A Network of Global Connections

Every pupil who joins Oundle School becomes part of a lifelong community which has a presence in all corners of the globe. Through the Old Oundelian (OO) Club, former pupils can gain support at various stages of their careers from others experienced in their field, as well as coming together for fun and friendship at a wide variety of hosted events. The Oundle Society brings the whole community together, including current and former parents, in the support of the School and its charitable educational objectives.

ON A RECENT OVERSEAS TRIP, I SAW FIRST-HAND THE GENUINE CONNECTION BETWEEN OUNDLE’S GLOBAL NETWORK OF ALUMNI, CURRENT FAMILIES AND PROSPECTIVE FAMILIESIT PROVIDES A WONDERFULLY DIVERSE PERSPECTIVE AND INVALUABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR NETWORKING, MENTORING AND FRIENDSHIP. AS A HOUSEMISTRESS, IT IS ALWAYS HEART-WARMING TO HEAR FROM OOS, LONG AFTER THEY HAVE LEFT SCHOOL, ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FRIENDSHIPS FORGED IN OUNDLE’S BOARDING HOUSES AND HOW THESE HAVE ENDURED REGARDLESS OF WHERE IN THE WORLD THEY HAVE MADE HOME.”

Sarah Johnson, Housemistress and Assistant Registrar

In major centres of business such as Hong Kong and New York, events are frequently attended by OOs who happen to be passing through, enabling them to enjoy a convivial time amongst friends with a common background and to establish new contacts in new places. As overseas trips are reprised following the pandemic, further opportunities to facilitate connections between prospective parents are being developed.

The Oundle Society comprises some 15,000 former pupils, parents, friends and supporters of the School who live in 77 countries around the world, including over 9,000 OOs residing in the UK. There are concentrations of more than 30 active OOs in eleven of these countries, and more than 100 in four of them.

Objective 5

To Nurture Global Contributors

It is our responsibility to develop in our pupils the strength of character, the authentic self-confidence and the qualities of humility, grit and resilience both to flourish in the decades ahead and to give of themselves to all the communities to which they belong as global contributors.

Partnerships and Outreach

Oundle continues to seek to be a leader in demonstrating the potential for effective cross-sector collaboration. Our programmes continue to provide opportunity for our own pupils as well as impacting upon those outside our doors. Our strength in STEM continues to develop an increasing number of partnerships. Both Imperial College London and Swansea University have been leading supporters of ExpertEdLive online and we have welcomed visitors from both to Oundle for seminars and lectures. As part of a successful DfE funding bid for £20,000, Head of STEM Outreach, Steve Adams, led Physics teacher training for teachers from the Oundle, Peterborough and East Northants (OPEN) Learning Partnership. The funding covers the costs to schools of having teachers attend the training and each partner school has committed to developing an additional two teachers to teach GCSE, as well as one to teach A level in the important shortage subject of Physics. The project will continue next year when we hope to make it open to more schools.

Over 10,000 attended in-person events, with 345 of these attending regular/ intensive courses or academic support

Our online offering through ExpertEdLive saw a total attendance of over 20,000

Over 1,000 pupils benefitted from opportunities in Debating, Creative Writing, Art, History, preparation for university (including Medicine/Veterinary Science) and cross-curricular events.

HAVING BEEN IN THE ROLE OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE OUTREACH FELLOW AT OUNDLE SCHOOL FOR SOME TIME NOW, I CAN SAFELY SAY IT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE. I HAVE NOT ONLY BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH PUPILS IN A CLASSROOM SETTING BUT ALSO AT AFTER SCHOOL SCIENCE CLUBS OR IN ROCKET CAR WORKSHOPS. WORKING WITH SUCH ENTHUSIASTIC PUPILS AND SHARING MY PASSION FOR STEM IS SUCH AN EXHILARATING AND CONTAGIOUS FEELING – ONE THAT I MUST ADMIT, I HAVE BECOME RATHER ADDICTED TO!”

Anudi Bandara, Aeronautical Engineer and Imperial College London Outreach Fellow at Oundle School, 2022-2024

SCITT (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training)

The troubled national picture of teacher recruitment has been well documented and the SCITT programme has not been immune to such challenges. Last year nine trainees on the Oundle scheme qualified into the teaching profession across the shortage areas of Modern Foreign Languages, Maths and Physics, and are now teaching in state schools. Bursaries have since increased and we are hopeful of attracting more trainees next year, while also focussing on mentorship at our partnership schools. Oundle’s new state-of-the-art teaching laboratory, representative of those found in US universities, has just opened in the 2022/2023 academic year and we look forward to reporting on its impact in future editions.

Community Action (CA)

Over 350 pupils and 50 staff members continue to be involved in 75+ CA activities over seven days of the week, totalling 15,000+ hours.

One of the biggest achievements was reaching the National Finals of the Goldsmiths’ Company Community Engagement Awards, with an impressive presentation and Q&A session undertaken by five pupils: Jeremy Wong (G U6), Jennifer Yang (N U6), Eliza Denham (K L6), Constance Turner (Sn L6) and Arya Samrai (K L6).

Other highlights included:

100 pupils raising over £10,000 for St Basils through the Sleepout, supporting young homeless people aged 16 - 25

Inspiring talks in October from a sustainable fashion brand and a wildlife charity in Africa

300 visitors at the first Have a Go Day since September 2019.