(From The Oundelian, published June 2020)
With the completion of the new Sports Centre now within reach, it seems like this is a good time to reflect on the future of the fabric of Oundle School – its bricks and mortar – and to ponder at what we start crossing the line from creating an ultra-modern environment to losing some of the School’s charm. There are merits to both sides. On the one hand, it feels important to preserve something of the School as it would have appeared in bygone generations, while on the other, new buildings may give a more enriching experience at Oundle as a pupil, perhaps even helping the School to compete as a business.
The Cloisters, formally opened in 1883, stands tall on Remembrance Day.
"I hope that the historic buildings of the School such as Cloisters and the Chapel will remain in order to protect the charm of the entire area. If these buildings were to undergo a radical facelift, what makes Oundle, among other public schools, special would be completely erased"George Hayles, St Anthony
It seems to be the consensus in the modern era that for a public school to succeed it must keep up-to-date in all facilities. The old Sports Centre has an outdated pool and unappealing look, and the building of a new one may well encourage prospective parents to send their children to Oundle. However, I hope that the historic buildings of the School such as Cloisters and the Chapel will remain in order to protect the charm of the entire area.
If these buildings were to undergo radical a facelift, what makes Oundle, among other public schools, special would be completely erased. Indeed, I do not believe that this will happen in the foreseeable future, but it is important to remember what specifically it is that encourages the preservation of these historic buildings in case they ever come under threat.
When I look at Oundle, I see a history steeped with successes and failures, losses and victories. Once the School has been changed unrecognisably, it starts to lose this history.George Hayles, St Anthony
The history of public schools is a rich one, and is most certainly packed full of culture that makes them so quintessentially English. Every time a room in Cloisters is repainted, an old desk on which a boy carved his name fifty years ago is replaced, or a brightly coloured carpet that takes away from the majesty of the site is lain, this history which we pride ourselves in is being lost to time.
When I look at Oundle, I see a history steeped with successes and failures, losses and victories. Once the School has been changed unrecognisably, it starts to lose this history. So I would say that, although I understand that the school needs to somewhat compete as a part of an efficient business model, it is absolutely essential that we help to protect what it means to be engaged with this historic part of our society.
