Established in 1864, Summer Fields’ reputation for academics and sport endures. Their traditional approach offers a curriculum that encourages academic ambition and full participation in all the activities on offer, from fencing and polo to music and art. The spacious campus adjoins Oxford and the banks of the Cherwell River, with plentiful opportunities for kayaking, camping and making dens. The Head, a former MP and old boy of the school, is ambitious for his charges but determined not to create a hothouse atmosphere. The majority of pupils board but with the addition of a pre-prep, more day children are expected to feed through the school. All abilities get into their senior school of choice, with a good number of scholarships.