Art
Whatever your child’s abilities, we will ensure that they have a rich and varied experience of art at Oakhyrst. Your child will be encouraged in his or her artistic skills and self-expression. Those who show outstanding promise are encouraged to pursue art scholarships at their choice of senior schools.
From their arrival in Lower Kindergarten, children participate in a wide range of art media from still life drawing to puppet making.
From Year 1 the curriculum includes a timetabled art lesson in our dedicated art room. As the children progress up the school, they are encouraged to develop their observational skills, work in both two and three dimensions and experiment with a range of different techniques that include ceramics, rag work and glass painting.
Drama
Drama forms an important part of school life at Oakhyrst and our productions are well received within the school and local community. We believe that the performing arts help develop confidence and provide the children with valuable learning skills.
All the children perform in one or two assemblies throughout the year to which parents, relatives and friends are warmly welcome. In addition, at Christmas our senior pupils (Year 2 upwards) sing in a Carol Service in one of the local churches, whilst the children in the Lower School perform a Nativity Play.
At the end of the Easter Term, our senior pupils (Years 5 and 6) perform an Easter assembly and the school year culminates in a production involving the entire school.
Oakhyrst Grange also offers peripatetic LAMDA drama lessons for those pupils in Years KG to 6.
Computing
At Oakhyrst we recognise the importance of Computing both within the curriculum and in everyday life. From the age of four, the children are taught how to use a mouse, keyboard and to operate basic software packages. By the time they leave us in Year 6 the children have a wide and detailed knowledge of today’s most popular educational and business software packages.
We have our own IT suite and each classroom has at least one PC. Each child has high speed filtered internet access, their own email address from Year 5 and the use of a variety of educational and business software.
From Year 1, all children have weekly Computing lessons in small groups of no more than 10.
Music
In addition to the music lessons that form part of the weekly curriculum, the children have a choir lesson that is mixed across the Year groups. The Junior Choir features children from Kindergarten to Year 2 and the Senior Choir from Years 3 to 6. The children also have the opportunity to enjoy a range of musical opportunities on a daily, weekly and termly basis.
We are proud of our musical tradition at Oakhyrst and the standard and scope of the music played by many of our pupils. We offer a wide range of peripatetic music lessons with many of the children playing at least one musical instrument. These currently include instruction on: violin, piano, clarinet, guitar, trumpet, cornet, saxophone, trombone, cello flute and singing. The children are encouraged to sit The Royal Associated Board of Music and Guild Hall examinations and by the time they leave Oakhyrst they have normally attained high grades on their chosen instrument(s).
In addition, our senior choir, which is made up of pupils in Year 3 and above and our various Ensembles, regularly perform in class and end of term concerts and local music festivals.
Sport
We offer a wide variety of sports, both team and individual, for all of the children as part of the curriculum and club activities. All our sport is based on site.
All children are taught to swim from the age of four and everyone at the school has weekly swimming lessons throughout the year in our heated indoor pool. The whole school takes part in our annual inter-house swimming gala and our swimming team takes part in a number of local, regional and national events throughout the year.
In addition to swimming, every class has weekly PE and games lessons as part of the curriculum. We participate competitively in a number of sports at both an inter-school as well as regional/national level. We currently play all of the major sports that are played at senior school level i.e. football, netball, cross-country, hockey, athletics, cricket and rounders. Our pupils benefit greatly from the fitness and conditioning that they receive at Oakhyrst Grange and gives them a competitive edge at their next school.
Many sports clubs take place at lunchtime and during the after school activities throughout the week. These include ballet, modern dance, judo, badminton, table tennis, swimming, tennis, hockey, athletics and archery in addition to our squad/team practices.
Forest Schools
We now have an active Forest School’s session for all children. Our qualified Forest School Leader takes weekly lessons outdoors. All classes are encouraged to use the woodland area for cross-curricular teaching.
Forest Schools is an innovative outdoor approach to leaning which encourages and inspires children through positive outdoor experiences. It is designed to broaden children’s horizons, it allows them to appreciate and handle risks by means of having small achievable targets. The children review and reflect on their achievements after sessions to help build their confidence. Forest Schools is much more than just a “play” lesson and can be used for any number of cross curricular activities whilst learning about the natural environment.
There is clear evidence that “the classroom without walls” is of especial benefit to those who sometimes struggle to concentrate in a “normal” classroom as it allows for a much wider breadth of creativity and independence.