Oakham School
Quasi Cursores Vitai Lampada Tradunt
Founded in 1584 by Archdeacon Robert Johnson, who in the same year founded neighbouring Uppingham, Oakham School stands in the small county town of Oakham, at the heart of rural Rutland. It has been fully co-educational since 1971, and offers a choice of both A Levels and the International Baccalaureate, drawing day pupils from across the county and boarders from far beyond it.
Key Facts
Location : Oakham, Rutland
Type : Co-educational, boarding and day
Age Range : 11 to 18
Pupil Numbers : Approx. 810 pupils
Founded : 1584
Motto : Quasi cursores vitai lampada tradunt ("Like runners, they pass on the torch of life")
Academic Profile
Pupils at Oakham follow a Connected Curriculum that draws links across the subjects they study, before taking their GCSEs. In the Sixth Form they choose between A Levels and the International Baccalaureate Diploma, and Old Oakhamians proceed to Oxford and Cambridge, alongside leading universities such as Durham, Exeter, and King's College London.
Co-Curricular Life
Music is a particular strength, taught in the school's own music school, with more than a quarter of pupils performing regularly in choirs, orchestras, and some dozen ensembles that tour at home and abroad. Drama has a natural home in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, which stages several major productions each year, and the visual arts are strong, with fine art and textiles taught in dedicated studios. Sport is played to a high level, with teams of both boys and girls regularly reaching national finals under coaches who include former internationals, supported by a sports centre with an indoor pool and sports hall, floodlit astroturf pitches, and extensive courts and grounds. A full activities programme, the Combined Cadet Force, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award run throughout.
Admissions Essentials
Pupils join Oakham at several points, most commonly at 11, at 13, and in the Sixth Form, with some places available at other year groups. Younger candidates are assessed through age-appropriate tests in English, mathematics, and reasoning, alongside an interview, while those entering at 13 or 14 take a pre-test and interview. Sixth Form entry is based on GCSE results and an interview. Families are encouraged to register in good time. Scholarships are available at the main entry points, alongside means-tested bursaries.
In Essence
For a child who would relish a serious musical life alongside a broad academic one, Oakham brings together a distinguished musical tradition and the choice of both A Levels and the International Baccalaureate, in a settled community at the heart of one of England's most peaceful counties.