4 Awards for Oakham

We seem to be so often celebrating the many successes of the British boarding schools we are proud to recommend, you might think we’d be in danger of becoming blasé. No fear when we receive a rundown of annual achievements like the one we’ve just had from Oakham School. We are delighted to report the School has won not one, not two but FOUR national awards in one year!

1. Independent School Award for Outstanding Community Initiative in 2014 – Pupils have been improving the lives of dementia patients (mentally, physically and socially) by playing indoor croquet with them every week. Whilst the School has a long history of pupils engaging with the local community, this activity has been incredibly heartening and emotionally rewarding for all involved.
2. Design Mark – On top of the Design and Technology department’s deserved reputation, excellent results and the vast number of design awards and scholarships that students regularly win, the department can now proudly list the Design Mark among its accolades.
3. Career Mark – For excellence in careers guidance, due to an extensive careers programme and resources including 12 members of specially trained teaching staff, a full-time head of department, a well-stocked careers area and a multitude of events.
4. Digital School Award – The first recipient of an award conceived to recognise schools demonstrating an innovative and effective approach to their teaching. The judges were impressed with how Oakham’s PSHE coordinator Viv Lamb ensures that internet safety is consistently blended with other areas of the curriculum, so that a subject such as cyberbullying is covered as part of the general study of how people are treated, face to face and online, rather than as a standalone subject.

These prestigious school awards should not, however, overshadow the many achievements of the individual students, covering the full spectrum of activities: from taking key roles at Model United Nations conferences, to winning a Silver medal at the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics; from linguists winning the East Midlands Business Language and Journalism Challenge competition, to musicians beginning their studies at the Royal Northern College of Music or securing places in a variety of National Orchestras and Bands; more students than ever have been offered places at RADA, while in the past year over 100 pupils progressed to the national finals in 14 sports, along with hundreds of success stories at Regional and County levels.

A busy programme of visiting experts and luminaries is designed to inspire pupils both inside and outside the classroom, while ex-commander of the International Space Station Chris Hadfield’s talk was even ‘out of this world’.

Such an inspirational education translates into impressive academic results too but, as Headmaster Nigel Lashbrook said Oakham “...genuinely blends academic excellence with a plethora of opportunities, to prepare students to tackle and enjoy life’s challenges.”

It’s a shining example of the kind of school we work with, so if you’d like to find out more, please contact us. 

Photo courtesy of Oakham School