Oundle is a great school and I really did love it, but the one area I think they genuinely need to look at is what happens after Oundle. Which might be relevant in this instance I dont know.
Oxbridge – Exceptional, just not getting as many students in over the last 10 years. A lot of that is down to national changes (state school quotas etc.). I don't think the school has less intellectual talent. Some rejections were honestly baffling.
Russell Group – Very Strong.
Now for the bit people don’t always talk about…
US applications – This is weak. For a school of this calibre, the support just isn’t on the same level as everything else. More students should be reaching Ivy level, and the scholarship guidance really needs improvement.
Europe – Because it’s not an IB school, fewer look at Europe anyway, but even those who are interested don’t get much encouragement or structure.
Overall
When it comes to leaving Oundle, those who maybe don’t want an academic uni path I would encourage to take charge themselves. And sometimes actually push back on Oundle. In my experience (and that of a lot of Oundelians I know), the school could improve its support.
Too many bright students get nudged into the default “good grades → academic degree → RG/Oxbridge” route simply because they can, not because it fits them. I know so many very frustrated who ended up doing creative master’s degrees later because they were quietly steered into something “sensible” at 18 when they’d always known they were an actor, filmmaker, musician, etc. Which is ironic because Oundle produces some seriously talented creatives.
Most do eventually figure themselves out, but it can make their twenties more chaotic than they needed to be. Maybe all schools are like this, I don’t know, but most Oundelians I’ve spoken to agree it’s an area the school could improve.
And honestly, I do laugh at some of the Oundle negatives on here because most of them are nonsense The negatives are harder to spot, and this is one of them.