Meet the Oppidan Mentoring Awards Winners for 2026
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.
This year, we were delighted to receive applications from schools across the UK and around the world, each demonstrating outstanding commitment to mentoring. After careful consideration by our judging panel, we are proud to announce the 2026 winners. Each of these schools is helping to create an environment where young people feel seen, heard, and supported, and we are proud to recognise their progress on the journey towards sustainable, impactful mentoring.
Gold Winners
Phoenix Collegiate
Phoenix Collegiate's mentoring programme stands as a beacon of what can be achieved when mentoring is placed at the heart of a school's ethos. Their comprehensive approach spans multiple year groups and creates a culture where older pupils naturally step into mentoring roles, supporting younger students academically, pastorally, and socially.
The programme's strength lies in its structure and sustainability. Mentoring isn't an add-on at Phoenix Collegiate: it's woven into the fabric of school life. Year 11 pupils receive dedicated support from Sixth Form mentors during crucial examination periods, while younger pupils benefit from peer support that helps them navigate the challenges of secondary school.
What particularly impressed our judges was the programme's measurable impact on student outcomes. Beyond the qualitative feedback (which was overwhelmingly positive), Phoenix Collegiate has demonstrated clear improvements in academic performance, attendance, and student wellbeing. Their systematic approach to gathering feedback from both mentors and mentees ensures continuous improvement.
The reach of the programme is remarkable. With mentors trained in active listening, safeguarding, and coaching techniques, the quality of support provided is consistently high. Students report feeling more confident, better organised, and more connected to their school community. Perhaps most tellingly, the demand for mentoring roles far exceeds availability: mentoring is aspirational, valued, and celebrated.
Millfield School
Millfield School's mentoring programme exemplifies how tradition and innovation can combine to create something truly exceptional. Their multi-tiered mentoring structure addresses every stage of a student's journey through the school, from nervous newcomers to confident school leavers preparing for university and beyond.
At the core of Millfield's approach is the House system, where senior pupils serve as mentors to younger house members, creating natural, sustained relationships that develop over time. But Millfield doesn't stop there. Their specialist academic mentoring programme pairs struggling students with peer tutors who have excelled in specific subjects, while their boarding mentoring initiative provides crucial support for international students adapting to life far from home.
The judges were particularly impressed by Millfield's commitment to mentor training and development. All prospective mentors undergo rigorous preparation, including workshops on communication skills, cultural sensitivity, and mental health awareness. This investment ensures that mentors are equipped to handle complex situations and provide genuinely helpful support.
Impact data demonstrates the programme's effectiveness across multiple dimensions. Academic mentoring has contributed to improved grades and increased confidence in challenging subjects. Pastoral mentoring has helped reduce homesickness among boarders and fostered a stronger sense of community. Leadership mentoring has prepared senior students for roles beyond school, with many mentors reporting that the experience influenced their university course choices and career aspirations.
What sets Millfield apart is the sophistication of their feedback mechanisms. Regular surveys, focus groups, and one-to-one check-ins ensure that the programme remains responsive to student needs, allowing it to evolve and expand over its ten-year history.
Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School's mentoring programme demonstrates that excellence in mentoring comes from thoughtful design, consistent delivery, and a genuine commitment to student wellbeing. Their approach combines the best of peer support with professional oversight, creating a safe and effective framework for mentoring to flourish.
The school's signature "Big Brother" programme pairs every new student with a trained senior mentor, ensuring that no one navigates their first term alone. This simple but powerful intervention has transformed the transition experience for younger pupils, who report feeling welcomed, supported, and quickly integrated into school life.
Beyond this foundational programme, Tonbridge has developed specialist mentoring streams for academic support, careers guidance, and university applications. Sixth Form mentors work with GCSE students in their areas of expertise, while those with specific career interests mentor younger pupils exploring similar paths, creating a vibrant mentoring ecosystem where knowledge flows freely between students.
The judges were struck by the quality of training provided to mentors. Working in partnership with external organisations, the school delivers comprehensive preparation covering everything from confidentiality and safeguarding to coaching techniques and active listening.
Impact evidence is both quantitative and qualitative. Exam results show that mentored students outperform their predicted grades, particularly in subjects where they received peer support. Pastoral data demonstrates improved wellbeing scores among mentees, with particular gains in belonging and school connectedness. The school has seen a marked reduction in pastoral incidents, which staff attribute partly to the positive relationships fostered through mentoring.
Rugby School Thailand
Rugby School Thailand's mentoring programme brings together the best of British independent school tradition and Thai cultural values, creating a unique and highly effective approach to student support. Operating in an international context adds complexity to mentoring, but Rugby School Thailand has turned this challenge into a strength.
The school's House-based mentoring system adapts brilliantly to the needs of a diverse, multi-national student body. Senior students mentor across cultural and linguistic divides, developing profound cross-cultural competencies while providing crucial support to younger pupils adjusting to boarding school life far from home.
Academic mentoring is systematic and data-driven. Every student in examination years is paired with a specialist mentor in their weaker subjects, with regular sessions scheduled throughout term time. Progress is tracked carefully, and interventions adjusted based on ongoing assessment, contributing to consistently strong academic outcomes.
What distinguished Rugby School Thailand's application was the depth of their mentor training. Recognising the unique challenges of mentoring in an international school, they have developed a bespoke training programme covering cultural awareness, language sensitivity, and supporting students experiencing homesickness.
Impact data demonstrates remarkable outcomes. Academic results have improved year-on-year, with mentored students showing particular gains. Pastoral incidents have declined, and student wellbeing surveys show consistent improvement. Perhaps most significantly, the school has seen improved retention rates, which they attribute partly to the strong support networks created through mentoring.
Haileybury School
Haileybury School's mentoring programme represents a masterclass in embedding mentoring across every aspect of school life. From academic support to pastoral care, from careers guidance to community service, mentoring underpins everything Haileybury does.
The House system provides the primary mentoring framework, with senior pupils taking formal responsibility for supporting younger house members. But Haileybury extends this far beyond traditional bounds. Their Learning Skills mentoring programme pairs students struggling academically with trained peer tutors. Their Futures mentoring connects aspirant university applicants with recent leavers who can provide insider perspectives. Their Service mentoring sees senior pupils coaching younger students for community projects.
This multi-layered approach creates a mentoring-rich environment where support is always available, relationships are valued, and giving back is expected. The judges were impressed by how naturally mentoring flows through Haileybury: it's woven into the fabric of school life.
Training is rigorous and ongoing. All mentors complete foundation training covering core skills, then access specialist modules relevant to their mentoring role. This tailored approach ensures mentors are truly equipped for the support they're providing.
Impact evidence spans multiple domains. Academic mentoring has contributed to improved examination results and increased uptake of challenging subjects. Pastoral mentoring has supported mental health and wellbeing. Futures mentoring has helped clarify university and career choices, with students making better-informed decisions about their next steps.
Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School'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.
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.
The programme operates with impressive consistency. Mentors receive comprehensive training covering active listening, confidentiality, and age-appropriate support strategies. Regular supervision sessions ensure mentors feel supported in their roles and can discuss any challenges they encounter.
What particularly impressed the judges was Shrewsbury's use of feedback and data to drive continuous improvement. Regular surveys capture views from both mentors and mentees, while academic and pastoral tracking data allows the school to identify where mentoring is having the greatest impact.
The impact is visible across multiple measures. Year 9 pupils report feeling more settled and confident. Pastoral incidents have declined since the programme was introduced. Academic engagement has improved, with mentored students showing better organisation, time management, and help-seeking behaviours.
Trinity School, Croydon
At Trinity School, mentoring is a well-established and thriving tradition, with over 130 trained Sixth Form mentors supporting students from Year 6 to Year 11. Whether working with form groups or in one-to-one pairings, mentors provide academic guidance, pastoral care, and a reassuring presence for younger pupils.
Each year, Year 12 students apply and train for the role, gaining skills in safeguarding, coaching, and leadership before stepping into mentoring positions by January. With hundreds of students involved weekly, Trinity's mentoring culture builds community, supports wellbeing, and empowers Sixth Formers to lead with empathy and purpose.
The scale and sustainability of the programme impressed the judges, as did the rigorous selection and training process that ensures quality remains high despite the large numbers involved. The programme has become a defining feature of the Trinity experience, valued by students, staff, and parents alike.
Northwood School
Now in its second year, Northwood School's peer mentoring programme has become a vital part of school life, offering tailored support to students in Years 7–11 through committed Sixth Form mentors. Mentees are eager to attend, often citing mentoring as their reason for coming to school and reporting improved organisation, motivation, and behaviour.
The programme is so well-regarded that staff, parents, and students regularly request placements, and many mentor-mentee relationships have lasted over a year with remarkable personal transformations. Sixth Form mentors describe the experience as life-affirming, with many going above and beyond to support their mentees both in and out of sessions.
The judges were struck by the authenticity of the feedback from Northwood, with both mentors and mentees expressing genuine enthusiasm for the programme. The rapid embedding of mentoring into school culture in just two years demonstrates the programme's appeal and effectiveness.
Silver Winners
Harrodian School
Harrodian's mentoring programme has evolved into a comprehensive support system that touches every year group. Year 11 students mentor Year 7s through the transition to secondary school, while Sixth Formers provide academic tutoring across a range of subjects. The judges praised the breadth of the programme and its clear structure, noting that feedback from participants demonstrates strong impact on confidence and academic engagement. The school's commitment to training mentors and gathering systematic feedback ensures the programme continues to develop and improve.
Dulwich College
MentDC at Dulwich College is an umbrella programme comprising six distinct mentoring strands (MentGames, MentSat, MentLS, MentJS, MentGlobal and MentAL) supporting pupils from Year 3 to Year 11. With approximately 160 Upper School mentors engaged, the programme demonstrates impressive reach and retention, with 62 pupils completing two or more programmes. The judges were particularly impressed by MentGlobal, which builds cultural awareness through partnerships with the South African Thanda Choir, and MentSat, delivered in collaboration with Southwark Community Education Charity. Strong evidence of impact includes improved engagement and confidence in Middle School pupils, with mentoring now a cultural norm at the school.
Alleyn's School
Alleyn's School has built a sophisticated mentoring framework that combines academic support with pastoral care. Their "Study Buddy" programme pairs Year 12 students with younger pupils who need help with organisation and study skills, while their House mentoring system provides pastoral support across all year groups. The judges noted excellent use of pupil voice and clear evidence of improved academic outcomes among mentored students. The programme's integration into the House system ensures sustainability and creates natural opportunities for meaningful relationships to develop.
St Paul's Girls' School
The Jupiter Project at St Paul's Girls' School is a large-scale music initiative opening doors to musical tuition and ensemble playing for approximately 90-160 primary students from three local schools. SPGS student mentors from Years 8-12 are trained by specialist primary music teachers, and partnership with St Paul's School now includes male mentors. The judges praised this powerful and unique programme that achieves community impact through music mentoring. Impact data shows SPGS mentor conscientiousness 11.3% above national average and leadership skills increased by 2.4%. While focused specifically on music mentoring, the programme demonstrates excellence in its domain.
Pembridge Hall School
Pembridge Hall's mentoring programme is exemplary in its innovation and holistic approach. 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 'Girls of the Future' virtual series. Working in partnership with Oppidan Education for confidence coaching and interview skills, alongside TimeGivers for community mentoring, the programme demonstrates breadth and thoughtful structure. The judges praised the deep impact on younger pupils and strong engagement with the wider community, recognising it as a well-executed, forward-looking initiative.
St Mary's School, Hampstead
St Mary's has developed a comprehensive peer mentoring programme that supports students both academically and pastorally. Senior students are trained to provide homework support, examination guidance, and emotional support to younger pupils. The judges noted strong qualitative feedback from participants and evidence of improved confidence and academic performance among mentees. The programme's careful safeguarding procedures and regular supervision of mentors demonstrate a professional approach that prioritises student wellbeing.
Malvern College
At Malvern College, mentoring is woven into the fabric of school life, with every pupil supported by a dynamic framework spanning peers, staff, alumni, and dedicated leadership roles. The boarding house system forms the heart of this structure, where senior pupils serve as trained peer mentors, buddies, and role models under the guidance of Housemasters. Beyond the houses, bespoke Life Skills workshops, university guidance, and coaching-led learning initiatives foster independence, empathy, and confidence across all year groups. The judges appreciated the breadth of the programme and its integration into multiple aspects of school life.
North Birmingham Academy
North Birmingham Academy's mentoring programme demonstrates what can be achieved in a challenging context through commitment and creativity. Senior students provide academic mentoring, careers guidance, and pastoral support to younger pupils, with clear positive impact on attendance, behaviour, and academic engagement. The judges were impressed by the programme's reach across the school and the authentic enthusiasm expressed by participating students. The programme shows strong potential for further development.
Saint Felix School, Southwold
Saint Felix has established a well-structured peer mentoring programme that supports students through key transitions and challenges. Year 12 students mentor Year 7 and Year 10 pupils, providing academic support and pastoral guidance. The judges noted good evidence of impact on student confidence and wellbeing, with clear systems for training mentors and gathering feedback. The programme demonstrates steady development and integration into school culture.
Cumnor House Sussex
Cumnor House's mentoring programme combines traditional peer support with innovative approaches to pastoral care. Older pupils mentor younger students through transition periods, while specialist mentoring provides targeted support for those facing particular challenges. The judges praised the programme's responsiveness to individual student needs and the clear commitment from senior leadership to embedding mentoring throughout the school.
Kingston Grammar School
Kingston Grammar School has developed a comprehensive mentoring programme that operates across multiple year groups and contexts. Academic mentoring pairs high-achieving Sixth Formers with younger students needing support in specific subjects, while pastoral mentoring provides broader guidance and friendship. The judges noted good evidence of impact and strong structural support for the programme, recognising its steady development and increasing reach.
Wellington School
Wellington School takes a holistic and collaborative approach to mentoring, combining internal expertise with external partnerships to enhance the experience for all students. Scenario-based workshops led by Heads of House allow pupils to explore real-life mentoring situations through role-play and discussion, building empathy, trust, and problem-solving skills. Weekly tutor check-ins and regular feedback from both mentors and mentees ensure that the programme remains responsive and impactful, creating a strong culture of support across the school community.
Monkton Combe School
Monkton Combe's House-based mentoring programme provides structured support for students as they navigate school life. Senior pupils take on mentoring roles within their houses, supporting younger students academically and pastorally. The judges recognised good evidence of impact on student wellbeing and academic engagement, with clear systems in place for mentor training and ongoing support. The programme demonstrates solid foundations for future development.
E-ACT DSLV Academy
E-ACT DSLV Academy's mentoring programme shows what can be achieved through determination and creativity in challenging circumstances. Senior students provide academic mentoring and pastoral support to younger pupils, with positive impact on behaviour, attendance, and engagement. The judges appreciated the programme's reach and the evident commitment from both staff and student mentors to making it work.
Warwick Schools Foundation
Warwick Schools Foundation has established mentoring programmes across its family of schools, creating opportunities for peer support within and between schools. The judges recognised good practice in mentor training and programme structure, with clear evidence of positive impact on participating students. The programme demonstrates thoughtful integration of mentoring into the schools' broader educational provision.
King's College International School Bangkok
King's College International School Bangkok operates a House-based mentoring programme adapted thoughtfully for an international context. Senior students mentor across year groups and cultural backgrounds, providing academic support and helping newer students settle into school life. The judges noted good evidence of impact on student wellbeing and academic engagement in an international setting.
Dulwich College Seoul
Dulwich College Seoul has developed mentoring programmes that support students across academic and pastoral domains. Senior pupils mentor younger students, providing guidance on studies, co-curricular activities, and adapting to school life in an international setting. The judges recognised solid programme foundations and evidence of positive impact on participating students.
Shrewsbury International School Bangkok
Shrewsbury International School Bangkok's mentoring programme brings together students from diverse cultural backgrounds, with senior pupils providing academic and pastoral support to younger students. The judges noted good programme structure and clear positive impact on student transitions and wellbeing in an international context.
Bronze Winners
The Maynard School has developed a remote academic mentoring programme for Gifted & Talented Year 11 girls from partner schools, with strong early impact data showing improved grades and confidence. St Edward's, Oxford operates a layered mentoring framework including peer mentoring, trained Peer Listeners, and extensive community service placements. Wetherby Senior School provides peer mentoring support focused on academic organisation and pastoral care. Dartmouth Academy demonstrates commitment to mentoring in a challenging context, with positive impact on student engagement. BEK Dongtan has established peer mentoring programmes adapted for their international setting. Fulham Prep School operates academic and pastoral mentoring through their House system. The Fulham Boys School provides structured peer mentoring supporting students academically and pastorally. E-ACT Heartlands Academy demonstrates strong commitment to embedding mentoring in their school culture, with positive early impact on student outcomes.
Stay tuned and keep an eye out for next year's application window. Whether you're just beginning your mentoring journey or looking to take an established programme to the next level, we encourage you to apply.
Each school recognised today demonstrates that with commitment, structure, and a genuine focus on student wellbeing, mentoring can transform school culture and student outcomes. We look forward to celebrating even more outstanding mentoring programmes in 2027.