Oakhyrst Grange School Joins the Award-Winning Caterham Family of Schools
Thriving and much-loved Surrey preparatory school, Oakhyrst Grange School, has announced that it will be joining the multi award-winning Caterham Family of Schools, marking an exciting new chapter in the school’s 75-year history.
Set within five and a half acres of beautiful Surrey Hills lawns and woodland, Oakhyrst Grange School is renowned for its nurturing ethos, strong academic foundations and exceptional pastoral care. Combining traditional values with innovative learning opportunities, the school provides an inspiring environment where children are encouraged to grow in confidence, develop a love of learning and achieve their full potential.
The partnership brings together two schools that have enjoyed a close relationship for decades and share a commitment to educational excellence, pupil wellbeing and innovation. Oakhyrst and Caterham already share many families and alumni, and both schools are united by a belief in providing outstanding opportunities for every child.
Oakhyrst Grange is proud of its exceptional facilities, including a heated indoor swimming pool, sports hall, Multi-Use Games Area and dedicated Forest School provision, all of which support a broad and ambitious curriculum. The school was also recently recognised nationally with a Pearson National Teaching Award Bronze Award for Early Years Team of the Year, celebrating the outstanding quality of its Early Years provision.
Gemma Mitchell, Headteacher of Oakhyrst Grange School, said:
“Joining the Caterham Family of Schools is a hugely exciting opportunity for Oakhyrst Grange and comes from a position of strength. This partnership builds upon a long-standing and successful relationship between our schools and reflects our shared commitment to educational excellence, innovation and pupil wellbeing.”
“Oakhyrst will retain its unique identity, values and close-knit community, which are so important to our families. We are incredibly proud of the warm, supportive environment we provide and remain ambitious for every child in our care. This partnership will enable us to build on our many strengths whilst creating even greater opportunities for our pupils, staff and wider school community.”
“Most importantly, families can be confident that their children will continue to enjoy the exceptional education, pastoral care and breadth of opportunity that define an Oakhyrst education. We will continue to prepare and support pupils for a wide range of senior school destinations, whilst also providing a smoother pathway to Caterham School for those families who choose that route.”
Ceri Jones, Headmaster of Caterham School, commented:
“Both schools have given their wholehearted support to this partnership, which reflects a shared educational vision, common values and a commitment to excellence. We are delighted to welcome Oakhyrst Grange into the Caterham Family of Schools and look forward to working together to enhance opportunities for pupils, families and staff alike.”
The Caterham Family of Schools includes Caterham School, Caterham Prep School, Copthorne Prep School and The Hawthorns School. The family is recognised for academic excellence, exceptional pastoral care, innovation and sector-leading approaches to digital learning and wellbeing.
Caterham School was named the Times Educational Supplement’s Independent Senior School of the Year and is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading co-educational schools. It is also the founding school of the East Surrey Learning Partnership, which brings together independent and state schools to enhance educational opportunity for young people across the region.
This partnership marks an exciting future for Oakhyrst Grange School, ensuring that its distinctive ethos, strong sense of community and commitment to educational excellence continue to flourish for generations to come.
Wednesday 24th January 2024 – U11 Boys’ Hockey v Lingfield College
On the 24th January we went to Lingfield’s home turf to play two hockey matches against them. The long journey was approximately forty minutes. There were fifteen boys in total from Year 5 and Year 6.
We arrived at their school at two thirty in the afternoon and we were all politely greeted by one of their nice coaches. Everyone walked to the astro but first we went the wrong way so we went the other way and we entered the astro turf.
We went to a bench where Vincent and Heath got into their goalkeeper gear. All of the boys were able to train in the goal which took up one third of the whole pitch. Before long team A and B were split into their two teams and we started both of the hockey games.
The game quickly started and we kept passing to each other until both opponents scored. We all kept on trying our best and at half time we fixed our team and played on. We were at the end of the game but sadly Team A lost 6 nil and Team B lost 8 nil.
After our exhausting match we had a match tea which was sausages in rolls. After our tea we went back to the minibus all talking about our wonderful time.
By Vincent N and Jackson D, Year 6
Events w/c 22.01.24
Monday 22nd
Year 4 Parents’ Meeting re Bushcraft – 4.00pm Cameron Hall
Wednesday 24th
Well-being Wednesday – no homework
U11 Boys’ Hockey – away leave OGS 1.30pm
Friday 26th
Year 3 Form Assembly – 8.45am Cameron Hall Year 3 Parents welcome
Events w/c 08.01.24
Monday 8th January
Extra-curricular clubs and activities commence this week
Events w/c 01.01.24
Thursday 4th
Staff Inset Day
Friday 5th
Whole School return for the start of the Spring Term 2024
Events w/c 4.12.23
Monday 4th
Parent ballet watching sessions during lessons for Year 6, 5, 3 and 1
Tuesday 5th
Modern Dance Assembly – 8.45am parents welcome
Wednesday 6th
PFOG Christmas Jumper day – children to wear festive jumper over school uniform
KG Playswim – 9.00am
Year 1 Playswim – 11.20am
Christmas Lunch
Year 4 Playswim – 2.00pm
Thursday 7th
Carol Service Rehearsal – Years 2 to 6 children dropped at St Mary’s Church from 8.30am
Carol Service at St Mary’s Church – Year 2 to 6 children dropped at the Church from 5.45pm to 6.00pm latest
Friday 8th
Year 3 Playswim – 9.00am
Year 5 Playswim – 11.20am
PFOG Pantomime for the children – 2.00pm
Fantastic Friday 1st December at the ISA National Swimming Championships
3 children (Scarlett K, Alec W and Sienna O) from years 6 and 4 travelled to the London Aquatics Centre, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on a frosty Friday morning to represent London South in the ISA National Swimming Finals.
Their programme started with the individual breaststroke races. Alec was first to swim in the year 4 boys 50m breaststroke and was chasing down the lead swimmer and finished a brilliant second, to receive a silver medal. Scarlett was next to swim in the Year 6 Girls breaststroke 50m. She was going for a hat-trick win, so the pressure was on.The race was nail biting and was so close, but her determination and grit was not going to let the medal pass. Gold for the third year.
The medley relays were the last events before a break. Scarlett was selected to swim the second leg, breaststroke for the girl’s year 6 relay. She pulled the relay up to second position, they fought hard but finished in 4th position.
The second session of the day started with the freestyle events. Alec took to the block for the second time and lead from the start clinching the gold and PB.
Scarlett was up next in the 50m butterfly, and she powered her way to gold and a PB for her too.
The last events of the day were the freestyle relays, and it was Sienna’s time to swim, she swam the third leg of the relay and pulled her team up to 5th position, well done.
The last event for the OGS children was the Year 4 boy’s relay. Alec was swimming the last leg and brought home a silver medal for team and another PB.
I was so proud of all the children’s swims, they are all amazing and to swim not only with children that they have never met, for two of them it was their first time in a 50m pool.
Thank you to all the parents who cheered the LS team on, we really appreciated your support.
Mrs Michelle Evans
Swimming Teacher
Events w/c 27.11.23
Tuesday 28th
LAMDA Examinations all day
Thursday 30th
Ballet parent watching sessions during normal lessons Year 4 – 1.15pn, Year 2 – 1.45pm, KG 2.15pm
Year 2 Playswim – 9.00am
Year 6 Playswim – 11.20am
Friday 1st December
ISA National Swimming Championships – London Aquatic Centre – all day
LKG, KG and Year 1 Nativity Performance – 2.00pm
Friendly Swimming Gala away at Caterham School – Tuesday 21st November 2023
31 children from years 3, 4, 5 & 6 took part in a gala today, Tuesday 21st November 2023 at Caterham School, for some it was their first experience of an away swimming gala.
The gala started with the individual races, backstroke, breaststroke, frontcrawl, and butterfly. There were some very tight finishes and excellent swims from all of the children. Next, the children swam in two relays: medley and freestyle, both girls and boys from each year group swimming against each other. A big thank you to some of the children who swam up for their age and stepped into to swim at very short notice.
The scores were announced. OGS scored 251 and Caterham won with a score of 269 – a very close result.
Very well done to the whole swimming team and thank to the parents who helped with the transportation to the gala and the large amount of parents cheering and lastly a massive thank you to both Mrs Cox and Mrs Gorman for helping me on poolside.
Mrs Evans, Swimming Teacher
Confident Cross Country – Wednesday 15th November 2023
Last Wednesday was Inter-House Cross Country. Almost everyone in the school competed except for Lower Kindergarten. Kindergarten went first with the Year 6 helping them. Next went Year 1 doing one lap on their own. Willow, Edie and Ava came first, second and third in Year 1 for the girls and George, Ethan and Joe for the boys.
Year 2 were next running two laps. The winners for the boys were Shray, Harry and Max and the girls were Cara, Scarlett and Isabelle.
Then was Year 3’s turn doing 3 laps. The boys who came in first, second and third were Logan, Freddie and Jude and the girls were Izzy, Ophelia and Georgia.
Year 4 came next, doing guess what, 3 laps with Alec coming first, then Caiden, then Jaimin. The girls were Bonnie, Hetty and Sienna.
Year 5’s turn next also doing 3 laps. The winners for the boys were Beau, Milan and Noah and the girls Vivienne, Isla and Ilana.
Lastly was Year 6 also running 3 laps and the winners for the girls were Scarlett, Emilie and Millie and the boys Jacob, Hartley and Jackson.
By the end everyone was so out of breath, they went to their classrooms, changed their shoes and went home. Well done to everyone for taking part.
By Lizzie K and Hettie J, Year 4
Events w/c 20.11.23
Tuesday 21st
Selected Years 3 to 6 children friendly swimming gala – away leave OGS 3.15pm
