GENERAL
St. Peter’s College, Radley – known to everyone as Radley College – is an independent boarding school of approximately 630 boys, situated five miles south of Oxford. It was founded in 1847 to offer an education different from most other Victorian public schools, by virtue of its emphasis on the aesthetic, on good manners and kindness.
Radley remains different today, retaining the best of its traditions whilst also being at the forefront of much modern educational practice. In the estimation of the recent ISI inspection this mix makes Radley an outstanding school.
It is a single sex, all boarding, school where boys can develop unselfconsciously. The strong sense of community is reinforced by the 90 or so dons (teachers) and their families who live on and around the campus. Chapel is still a strong, daily influence on the lives of the boys, and the founder,William Sewell’s, emphasis on an education centred on the aesthetic continues today both in the presence of boys’ art throughout the school’s public places and in the frequency and quality of musical and dramatic events. As for Sewell, so now, qualities of decency, tolerance and gentility are prized. Games, too, remain important; Radleians are fit and competitive.
Radley has a national reputation as a school which ensures boys and staff perform to the best of their academic and intellectual ability; it achieves excellent results, and many departments are at the forefront of the use of modern technology. Its Community Action Programme (CAP) and links with schools here and abroad, seek to widen Radleians’ horizons (see Appendix B). This prospectus can only give a brief introduction to Radley. You will find more information throughout this website.
 BOARDING
On arrival each boy joins one of the eight houses – known as Socials – and remains in that Social throughout his time at Radley. Each Social Tutor (housemaster) lives on the premises and is responsible for the academic and social development of the boys in his Social. He liaises with the Warden, Sub Warden, Heads of Departments and other members of staff as required. Each Social also has a living-in Sub-Tutor, usually a bachelor member of the teaching staff, and a resident Pastoral House Mistress. Individual bed-sitting rooms are available for all boys except those in their first year; they have Common Rooms known as Social Halls in which to work, play or read and they sleep in well appointed cubicles. The opening of two new socials in 2008 will enable numbers in the other socials to be reduced, and the space released to be reconfigured. Meals for the whole school are served in Hall using a cafeteria system.
Apart from half term (known as Leave-Away) in each term and two fixed long weekends in the Michaelmas Term, when all boys go home, boys are allowed two or three Saturday nights at home each term (known as 'Privis' - from Privilege Weekend). The support of parents at matches, plays, concerts and the Sunday morning Family Communion Service is much encouraged. Subject to school commitments, boys may also be taken out for the day after Chapel on Sunday. Over the weekend the Library is open for work, the Sewell Centre for project work and the games facilities for organised or individual sporting activities. Play rehearsals and music competitions often happen on Sunday afternoons and there are additional trips and activities. The school has strong social, academic and cultural links with various local girls’ schools.
CHAPEL
There are two resident chaplains who are responsible for the conduct of chapel services and preparation for Confirmation. There is a short evening service four days a week and on Sunday either a Communion or, occasionally, an Evensong, which all boys attend. We have a number of Catholic boys (currently about 50) and there are special arrangements for their worship and Confirmation.
MEDICAL ARRANGEMENTS
The Medical Centre is run by a head nurse with a team of trained nurses and is staffed 24 hours a day. All boys are registered with a local practice and the team of general practitioners hold surgeries at the Medical Centre five times a week. All boys have a medical examination in their first term. They receive their care under the terms of the National Health Service, and can rely, when necessary, on the facilities and staff of the teaching hospitals in Oxford, as N.H.S. or private patients. |
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