Nearly seven years ago, we set our direction for the next decade. We started by establishing what really mattered to us: the answers that came back from all quarters – including from Old Oundelians – were remarkably consistent. We valued people – pupils and staff – and we valued doing things well; we valued richness of opportunity, and we valued our communities. With this bedrock established, we then set ourselves objectives. As we reached the end of this academic year, we’ve taken stock before setting out again.
''Our pupils want us to protect their future, which we do gladly and in step with them.''
Our first objective is to nurture global contributors. At its core, this drives us to ensure that Oundelians look up and out from their life in School, not down and in. The enormous growth of our partnerships and outreach work over the past five years has opened our pupils’ eyes to the world of education beyond Oundle in exciting ways. Many of our younger Old Oundelians have been particularly interested in this aspect of the School of today and offered welcome support. Something else that I believe will chime with many Old Oundelians is our commitment to a joined-up approach to reducing our carbon footprint. Our pupils are at the heart of this: they want us to protect their future, which we do gladly and in step with them.
”The pupils live and breathe an environment that embraces many kinds of skill and intelligence”
Our second objective is to be in control of our market. If we are to remain true to what we value, we must make sure that market forces don’t bend us out of shape. We have identified key ratios among the pupil body, between girls and boys, day and boarding and overseas and UK families and have committed to sticking to these. We also celebrate with great enthusiasm the joy of a full boarding ethos and keep it simple with regular fixed exeats.
Our third objective is to deliver a distinctive and outstanding education that prepares children for their adult lives. The distinctiveness is to be found in the way that we place the academic timetable within a context of other curricula and other kinds of learning in such a way that the pupils live and breathe an environment that embraces many kinds of skill and intelligence. Life lessons, scholarship for all, the delight of sport and physical activity, the centrality of mental health, strong conduits of a powerful and intelligent pupil voice: all these things give our pupils the understanding that life is a complex of challenges, synergies, tensions which is theirs to navigate with confidence.
''Our interwoven existence with such a beautiful place is what our pupils think of so fondly.''
Our fourth objective is to be associated with the very best of 21st century boarding and day education. This is hard to quantify, of course, but is what drives us. Despite some of our work here focusing on reestablishing fading norms where we believe them to be important such as the intrinsic educational value of a full boarding ethos, we have also refocused on the concept of a covenant of trust between School and parents in the shared wish that their children should flourish. More progressively, we seek to be market leaders in the way we care for our staff and in the thoughtful ways we foster strong pupil leadership. One of the best things about Oundle is, of course, Oundle: our interwoven existence with such a beautiful place is what our pupils think of so fondly.
''There is excitement here about what lies ahead for us''
Our fifth and final objective is to optimise financial performance. We are a school above all other things, but balancing the books is the surest way for us to continue to be the best school we can be. Supported by strong governance, we have responded positively to the financial pressures of Covid, returning the School to a surplus position. The Bursar engages all staff with the School’s financial performance so we feel that we are all in it together. Meanwhile the Sports Centre has boomed, outstripping all projections. Plans are well underway for the creation of McMurray House on the site of the former primary school, for example – a tribute to David McMurray, and a celebration of the coeducation he brought to Oundle.
Nothing stands still and there are challenges ahead for all independent schools, but there is excitement here about what lies ahead for us.
Head
