Girls Boarding at Oakham School

Iwinosa

Form 3 (Year 9) pupil Iwinosa joined last academic year having previously been at school in her home country of Nigeria. Whilst boarding wasn’t a new concept to her, there were many changes for her to adapt to when she moved to Oakham School.

“When I first thought about coming to England to a boarding school it felt a bit weird as it wasn’t something I’d done before, but it’s strange now, because I don’t feel like I’ve been homesick at all since arriving here.”

“I mean, of course I miss my family and my home in Nigeria but it’s not like I’m scared or anxious; I feel very at ease at Oakham School.”

Boarding in England has proven very different to the schools Iwinosa has been to in Nigeria.

“I’ve boarded ever since I started secondary school, but before Oakham this had all been in Nigeria. The boarding house I was previously in was really fun but very different from here.”

“We all lived in flats out there and each room would fit about 12 pupils in it. Sharing that closely with 11 other girls could definitely be challenging at times. Being in Buchanans now is really different because we’re all together in one House but have rooms of two or three people which is really good to have a bit more privacy.”

“Boarding has always been a very normal thing for me. I wouldn’t say everyone does it in Nigeria, but a lot of friends I know also boarded, so it wasn’t a strange concept for me at all.”

“It’s been really nice coming to school here, because everyone has been really welcoming and is very friendly to me.”

Whilst there are many things to take in when moving to England, Iwinosa has found the weather to be one of the biggest changes.

“It’s of course been quite different coming to England having grown up in Nigeria. The culture is very different, but the weather is especially surprising. I actually saw hail for the first time recently and I’ve still never seen snow – but I’m sure I will do at some point soon!”

“When it was hailing, I was really shocked, because I’ve only ever seen it happen in movies and it’s very odd to think of ice falling from the sky.”

“It’s always hot in Nigeria, so it’s strange to go from living somewhere so consistent to coming here where the weather is unpredictable.”

Iwinosa has been able to try things she’s never done before.

“This year is the first time that I’ve ever played hockey, which was really fun. There’s no hockey in Nigeria at all, so it was really interesting to learn more about it and give it a go. I’d only really heard of ice hockey before and didn’t know you could do field hockey.”

“The first day I played I didn’t know what was going on at all. I didn’t have a hockey stick or any shin pads, but the School supplied me with the right equipment and I was shown how to dribble the ball.”

“I’m not the best at playing hockey at all, but I’m still learning and I’m getting better.”

Outside of the timetable, Iwinosa is also enjoying all of the activities available at Oakham School.

“We recently did karaoke in our House and it was so much fun – I like to joke that I’m a pretty good singer now actually. There are so many things that you can do at the School outside of class time, so you never get bored.”

“We’ve also been out on trips with other Houses and recently went to Rutland Water for a long walk with another Girls’ House. We also recently went to Leicester Outdoor Pursuits to have a go at the wall climbing, which was really fun but I was so scared doing it!”

Along with adapting to a new culture and the charming British weather, Iwinosa has noticed a big change in the diet of people in England.

“I’ve noticed that people eat a lot of pasta here. Especially in the Barraclough Dining Hall, pasta is really popular and people love it. In Nigeria the food is very different but in comparison we eat a lot of rice. The food is a lot less spicy over here, so it’s harder to get used to.”

Find out more about Boarding at Oakham School.

Ella

For Form 5 (Year 11) pupil Ella, boarding had always been something she’d wanted to do. Having joined Oakham two years ago as a seasoned flexi-boarder, she was excited to get stuck in to the busy and welcoming community of the School and hasn’t looked back since.

In the latest instalment of The Boarding Bios series, Ella shares her experience of why boarding works for her and how she’s got on since joining.

Ella’s family live in Suffolk but she believes she couldn’t have found a better home away from home at Oakham.

“Moving to Oakham was quite a big jump at first, being two hours away from home, but my House is the friendliest place I could possibly be.”

“It’s genuinely become a home away from home for me and I have made such good friendships that I know will last a lifetime.”

Being an experienced boarder meant that Ella settled into Oakham really quickly.

“I did transitional boarding at my old School so by the time I came here I was quite used to being away from home. My previous school was only half an hour away though so I always knew my parents could come and pick me up, whereas now I’m two hours away it’s not as easy.”

“I really like being a full boarder now and I’m definitely more used to being away from home. It just makes it even more special when I do get to go and see my family because we really make the most of our time together.”

She chose Oakham due to its welcoming and friendly atmosphere.

“I wanted to move to Oakham because I really liked the idea of being at a co-educational boarding school and a few of my friends have come here so it was nice to join with people I knew already.”

“I’ve always been at a co-ed school and I really didn’t want to go to an all-girls school. There’s no real reason behind it but I just prefer being around both boys and girls and it’s what I’ve always been used to.”

“Everyone at Oakham was so friendly and welcoming from day one that it makes it hard not to fall in love with the place.”

“Even when I had my tour just looking around the School I thought it was really nice that it was the pupils who showed me around rather than just the staff.”

Ella is particularly passionate about English and Art.

“I really like the Art Department. I think the facilities are amazing and I spend quite a lot of time in there.”

“English is also great and I think the teachers are just amazing. I think all of the teachers are to be fair – I haven’t really had any teachers that I honestly haven’t liked. They’re all so dedicated, especially with things like supported studies and helping you with your work.”

Ella had always wanted to board.

“I think it was something that I’d always wanted to do, and my older siblings had all boarded in some form so I’d heard a lot about it before I started.”

“When I looked at Oakham, one thing that stood out to me was the emphasis on pastoral care so I knew it would be a good place to be a boarder.”

“As I’d tried boarding in the past and had a good experience with it, I knew it would be a good option for me as I got older as it has allowed me to focus my time on my studies whilst making really close friendships in my House.”

Tutoring in House is also a big benefit for Ella.

“Our Tutors in House are also really helpful because they all teach different subjects so you can go to them if you’re struggling with something in particular and you always feel like there is someone to support you.”

“It’s really helpful having structured prep time in House because if I was a day pupil, I don’t think I would be able to stick to this routine as easily. However, when you’re a boarder and all of your friends are in the same boat it makes it a lot easier.”

As part of her Activity time, Ella takes part in the School’s Voluntary Action programme.

“I really enjoy Voluntary Action because we get to do lots of amazing things for the community and it’s really important work which you get a lot out of yourself.”

“It’s really fulfilling work and so nice to know that you are genuinely helping people so it’s great that we can do this during the School day.”

Ella has shared some wise words of advice for anyone who is looking at becoming a boarder.

“I think the best thing a new boarding pupil can do is talk to their Housemistress or Housemaster before joining the School so they can recommend you fellow pupils who you can make friends with that have similar interests to you.”

“I think once you’re settled in it’s really easy to find your ‘people’ and find your friendship group and that’s a really important part of what makes boarding so special.”

“Another good thing about the size of Oakham is that once you make friends with one person, you can then make friends in their friendship group and so on, so you all end up forming large friendship groups with people from all Houses and of all interests.”

Find out more about Boarding at Oakham School.

Charlie Reading

Sarah Fearn