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.
Years 3 to 6 Netball Matches v Chinthurst 4.11.25 and 5.11.25
Our Years 3–6 Netball teams took part in lots of fixtures against Chinthurst. All matches were played with excellent spirit, with plenty of enthusiasm, teamwork and lots of learning throughout the afternoon.
The Year 3 played 4 aside with no positions and did fantastically managing to get the ball down the court and working as a team. Team 1 scored goals and won their matches. Team 2 did incredibly, fighting for the ball and trying their best just missing out on one goal between them and Chinthurst.
Our Year 4 girls got split into two teams of 5 playing 5 aside B Netball. Both teams played extremely well and really worked well as a team and used they voices to help each other to get down the court. Team 1 lost to Chinthurst by one goal and Team 2 won their match 1-0 to 0akhyrst.
Olivia B received player of the match of the day.
Year 5 and 6 travelled over to Chinhurst school to play. We arrived and Year 6 played on the netball court outside whilst year 5 played inside their sports hall.
The Year 5 team faced a strong Chinthurst side and were split into teams of 5 which meant they could work the court in many ways. Team 1 really worked well with communicating and using the space but lost 7-12. It was incredible that they got so many goals in. Team 2 did a fantastic job despite the result being 3-5 to Chinthurst.
Players of the match were Isabelle M, Ophelia W and Georgia R-B
Year 6 played Chinthurst A team and it was a very exciting match. The girls worked well together, communicating with each other and working down the court to get the ball to the goal. The end result was 5-7 to Chinthurst.
Lizzie K was given player of the match.
Overall, it was a fantastic two afternoons of Netball, full of learning opportunities and great sportsmanship from all involved. Well done to everyone who represented the school so proudly and thank you to Chinthurst for building this partnership.
Miss G Lomax, Girls Games Teacher
Football Matches v Chinthurst – Tuesday 4.11.25 and Wednesday 5.11.25
This week, our Years 3–5 football teams took part in a series of exciting fixtures against Chinthurst. All matches were played in excellent spirit, with plenty of enthusiasm, teamwork, and learning on display throughout the two afternoons.
The Year 3 A team showed great determination against Chinthurst A but were narrowly defeated 3–1 in a closely fought game. Sebastian was our goal scorer. Despite the result, the boys played with real energy and are continuing to develop their passing, positioning and teamwork skills.
POTM: Sebastian Lyward
Our Year 3 & 4 mixed team produced an impressive performance against Chinthurst B, securing a 5–3 victory. The team combined well in attack and showed good awareness in defence with goals coming from Max and Harrison. For some of the children this was their first competitive football fixture so well done to them all.
POTM: Harrison Gooday
The Year 5 team faced a strong Chinthurst side and, although they lost 5–2, there were many positives to take from the match, including improved communication and some excellent individual efforts. Again, for some boys this was their first experience of a competitive football fixture.
POTM: Freddie Fencott
Overall, it was a fantastic two afternoons of football, full of learning opportunities and great sportsmanship from all involved. Well done to everyone who represented the school so proudly and thank you to Chinthurst for building this partnership.
On Wednesday 15th October 8 Girls travelled to Aberdour school in Tadworth. We arrived at Aberdour and got settled and set up for a fun afternoon of netball. We were told it’s a versatility match, which means all girls will rotate positions and be put out of their comfort zones and playing in positions they have never played before which was a challenging but great way to build their confidence in the sport.
The girls were given their bibs and were ready to play with 7 aside and one player resting.
GK – GD – WD – C – (Rest) WA – GA – GS
Our first match was against Aberdour and we started off the match really fighting for the ball but conceding 2 goals to 1. At half time the girls rotated to their next position and had a pep talk with Miss Lomax and started the second half with amazing work, winning back the ball and winning overall 5-3 to Oakhyrst. Once the match was finished the girls did player of the match and chose Eliza B.
Our second match was against Mickelfield and both teams really fought for the ball and the first half ended 3-3 which was incredibly close. The second half we played beautifully and ended up shooting 2 more goals and it ended 5 – 3 to Oakhyrst. The chosen player of the match was Sienna O.
After the tournament we sat down and found out that Oakhyrst won their section and came out with top points and brought home gold medals.
Super proud teacher of all girls who took part in the tournament. You all did an amazing job!
Miss Lomax Girls Sports Teacher
ISA London South Swimming Gala – Friday 10.10.25
On Friday 10th October, 14 pupils from our school, Years 4-6 competed in a 50-meter ISA gala. We competed against 15 schools at the K2 in Crawley. On the way there, we had nervous children and children who could not wait to compete.
We had very good competitors, and the whole team performed very well. The order of the races was para, breaststroke, backstroke, front crawl and then butterfly.
In the heats standouts were Ophelia who came first in her heat, Harrison who came third in his heat, Lizzie who came first and Caiden who had two second places in his heat. In the end we finished with 4 medals, 1 gold 1 silver and 2 bronze. Extra congratulations to Lizzie for making it through to the ISA Nationals.
We want to say a big thank you to Mrs Cox and Mrs Evans for helping us along the way and taking us there and back. Well done to all the children.
By Caiden H, Year 6
U11 Football Tournament away at Caterham School – Saturday 11.10.25
The U11 football team took part in a competitive 8-school tournament on Saturday, featuring two groups of four teams. Drawn into a tough group, our boys battled hard in each of their three-group stage matches, but despite their best efforts, the results didn’t go our way, and we narrowly lost all three games.
Hawthorns 4-1 loss Caterham 4-0 loss Banstead Prep 2-1 loss
The team refocused their energy in the Plate semi-final, putting in a fantastic performance to secure a well-earned 1-0 victory over Aberdour School. The boys showed real grit and composure under pressure, with strong defending and a clinical penalty proving the difference.
In the Plate final, the team faced another strong opponent and pushed them all the way in a close and tense encounter. Despite creating chances and defending bravely, we fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat to Copthorne.
The boys should be extremely proud of their efforts. They showed real improvement throughout the day, growing in confidence and cohesion as a team. Their efforts were rewarded with a well-deserved silver medal in the Plate competition – a reflection of their resilience and positive attitude. Well done, team!
Well done to everyone!
Mr Smith & Miss Lomax
Years 3 to 6 Girls Swimming Gala away at Cumnor House – Tuesday 30.9.25
On Tuesday, 30th September 2025, 17 girls from Years 3, 4, 5, and 6 participated in an exciting friendly gala against Cumnor House School for Girls. The races were closely contested, and for some children, this marked their first gala experience against another school. A special mention goes to the girls who tackled the butterfly events and Ophelia for swimming up for Year 6 — well done! We are incredibly proud of all the children who took part and gave their best. Congratulations to the team on an impressive performance.
The final scores were: OGS 95 pts, Cumnor House 86 pts (lowest score wins).
A heartfelt thank you to our ever-growing parents’ cheer squad — your support, fine voices and transportation are very much appreciated.
U9 Football Tournament away at Caterham Prep – Saturday 27.9.25
On Saturday 27th September 2025, our U9 football team took part in a tournament at Caterham School, which featured 8 schools divided into two groups of four teams. After a busy round of matches in the group stage, we narrowly finished in 4th position, progressing into the Plate semi-final.
Match Results: Group match 1: Lost 0-1 vs Surbiton Group match 2: Lost 1-3 vs Aberdour Group match 3: Drew 3-3 vs Banstead Prep
The semi-final itself was a tense and hard-fought battle, with both teams having plenty of opportunities to score but neither could make the breakthrough. Despite creating chances, the game finished 0–0, which meant the result had to be decided by penalties. Unfortunately, we were edged out in the shootout 2-1.
Although the result didn’t go our way, the players showed fantastic team spirit, supporting one another throughout every game. There was clear improvement as the morning went on, with stronger passing, better positioning, and growing confidence in attack and defence. It was a competition to be proud of and a valuable experience for the whole team in their early stages of their footballing days.
Well done to everyone!
Mr David Smith Head of Sport
U11 ISA London South Football Tournament away at Lingfield College – Friday 26.9.25
On Friday 26th September 2025, Oakhyrst Grange took part in a competitive 20-team ISA London South Football Tournament hosted by Lingfield College. The tournament saw all teams split into four groups of five, with each team playing four group-stage matches. The top four teams from each group then progressed to the knockout stages.
Our team was placed in Group C alongside four other strong sides. Despite facing tough competition, the team gave their all in every game and secured a well-earned 3rd place finish in the group. Only separated to second place by goal difference. We therefore progressed to the last 16 where we faced Sacred Heart School, narrowly edged out 2-0 by a well-organised side.
The team showed heart and determination until the final whistle. The team should be proud of their performances throughout the tournament. Reaching the knockout stage as a small school is a fantastic achievement, and we look forward to building on this success in future competitions.
Mr David Smith Head of Sport
Match Results:
Group match 1: Lost 1-2 vs Elmhurst Group match 2: Won 3-0 vs St. David’s Prep Group match 3: Drew 0-0 vs Babington Group match 4: Won 2-1 vs Gads Hill Last 16 match: Lost 0-2 vs Sacred Heart
U11 Football Tournament away at Epsom College – 24.9.25
On Wednesday 24th September, we were excited to kick off our competitive sports calendar with the U11 football team participating in a football competition hosted and organised by Epsom College Football. The event saw 24 schools competing in what was a thoroughly enjoyable and competitive morning of football.
Our team performed with great enthusiasm and teamwork, finishing 4th in their group and progressing to the Plate Semi-Final, where they were narrowly defeated 3–2. This was a fantastic achievement, particularly as it was the team’s first time playing together.
Match Results:
2–1 win vs The Mall
0–0 draw vs Dulwich Prep B
1–4 loss vs Thomas’s Kensington
0–3 loss vs Banstead B
3–2 win vs Wallace Fields
2–3 loss vs Donmead
We’re incredibly proud of the team’s efforts and look forward to many more exciting fixtures & competitions throughout the term.
Mr David Smith
U11 Inter-House Cricket Competition – Wednesday 2nd July 2025
On Wednesday, we rounded off a year of competitive sport with our Year 5 & 6 Inter-house cricket competition. With the weather thankfully cooled down and some great cricket was on display.
In separate year group matches, Hillside came out on top in both matches in two very close contests:
Year 5 Hillside 287 beat Year 5 Stanstead 273. Year 6 Hillside 278 beat Year 6 Stanstead 272.
Well done to everyone involved and thank you to the parents who came along to support.
