WHAT? WHERE?

Hazelwood school is an independent day school for boys and girls aged nine months to 13 years set over two sites in Oxted. The Nursery and Early Years campus is in Oxted town centre and home to the littlies (babies to Reception). The main school campus is just outside Oxted on Wolf’s Hill set among 20+ acres of woodland with far-reaching views over the South Downs. As locations go, they don’t get much prettier than this.

Unsurprisingly, given the bucolic surroundings, the outdoors play a big part in the learning – not least through an innovative outdoor learning zone known as the Outdoor BOX (more on this later).

At the heart of the school’s ethos is a forward-thinking approach to learning that aims to empower each child to make choices, take risks and learn the skills they’ll need to see them through their education and into life beyond. So, children here are learning how to learn, rather than simply being pumped full of information. And they’re clearly having a lot of fun while they’re at it.

Hazelwood school was founded in 1890 as a boarding school for boys and much of the woodland that surrounds the school today is the handiwork of the founder Edward Baily and his wife Ruth who planted the trees all those years ago. Girls were admitted to the school in the late Seventies, and in 1999 it went from being a boarding school to a day school only.

Today, the school remains proudly non-selective and there are almost 580 pupils on the roll – 440 children in the main school and 137 in the nursery. Most children live within a five-mile radius of the school coming from in and around Oxted with some coming from Edenbridge, Woldingham, Warlingham, Caterham, Tatsfield, Crockham Hill, Lingfield and further afield.

FACILITIES

In a word? Spectacular. Sitting on an undulating 20-acres, the school’s historic centrepiece, a pretty Victorian building, today houses residential apartments, offices, classrooms and wellbeing rooms. Over the years newer buildings have been added, resulting in a modern and functional school.

The newest is the Baily Building, an architectural award-winning building that melds into the landscape and offers stunning views over the North Downs. There are 14 classrooms including a library, plus a 450-seat auditorium called the Bawtree Hall.

The Willow Building houses a large sports hall and maths, science and computing classrooms. The school’s pride and joy is also here – an innovation suite known as the Indoor BOX. It’s a high-tech multi-use space where the rules of traditional learning are left at the door. Featuring interactive screens, an interactive light system, VR googles, Google jamboards, moveable furniture and a Lego wall that doubles as a green screen, it’s designed to inspire creativity and curiosity. The aim is to develop creative thinking and ingenuity. This is flexible, modern teaching at its best and there’s a buzzy vibe that supports the age-old saying that happy kids learn better.

Elsewhere, there’s a 180-seat theatre with all the bells and whistles (lighting rig, sound equipment, to-die-for wardrobe department). There’s a music centre with practice rooms, recital rooms and radio station, and yoga and dance studios, fitness suite, graphic design and art studios, design and technology suite, home economic kitchen, plus an indoor heated swimming pool.

Outside there are flood-lit astro pitches, netball/tennis courts and grass pitches, plus the Outdoor BOX, a critical-thinking learning zone with a funky teepee classroom and seven domed pods for learning in smaller groups – plus a 30-foot tubular slide. The kids love it. And the teachers obviously do too, making good use of it regardless of the weather.

SPORT

Hazelwood School adopts a ‘sport for all’ attitude whilst also nurturing the talents of those who show promise through an elite sports programme.

The main sports for boys are football, rugby, hockey, cricket, athletics and cross country, and for girls it’s hockey, netball, football, cricket, athletics and cross country. The goal is for all children to find a sport they’ll enjoy throughout life – and every child has the opportunity to play for their school in the weekly fixtures with the school fielding teams up to F and G in football, and up to D teams for most other sports. And the school is not without its silverware, winning on a regional and national level – in 2022, the U13 boys were crowned national IAPS football champions.

All Hazelwood School pupils have timetabled swimming lessons until Year 6, and in Years 7 and 8 children have the opportunity to swim during weekly elective lessons. There’s a swimming squad, for those who are strong in the water which competes at a local and regional level.

The big news in 2024 though, is the appointment of Chris Robshaw, the former England Ruby Captain, as their new sports consultant. Chris will coach pupils weekly across a range of sports, sharing his professional expertise both on the field and in training.

THE ARTS

Given the state-of-the-art facilities at Hazelwood – and perhaps the Head teacher’s passion for music (more on that later) – it’s unsurprising the arts are super strong here across all areas.

Muddy 2022 Award winner for Best Art Gallery, Kate Tulett, is the Head of Art, a dynamic and inspirational woman with a knack for drawing the creativity from her pupils (no pun intended) and achieving amazing results. Children work with a range of mediums including paint, clay, pastels, ink, textiles, collage and print making.

Each child has weekly timetabled music lessons including children in the Nursery, and in addition there are almost 250 individual music lessons each week in a range of instruments including piano, voice and all the main orchestral instruments and guitar. There are four choirs, including a Chapel Choir which won gold at aninternational music festival in Prague in 2023. The are also multiple music ensembles and bands including a school orchestra, strings ensemble, flute group, percussion ensembles, wind band, and a recorder group.

In the performing arts, as well as timetabled drama lessons, there are annual school plays in Years 2, 4, 6 and 8 as well as an annual Nativity, talent show and dance show. Lamda lessons are also popular with more than 70 pupils taking part, and – no great surprise here – many Hazelwood pupils received scholarships at 11+ and 13+.

LITTLIES

Hazelwood Nursery and Early Years is located on a separate site on Bluehouse Lane in Oxted. It looks from the front to be compact and bijou, but actually opens out tardis-like into a spacious school site with large play area.

Children start here in Fledglings at nine months until they’re two years, then move into Robins (rising 3), Skylarks (rising 4) and then Reception, where there are 3 classes.

In Fledglings, there’s a practitioner to child ratio of 1:3, and as well as their own classrooms, each with their outdoor spaces plus dedicated sleep rooms – the Fledglings make use of a small hall that’s set up with soft play equipment.

Robins have a 1:4 practitioner to child ratio and the learning here is guided around free-flow play following the interests of individual children. Throughout the Nursery and Early Years School, there’s a strong collaborative relationship between staff and families. The Robins children also have the opportunity to participate in music and PE.

Pre-school children move into Skylarks when they’re rising 4 – and this is when more structured learning starts to take place with specialist teaching in Music, Sport, Maths, Phonics and Swimming. This continues in Reception – aka Oak.

Facilities here are excellent – there’s a dedicated lunch hall, a main school hall plus the smaller one set up for soft play, a library and a nature area where a former swimming pool has been converted into a large pond and the pool house has become an outdoor classroom.

A living ‘wigloo’ is also used as an outdoor classroom, plus a small tree’d area where Forest School takes place. The playground includes a grassed area, where the school sports are held each summer, and a hardcourt area with a sandpit, climbing frames, an outdoor stage and a cycling track for trikes.

ACADEMICS

Learning is form-based from Reception to Year 4, with specialist teaching for Music, Sport and Languages, and from Year 5 to 8 all subjects are specialist taught. Learning at Hazelwood School is innovative and enquiry-led underpinned by a strong grounding in the core academic subjects with the aim of developing analytical and critical thinking.

Children across all classes take part in an SDG Project (Sustainable Development Goals) which aims to teach new skills and help the children to see what they can achieve through education. It harks back to the school’s belief that learning must be relevant and connected, rather than simply learning for the sake of learning. And there’s a strong eye on the future, and making sure pupils are prepared for it.

In 2023, Hazelwood was awarded a NACE Challenge Award for the second time (National Association for Able Children in Education) which recognises its provision for more able, gifted and talented pupils.

Two-thirds of Year 6 pupils continue onto Year 7 and 8, and there’s huge support in finding the right senior school, whether that be at 11+ or 13+, with the process starting when pupils are in Year 4. In Year 8 results are strong, with 100% of pupils achieving an A*-C in Maths, 98% achieving A*-C in English and 93% achieving A*-C in Science.

Last year (2023), 17 scholarships were awarded to pupils to schools including Caterham School, Ardingly, Hurstpierpoint, Lingfield College, Reigate Grammar, Tonbridge School and Sevenoaks School.

PASTORAL CARE

Pastoral care is embedded into the ethos at Hazelwood School – and much thought goes into ensuring the wellbeing of every child through initiatives that develop self-confidence, self-awareness, and pupils’ strengths and passions. I was impressed to learn that consideration is also given to friendship groups and teacher relationships when deciding on form groups and classes.

Compassion, courage and respect are highly ranked values within the school, and there’s a overwhelming belief that every child has something special to offer.

A pastoral tracking system is in place to keep an eye on the wellbeing of each pupil, and there’s also a school counsellor. Pupil voice is important, and there are a number of pupil committees including a school council, an eco-council and a wellbeing committee. Suggestion boxes are also dotted around the school. Vertical tutoring is in place in Years 7 and 8 and as well as a buddy system which pairs a Year 3 pupil with a Year 7 buddy, and there’s also a mentoring programme.

THE HEAD

Lindie Louw has been at the school since 2005 and has been head teacher since 2016. She’s passionate about the school and about bringing out the best in every child and inspiring in them a love of learning. A progressive thinker – with one eye firmly on the future – she’s particularly proud of the innovative indoor and outdoor BOX learning spaces and what they’ve already achieved since being introduced. Mrs Louw is also a passionate musician and is heavily involved in the school’s choir programme.

WRAP AROUND CARE

There’s a staggered end to the day depending on which year group children are in – Years 1 and 2 end at 3.30pm, Years 3 and 4 end at 4pm and Years 5 to 8 end at 4.30pm. The school offers a breakfast club from 7.30am each day and after-school care until 6pm, with clubs from 4.30-5.30pm.

There are more than 40 after-school clubs offered each week ranging from scratch animation to judo, golf to mindfulness, fashion design to graphics club. There’s also a holiday club called the Hazelwood Fun Club which offers care during the half term and school holidays.

ISI REPORT

The most recent ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate) Inspection was in January 2019 – you can read the full report here. Hazelwood were rated Excellent in all aspects of teaching.

MOBILE PHONE POLICY

Mobile phones are not permitted at school. However children in Years 7 and 8 pupils may bring phones to school, but they must be silenced and checked in at the start of each day.

TRANSPORT

Most parents drop off and pick up their children from school. However a school bus system is in operation for a number of children, with collection and drop off directly to/from front doors.

FEES – 2024/25

From January 2025, termly fees in Reception (Oak) are £4,590; Year 1 is £4,980; Year 2 is £5,280; Year 3 is £6,540; Year 4 is £6,870; Year 5 is £7,470and Years 6, 7 and 8 is £7,542. Scholarships are available in Year 7 for Sports, Creative Arts, Academic Skills and All-Rounder Skills.

WORD ON THE GROUND

There’s a lot of love for Hazelwood School among the parents of students who go there. The innovative learning is talked about, as is the stunning location and the amazing facilities, in particular the outdoor learning spaces. Parents praise the staff, who they say are always available and willing to listen to both children and parents.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: Everyone, from thinking kids, creative kids, outdoorsy kids, sporty kids and families looking for a friendly school with great facilities and an all-rounder offering.

Not for: As it’s a standalone prep, there’s no automatic follow on to a senior school. But the upside is that you choose the senior school that’s a perfect fit for your child.

Dare to disagree? Check the school out for yourself at the school’s next open day. There’s a Year 7-8 open morning on Fri 11 Oct; a school open morning on Fri 22 Nov and a school open morning on Fri 21 March 2025. Click here for dates. Individual tours of the nursery can also be arranged.

Hazelwood Prep School and Nursery, Wolf’s Hill, Limpsfield, Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0QU. Tel: 01883 712194.

Hazelwood Nursery and Early Years, 19 Bluehouse Lane, Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0AA. Tel: 01883 714171.

hazelwoodschool.co.uk

Hazelwood Prep School and Nursery, Oxted

You may also like