What it's like

It originated from the bequest of Sir William Laxton, to the Grocers' Company in 1556, although an earlier school dated from 1485. The Grocers' Company established the school to provide a liberal education in accordance with the principles of the Church of England. Girls were first accepted throughout the school in 1990. It is extremely well equipped and its buildings (from the 17th to the 21st centuries) are scattered through the small and very agreeable town. There is a close town and gown relationship. Religious instruction accords with the teaching of the Church of England and there is some emphasis on regular worship. A very large staff allows a staff:pupil ratio of about 1:8. Academic standards are high and examination results are consistently excellent. There is a strong music department and 60% of the pupils are involved in numerous musical activities in the school and beyond it. The school has a distinctive approach to technology teaching: pupils are building their own go-karts and cars in fairly large numbers in the new engineering centre. There is also an excellent art department and many pupils are engaged in dramatic activities. An art gallery, The Yarrow, and a 260-seat theatre, the Stahl, are used both for pupils and for visiting artists and professional productions. It has long had a reputation for high achievements in sports and games, especially rugby, cricket and girls' hockey (a number of county and national representatives). The CCF contingent and voluntary Duke of Edinburgh's Award group are both very large. There is also emphasis on outdoor pursuits and an adventure training section whose members have made expeditions to Greenland, Kenya, Australia, Alaska and Zimbabwe. Over 200 pupils are engaged in local community services. The only British school represented at the annual conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Pupils & entrance

Pupils: Age range 11-18; 1071 pupils 229 day (124 boys, 105 girls), 842 boarding (514 boys, 328 girls). Entrance: Main entry ages 11 and 13; small number at 16. Common Entrance or own exam; for sixth form entry, 6 GCSEs passes (including English, maths, science and a modern language), at least 3 at grade A, 3 at grade B - preferably grade A in sixth form subjects. State school entry, 8% main intake. Pupils from over 280 different feeder schools.

Scholarships & bursaries

Maximum of some 45 pa scholarships, 10% of fees (up to 30% for music): of which 28 are academic, others all-rounder, art, drama, music, design, technology (2 at 11, 31 at 13, 2 at 16). Bursaries available for new and current students, though early application is essential.

Head & staff

Headmaster: Charles M P Bush, in post from 2005. Educated at Melbourne Church of England Grammar School and Oxford University (mathematics). Previously Headmaster at Eastbourne College, Head of Mathematics both at Marlborough and at Abingdon, and taught at Aylesbury Grammar School. Teaching staff: 118 full time, 12 part time. Annual turnover 9%. Average age 36.

Exam results

GCSE: 187 pupils in fifth form: 96% gain at least grade C in 8+ subjects; 4% in 5-7 subjects. A-levels: 215 in upper sixth: 40% pass in 4+ subjects, 60% in 3 subjects; average final point score achieved by upper sixth formers 411.

Pupils' destinations

98% of sixth form leavers go on to a degree course (55% after a gap year), 16% to Oxbridge. 7% take courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, 20% in science and engineering, 5% in law, 42% in humanities and social sciences, 13% in economics and business studies, 3% in art and design, 11% in other vocational subjects eg media studies, estate management, agriculture. Others typically go on to art or music courses, management training, advertising or own business.

Curriculum

GCSE/IGCSE (IGCSE in all core subjects and increasingly in other subjects); AS and A-levels and Pre-U. 25 AS/A-level subjects, 4 Pre-U. Most sixth formers take 4 subjects at AS-level (plus a 1- or 2-year, non-examined extension course), 3 or 4 at A-level; general studies taught but not examined; breadth in sixth-form courses encouraged. 28% took science A-levels; 23% arts/humanities; 44% both. Key skills: all six regarded as important, integrated into courses and activities, but not formally assessed. Vocational: Work experience available. Special provision: Extra English. Dyslexic tuition by qualified team (limited in numbers). Languages: French (from age 11), German (from 12), Spanish (from 13) offered to GCSE and A-level; Mandarin offered to GCSE for non-native speakers. Arabic, Russian and Italian available as extension courses. 70% take GCSE in more than 1 language; 65% take a language to AS or A-level. Regular exchanges (France, Germany, Spain, Prague and China); work experience for lower sixth in Germany and France. ICT: Taught both as a discrete subject and across the curriculum. 500 computers for pupil use (open all day), all networked and with email and internet access. Many pupils have their own desk/laptops.

The arts

Music: Over 60% of pupils learn a musical instrument; instrumental exams can be taken. Some 25 musical groups including choirs, choral groups, orchestras, brass, concert band, jazz orchestras, blues, string and wind ensembles. Typically, 3 members of National Youth Orchestra; 1 National Youth Chamber Orchestra; 5 Oxbridge choral scholarships, 2 organ; 4 National Youth Music Theatre Orchestra; 3 take regular instrumental tuition in London. Concerts in St John's, Smith Square; evensong at St Paul's, Lincoln and Canterbury cathedrals. Foreign tours to France, Spain, Hong Kong, Malaysia. Drama and dance: Both offered. GCSE and A-level drama may be taken. About half of all pupils are involved in school and house/other productions in some capacity during their career; drama classes for all third form. Art and design: On average, 60 take GCSE, 25 A-level art; 60 GCSE design technology, 25 A-level art. Design, pottery, textiles, photography, printmaking, sculpture also offered.

Sports & activities

Sport: 20 choices from sailing to netball; emphasis on rugby, hockey, cricket, rowing, soccer. RLSS, RYA exams may be taken. Some county and national representatives. Activities: Pupils take bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award. CCF compulsory for 1 year at age 14, optional thereafter; wide range of activities. Community action optional for 2 years at age 15; 2 summer holidays, 1 for mentally handicapped children, 1 for inner city children; 4-week summer school for adults with learning difficulties, run by Social Services with school volunteers. 46 clubs, eg astronomy, chess, croquet, law, politics, science, war games, creative writing, debates, community service, school and local newspaper, FM radio station.

School life

Uniform: School uniform worn throughout. Houses and prefects: Competitive houses. Prefects, head boy/girl, appointed by the Headmaster; also head of house and house prefects. Religion: Church of England. Attendance at chapel service compulsory for C of E pupils. Those of other faiths encouraged to be instructed in and to worship according to their own religion. Roman Catholic confirmation and mass in school chapel on Saturday evening. Social: Exchanges and visits abroad; trips abroad for sports, rugby, sub-aqua; geography field trips; history trips to Somme battlefields, Berlin, Prague, Budapest, China, Moscow. Pupils allowed to bring own bike to school. Meals formal, taken in houses. School shop and sports shop. Alcohol for pupils aged 18+ in pubs with ID card.

Discipline

Pupils failing to produce homework once might expect to re-write it or a house detention; those caught smoking cannabis on the premises would be expelled.

Boarding

Single sex houses, of 60 (8 boys, 5 girls); 1 junior mixed house (40 pupils). Dining rooms in houses. Limited exeats. No weekly boarding.

Association of former pupils

Cris Piper, Secretary of the Old Oundelian Club, The Stables, Cobthorne, Oundle; tel 018832 273216.

Former pupils

Al Alvarez (poet); David Edgar (playwright); Sir Peter Scott (conservationist & painter); Maxwell Hutchinson and Sir Clough Williams-Ellis (architects); Prof Richard Dawkins (scientist); Prof Sir Alan Budd (economist); Charles Crichton (film director); Arthur Marshall (broadcaster); Sir Howard Stringer (business).