Joining Oundle at 11+ opens a window to the extensive opportunities and facilities offered by a large boarding school, with the added appeal of being part of a thriving market town in the heart of glorious countryside, within easy reach of London and under an hour from Cambridge.
Each year, over fifty pupils join Oundle at 11+ as either boarders or day children, moving seamlessly through to a senior House at 13+. Our focus through these two crucial years is to develop intellectual curiosity, shape academic potential and establish positive habits for lifelong learning, all while nurturing growth in independence and self-organisation. Boarders enter The Berrystead, our junior boarding House, and day pupils enter Scott House, located adjacent to The Berrystead. Both Houses share beautiful and extensive grounds and facilities, while also benefitting from their own dedicated spaces. Working alongside each House team is our Head of Lower Years, who ensures that pupils benefit from a continuity of learning as they join at 11+ and move into Third Form.
Boarding at 11+ is a wonderful opportunity to develop independence and responsibility. All of our boarders are part of a large, extended family and each child plays an active role in contributing to the happiness of the whole House. At this stage, boys and girls board together in a relatively small but close House community, teaching them to live in harmony and to develop a better understanding of the opposite gender with regard to feelings, reactions and approaches.
We have 40+ boarders across the two year groups, the majority of whom are full boarders. We also offer weekly boarding at both 11+ and 12+, with an additional 3 day model at 11+, recognising that some children at this age need a little more time to adjust to full boarding. For those pupils who ultimately want to board but don’t feel quite ready yet, these options therefore provide an ideal stepping stone to full boarding in our senior Houses at 13+.
We pride ourselves on our breadth and depth of academic subjects at 11+ through into Third Form, as well as our extensive co-curriculum. All of our subjects are taught by specialist teachers who teach right through to I/GCSE and A level. This enables our younger children to gain true mastery of their subjects and builds a solid foundation for their academic lives ahead.
Discover more about our Saturday enrichment programme carefully crafted to benefit our youngest pupils in both their academic progression and their wider development. Taking place on Saturday mornings, Omnia offers a whole range of activities to whet their appetite, from Robotics to Trashion and from Climbing to Upcycling.
Discover moreWe appreciate that every admissions journey will be slightly different, but the summary below details the key steps for those looking to join Oundle at 11+. A small number of 12+ boarding places are also normally available each year. Our Admissions team would be happy to discuss your options and explain the entry process for joining Oundle in our Second Form. For key Admissions dates for 2025, please click here.
Laxton Junior School is our 4-11 day school and the vast majority of pupils progress from here to Oundle. The admissions process for LJS pupils is slightly different – please visit the LJS website to find out more.
Our tailored 11+ Open Days take place in September and June. Find out more about our upcoming Open Days or how to book an individual visit here.
Registration forms are available on request from the Admissions Office and a £300 non-refundable registration fee is also required at this stage.
For those applying outside of the UK, it would be advantageous for all applicants from overseas to provide us with a UKiset report prior to registration. UKiset is an adaptive cognitive test measuring underlying ability and language proficiency.
All applicants from mainland China should contact our official representative. Please see the link below for more information:
Assessments usually take place in mid-January.
Children sitting the 11+ Entrance Examination take papers in Mathematics, English and a Cognitive Ability Test. Those sitting the papers at Oundle have an informal interview, and prospective boarders enjoy an overnight stay in our junior boarding House.
All overseas applicants follow the same entrance procedure and sit the same entrance papers as UK candidates. Those not taking the examination at Oundle School should arrange to sit them at a British Council Office.
Past papers for 11+ entrance and scholarship examinations can be found here.
Music Scholarships and Academic Exhibitions are available at this level of entry.
Families requiring financial assistance are encouraged to enquire about our means-tested bursaries as early in the process as possible.
Please explore the links below to find out more.
Offers are usually made, following assessments, towards the end of January. Upon acceptance of a place an acceptance fee and deposit are payable.
The application deadline for 11+ entry in September 2025 is Monday 4 November 2024. Please contact Admissions if you would like to arrange a visit or find out more about the application process.
Enquiries, visits and registrations are welcome. Please contact Admissions if you would like to arrange a visit or for any further information we can help you with.
Throw yourself into things with energy and enthusiasm and you will get a great deal out of being part of this special place. You will also make some important and lasting friendships in the process.Junior Housemistress
Enquiries for both boarding and day places are made through the Admissions Office. Prospective families are warmly invited to contact the Admissions team to find out more and to explore a visiting option that works for you.
T: +44 (0)1832 277125
E: admissions@oundleschool.org.uk
