Kate Middleton 'considering' Oundle School for Prince George: Environmentally conscious institution teaches students to be 'ambitious but never arrogant'
As the Prince and Princess of Wales ponder the difficult choice of where to send the future king to high school, a new institution is reportedly in the works.
The Mail on Sunday reported this weekend that Kate, 42, and William, 41, have named the prestigious Oundle School as one of their top choices for their eldest son, 11, who will leave primary school this summer.
It comes amid reports that Kate's alma mater, Marlborough School in Buckinghamshire, where fees are £47,000 a year, is at risk of being 'ostentatious' with a source revealing that the Princess of Wales's style is 'understated opulence' is.
By contrast, Oundle School in north Northamptonshire claims it helps transform its pupils into 'decent', 'open-minded' and 'ambitious' adults – but never 'arrogant'.
Founded in 1556, the institution prides itself on students, known as Oudelians, 'sharing the town of Oundle' with residents, as the buildings are spread across the area on an open campus with a chapel and cricket pitch.
The prestigious Oundle School in northern Northamptonshire is rumored to be one of the 'top choices' for Prince William and Kate Middleton, where they will send Prince George to secondary school
The headteacher, Sarah Kerr-Dineen, who studied at both Oxford and Cambridge, describes the pupils at the school as 'intellectually curious, energetic and resourceful'.
She adds, “There is no dancing” among the students.
Speaking about adults educated at the Northamptonshire school, Mrs Kerr-Dineen says: 'What I see in them is a sense of decency and enjoying the company of others; a sense of loving opportunity and challenge, but not of entitlement or feeling of being owed anything.
'My experience is that Oudelian people work hard on feelings. They enjoy friendships, they enjoy relationships.”
George, ten, will start secondary school from September, but Kensington Palace has not yet confirmed which school he will enroll in
Founded in 1556, Oundle School offers students a huge range of extracurricular activities
The school's open campus includes a chapel (pictured) and a cricket pitch
As for the curriculum, the school's website explains that students aged 11 to 12 are taught more academic subjects in the morning, freeing up the afternoon for 'creative subjects and sports'.
“At this age, children's minds are most alert in the morning,” the website explains.
Students also study Latin and can take French or Spanish, but also have the opportunity to explore ancient Greek, German and Chinese.
School fees at Oundle for full-time boarders are £34,515 per year for year 7, but tuition increases to £45,435 from years 9 to 13.
The cost for day pupils in Year 7 is £22,350 per year, rising to £29,370 for years 9-13.
However, the school's website states: 'Oundle is founded on philanthropy and we firmly believe that financial circumstances should not limit access to an Oundle education for well-suited children.
“We will do our best to support any family whose child has the potential, but not the financial means, to come to Oundle.”
As well as providing its students with a strong sense of community, the school emphasizes its commitment to reducing its environmental footprint and encouraging students to become 'environmentally conscious'.
The picturesque school is located in the market town of Oundle in north Northamptonshire and pupils mingle with the town's residents
Oundle's key objectives include 'raising environmental awareness throughout our school community' and 'improving the efficiency of energy and water use'.
The school also operates a 'tree management strategy' where for every tree removed, three new trees are planted, plus a boost for biodiversity through the planting of wildflowers.
The school's commitment to environmental sustainability could appeal to conservationist Prince William, Prince George's father.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are also known to champion young people's mental health – another philosophy that Oundle prioritises.
There is a head of mental health at the school, who leads a wellbeing team there to support pupils.
Oundle offers one-to-one sessions for all students needing emotional support in the Clayton Rooms – where they can also make a fuss about Mabel, the black Labrador.
The school also has a pastoral forum for pupils, whose members are members of the Sixth Form.
The PPF focuses on the areas of gender, race, health, mental health, LGBT+ issues and neurodiversity. The school's website states that the aim of the PPF is to 'ensure that voices are heard and that a spirit of open conversation is promoted throughout the school, leading to understanding and tolerance'.
Associations that students can join at school include a mindfulness group, a dressmaking group and a United Nations model.
Although Prince William and Prince Harry were both educated at Eton College, a short distance from Windsor Castle, it has not yet been confirmed whether Prince George will follow in his father and uncle's footsteps.
He has also been linked to his mother Kate's former school, Marlborough College, where Pippa and James Middleton were also educated.
The Mail on Sunday reported that George has already been given a 'home' in a secure location and a caretaker at the school when he does eventually go to school.
But it is said there are concerns that Marlborough has become 'too flashy' after a rise in popularity with ultra-wealthy families due to its association with the Middletons.
“The 2024 version of Marlborough could be very different from how Kate remembers it,” says a source. 'It's become a bit more jet-setting. Many parents have villas in Ibiza, chalets in Verbier or a private jet, which is not Kate's style. She prefers understated wealth.”
They added: 'Kate wants a school that suits all her children and keeps them grounded.'