Head of Biology

Oundle School is a leading coeducational boarding and day school for pupils aged 11 to 18, set within the historic market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire. More than 1,150 pupils attend the School, around three quarters of whom board.

Oundle is distinctive in both setting and spirit. Its buildings are woven throughout the town rather than enclosed within a single campus, creating a strong sense of place and a natural connection with the wider community. Its scale provides an exceptional breadth of academic, pastoral and co-curricular opportunity, while pupils and staff experience the School through smaller communities, particularly Houses, departments and tutor groups.

The School combines academic ambition with a broad and humane understanding of education. Pupils are encouraged to think deeply, develop independence and involve themselves fully in the life around them. They are curious, engaging and ambitious, often confident without showiness. The result is a culture of high expectations without unnecessary pressure, seriousness without self-importance and ambition without arrogance.

Education at Oundle

Oundle has a strong academic reputation and a long tradition of intellectual curiosity. Pupils respond well to teachers who bring energy, deep subject knowledge and genuine enthusiasm to the classroom.

The curriculum is deliberately broad, with a wide range of subjects at GCSE and A level, supported by academic societies, lectures, competitions, trips and research opportunities. Teachers are encouraged to foster independent thought rather than simply prepare pupils for examinations. Discussion, questioning and intellectual exploration are central to the classroom experience, with pupils taking increasing responsibility for their own learning.

There is rigour in the classroom, but also humour, enjoyment and a strong sense that learning should open possibilities. Academic outcomes are consistently strong, but Oundle’s educational ambition extends beyond results. The School is interested in how pupils think, how they respond to challenge and how they develop the judgement and confidence needed for life beyond School.

Oundle has a longstanding association with science, engineering and practical problem-solving. This continues through SciTec, which brings together Science, Mathematics, Design, Technology and Engineering. Alongside it sits an equally rich culture of languages, humanities, creative arts and performance.

Life beyond lessons is integral to the pupil experience. Sport, music, drama, clubs, societies, outdoor education, service and community engagement are part of the wider education Oundle seeks to provide. Pupils are encouraged to participate wholeheartedly, whether pursuing an activity at the highest level or trying something for the first time.

Pastoral care and community

Oundle is a seven-day-a-week boarding school. It has a full boarding ethos and this is one of its greatest strengths for both boarders and day pupils. It is a big School with a big heart and whilst its size may seem daunting initially, it is carefully mitigated by the secure, smaller havens of the Houses and tutor groups. Effective care and support for pupils is ingrained in every aspect of pupils’ School lives. From the carefully structured House tutorial system to the informal, yet highly intuitive relationships that pupils form with supportive staff, Oundelians always have someone to turn to and someone to look out for them.Pastoral care is central to life at Oundle. The School is large enough to offer exceptional opportunity, but pupils are known and supported within close pastoral structures.

Houses are at the heart of the School. They provide pupils with continuity, belonging and a secure base from which to approach the wider life of Oundle. House staff, Tutors, Matrons, teachers and specialist pastoral teams work closely together, creating a network of support around each pupil.

Oundle’s full boarding model creates a lively seven-day rhythm, encouraging independence, friendship and shared responsibility. Staff live and work alongside pupils, and relationships are shaped through everyday experience as much as through formal structures. Day pupils are fully part of this culture, belonging to Houses and participating in the wider life of the School.

Oundle does not expect pupils to follow a single path or fit a particular mould. They are encouraged to develop their own interests, form strong friendships and contribute in ways that are authentic to them.

Working at Oundle

Oundle is a substantial and varied organisation, but it retains a strong sense of shared purpose. Academic and support staff contribute in different ways to a common undertaking: creating an environment in which young people can grow intellectually, socially and personally.

Staff are trusted to exercise professional judgement and encouraged to bring their own interests, expertise and personality to their work. There is a strong culture of contribution. Colleagues support one another, notice what needs doing and understand that the quality of School life depends on people being willing to play their part.

The pace of School life can be demanding, particularly within a full boarding environment. It is also varied, communal and rewarding. Staff work with pupils whose energy, curiosity and willingness to engage bring vitality to daily life, and they are able to see young people grow across the classroom, the House and the wider life of the School.

Oundle has a large and varied workforce, including teachers, pastoral staff, technicians, administrators, operational teams, catering staff, grounds staff and healthcare professionals. Every role contributes to the daily life of the School.

The School values people who are thoughtful, committed and generous in their approach. It is less interested in polish or performance than in substance, integrity and a genuine desire to contribute.

Professional development is taken seriously, with opportunities for staff to deepen their expertise, take on responsibility and contribute to wider School initiatives.

Location and history

Oundle is an attractive and lively market town with independent shops, cafés, pubs, restaurants and a strong local community. Peterborough is around 25 minutes away by car, with direct rail services to London King’s Cross taking approximately 50 minutes. Cambridge, Stamford, Leicester and Northampton are also within reach.

Oundle traces its history to 1556, when Sir William Laxton endowed a grammar school in the town where he had been educated. In the early twentieth century, Headmaster F W Sanderson transformed the School’s educational outlook, placing science, engineering, collaboration and learning through practical endeavour at its heart. His influence helped establish an approach to education that valued independent thought, shared enquiry and the practical application of knowledge.

That spirit of curiosity, purpose and practical imagination remains part of Oundle today as the School continues to evolve while remaining rooted in its founding purpose.

View Oundle School’s latest ISI report