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House values

The excellent House spirit stems from the boys throwing themselves enthusiastically into a wide range of academic and extra-curricular activities, with values such as integrity, mutual respect, friendliness, camaraderie and trying your best in whatever you do highly prized.

The House team

Housemaster, Scott Jessop, came to teaching after a decade in the City and joined Oundle in 2010 to teach Modern Languages. He is Head of Life of Learning, the school-wide programme of Scholarship, and looks after the Academic Scholars. A keen sportsman, he coaches rugby and cricket and also enjoys reading and the outdoors. Making up the team at School House are Deputy Housemaster, Tim Hipperson (English), Matron, Rachel White and a team of dedicated Tutors.

Your House is the place where you belong, where you will work, make friends and relax, and where you can be yourself. Strive to do your best and throw yourself into life here with as much energy and enthusiasm as you can muster…that way you should get a huge amount out of School life and School House in particular.

Scott Jessop, Housemaster

Life in School House

Daily life in School House reflects the rhythm and richness of Oundle’s full-boarding ethos. Boys live, learn and grow together in a community that is both busy and balanced – shaped by shared routines, strong relationships and a deep sense of belonging.

  • There are plenty of House activities, trips, competitions, sporting events, plays, and dinners to get involved in, ensuring camaraderie and friendship across year groups
  • Shared spaces including common rooms, the games room, prep rooms and a courtyard for cricket bring everyone together in a relaxed and informal way
  • Mealtimes are taken together as a House, offering daily moments for laughter and connection
  • There’s quiet time scheduled after supper each day for prep and House tutors are on hand to provide steady academic and pastoral support across School life
  • Older pupils take the lead in guiding the younger ones, helping new boys settle quickly and feel part of the House from day one.

Take a look inside School House

What our pupils think

School House is blessed with lots of social space both indoors and outdoors. By special agreement with the Head, we’re are allowed to use the bigger grass space under his office for games evenings and weekends and often goalposts get moved around there for a mass game across different year groups if that is your thing.

Indoors, there are no fewer than three common rooms – the cosy junior basement space is for films, board games and table football, the middle CR has a dartboard and a chess board, while the main TV room is the main social hub with Sky Movies, Sky Sports and a pool table. There is also a House Library – the real chess hub in the house.

A brief history

By tradition School House was originally the residence of the Headmaster and there has been a School House at Oundle since 1556.

The name of ‘School House’ was originally given to the former Guildhall, purchased for the newly endowed School in 1557. Later, the Houses forming the east side of the Cloisters were named School House in 1799, accommodating the Headmaster and pupils. With the expansion of boarding numbers, the site for the current School House was chosen in the centre of town in 1885, and continued to provide accommodation for the Headmaster.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOUSES AT OUNDLE

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