Oaks Park High School, Ilford
| Oaks Park High School | |
|---|---|
| File:OaksParkLogo.png | |
| Address | |
 | |
Oaks Lane , , IG2 7PQ | |
| Information | |
| Type | Comprehensive Community School |
| Motto | Learning together, Achieving Together |
| Established | 2001 |
| Local authority | Redbridge |
| Department for Education URN | 133405 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Head teacher | Mr Wilks |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Enrollment | 1,740 |
| Houses | Omega, Alpha, Kappa, Sigma (OAKS) |
| Colour(s) | Green and Yellow |
| Website | www.oakspark.co.uk |
Oaks Park High School is an 11-19 mixed comprehensive school situated in Newbury Park, Ilford. Opened in September 2001, Oaks Park now has over 1500 students, with over 300 in the Sixth Form. The school enjoys a good reputation for both academic success and achievements beyond the classroom.[1]
The most recent Ofsted Inspection took place in October 2011 and we are delighted to be recognised by Ofsted as an ‘Outstanding School’. Many features of the school were judged to be outstanding, including the curriculum, students’ personal development and the quality of care, guidance and support.
The Sixth Form has grown rapidly since it opened in September 2006 and offers wide range of courses to students, both from Oaks Park and other schools.
Oaks Park became a specialist Music College in September 2006 and music continues to play an important role in the life of the school.
Extra-curricular activities are also an important part of what Oaks Park has to offer. The school also has an excellent record of sporting achievement.
Oaks Park is an important part of the local community. The school is open until 10:00 pm each evening and also at weekends. Schools Plus is responsible for offering a wide-ranging programme including sporting activities; drama and theatre groups, as well as several academic options.
A Brief History of Oaks Park
Oaks Park High School was built under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) to alleviate the growing shortfall of places in schools within the Borough. The school opened on Friday 7 September 2001 with an initial intake of 180 students. In May/June 2006 the school saw the first cohort of students take their GCSE examinations. The Sixth Form opened in September 2006 and Oaks Park became a Specialist Music School at the same time. Oaks Park is now one of the largest schools in Redbridge. There are 1260 students in the main school and it is heavily oversubscribed. The Sixth Form is over 580 strong and has quickly become established within Redbridge and beyond. In 2011 Oaks Park was designated a Fronter Champion School in recognition of the work we have carried out on our Managed Learning Environment.
Sixth Form
The Sixth Form is growing in size and reputation and retains many students and attracts still more from Redbridge and neighbouring boroughs. Oaks Park prides itself on the excellent relationships that develop between students and staff.[2] External students describe the welcoming friendly nature of the Sixth Form.
Ofsted commented on the fact that students ‘leave as mature adults with excellent interpersonal skills, well prepared for future study and work.’
Sixth Form results have been were excellent, enabling the majority of students to progress to a wide range of universities throughout the United Kingdom. 37% of grades were A*/A. Students have gained places to read a wide variety of subjects including Law, Optometry, Mechanical Engineering, Accounting, Mathematics and Architecture; many at Russell group universities. High scoring students are now commonplace at Oaks Park.
Achievements
In recent years the school has won a number of awards reflecting the wide range of initiatives undertaken by students and staff. Most recently the Travel Green Team achieved a Gold Travel Award for Sustainable Travel, which was awarded by Transport for London. In October 2011 the school was awarded ‘Outstanding’ status by Ofsted.[3] Oaks Park has been designated an International School for 3 years from 2011–14, in recognition of the range we have of links developed with countries around the world. These include students and staff visiting schools overseas, schools from abroad visiting Oaks Park and video conferences taking place with schools from a variety of countries. The school is undergoing an expansion programme and will expand to 10 forms of entry in September 2015, which reflects the fact that Oaks Park is a popular school and highly regarded within the local community.