 10+/11+ entry: end of November.

Please also send the following:

• A colour copy of your child’s full birth certificate (the version which names parents).
• A colour copy of your child’s passport (the photo page).
• If applicable, a copy of any educational psychologist report (or any other specialist report) for your child.

Registering your child doesn’t imply any commitment; it just means we can keep in touch with you and let you know when you need to take further action.

We ask that registrations are received by the following dates in the year prior to intended entry:

• 16+ entry: early November (early October if applying for a scholarship).
• 13+ and 10+/11+ entry: end of November.

Full boarding
Pupils travel from the local area, further afield in the UK and from overseas to join our large and vibrant Boarding House communities. We have 300 full boarders who make Oakham School their home each term to benefit from all the opportunities on offer during the week and at the weekend. Lower School boarders live in the comfortable and homely surroundings of Hodges on the Jerwoods campus, while Middle and Upper School boarders live in 8 separate Boarding Houses.

Weekly boarding
Our weekly boarding provision is an increasingly popular choice for families living near or further afield looking to strike the perfect school/home balance and we have 230 pupils choosing this option.

In the Lower School we offer flexible boarding from two to five nights a week in Hodges on the Jerwoods campus and in the Middle and Upper School we offer weekly boarding of up to six nights a week.

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, meaning they are able to spend more time doing what they love.

Day pupils
Our 500 day pupils are very much part of our 24/7 boarding environment, benefiting from the same extensive programme of activities and opportunities as our boarders, and belonging to their own large and vibrant House communities. We provide invaluable wraparound care with day pupils able to opt to arrive for breakfast at 7.30am 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 after school activities.

We are unique in bringing all of Form 7 (Year 13) together into their own Final Year Houses, Round House for the girls and School House for the boys. We do this to encourage them to become even more independent and to further develop their self-motivation and self-discipline as they prepare for their A-levels and IB exams. There are opportunities for integration between the two Houses, and within each House there is a strong sense of community and support. We consider this final year provides great preparation for university and life beyond School.

Yes. There are different assessments at the three main stages of entry – /11+ (Year 7), 13+ (Year 9) and 16+ (Year 12). Visit our Entrance Assessments page for more information.

Yes, we offer a range of scholarships to recognise academic, all-round, creative, or sporting potential and excellence. There are two types of scholarship available: those that carry a small fee reduction and honorary awards. Additional financial support is available through means-tested bursaries and candidates can apply for both a scholarship and a bursary.

To apply for a Scholarship, contact our Admissions team, who will be able to answer any questions and send the appropriate forms. We also recommend speaking with your child’s current headteacher, as we will ask for a confidential supporting report from them. A form for this will be sent with the application form.

Visit our Entrance Assessments page for details of Scholarship assessment dates.

Please note:

• 11+ and 13+ Academic Scholarship assessments are for shortlisted candidates only and take place after the relevant entrance assessments in January.
• We are not able to offer awards to applicants other than at this time.

Each year we are able to offer additional financial support to parents of children who are awarded a scholarship, but who would otherwise be unable to afford the fees. This means-tested financial support is offered through the School’s bursary funding scheme. Whilst scholarships give limited financial support, there is no upper limit to the value of bursarial support; however, the number of bursaries available in any one year does depend on funds available.

For additional information on bursaries, please contact the Director of Admissions, who can give advice and arrange for the Finance Bursar to send the appropriate forms.

Our experienced team of dedicated Learning Support teachers support students from Form 1 (Year 7) to Form 7 (Year 13) who require additional support with their studies.  In Forms 1–3, support is primarily offered in small groups in lieu of Latin and/or a second modern language option. In Forms 4-7, students with a documented Specific Learning Difficulty, identified by a specialist, are offered support on an individual or paired basis.

The Department is housed in a purpose-built suite of classrooms boasting the latest technology and offers a calm, quiet and purposeful atmosphere in which to work.

We welcome the opportunity to discuss with you how the School can best cater for your child’s interests, and identify any challenges they may face. So, at the initial enquiry stage, please let us know about any learning difficulties your child may have and send us copies of any assessments.

Our team of highly qualified EAL teachers helps to support and develop the achievements of pupils for whom English is not their first language, including IELTS test preparation lessons, through small group teaching, individual lessons and in-class support.

We operate nine bus routes to Oakham School, from 1- Leicester, 2 – Foxton, 3 – Rothley, 4 – Stamford, 5 – Long Bennington, 6 – Hallaton, 7 – Easton on the Hill,  8 – Brampton Ash, and 9 – Nottingham offering convenient collection points to and from School from Monday to Saturday.

Please visit our Bus Routes page for more information.

Visit the School Uniform page to view information about what uniform is required, what equipment your child will need when they join us and where this can be obtained.

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.
Visit our Daily life page to see what a typical school day looks like for pupils in the different parts of the School.

Yes. In line with our boarding ethos, lessons for pupils from Form 1 (Year 7) to Form 7 (Year 13) take place from Monday to Saturday morning, which allows us time to build our vast array of co-curricular activities into the weekly timetable.

There are just over 1,000 pupils at Oakham, which sounds like a lot, but there are three sections to the School – Lower, Middle and Upper – so it really doesn’t feel that big! There are approximately 200 pupils in the Lower School (Form 1 to Form 2 / Year 7–8), 450 in the Middle School (Forms 3 to 5 / Years 9–11) and 400 in the Upper School Sixth Form (Forms 6 and 7 / Years 12 and 13). Class sizes vary depending on year group and the subject, but they are generally considered to be quite small, due to the high number of sets.

• For 11+ entry, all prospective pupils sit our entrance assessment s and have an interview.
• For 13+ entry, prospective pupils either sit our entrance assessments and have an interview at Oakham or sit our pre-test assessments and have an online interview with us at their prep school and sit the Common Entrance exam.
• For 16+ entry, prospective pupils sit our assessments and have an interview. They also need to achieve a minimum of four 6/B grades and three 5/C grades at GCSE/IGCSE. 

A confidential report will be requested from the Head of your child’s current school. Pupils joining Oakham in the Lower School are not required to sit entrance assessments on moving up to the Middle School at 13+. Pupils joining Oakham in the Middle School are not required to sit entrance assessments on moving up to the Upper School at 16+, but they need to achieve the minimum GCSE/IGCSE grades to study in the Sixth Form.

We have very small tutor groups (8-10 pupils) and your child’s Tutor will keep in regular contact with you. We also send home progress reports at half-term and a full progress report at the end of each term. If you have any concerns, questions, or just feel you just want to touch base on how your child is progressing or settling in, members of staff will be happy to help you at any point in the term.

The vast majority of our pupils go on to study at the university of their choice. We have a number of pupils who choose to continue their studies further afield and head for the USA or Europe. Others go on to pursue specialist courses at elite colleges such as RADA, the Royal Northern College of Music and the Ruskin School of Art. See this year’s leavers’ destinations.

Weekends at Oakham are very busy. Everyone everyone has lessons on Saturday mornings. In the Lower School, there are plenty of activities and trips every weekend. Saturday afternoon is when the majority of sports fixtures take place against other schools in the Middle and Upper School. Following an afternoon of sport, there are usually House events or School events, such as formal dinners, talks, barbecues, boarders’ socials and so on. Sunday is a day when boarders can enjoy trips and outings, some of which are organised by Houses and others are school-wide. It is also a day when those involved in theatre productions and choir might rehearse. Some pupils choose to spend time in the Art Department or Library catching up on prep and others sometimes choose to relax and spend time with friends. There is always something to do and no child is ever bored!

View our House pages to find out more about life at Oakham School.