Schools and parents always ask us: how do we actually create our mentoring content? 

In January 2024, a cross-party education select committee report called for an end to the single-word judgments used to rate schools in England. These judgments, which are either one or two words, have long been a point of contention. The committee emphasised that schools should not be automatically graded as “inadequate” for minor safeguarding concerns. However, it also recognised the importance of maintaining strong accountability in schools12. 

Every sixth form college leader we meet has slightly different needs, but they might include the following: Looking to motivate students who might be struggling pastorally or academically. Looking to improve student leadership and future pathways opportunities.   

Personalised, human-led mentoring. We want to improve results and affect outcomes, via character. We want to visit every school in-person, with an inspiring team of mentors who will excite students and bring something different.  

Oppidan Education supports more than 100 UK state-funded MATs, UK independent prep and secondary, and international English-speaking schools. In the UK we've built standout partnerships with MATs like David Ross, Greenwood, Unity, E-ACT, Dixons and Education South West. Whatever the demographic or state-of-play for each setting, we've found students to be similar in their engagement with us and their hunger to build skills that will serve their futures.  

Beyond our work in 100+ UK independent and state-funded schools, we've now journeyed to Spain, South Korea, Ghana and Thailand to support schools in very different contexts. Whatever the demographic or state-of-play for each region, we've found students to be similar in their engagement with us and their hunger to build skills that will serve their futures.

Oppidan Education mentors are young people in their 20s and 30s, driven by social impact but with the flexibility to work freelance in schools around the world.  

Whether in small groups of 1:8 or in personalised 1:1 sessions, Oppidan's mentoring content hooks onto our core outcomes of readiness, oracy and character.

After measuring impact with our school partners for years, we’ve settled on the key outcomes that provide the framework for our programmes in schools.

Pharmaceuticals industry here we come! Well, not quite. Here’s how our April Fool’s campaign came to be.

An ad hoc (or occasional) place happens when a child enters a school outside the traditional year groups for admission.

Much has been made in the news recently about the future for private schools.  

So, what’s happening?  

With exams looming ominously, we asked our team how they mentor students through the process.

Bursary provision is a good thing. Put simply, it means ability to pay fees is not the deciding factor in a child’s education and offers opportunity to all. Bursaries are means-tested on family finances – income and assets.

Eton College has partnered with Star Academies, not just to build three Sixth Forms in Oldham, Dudley and Middlesborough, but to lead a ‘think and do tank’ to ‘propose solutions and influence national policy’, showcasing the power of independent-state partnership work. It’s a big moment in the history of both organisations and its ripple effect could be powerful for the wider education sector.  

In February 2024, Oppidan launched a first of its kind peer mentor training programme with ICS Ghana with students from both the Accra and Kumasi campuses.  

On the 11th of January, we welcomed the latest additions to the mentoring team for a morning of training.

As students navigate through GCSEs and A levels in the UK, the significance of mock exams in this January period is apparent.

With school interviews on the near horizon, we’ve put together some fun exercises to get your child ready.

As the curtain comes down on 2023, we look back at our top five moments of the year.