B Y R O YA L C H A R T E R O F Q U E E N E L I Z A B E T H I , 1 5 7 1

S T . O L A V E ’ S G R A M M A R S C H O O L

We look forward to welcoming you to...

“One of the finest schools in the country and a testament to thegrammar school system. A superb, inspirational place.”

Good Schools’ Guide

Her Majesty The Queen talking to St. Olave’s choristers at The Queen’s Chapel of The Savoy(Image by kind permission of the Duchy of Lancaster)

St. Olave’s Grammar School is a supportive community where excellence is both celebrated and sought after.ere is a broad focus on scholarship and cultural enrichment, underpinned by clear personal values.

Our philosophy is that when young people feel happy and secure then success will follow. We combine the besttraditions of English education with a dynamic, forward-looking approach. We hope to fire our students’imaginations, challenging them to chase their dreams and aim for the very top.

We admit boys, as well as girls in the 6th Form, to a school that is widely regarded as one of the nation’s finest.is prospectus will give you a flavour of life at St. Olave’s but to find out more please visit us, look around thecampus and talk to students and staff. You will be assured of a warm welcome and I shall be happy to answerany of your questions.

welcomeS T . O L A V E ’ S

Aydin ÖnaçHeadmaster

Over 450 years of distinguished history date back to the legacy of a Southwark brewer, Henry Leeke in 1561,and the subsequent Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth I in 1571. ey had the foresight to see the value ofeducation and to make it freely available – a tradition we are proud to continue to this day. As Shakespearedescribed our students in one of his plays and as founder John Harvard’s son went off to America to give hisname to the great university, the seeds of St. Olave’s began to grow.

We retain our links with Southwark and these inspirational figures through our annual Commemoration servicein Southwark Cathedral and by providing choristers for e Queen’s Chapel of e Savoy, part of the Duchy ofLancaster. We continue to champion the concept of social mobility by providing a first class education forbright students regardless of background.

More recently the Anglican Foundation of St. Olave’s and St. Saviour’s became a beneficiary of the DulwichEstate, helping to enrich our resources with a new 6thForm/Music block, two excellent libraries and thenewly converted Sports/Drama Hall.In addition to these 21st century facilities weare able to retain small class sizes withinspirational teachers who canchallenge and create a vibrantlearning environment.

in spirat ionS T . O L A V E ’ S

“An outstandingly effective school thatdeserves its high reputation.”

Ofsted

Education for the 21st century ina vibrant learning environment.

s cho lar shipS T . O L A V E ’ S

As a leading Grammar School we have the highest expectations of academic excellence to which ourexamination results are testament. Our 2012 results were the best in the school’s history and performance tablesin e Times and e Telegraph confirmed our national position as the top state school with mixed 6th Formfor A levels, and the best state school in the South East at GCSE. 96% of A levels were at A*-B grade and 96%of our students qualified for the English Baccalaureate.

However, in keeping with the holistic approach to education atSt. Olave’s, we locate academic excellence within the broaderconcept of true scholarship, encouraging all our students to becomeindependent thinkers. ey are engaged critically in the learningprocess by teaching that goes well beyond the confines ofexamination syllabuses, fuelling their intellectual curiosity.

Here you will find students who have translated German text books,others who give weekly lectures to the Natural Sciences Society orwrite articles for the History Magazine, alongside those invited totraining camps in Budapest, or at an Oxford College, with membersof the National Mathematics Olympiad team.

Sunday TimesState School of the Year

2009.

aspirat ionWe believe in challenging young people to develop their abilities to the fullest possible extent.

Our 6th Formers are highly ambitious with all aspiring to a place at a Russell Group university. Oxbridgesuccesses average thirty each year with students reading the whole range of subjects. In fact, our top two leavers’destinations are the universities of Cambridge and Oxford where Young Olavians can regularly be foundwinning prizes, scholarships, gaining sporting Blues or representing their college in BBC2’s UniversityChallenge.

A range of field trips help to inspire a genuine thirst for knowledge, whether taking research measurements inthe spectacular ords, glaciers or volcanoes of Iceland, working with experts on elephant conservation in SouthAfrican game reserves or exploring the exotic coral reefs off Mozambique.

Investment through specialisms in Mathematics, Computing and Science has resulted in state-of-the-artcomputing facilities and a highly developed VLE to support personalisation in learning.

S T . O L A V E ’ S

We want each of our students to aimfor the top and to chase their dreams.

Olavians are interesting people who enjoy a variety of extra-curricular experiences alongside their academicpursuits. We provide opportunities for every student to nurture and develop their talents so that their lives areculturally enriched.

Music is thriving with a full Symphony Orchestra and Choir whose recent repertoire has included Beethoven’s5th Symphony and the Fauré Requiem. e Senior Jazz Band is a popular element in our many concerts as wellas being in great demand from the community. Individual tuition is available for those who wish it and recentsuccesses have included 1st prizes in the Woodard Young Musician and Young Composer of the Year.e Wakeham Choristers of e Queen’s Chapel fulfill a programme of professional commitments and includethe BBC Young Chorister of the Year 2012.

A busy calendar of dramatic productions has recently included Macbeth and Our Country’s Good as well as astudent script which was performed by professionals at the National eatre. Music and Drama come togethereach year in a dazzling autumn Cabaret and a full scale summer musical.

Other students compete in the finals of the Cambridge Union Debating competition, run AmnestyInternational groups, make their own films, organise lectures for the Medics, Classics, History, Languages orPolitical Economy Societies.

In short, there is something for everyone!

cu l tureS T . O L A V E ’ S

Life changing experiences at home and abroad.

InternationalismS T . O L A V E ’ S

At St. Olave’s there is a sense of pride and loyalty in being part of a multi-cultural community. In Europe,this international outlook is supported by trips to Paris and Bordeaux, exchanges with Heidelberg and Berlin,and work experience and travel in Segovia and Murcia. Such opportunities open up new outlooks oninternational culture and underscore the importance of foreign language.

Further afield we have annual visits to Washington and New York where Economists andHistorians learn about the World Bank and the US political system. Others go to Athens orFlorence, where students of Classics or Art can absorb the wonders of ancient Greece or study themasterworks of the Renaissance.

For those with an appetite for true adventure, recent World Challenge summer expeditionsto the Andes, Namibia, Botswana and Ecuador have seen students return energised by somelife-changing experiences.

e annual Cultural Evening is an opportunity to bring together parents and students tocelebrate and embrace all the diverse cultures that exist within our school.Students showcase exotic displays of music and dance, offer culinarydelights from around the world and entertain with a dazzlingfashion show.

A culture of opportunitiesfor true adventure.

oppor tuni tyS T . O L A V E ’ S

Students are encouraged to get involved in a wide range of sports. ere are opportunities to develop not onlytheir skills and talents but also those important wider qualities of leadership, teamwork and reliability.Ample grounds encompass five rugby pitches, cricket squares, tennis, netball and squash courts.Our own fives courts enable large numbers of students to compete at national championship level.

Specialist coaches support rugby, cricket, football and fives. A full season of competitive fixtures sees up totwelve rugby teams turn out each Saturday in the autumn and spring. Similar opportunities occur in thesummer for athletics and cricket, with added stimulus from the cricket Academy. e international programmeprovides a highlight with recent rugby tours to Australia and Argentina, cricket tours to South Africa and skitrips to Europe and the USA.

Chess operates at a stunningly high level, also supported by specialist coaching. Our teams consistently win oneof the top three places at the Millfield International tournament, with several recent national champions and anumber of students also playing for senior county teams.

Around 250 students participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme with challenging Gold expeditionsin the Black Mountains, Dartmoor and the Lake District. is can be a demanding but character-buildingexperience that has seen students draw praise from the assessors for their teamwork, leadership and potential forthe future.

“If the list of extra-curricular activitieswere a menu St. Olave’s would receivethree Michelin Stars.”

- A Parent

Central to our school is the belief thatevery student is unique and valued.

St. Olave’s retains a small school ethos where staff know the students well and address their individual needs.Heads of Year and Tutor teams, supported by the Chaplain and School Counsellor, oversee the Pastoral Caresystem. ey provide for each student a framework of induction, guidance, monitoring and support.

A strong Prefects system, led by the School Captain, supports the smooth running of the school. Senior studentstake on significant responsibilities including mentoring and caring for younger pupils, acting as ambassadors,helping with duties, organising sports competitions or running societies.

We believe that every student has a unique and valued part to playin our community, taking responsibility for their owndevelopment and behaviour whilst being respectful for the needsof others.

Important traditions that date back over 450 years providea moral framework that is informed by Christian values.is underpins the work ethic and corporate spirit,welcoming individuals from all faiths or none, andopenly encouraging understanding, diversity andtolerance for all.

S T . O L A V E ’ S

value s

Important traditions providea strong framework of values.

communityS T . O L A V E ’ S

We want all of our students to leave St. Olave’s as caring, self-disciplined, independent young adults with anappreciation of moral and social responsibility and the skills necessary to play a full and positive role in society.

Our links with the community are plentiful both at home and abroad. e school’s ‘Le Chavetois Society’ hascarried out voluntary work in the local community, in Primary schools and in hospices, since the First WorldWar. Recently our students raised and donated £10,000 to the Kariandusi Trust to support the WoodardFoundation in the construction of a brand new school in rural Kenya, giving hope and opportunity togenerations of students who, hitherto, never had the chance of education beyond the age of 12.

e Old Olavians’ Society and a thriving Parents’ Association provide both social events and valued additionalfinancial support. Alongside these there are local and national business links, providing specialist opportunitiesfor our students and input into conferences from leading academics, businessmen, writers and musicians.

St. Olave’s is a very special place; we hope that you will come along to see for yourselves just why we are soproud of our school and our students.

Caring, respectful, independentyoung adults, ready to play a fulland positive role in society.

S T . O L A V E ’ S G R A M M A R S C H O O L

Designe

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A01

22776

8808

Goddington Lane

Orpington

Kent

BR6 9SH

Tel: 01689 820101

www.saintolaves.net

Email: office@saintolaves.net