Clare Bradbury, Headteacher of Oakwood School

I am proud that this is my tenth year as Headteacher at Oakwood School. I have worked in education for over 25 years both locally and internationally. During my tenure, my ambition has been to prioritise academic excellence and positive pupil wellbeing. In addition, I have worked to improve and make the most of the facilities at Oakwood including our beautiful woodland and outdoor learning environment to ensure that our school is in a good position with regards to Oakwood’s future and our commitment to sustainability. We are a thriving and busy school community with robust pupil numbers where children are happy and confident to enjoy their childhood and learn.

I genuinely believe in the core values embedded firmly in Oakwood life.  Our children are treated as individuals and provided with a supportive and nurturing environment in which to grow and gain confidence.  As Headteacher, knowing all the children is incredibly important to me. One of my greatest pleasures during the week is seeing some of their work that they are proud of and spending time in classrooms watching our teachers inspire and encourage their learning. I am proud of how we prepare our senior pupils to move on to the next stage of their education and we love visits when they return to Oakwood and tell us of their progress and successes in senior school.                                                                                                                                                                                              Clare Bradbury, Headteacher, walking dogs at Oakwood School

Oakwood is unique in its ability to combine academic excellence with the opportunity to enjoy a real childhood. The Pre-Prep and Prep School years are precious and Oakwood recognises this, prioritising the chance to be children yet take risks and experience and achieve more than they ever thought they would. 

My husband, John, and our two Goldendoodles are fortunate to live on-site. Our sons have now both progressed to University and we are proud to watch them develop as young men. We enjoy travelling and are passionate about restoring old properties, especially in Brittany where we spend much of our holiday time. 

Our family is rooted in the local area and it is important to me to share with Oakwood pupils my belief that we must be actively involved in our community. On several occasions, we have hosted Christmas Day at Oakwood for people in our local community and we are delighted to have our choirs be involved with local events and to invite other schools and groups to join us for events at Oakwood including our annual Summer Community Tea. It pleases me to see our pupils take great pride and enjoyment in helping others.

I would welcome the opportunity to show you Oakwood; visiting us is absolutely the best way to experience the magic of our school and to see all that we have to offer your family. 

Mrs Clare Bradbury