Oakham School
11+ Admissions Guide 2026

Oakham School is a co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged between 10 and 18, located in Oakham, Rutland. Founded in 1584, the school maintains its Christian foundation and is a registered charity, with trustees providing its governance. The school has 16 single-sex houses, offering a range of day and boarding arrangements across lower, middle, and upper sixth form year groups. The school seeks to be a vibrant community, balancing an innovative modern outlook and traditional values with high-quality pastoral care, and aims to encourage a deep love of learning so that pupils develop into confident, well-grounded and motivated young adults. Pupils come from a range of professional backgrounds, with day pupils typically drawn from British families living within an approximate 40-mile radius of the school. Boarders join from across the UK and internationally. The school supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those for whom English is an additional language, and those identified as the most able or as having special talents in sport, music or drama.

Pupils may bring phones to school, but usage is carefully regulated. Younger pupils hand in their devices during the school day, while older pupils follow stricter visibility and usage guidelines. Mobile phones are permitted in Houses under HM supervision and may be used in lessons only with staff permission. Boarders follow additional routines to ensure phones do not disrupt prep or sleep.