B Y R O Y A 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 the
grammar school system. A superb, inspirational place.
Good Schools Guide
Her Majesty The Queen talking to St. Olaves choristers at The Queens Chapel of The Savoy
(Image by kind permission of the Duchy of Lancaster)
St. Olaves Grammar School is a supportive community where excellence is both celebrated and sought after.
Tere 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 best
traditions of English education with a dynamic, forward-looking approach. We hope to re 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 nations nest.
Tis prospectus will give you a avour of life at St. Olaves but to nd out more please visit us, look around the
campus and talk to students and sta. You will be assured of a warm welcome and I shall be happy to answer
any of your questions.
wel come
S T. O L AV E S
Aydin na
Headmaster
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. Tey had the foresight to see the value of
education and to make it freely available a tradition we are proud to continue to this day. As Shakespeare
described our students in one of his plays and as founder John Harvards son went o to America to give his
name to the great university, the seeds of St. Olaves began to grow.
We retain our links with Southwark and these inspirational gures through our annual Commemoration service
in Southwark Cathedral and by providing choristers for Te Queens Chapel of Te Savoy, part of the Duchy of
Lancaster. We continue to champion the concept of social mobility by providing a rst class education for
bright students regardless of background.
More recently the Anglican Foundation of St. Olaves and St. Saviours became a beneciary of the Dulwich
Estate, helping to enrich our resources with a new 6th
Form/Music block, two excellent libraries and the
newly converted Sports/Drama Hall.
In addition to these 21st century facilities we
are able to retain small class sizes with
inspirational teachers who can
challenge and create a vibrant
learning environment.
i ns pi rat i on
S T. O L AV E S
An outstandingly effective school that
deserves its high reputation.
Ofsted
Education for the 21st century in
a vibrant learning environment.
s chol ars hi p
S T. O L AV E S
As a leading Grammar School we have the highest expectations of academic excellence to which our
examination results are testament. Our 2012 results were the best in the schools history and performance tables
in Te Times and Te Telegraph conrmed our national position as the top state school with mixed 6th Form
for 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 qualied for the English Baccalaureate.
However, in keeping with the holistic approach to education at
St. Olaves, we locate academic excellence within the broader
concept of true scholarship, encouraging all our students to become
independent thinkers. Tey are engaged critically in the learning
process by teaching that goes well beyond the connes of
examination syllabuses, fuelling their intellectual curiosity.
Here you will nd students who have translated German text books,
others who give weekly lectures to the Natural Sciences Society or
write articles for the History Magazine, alongside those invited to
training camps in Budapest, or at an Oxford College, with members
of the National Mathematics Olympiad team.
Sunday Times
State School of the Year
2009.
as pi rat i on
We 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. Oxbridge
successes 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 found
winning prizes, scholarships, gaining sporting Blues or representing their college in BBC2s University
Challenge.
A range of eld trips help to inspire a genuine thirst for knowledge, whether taking research measurements in
the spectacular fords, glaciers or volcanoes of Iceland, working with experts on elephant conservation in South
African game reserves or exploring the exotic coral reefs o Mozambique.
Investment through specialisms in Mathematics, Computing and Science has resulted in state-of-the-art
computing facilities and a highly developed VLE to support personalisation in learning.
S T. O L AV E S
We want each of our students to aim
for the top and to chase their dreams.
Olavians are interesting people who enjoy a variety of extra-curricular experiences alongside their academic
pursuits. We provide opportunities for every student to nurture and develop their talents so that their lives are
culturally enriched.
Music is thriving with a full Symphony Orchestra and Choir whose recent repertoire has included Beethovens
5th Symphony and the Faur Requiem. Te Senior Jazz Band is a popular element in our many concerts as well
as being in great demand from the community. Individual tuition is available for those who wish it and recent
successes have included 1st prizes in the Woodard Young Musician and Young Composer of the Year.
Te Wakeham Choristers of Te Queens Chapel fulll a programme of professional commitments and include
the BBC Young Chorister of the Year 2012.
A busy calendar of dramatic productions has recently included Macbeth and Our Countrys Good as well as a
student script which was performed by professionals at the National Teatre. Music and Drama come together
each year in a dazzling autumn Cabaret and a full scale summer musical.
Other students compete in the nals of the Cambridge Union Debating competition, run Amnesty
International groups, make their own lms, organise lectures for the Medics, Classics, History, Languages or
Political Economy Societies.
In short, there is something for everyone!
cul t ure
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Life changing experiences at home and abroad.
Internati onal i s m
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At St. Olaves 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 on
international culture and underscore the importance of foreign language.
Further aeld we have annual visits to Washington and New York where Economists and
Historians learn about the World Bank and the US political system. Others go to Athens or
Florence, where students of Classics or Art can absorb the wonders of ancient Greece or study the
masterworks of the Renaissance.
For those with an appetite for true adventure, recent World Challenge summer expeditions
to the Andes, Namibia, Botswana and Ecuador have seen students return energised by some
life-changing experiences.
Te annual Cultural Evening is an opportunity to bring together parents and students to
celebrate and embrace all the diverse cultures that exist within our school.
Students showcase exotic displays of music and dance, oer culinary
delights from around the world and entertain with a dazzling
fashion show.
A culture of opportunities
for true adventure.
oppor t uni t y
S T. O L AV E S
Students are encouraged to get involved in a wide range of sports. Tere are opportunities to develop not only
their skills and talents but also those important wider qualities of leadership, teamwork and reliability.
Ample grounds encompass ve rugby pitches, cricket squares, tennis, netball and squash courts.
Our own ves courts enable large numbers of students to compete at national championship level.
Specialist coaches support rugby, cricket, football and ves. A full season of competitive xtures sees up to
twelve rugby teams turn out each Saturday in the autumn and spring. Similar opportunities occur in the
summer for athletics and cricket, with added stimulus from the cricket Academy. Te international programme
provides a highlight with recent rugby tours to Australia and Argentina, cricket tours to South Africa and ski
trips to Europe and the USA.
Chess operates at a stunningly high level, also supported by specialist coaching. Our teams consistently win one
of the top three places at the Milleld International tournament, with several recent national champions and a
number of students also playing for senior county teams.
Around 250 students participate in the Duke of Edinburghs Award Scheme with challenging Gold expeditions
in the Black Mountains, Dartmoor and the Lake District. Tis can be a demanding but character-building
experience that has seen students draw praise from the assessors for their teamwork, leadership and potential for
the future.
If the list of extra-curricular activities
were a menu St. Olaves would receive
three Michelin Stars.
- A Parent
Central to our school is the belief that
every student is unique and valued.
St. Olaves retains a small school ethos where sta 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 Care
system. Tey 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 students
take on signicant 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 play
in our community, taking responsibility for their own
development and behaviour whilst being respectful for the needs
of others.
Important traditions that date back over 450 years provide
a moral framework that is informed by Christian values.
Tis underpins the work ethic and corporate spirit,
welcoming individuals from all faiths or none, and
openly encouraging understanding, diversity and
tolerance for all.
S T. O L AV E S
val ues
Important traditions provide
a strong framework of values.
communi t y
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We want all of our students to leave St. Olaves as caring, self-disciplined, independent young adults with an
appreciation 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. Te schools Le Chavetois Society has
carried out voluntary work in the local community, in Primary schools and in hospices, since the First World
War. Recently our students raised and donated 10,000 to the Kariandusi Trust to support the Woodard
Foundation in the construction of a brand new school in rural Kenya, giving hope and opportunity to
generations of students who, hitherto, never had the chance of education beyond the age of 12.
Te Old Olavians Society and a thriving Parents Association provide both social events and valued additional
nancial support. Alongside these there are local and national business links, providing specialist opportunities
for our students and input into conferences from leading academics, businessmen, writers and musicians.
St. Olaves is a very special place; we hope that you will come along to see for yourselves just why we are so
proud of our school and our students.
Caring, respectful, independent
young adults, ready to play a full
and 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
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Goddington Lane
Orpington
Kent
BR6 9SH
Tel: 01689 820101
www.saintolaves.net
Email: office@saintolaves.net