SPOTLIGHT Learning for Life

Learning for Life is a graduated and tailored programme across all year groups which aims to help pupils develop good character and make wise choices, equipping them not just with knowledge but a greater self-awareness, confidence and resilience. It supports pupils to approach life from a practical and personal perspective, as well as preparing them as thoroughly and pragmatically as possible for life at university and beyond.

Since its inception, the programme has expanded significantly, integrating with the Emotional Wellbeing Team, the Pupil Pastoral Forum and many other areas of School life such as Community Action, the Stahl Theatre, Houses and the myriad of pupil-led societies and groups. It is further enhanced by external partnerships with organisations including Bold Voices, the Breck Foundation, the Money Charity, IT Happens and The Daniel SpargoMabbs Foundation who offer specialist workshops, talks and discussion groups. This opportunity for pupils to hear personal stories and anecdotes from people with different perspectives and experiences is invaluable in helping relate what they learn to real life.

Pupil voice is key, with the range of topical issues discussed this year including unconscious bias, addiction, writing a CV and fake news. Many of these are delivered through year group Assemblies alongside the core programme. A former bank manager and financial advisor gave workshops on credit and saving, while a number of workshops were included in the post-GCSE programme, including media literacy, financial planning and budgeting. The recent introduction of parental webinars, led both by specialists and staff, has become integral to Learning for Life, ensuring School and home are working in partnership.

First Form

MICHAELMAS TERM

• Transition to Oundle • Making friends

• Banter v bullying • Self-control • How to look after your body

• Healthy eating • Self esteem and body image

• Puberty • External Talk - Relationships (It Happens)

• FGM • Period poverty

LENT TERM

• Money

• Anxiety • Charity • Relationships • Family

• Grief • Career stereotypes • LGBTQIA+ • Neurodiversity

SUMMER TERM

• Racism • Vaccination • Alcohol and caffeine

• Online safety • Online Safety Project

• First aid: allergies • Team building

Key Sixth Form Talks

LOWER SIXTH

• Money and foundation (Financial planning)

• Making safer choices (Fiona Spargo-Mabbs)

UPPER SIXTH

• Money and foundation (Financial planning)

• Preparing our teens for the unspoken at university (Bold Voices)

Second Form

MICHAELMAS TERM

• Transition to Second Form • Government

• Racism • How to give back to society

• Discrimination

• Fashion’s dirty secrets • Healthy relationships

• Consent

• Safer online relationships

• External Talk - Bodies (It Happens)

LENT TERM

• Q&A sex and relationships • Pregnancy and birth

• External Talk - Workshops on gender equality (Bold Voices)

• Neurodiversity • Contraception • Identity – Mental health

• Stress

SUMMER TERM

• Sleep • Addiction • Social media • Design a healthy social media app • Study skills

• Money matters • First aid

Third Form

MICHAELMAS TERM

• Staying safe • Friendship, banter, bullying

• External Talk - Substances (It Happens)

• Online world• Relationships and consent

• Relationships: sex • Gender stereotypes

LENT TERM

• Self-esteem and body image • Alcohol, smoking, vaping

• Drug abuse • County lines • Study skills

• External Talk - Online Grooming (Breck Foundation)

SUMMER TERM

• Study skills • Citizenship

• Unconscious bias

• Fake news • HIV

Fourth Form

MICHAELMAS TERM

• Democracy and referendums • Fake news

• External Talk - Isla Van Tricht: PornographyAn Open Conversation • Drugs • Consent, STIs, Contraception

LENT TERM

• External Talk - Lessons with The Money Charity

• Contraception and STIs • Q&A sex and relationships

FIFTH FORM

MICHAELMAS TERM

• External Talk - Hyphen: We’re OK

• Careers and employability

• Work experience

• CV writing

LENT TERM

• Personal finance

• Contraception and STIs

• Pregnancy choices • Relationships, gender, sexuality

• External Talk - Festivals (It Happens)

• Revenge porn

SUMMER TERM

• Pleasure v porn

• Gambling

• Drugs: just say know

• Unhealthy relationships • Money

• Extremism • Pornography

SUMMER TERM

Gender, sex, sexuality • Family and parenting

• Alcohol • First aid

Objective 3

To Maximise Financial Performance

The Corporation of Oundle School comprises two Schools, Oundle School and Laxton Junior School, as well as the separately governed Oundle School Foundation. The Governing Body remains committed to offering value for money by ensuring optimum efficiency and sound financial management, whilst securing its core objective of providing an education of the highest class.

Key to the financial strength of the Schools is income generation beyond fees and the growth of the Foundation’s endowment fund. Both remain priorities for the Governors and the Strategic Plan has highlighted areas where additional income might be gained.

The Governors’ policy, true to the guiding principles of the School’s Foundation and Royal Charter, is that access to the education offered should not be restricted only to those who can afford the fees. Pupils benefit from learning within a diverse community and the Bursary policy, ethos and activities contribute to widening access to education and facilities. Oundle Scholarships are now, in the majority of cases, honorary in nature with the funding having moved to the support of Bursaries. The School now provisions a sum equivalent to 8-9% of fee income for financial assistance to the families of children who would most benefit from an Oundle education. The aim remains to grow this to 10% in the coming years.

The consolidated accounts for the year ending 31 July 2022 showed that the total funds, comprising all assets, held by the School are £132,555,000. The Governors note that the £20m HSBC facility has been reduced to £8.5m currently, which provides sufficient liquidity for the Schools’ needs at present. The Governors consider that access to liquidity is a priority and that the Schools can, with reasonable accuracy, predict their income levels with a long notice period of change. The Governors have set a minimum level for liquid assets of £4,200,000 (defined as cash at bank and in hand and bonds with a maturity of less than one year), equivalent to six weeks’ expenditure, which has been achieved at the yearend. Liquid assets at 31 July 2022 were £10,541,000, meaning this target was exceeded. It is, however, recognised that in the event of an unexpected event, fee income might reduce very suddenly. The need for day-to-day working capital is met by careful management of short-term liquid resources. The Governors believe that the School will continue to generate reserves which, combined with donations and prudent use of banking facilities, should generate resources to fund its continued development.

THE GOVERNORS ARE AWARE THAT WHILST FAMILIES ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE BEST POSSIBLE EDUCATION AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEIR CHILDREN, THE FINANCIAL COST OF ACHIEVING THOSE AIMS IS HIGH. EVERY EFFORT IS MADE TO REVIEW OPERATING COSTS AND TO ENSURE VALUE FOR MONEY IS OBTAINED FOR EXPENDITURE. THE AIM IS TO LIMIT AS FAR AS POSSIBLE THE GROWTH IN FEES, WHILST ENSURING THAT QUALITATIVE STANDARDS ARE MAINTAINED AND A SMALL SURPLUS IS GENERATED TO INVEST IN THE ONGOING CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME.”