Meet the Oppidan Education Mentoring Awards winners for 2025
The first award championing mentoring in schools.
At Oppidan, we believe that exceptional mentoring helps young people fulfil their potential. The Oppidan Mentoring Awards celebrates schools that excel in mentoring their students. Our award is an opportunity to shine a light on your school’s commitment to building strong, supportive mentoring relationships within your community and fostering student growth.
Gold Winner
Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury’s mentoring programme is an outstanding example of a well-established, thoughtfully structured initiative that delivers measurable and meaningful impact. Every Year 9 pupil is paired with a Year 13 mentor, creating a strong, supportive bridge between the most age-separated year groups and fostering a culture of empathy, guidance, and positive role modelling. This was deeply embedded within school with innovative events.
With a clear structure for mentoring sessions and a dedicated programme overseen within the school’s house system, mentors support younger pupils in settling in, building confidence, and developing social skills. Cross-school collaboration and mentor-mentee social events further enrich the experience, ensuring mentoring is integrated into the fabric of school life.
Judges were particularly impressed by the programme’s real breadth, excellent use of feedback and data, and its ability to achieve its core aims.
Gold Winner
Adingdon
Abingdon’s peer support programme is an exceptional and well-established initiative that demonstrates impressive breadth, reach, and impact. Now in its sixth year, the programme brings together 50–70 students from six different schools, fostering meaningful connections across diverse social backgrounds and creating a strong sense of civic responsibility.
The programme stands out for its rigorous selection and training process, drawing on the work of psychotherapist Nick Luxmoore. Students undergo thorough preparation in empathetic listening, safeguarding, and other essential skills, supported by twilight training sessions throughout the year led by experts and mental health professionals. This continued development ensures peer supporters are confident, informed, and effective in their roles.
Judges were particularly impressed by the innovative cross-school collaboration and the blend of robust impact data with powerful qualitative feedback. Participants clearly develop real-world skills in empathy and mental health awareness, and the programme’s thoughtful structure sets it apart from more traditional approaches.
Gold Winners
Pembridge Hall School
Pembridge Hall’s mentoring programme is an exemplary model of innovation and holistic support. Designed to nurture the whole child, it blends academic guidance with pastoral care, ensuring pupils feel supported, empowered, and ready to thrive.
The school employs a wide range of internal and external strategies, from structured mentoring groups and personalised action plans to initiatives like ‘Pembridge Pulse’ and the inspiring ‘Girls of the Future’ virtual series. These forward-thinking interventions reflect a dynamic and thoughtful approach to student development.
Judges praised the breadth and structure of the programme, its deep impact on younger pupils, and its strong engagement with the wider community. It is a well-executed, forward-looking initiative that embodies educational excellence.
Silver Winners
Northwood School
Edgeborough School
Malvern College
Durston House
Trinity School, Croydon
Wellington School
Bronze Winners
Rugby School, Thailand
The Oldham Academy
Monkton Combe
Chelsea Academy
Missed out this year?
Don’t worry — we’ll be back in 2026!
Stay tuned and keep an eye out for next year’s application window.