Oswestry School

Oswestry School is a British independent school for both boys and girls which was founded in 1407 by David Holbache and his wife Gwenwhyvver Holbache, which makes it the second oldest school in England.

Some notable pupils and staff of the school incude Rev. Dr. James Donne, William Archibald Spooner and Colonel Frederick Gustavus Burnaby.

The school currently owns four sites: Holbache Boarding House, Oswestry School site and Bellan House School site, the playing fields. The playing fields are reputed to be the battleground of Maesyllan where King Penda of Mercia defeated King Oswald of Northumbria.

The current (2004) headmaster is Paul Stockdale. The school is divided into five departments according to age. There are four houses at the school: Burnaby, Donne, Oswald and Spooner. Each house is made up of pupils and staff and the compete against each other in the fields of music, theatre and sport. At the end of the year the house that is most successful is awarded a trophy.

Among the many activities the school offers is the CCF (Combined Cadet Force), which offers pupils the chance to engage in military training. There is also the Decimus Society, which is a philosophical society that members of the sixth form, staff and guests can attend. Works of the Decimus Society can be found on the school website.