Tutorial Support
Almost all members of the teaching staff are tutors, and this is a major part of their professional role. For many pupils the tutor is at the heart of their experience of Oakham School. Parents are encouraged to make the tutor the first port-of-call in any enquiry about academic matters.
Tutors are responsible for helping their tutees to gain the knowledge and skills needed to participate fully, both in life at school, and life after school. In this they are helped by a Chair of Year Tutors (one for each of Jerwoods, F3, F4 and F5), the PSHCE Co-ordinator (Personal, social, health and citizenship education), and the relevant section Head. Subject teachers keep tutors abreast of each individual's effort and attainment both formally through the reporting system and informally through conversations.
A tutor's role varies according to the year group, but all are responsible for managing the overall development of their tutees and maintain close contact with housemasters. Generally a tutor's role is to help each pupil to:
- make the most of their time at Oakham
- develop through the delivery of the School’s PSHCE syallbus
- achieve a healthy balance between academic and other activities such as sport or music
- set targets and organize their study time effectively
- manage university and other applications
- Tutors will also discuss the regular academic assessments and termly reports.
In the Lower and Middle School, tutors are attached to a particular house and are responsible for single year groups of about nine; in the Upper School, tutor groups typically average ten and are mixed. All pupils have a weekly tutorial period with their tutor group. Tutors are also expected to find time to listen and talk to tutees on a regular basis; this may be, for example, in house or in class, on the sports field or in lunch. Tutors also encourage and may organise informal activities with their groups; a meal in a restaurant, a cinema visit, a shopping trip, a cup of tea or even paintballing are examples.