Middle School Journey
A foundational 1:1 mentoring experience, inspiring children to reach the most competitive schools, then to thrive within them. Delivered by Oppidan Education, a global leader for mentoring young people.
The Middle School Journey
9-12 months
1:1 with a mentor
Ages 11-14
Assessed final project
Oppidan alumni have made it to the world’s top schools.
In today’s world, academics are no longer enough. The most successful students have a toolkit for everything beyond the test: they know themselves, they’ve learnt to learn, and they’re ready to showcase themselves. By the time an Oppidan student turns 14 years old, they’re in a position to take advantage of the privilege of their schooling and to aim high for what’s next. We lay the groundwork for teenage success.
Our programme delivers in four key areas across 9-12 months of support.
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12 sessions to improve self-knowledge, goal setting and confidence.
Students will:
Build their understanding of their strengths and areas for development, setting a game plan for academic and personal growth.
Collaborate with their carefully matched mentor; their accountability partner on the goals co-agreed.
Strategise where challenges appear on the horizon, breaking down complex problems and setting manageable goals.
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12 sessions to learn how to learn, then to get things done.
Students will:
Progress their executive function skills in partnership with their mentor through highly engaging EF activities designed to improve cognitive function, organisational skills and self-awareness on how they learn best.
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12 sessions to think critically, listen actively and communicate with confidence.
Students will:
Develop their speaking, listening and presentation skills, empowering them to speak with confidence and fluency in any setting.
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Students will:
Produce a highly personalised final project to showcase their progress over the course of the sessions; a source of personal pride for Oppidan graduates and useful to reference in their school or university application portfolio.
Student stories
Salar
From Winchester College to Georgetown
Salar’s journey with Oppidan began in 2016 with the process of selective entry to secondary schools. A shy athlete, Oppidan’s programme built his confidence for speaking and writing, learning to structure his thoughts on paper, to be more organised and to express his strengths clearly to adults. On the back of a successful boarding school experience, Salar is keen to launch a career in finance from Georgetown.
What parents say
About Oppidan Education
Our founders have spent a decade working in partnership with senior leaders and teachers around the world.
Oppidan’s success has been rooted in a practical, innovative, research-driven approach to mentoring, in partnership with globally-respected teachers and educationalists.
Having worked personally with families from the start, Henry and Walter continue to oversee each element of the recruitment, training and delivery of mentors’ work across 100+ schools and 5000+ families.
Henry and Walter are active trustees of the charity they founded, Oppidan Foundation, enabling access to mentorship programmes in public sector secondary schools.
Frequently asked questions
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The Middle School Journey is a programme of 1:1 support across 9-12 months, which includes:
An initial diagnostic and planning session with our senior team.
36 hours of 1:1 support with a carefully matched mentor.
Detailed written reports after every session.
Impact evaluation to track student progress.
An assessed final project, agreed upon by student and mentor.
Mentor Matching
Families will have the ability to ask for a change of mentor should there be any dissatisfaction with the initial pairing.
Locations
We deliver this programme to students around the world, from London to New York, Dubai, Bangkok and Seoul. Contact us to find out more about how best we deliver to specific geographies.
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The 11-14 years age phase is far more than just a preparatory phase for secondary school: it’s a foundational period that shapes personal and academic growth. Students encounter varied challenges of increasing difficulty during these formative years. Success in this crucial stage goes beyond achieving good grades; it involves nurturing character and developing key executive function skills that help students flourish.
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Mentors typically deliver to students online, using our integrated video and reporting system and interactive tools for sharing and annotating Oppidan’s resources. We encourage an initial face-to-face meet up between the mentor and the family and where practical, the mentor may upkeep the relationship occasionally in person.
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With some students, we wave goodbye and wish them well for their next phase, the rigours of teenage study and the beginning of university applications. For others, we’ll continue to support them ad hoc. The same mentor or a new face might look to further these newly acquired skills, or to support academic work or application preparation.
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Our students consistently gain admission to the world’s most selective schools and universities, a testament to the effectiveness of our approach. We track progress through regular surveys, student journals, and detailed mentor reports. Parents are kept informed at every step, allowing us to address specific challenges and to celebrate growth together. This combination of qualitative and quantitative feedback ensures we deliver lasting impact beyond academics.
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Mentoring is about giving students a toolkit to achieve at school, whereas traditional tutoring more typically involves short-term support delivered by academic specialists. Mentoring should be more deliberately long-term, with a focus on the self and skills to underpin and drive academic engagement and attainment.
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Oppidan Education has been selecting and training mentors since 2016. With a less than 20% acceptance rate, becoming a mentor with Oppidan is a competitive process in itself. We look for empathetic educators who are high achievers from diverse fields. We celebrate their excellence in their ‘other life’, which ensures great engagement from students and a relationship based on strong role modelling.
Speak to our co-founder, Henry Faber
Head boy of Eton College and graduate of Oxford University, Henry took inspiration from his father’s role as a headmaster in ideating and setting up Oppidan Education in 2016 with his childhood friend Walter. Over a decade working in partnership with the world’s top schools and in supporting thousands of students through their progression to selective institutions, Henry was recognised as a Forbes 30 Under 30 founder for social entrepreneurship and is a winner of the Great British Entrepreneurship and Education Investor Awards.
Brought up with one foot in the United States thanks to an American stepfather, Henry is passionate about championing educational excellence and the role of mentorship on both sides of the Atlantic.
Get in touch
To learn about the Middle School Journey, fill out the short form below and Henry Faber will be in touch to discuss how best to support your child.
