Adults have mentors, kids should too.
We support students to fulfil their academic potential through one-to-one mentoring and programmes in schools.
Why Oppidan?
Through mentoring and tuition, Oppidan students succeed at the world’s best schools and universities.
Self-confidence
Our unique mentoring approach is built on the desire to instil self-confidence in every Oppidan student.
The right role model
We choose and train our mentors carefully – we believe the relationship between mentor and mentee should be harmonious and long-term.
School partnerships
In an industry long mistrusted by schools, we work closely with 100+ schools to ensure the quality of our educational model.
Long-term support
Our mentoring programmes – or Journeys – are designed to ensure the best student outcomes, avoiding last-minute, rushed support.
Academic mentoring
We help students achieve top grades at school
Through one-to-one mentoring and tuition, Oppidan students achieve sustainable success. They are prepared for tests and exams, but equally skilled for the wider challenges of moving school and applying for university.
Character mentoring
We develop life skills for a rapidly changing future
Our character education programmes help young people to develop the confidence and communications skills to prepare for their next steps, whether at school and university or into careers and their adult life.
In schools
We run mentoring programmes in schools
Trusted by over a hundred of the world’s best schools, we mentor students at the crunch points of moving school, preparing for public exams or applying for university.
What parents say
Our mentors inspire students to success
Our team is central to everything we do – a dynamic network of teachers, therapists and counsellors as well as civil servants, journalists and screenwriters. We onboard them through a two-step interview process and once they’re working, we run weekly training sessions to ensure they stay at the top of their game.
"If the idea of overly-academic tutoring makes you want to run for the hills, Oppidan’s character-based ethos may be just the ticket. Goodbye to soulless, prescriptive, hothouse learning and hello to fun, confidence-boosting sessions."
What they say
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Anya Hindmarch
Parent
“Oppidan has a completely fresh approach to others in the market. They “mentor the individual” rather than “tutor the child” which brings much more than just the exam results.”
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Justin Rose
Parent
“Oppidan is instrumental in providing excellent guidance. We can’t speak highly enough of them as role models and feel very reassured to have their support.”
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Jeremy Banks
Headmaster of Caldicott School
“Children with Oppidan feel empowered. I wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone who believes the child should be at the heart of a great education.”
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Helen Demetriou
Research and Teaching Associate, University of Cambridge
“Oppidan mentors provide an invaluable service. Their empathic, authentic approach when engaging with learners enhances character and personal development, and ultimately develops autonomy and wellbeing.”
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Monica B
Parent
“The mentors are like no other. If you want someone extremely knowledgeable in a given subject matter who is actually passionate about engaging with children and helping meet their learning and life goals, this is it.”
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Tim F
Parent
“My daughter loves our Oppidan mentor. She always comes out of sessions happy and energised. The service is excellently tailored to our needs, and a great deal of thought is put into our daughter’s circumstances and how to help her develop.”
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Ken Annis
Deputy Head, Edgeborough School
“You provide an incredibly valuable service; comforting, supportive and challenging. Parents were hugely impressed.”
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Gabrielle M
Parent
“As a family, we have all been hugely impressed by Oppidan Education and we would not hesitate to recommend its services to other parents or older children looking for inspirational mentors and motivational ways to learn and study.”
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Saz S
Parent
“As a teacher with 16 years of experience, I can whole heartedly recommend you contact these guys. They see the whole child, and understand the pressure families are under. The results are great, and the process is calm. Thank you Oppidan.”
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Evis H
Parent
“We were looking for someone to engage him educationally outside of what is taught in the curriculum in school. The sessions are fun and engaging, yet teach our son how to think broadly and analytically and write concisely.”
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Peter T
Parent
“Your unique approach with your students certainly makes you stand out in the crowd among tutoring companies.”
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Amara L
Parent
“You have been a great addition to my arsenal of resources for getting my daughters ready for higher education!”
The latest stories
Frequently asked questions
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Evidence and research demonstrates that mentoring by young professionals provides a role-model figure who is not as connected to the school system as a teacher, enabling a stronger connection to develop.
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The social skills learned in mentoring sessions enable the child to develop better relations with peers, family, and teachers, leading to a cumulative positive effect on the child’s wellbeing and growth of their social capital. Mentoring also develops students’ sense of ownership, because sessions are less prescriptive, enabling the child to have a greater sense of autonomy. This leads to greater motivation and engagement.
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Tutoring is short-term support that focuses on immediate academic results, whereas mentoring is long-term support from a specifically chosen adult that seeks to build academic engagement and attainment.
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Our impact is assessed by our Impact & Research team who measure the effect of work for a family or a school throughout the programme. Reports are also provided to families every month from each mentor and impact reports shared with our partner schools.
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Young professionals across industry: teachers, therapists, counsellors, lawyers, actors and journalists who work with Oppidan because they believe in mentoring over tutoring. We have two types of mentors: professional, full-time mentors and freelance mentors. All mentors are fully trained and equipped with the Mentoring Handbook.
Download our free Mentoring Handbook.
Join our monthly newsletter and receive the lite version of our Mentoring Handbook, a collection of character-building exercises that you can do with your kids at home.