If there are revisions to the information within the Friday Flyer, we will communicate any changes directly with the parents of the pupils affected, by Parentmail.
The Chichester Festival Choirs & Piano Programmes
The last programmes of The Chichester Festival take place this weekend as below. Good luck to all pupils performing in the events.
Piano - Saturday 14th/Sunday 15th March: The Regis School of Music, Bognor Regis, PO21 1ER. Children can wear smart home clothes (no ripped jeans). Music teachers will provide pupils with a copy of their music to give the adjudicator.
Choirs - Saturday 14th March (Acorns (ALL Y1/2), Junior (Y3/4), Senior (Y5/6) Choirs) and Boys Choir: St Paul’s Church, Chichester, PO19 6FT. Please can children wear their school uniform, including blazers (and a choir tie for children in Years 3-6).
Please let Mrs Dabrowski know if your child is unable to attend the Choirs Programme on Saturday 14th March - mdabrowski@oakwoodschool.co.uk.
Advance ticket booking link for the choirs programme: Advance Ticket Booking for Choirs.
Diary for Week 16th-20th March
Monday 16th March
- Library Parent & Child Morning Drop-In Session, 8-8.15am: Please access the Library via the rear door/porch of the main house.
- Little Green Shop Open 8.30-9am: The second hand uniform shop, run by parent volunteers, will be open after drop-off on Monday.
- Board of Governors Meeting, Heritage Room, 6pm.
Tuesday 17th March
- Library Parent & Child Morning Drop-In Session, 8-8.15am: Please access the Library via the rear door/porch of the main house.
- Year 5 Trip to Marwell Zoo: On Tuesday, Year 5 will be visiting Marwell Zoo to complement their Humanities Rainforest topic. They will be travelling on the school minibueses, leaving at 8.45am and returning around 4pm in time for normal pick-up time. Pupils should wear school uniform, including blazers and their school coats. They should wear comfortable trainers. The souvenir shop is now cashless, so Oakwood staff can purchase a small item from the gift shop for each child up to the value of £7, and then add the cost of the item purchased to your next school bill. Please contact the school office if you do not want your child to purchase a souvenir. A packed lunch, drinks and snacks will be provided by school. A reminder please for children to bring with them a small rucksack to carry their lunch and water bottles.
- Reception Owls rescheduled parents' evening with Mrs Tarry, 3.40-5.20pm (1st session): For those who have booked a slot in this first session 3.40-5.20pm, please visit the Reception Owls Classroom to view your child's work and then join Mrs Tarry for your appointment. Your child can be dropped into the Nursery classroom for the duration of your appointment if supervision is needed. If you have requested a virtual appointment with Mrs Tarry, she will email you a link to join a Google Meet session with her.
Wednesday 18th March
- Library Parent & Child Morning Drop-In Session, 8-8.15am: Please access the Library via the rear door/porch of the main house.
- Year 6 Humanities Finale and Dress-Up Day - WWII Evacuee Experiences: Next Wednesday, Year 6 pupils will take part in a morning of experiences as a finale to their topic on WWII, including cooking using Allied Food Rations and attempting popular wartime dances They are invited to come to school wearing Evacuee inspired dress-up.
- Year 5 & 6 Weekly Sports Fixtures: Please check your child’s SOCS calendar for all fixture details. Spectators are welcome at all fixtures against other schools, both home and away. Match Teas are served at Oakwood in the Heritage Room during the fixtures.
Rugby: U10 Festival @ PGS (AWAY) - 1.30-4.45pm - please note later finish time
Football: U11 Oakwood Festival (Home) - 2-4.15pm
Rugby: U11 Oakwood Festival (Home) - 2-4.15pm
- Little Green Shop Open 3-3.30pm: The second hand uniform shop, run by parent volunteers, will now be open on Wednesday afternoons. Thank you to our new volunteer for offering this afternoon slot!
Thursday 19th March
- Coffee Morning for parents of children with neurodiverse traits, 8.30-9.30am, Heritage Room: Mrs Amanda Bailey and Mrs Carla Todd look forward to hosting another informal coffee morning, with a focus on supporting parents who have a child with neurodivergent characteristics and behaviours. All are welcome.
- Reception Owls rescheduled parents' evening with Mrs Tarry, 3.40-5.20pm (2nd session): For those who have booked a slot in this 2nd session 3.40-5.20pm, please visit the Reception Owls Classroom to view your child's work and then join Mrs Tarry for your appointment. Your child can be dropped into the Nursery classroom for the duration of your appointment if supervision is needed. If you have requested a virtual appointment with Mrs Tarry, she will email you a link to join a Google Meet session with her.
- Year 3 & 4 Weekly Sports Fixtures: Please check your child’s SOCS calendar for all fixture details, timings and team selections. Spectators are welcome at all fixtures against other schools, both home and away. Match Teas are served at Oakwood in the Heritage Room during the fixtures.
Football: U9 Festival @ Westbourne House (AWAY): 2-4.45pm - please check SOCS for team selections. Please note later finish time.
Football: U9 v Meoncross (AWAY): 2.30-4.45pm - please check SOCS for team selections. Please note later finish time.
Rugby: U9 v Ditcham Park (Home): 2.30-4.15pm
Friday 20th March
- Prep School Parents' Morning (including Choir Assembly), 8.45-10.30am: Next Friday, Prep School Parents are invited to attend our Choir Assembly, followed by coffee in the Heritage Room and a visit to their children's classrooms. Assembly starts at 8.45am, coffee is served from 9.15am and visits to classrooms will begin from 9.30am. Due to space limitations in the Lyne Hall and classrooms, we look forward to seeing one parent or significant family member next week - thank you for your support. To help us plan catering and manage children's expectations on the morning, please let the school office know if you will be UNABLE to attend the event.
- Friday Assembly: Next week's assembly will involve performances from our Junior, Senior, Boys and Ukulele Choirs, and our Strings Trio as part of Prep School Parents' Morning.
- 2D and 2M Outdoor Learning Morning: Please can all children in Year 2 come to school wearing warm and comfortable home clothes, suitable for the current weather, as well as their Oakwood green coat and wellies, hats and gloves. Please can they bring their PE kit in a bag for the afternoon.
- Football: Senior Interhouse Matches (Round 2): This is an internal fixture within Years 5 and 6 Games lessons next Friday. Please can pupils try to remember their House T-Shirts and please can you let Miss Halford know as soon as possible if your Year 5 or 6 child will be absent from school next Friday afternoon.
Saturday 21st March
- Years 5 & 6 LAMDA Exams at Oakwood: Good luck to those children who are taking their LAMDA exams next Saturday at Oakwood. The exams take place in either the Lyne Hall or Heritage Room. Please refer to the letter and timetable sent via Parentmail on 9th March with further details.
Chichester Foodbank - Easter Collection
The Chichester Foodbank have asked us if we can support their Easter Collection initiative, as they work hard to support families in need over the Easter holidays while schools are closed.
There will be a collection basket at The Main House from Monday, should you wish to bring in any donations to support the cause.
They are currently desperate for toothbrushes!
Please see below for a link to a short video on youtube about their Easter Appeal.
Foodbank Easter Appeal You Tube Link
Parents' Netball Sessions and Charity Tournament
Weekly Parents' Netball
Parents 'back to netball' is back for the Summer Term, run by Kirsty Evans!
When? Wednesday evenings, 7.30-8.30pm - first session is on Wednesday 29th April
Where? Oakwood Front Netball Courts.
Cost? Pay and Play for £5 per session. ALL money raised will go to our school charities.
What's involved? NO prior netball experience necessary. Everyone is welcome. Sessions involve a fun mix of drills and skills, fitness and match play. A great way to meet lovely parents from different year groups and raise some money for charity.
Any questions or wish to come? Please email Kirsty - kevans@oakwoodschool.co.uk. Kirsty will add you on to a Whatsapp group for weekly check of numbers (minimum 6 for a session) and last minute cancellation if the weather is too wet or numbers too low.
Charity Netball Tournament, Saturday 13th June (PM)
After the Oakwood Summer Fair on Saturday 13th June, we hope to run a Parent and Staff Charity Netball Tournament.
Please contact Kirsty Evans if you would be interested in putting together a year group team, or just interested in joining a team as an individual. A minimum of 7 players required per team and the cost to enter the tournament is £10 per person, with all monies raised going to our school charities.
We would love to try and get 9 teams together, including a staff team - please contact kevans@oakwoodschool.co.uk if you are interested!
Senior School Open Days
Senior School Transitions - Looking Ahead
At Oakwood, A Place to Grow, we believe that preparing for the next stage of education should feel exciting, positive and full of opportunity.
We are proud to prepare pupils for a wide range of senior destinations, including both state and independent schools. While formal applications may still seem some way off for many families, we gently encourage parents to begin exploring options from Year 4 or 5 onwards. Visiting Open Events early allows families to feel informed, confident and unhurried as decision-making approaches.
Each week, we will highlight forthcoming Open Days and events that may be of interest.
Please check the relevant senior school website and contact the school in advance of any open day should you wish to attend as some schools require Open Day registration prior to a visit.
Forthcoming Senior School Events
The Portsmouth Grammar School
www.pgs.org.uk
Wednesday 22 April – 2.30-3.45pm
Wednesday 6 May – 2.30-3.45pm
Churcher’s College
www.churcherscollege.com
Thursday 19 March – 2.15-4pm
Monday 11 May – 2.15-4pm
Friday 5 June – 10.15am-12pm
Seaford College
www.seaford.org
Saturday 9 May - 9am-11am
Lord Wandsworth College
www.lordwandsworth.org
Open Day: Saturday 21st March - 9.15am
Lunch Menus
Our meals at Oakwood are homemade, using locally sourced food, by our wonderful catering team.
Printable Menu and allergen advice for 16th-20th March
Sustainability Snippets
Science and Sustainability at Oakwood
This term in Pre-Prep, we are exploring the natural world and learning about our place within it. The children have been making the most of our beautiful outdoor spaces by spending time learning in the forest.
At Oakwood, caring for habitats and the environment around us is an important part of our core values. Through our outdoor learning sessions, the children are developing an understanding of how we can look after the world around us and be mindful of our impact on nature.
These experiences also help to build important skills, including fine motor development, teamwork, curiosity, and learning how to assess and manage risk in a safe and supportive environment.
We are excited to continue exploring, discovering, and caring for the natural world together.
Year 1 Outdoor Learning
Spring feels well and truly in the air which is so wonderful. During Outdoor learning this week Year 1 are developing their hand, eye coordination, fine motor and dexterity by using tools. We thought carefully about working in our own bubbles and had a go at hammering pins into wooden discs.
Using tools is a valuable skill that fosters physical development, exposes learners to taking risk in a safe and manageable environment and allows creativity and self esteem.
In rotation some Year 1 children also placed items on to a time scale of how long things take to decompose. It was quite thought provoking to discover that some items might only take three to four weeks whilst others can take up to 450 years like disposable nappies.
"Did you know that nappies can take a hundred years I think to turn into compost. That's so long. That's even older than my house." - Year 1 student.
Mrs Charlotte Pounds
Year 1 Teaching Assistant and Acting Head of Outdoor Learning
cpounds@oakwoodschool.co.uk
Sports News & Stars
Oakwood U11 Rugby Team versus Elite Youth at Chichester Rugby Club last Saturday
Last Saturday a team of our U11 boys took on Elite Youth Rugby; a team for England's most promising young players. Both sides came into the match unbeaten and after a thoroughly entertaining game of the highest standard, could not be separated at the final whistle at 6 tries each.
Thank you to the Elite Youth Rugby players, staff and parents who travelled down to us from quite some distances, and for your kind words
Thank you to the fantastic Oakwood support on the sidelines. It meant the world to the boys to have so many people giving up their Saturday to cheer them on.
And a huge thank you to Chichester Rugby Club for their support in hosting the game, wonderful hospitality and providing food for the teams. We are incredibly grateful.
Prep School Sports Fixtures - Stars of the week!
Well done to the following children for their efforts in their fixtures both home and away this week!
U11 (Y6) Rugby: Jonah and Miller.
U11 (Y6) Football: Esme and Lowri.
U10 (Y5) Rugby: Austin, Leo S and Freddie.
U10 (Y5) Football: Isabelle H and Lina.
U9 (Y4) Rugby: Lucas, Renzo and Zachary.
U9 (Y4) Football: Alannah, Georgia, Annie and Pearl.
Prep School Sports Fixtures on SOCS
Please remember to regulary check your child's SOCS calendar for up-to-date information about forthcoming sports fixtures, the locations, times and team selections
SOCS Parent Login
Oakwood Prep School Sports Instagram Account
If you are not yet following our Instagram account, please check out our Prep School Sports Account - @oakwoodprepsport
Holiday Provision
Camp Little Oaks is internally-run by Oakwood Staff, providing holiday care for Oakwood pupils in Nursery and Kindergarten.
Easter 2026 Booking Form - please complete your bookings by Friday 20th March
CSS Activities are now taking bookings for ages 4-11+ children (Reception-Year 6+) for February Half Term, Easter, May Half Term and Summer Holidays 2026!
CSS Activities Holiday Camp is an externally-run provider available for all children in the local area.
Local Events and Activities
Weekly Picture Gallery
