A word from our Head Boy and his Deputy
Head Boy
‘My name is Tom McNally and I am Head Boy. I have been at Oakham since I was 10 years old when I started in Lower One. I began in Sargants House as a day pupil and then moved into Clipsham House in the Third Form. I live locally in Braunston, a small village just outside of Oakham. I am currently studying A-level Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Mathematics with an aim to study Medicine at University
To me Oakham School is a school like no other. It offers such a breadth of different opportunities and whether it be sport, music, drama or art there is always something going on that you can try. One aspect that makes Oakham so special is the fact that, regardless of your ability, you are always encouraged to take part in new experiences by the staff. The School nurtures self-confidence to let you have the courage to take part in new activities that may be out of your comfort zone and to aspire to great things once you leave the school. There is always a really positive atmosphere and the close community makes it a great place to be.
Sport, for me, has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of life at Oakham, whether it is house ping-pong or first team hockey or squash. However, there is so much more Oakham has to offer than sport no matter what your interests. We are immensely fortunate to have a fantastic music and drama department. I have found great pleasure in playing the saxophone and performing for the big band.
We are so lucky to have an enthusiastic teaching staff who organise a huge range of extra curricular activities. Throughout the year there is an endless variety of events arranged for students from picnics, cinema and bowling trips to sports tours and expeditions around the world as far afield as Borneo and Nepal for example. There is no such thing as a bored Oakhamian. Fitting in everything around academic studies can sometimes be challenging but it is definitely possible. The School helps you develop strong organisational and prioritizing skills, both of which are very important for later in life.
From Jerwoods right through to Upper School there have been many highlights for me. One particular highlight for me was last summer’s sports tour to South Africa. Over 100 students went to Durban and Cape Town accompanied by a strong teaching staff team. There were rugby, netball and hockey teams who were all up against tough South African competition. It was not only a great sporting experience, but it was also unforgettable to be immersed into the local culture by staying with host families and completing our charity ‘shoe drop’ day for the ‘Bobs for Good’ charity in some of the deprived areas surrounding Cape Town. It is a trip I will never forget.
Another highlight for me is being chosen to be 1st Team Hockey Captain for the 2012 -2013 season. This is a great honour and has been something I have aspired to since the U11 Lower One team in Jerwoods. This year has seen several very young 1st team players not only in hockey but many other sports so we look set for a fantastic year of Oakham sport.
You will never find yourself bored at Oakham and at times you will be very busy, but I can say with confidence that you will love almost every second! Your time here goes extremely quickly, so enjoy it and get involved!’
Deputy Head Boy
‘My name is Oliver Hadfield, I am Deputy Head Boy. I have been a day boarder in Wharflands and I arrived in the Third Form.
Oakham for me is a community where students push themselves to achieve the best they can at whatever they do. However Oakham is also very much about team work. The Oakham community is based on working together and communicating and that applies if you are a member of a school choir or if you are a part of one of the many sports teams, and I believe this balance of the ‘total curriculum’ is what defines Oakham making it so special.
The two fondest memories I have from my time at Oakham so far come from taking part in the Rugby Tour to South Africa and my Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition which saw us cycling from coast to coast. Touring in South Africa was a truly memorable experience. Our DoE cycling trip from coast to coast was the hardest I had been on, the weather was poor and we had to cover around 200 miles on our bikes in just four days. The expedition taught me how understanding is so critical for a team to function and how comradeship is just as important as ability, as I know without my friends on this trip it would have been so much harder to succeed.
The best advice I could give to someone coming in to Oakham is to be open minded. There is always so much going on at Oakham don’t be afraid to just jump into the deep end and immerse yourself in something new.