Prince George recently completed his boarding school placement exams, and now there are three schools on the list of contenders, it’s being reported.
At first, there was talk of the young royal attending Eton College, where both his father Prince William and uncle Prince Harry studied. It also appeared he might be vying for a spot at Marlborough College, where his mother studied.
And, now, a new school has been thrown into the mix, enter Oundle School, which is based in Northamptonshire.
The Telegraph’s Marianka Swain said: “The new favourite is apparently Oundle School, which is seen as the perfect compromise: an independent public school that values tradition but is also eco-conscious, has strong pastoral care and claims to be an egalitarian, forward-looking institution.
“It would be a clever move by a royal couple who know a little something about keeping an ancient institution relevant.”
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For a while, it seemed like there was a tie between Eton College and Marlborough College, William and Kate’s alma maters, respectively. But, at the end of last year, Marlborough appeared to become the frontrunner, with Kate spotted visiting the school on two occasions.
The new top contender, Oundle, was founded in the 16th century is co-ed and has a seven-day curriculum. The school’s website takes visitors around the campus, and provides a glimpse of student life.
Ann Meisner, Deputy Head Pastoral, spoke about student living: “Our Houses are at the heart of life at Oundle, ensuring that our pupils have a supportive and nurturing environment in which to grow up.
“It is in a House community that most pupils find the confidence and sense of purpose that lead to fulfillment in the larger community of the School.”
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A former Oundle student spoke to The Telegraph about his experiences there. They said: “They made a great decision in 2000 to turn the day school into a new House, so they were all on the same footing. When I was there everyone went to the same lessons and we all had mates across the boarding and day Houses.
“Everyone had chores and tasks – you played a role in your community. Some think all public school pupils are cosseted and everything’s given to you on a silver platter, but at Oundle you have to stand on your own two feet from a young age and manage relationships with lots of different people.”
There are several variables that go into selecting a boarding school, with location being one of them. Eton is 10 minutes from Windsor, which is where the Waleses live, Marlborough is an hour and Oundle is a two-hour drive.
William and Kate are very hands-on parents, and with that said, they are likely to ask George what his preference is, to help with their decicion-making.
