Head of Art and Design

St. Olave’s enjoys a reputation as one of the leading Grammar Schools in the country with a strong focus on scholarship combined with cultural enrichment. We are a Voluntary Aided selective Church of England school which admits 4 forms of entry of boys at age 11, from a wide variety of backgrounds across a broad area of South London, and takes both boys and girls into the Sixth Form. Here you will find a vibrant multi-cultural community of young men and women who respect tradition as well as a dynamic, forward-looking approach. Our students have the very highest aspirations, supported by hard work and commitment; almost all take up places at Russell Group universities and go on to pursue top careers. We are proud to provide outstanding pastoral care, based on Christian values, where each student is valued as a unique individual. 

With an outstanding record of academic excellence our A‑Level results show consistently around 95% A*/B grades, placing St. Olave’s amongst the very top schools nationally. Over 200 students have gained Oxbridge places over the last 7 years; this year we had a 39 offers for Oxbridge and 35 for Medicine, both more than many of the schools in the country can replicate. We try to locate academic excellence within the broader context of education, encouraging all of our students to become independent thinkers, engaging critically in the learning process through a vibrant approach to intellectual curiosity.

Olavians are interesting people who enjoy a variety of cultural experiences alongside their academic pursuits. Sport, Music, World Challenge, Drama, Amnesty International, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the Political Economy Society, are just a few of the wide range of co-curricular opportunities available at St. Olave’s, and we expect every one of our students to get involved in some of these so that their lives are culturally enriched. Our rugby squad recently toured South Africa; Biology students spent three weeks in Fiji doing scientific research with Operation Wallacea; our Economists visited the World Bank and United Nations in New York and Washington; Art students spent a week in Copenhagen; others visited the sites of Ancient Greece or trekked the jungles, mountains or volcanoes of Honduras, Costa Rica or Tanzania on World Challenge. Our top Chess and Fives teams comprise a number of national champions whilst our budding playwrights have had scripts performed at the National Theatre. Each year 4 choral scholars provide the trebles for The Queen’s Chapel of The Savoy – part of the school’s rich cultural heritage and a link with its historic origins near London Bridge where it was originally founded in 1561 and later given a Royal Charter by Queen Elizabeth I in 1571.

As soon as you enter the school you cannot help but notice the friendly atmosphere and a deep sense of pride and loyalty. We hope that all of our students will grow into caring, independent young adults with a strong sense of moral and social responsibility.

Mr. A. Rees

Headteacher