Oakham School
Oakham School is a co-ed boarding and day school in Oakham, Rutland, educating pupils aged 11 - 18 and founded in 1584. Boarding fees are £14,574 - £18,570 per term. Our advice on this school is independent and free.
- Type
- Co-ed boarding & day
- Boarders from
- 11 - 18
- Ethos
- Church of England
- Guardian required
- Yes
About Oakham
The story, ethos and character of Oakham.
- Setting
- Town
- Ethos
- Church of England
- Head
- Mr Henry Price
Oakham is one of the UK's leading fully co-educational boarding and day schools for 11 to 18 year olds offering GCSEs/IGCSEs at the end of Year 11, and A-levels, IB and BTECs in the Sixth Form. Oakham School offers a superb, well-rounded education within a warm, globally minded community.
With a strong boarding tradition for both UK and international students and excellent pastoral care, pupils grow in confidence, develop strong relationships, and thrive academically and personally. Set in the centre of Oakham - named one of the UK's best places to live in 2025 - in the heart of England, the school provides a safe, walkable environment just minutes from the historic town centre.
The beautiful, easy-to-navigate campus features boarding and day houses around shared central facilities, including 40 acres of sports pitches, six art and DT studios, a university-quality library, and a 200-seat theatre.
What the school is known for? Both IB and A Levels offered in the Upper School alongside BTECs. Sport - Olympic and senior international-level alumni Award-winning careers and progression department Music Drama Art Design & Technology Dof E - Bronze, Silver and Gold Combined Cadet Force Unique location in an historic market town, to Rutland Water School history Oakham School is a vibrant, inclusive community - equally balanced between girls and boys, boarders and day pupils.
This dynamic mix reflects centuries of evolution, rooted in tradition yet driven by innovation. Founded in 1584 by Archdeacon Robert Johnson, Oakham School began as a of classical learning for local boys, with the Schoolmaster teaching Greek, Latin, and Hebrew.
Read the full Oakham profile
Enter your email to unlock academics, boarding life, admissions, fees & funding, location and photos — free, and for every school on this site.
- Full academics, boarding, admissions & fees detail
- Photo galleries and location guides
- Independent, free advice — no spam, ever
Academics at Oakham
What pupils study at Oakham — and where it takes them.
they are taught. Like many schools, we are able to help our pupils to achieve outstanding results in their examinations; the Oakham difference is that our genuinely holistic approach to education via our Connected Curriculum teaches our pupils how to take their studies further and rise to the intellectual challenges that they will encounter in their later lives.
Performing and creative arts Through our exciting and challenging Drama and Dance curriculum, we aim to nurture artistic and creative talent in all our pupils and instil in them a lifelong love of theatre. All pupils from Year 7 to Year 9 study a programme of Drama and Dance, encouraging them to develop their movement, performance skills and creativity.
Programmes offered
Subjects offered
Where our leavers go
Overview In 2025 90% of applicants are into a university of their choice. 10% have chosen a gap year of travel, volunteering, work experience and 1 student is studying for a prestigious employer-sponsored degree with Dyson.
The most popular university courses are Business and Management (29), Medicine and Medical Courses (14), Politics and International Relations (15), and History (11). Several students are at international universities, including the University of Pennsylvania (Ivy League), Arizona State, USA, IE and ESADE, Spain, Bocconi, Italy, TU Eindhoven and Erasmus in the Netherlands.
Most popular UK university destinations 1 Durham 2 Newcastle 3 = Northumbria, Exeter 5 = Leeds, Nottingham 7 = King's College London, Oxford Brookes 9 = Bath, Sheffield, University of the Arts London 12 = Nottingham Trent, Edinburgh, Bristol, Manchester, York Most Popular University Courses1. Economics and Subjects allied to Business (58)2.
Psychology and Sociology (19)3. Creative Arts, Culture and Design (14)4.
History and Classics (11)5. Law (10)6.
Politics and International Relations (10)7. Medicine and Clinical Courses (8)8.
Natural Sciences (8)9. Languages (8)10.
Engineering (7)11. Geography (7) Careers Oakham's award-winning Careers Department equips every student with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about life beyond School.
Led by a full-time Head of Careers and Progression, who is a qualified careers advisor registered with the Careers Development Institute (CDI), our team includes a full-time UCAS and Careers Coordinator, a dedicated Work Experience and Apprenticeships Officer, and specialists for Oxbridge and Clinical applications. We provide exceptional careers advice through an in-house Careers Programme supporting students to: Make informed academic choices in Forms 3-5 (Years 9-11).
Develop skills and awareness to navigate the modern workplace. Apply for opportunities post-Oakham, including UK universities, overseas study, and degree apprenticeships.
Figures are indicative — contact us for the latest results.
Boarding at Oakham
Day-to-day boarding life and pastoral care at Oakham.
- Boarding houses
- Girls 4, Boys 4, Mixed 1
- Exeat weekends
- Yes
- Guardian required
- Yes
- Saturday lessons
- Yes
is vibrant and varied, with access to superb facilities and over 125 weekly activities - from drama and music to Dof E, CCF and 30 sports. Weekends are packed with fixtures, trips, and socials. A 24/7 medicaland pastoral centre supports pupils' wellbeing.
Each of our Boarding Houses is also home to the Housemaster or Housemistress and their families, so the pupils are very much part of their extended family. The Housemaster or Housemistress is supported by two Resident Tutors, a Matron, and tutors who do evening duties in House, in addition to their work with their tutor group.
A genuine home away from home
Boarding at Oakham is an exciting experience, filled with unmatched opportunities and the chance to make friends for life. Our exceptional pastoral care team ensures that pupils feel safe and well looked-after throughout their time at the School.
Each of our Boarding Houses is also home to the Housemaster or Housemistress and their families, so the pupils are very much part of their extended family. The Housemaster or Housemistress is supported by two Resident Tutors, a Matron, and tutors who do evening duties in House, in addition to their work with their tutor group.
We can arrange trusted UK guardianship for international families.
Oakham admissions
How children join Oakham, and how we make it simple.
Tell us about your child
Share their age, interests and what you're looking for. Our advice is completely free.
We shortlist & introduce
We match you to the right schools and make the introductions to their admissions teams.
Assessment, offer & enrolment
We guide you through entrance assessments and interviews, and handle visas and guardianship if needed.
What you'll typically need
- Recent school reports or transcript
- Passport copy
- English-language evidence (if applicable)
- Completed registration form
- A reference from the current school
Flexible entry dates available for Years 9 and below dependent on spaces being available. Latest entry date for joining Year 12 entry is October. We welcome all enquires though so please do contact us to discuss individual cases. Special notes to agents about entry to the school We encourage agents to contact us regularly with space availability queries - as we all know, situations change and we can sometimes have a become available with little notice.
Application procedure and entrance tests Please email us to check space availability, giving an overview of the pupil and attaching their most recent school report. We will confirm that we can offer what they are looking for, and then ask for a completed Registration Form and Registration Fee to start the application process.
As your advisors we manage the application end-to-end at no cost.
Oakham fees & funding
What Oakham costs, what's included, and how we help with funding.
What termly boarding fees include
- Tuition
- Boarding accommodation
- All meals
- Pastoral & house care
- Most academic materials
Funding & scholarships
Registration deposits, EAL tuition, uniform and trips are usually charged separately. Many schools offer academic, sport, music and art scholarships plus means-tested bursaries — ask us and we'll send a full, current breakdown for Oakham.
Fees change year to year and by entry point. As your independent advisors we hold up-to-date figures and can compare Oakham against similar schools so you know exactly what to budget.
Figures shown are the latest we hold — we'll confirm current fees on enquiry.
Oakham location & travel
Where Oakham is, and how to get there.
Travel details Address Chapel Close, Market Place, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6DT, England Airport transfer Oakham School has a good relationship with local executive car firms who provide airport transfer services to pupils and visitors to Oakham.
Please contact Admissions if you would like more details. admissions@oakham. rutland. sch. uk Travel time to London by train Less than 2 hours Telephone +44 (0)1572 758758 Website https://www. oakham. rutland. sch. uk/ Most convenient airports Airport Distance (miles) Drive time (minutes) 1.
Inside Oakham
Oakham — frequently asked questions
Where is Oakham?
How much are Oakham boarding fees?
What ages does Oakham take?
Is Oakham co-educational?
When was Oakham founded?
Does Oakham require a UK guardian?
How many pupils study A-levels at Oakham?
What qualifications does Oakham offer?
Does Oakham support SEN or EAL students?
How many boarding houses does Oakham have?
Are there compulsory exeat weekends at Oakham?
Does Oakham have Saturday lessons?
How do I apply to Oakham?
Does Oakham accept international students?
How much does Oakham cost?
What's included in Oakham's fees?
Are scholarships or bursaries available?
Where exactly is Oakham?
Considering Oakham for your child?
We've visited the schools and know the staff. Tell us what you're looking for and we'll guide you — our advice is always free.
Ask us about Oakham