About us
Testimonials and Success Stories
Oakhill Student Stories: In Their Own Words
My best days at school
Hi! I’m Jacob and I’m five years old. I love coming to Oakhill because it’s so much fun and not too big like my old school. At my old school there were too many children and it felt scary, but here I know everyone and they know me too!
My favourite thing is telling my friends my news every day. We sit together and everyone gets to share what they have been doing. I love that we all listen to each other – it makes me feel important!
The best part about school is all the adventures we go on. We went to the fire station and I nearly got wet when they showed us the hoses. That was really fun. At forest school, I get to play with clay by the stream and make all sorts of things. I’m really good at making helicopters – my teacher says I’m brilliant at it! I love making dens with my friends too.
I like writing too because my teacher helps me and tells me my words are important. Sometimes we visit the library and I find interesting books, and we go to the park which feels like an adventure.
At lunch, I love the chicken noodles – they’re really good. I eat with my friends and we laugh a lot. After lunch, I like running on the track and playing cricket.
One of the best things we did was learning about mini beasts. I held a real snake and touched a cockroach! Some of my friends thought it was yucky but I thought it was good. I want to learn more about animals.
School feels like my second home now, and I’m so happy I came here.
Jacob - Reception
I’m on the school council!
Hello! I’m Ottilie and I’m five. I want to tell you about my amazing school called Oakhill.
The thing I love most is playing outside with my friends. We run around and play games and sometimes we have little arguments but we always make up because we’re taught to be kind to each other. My teacher says friendship is very important.
I love reading time! I get to read Biff, Chip and Kipper books with my teacher just by myself. She sits with me and helps me with tricky words, and we talk about what’s happening in the story. It makes me feel really special because she only focuses on me during that time.
On a school trip we went to a farm and it was the best day EVER! I got to brush the guinea pigs and they were really soft and fluffy. I learned that they need food and water and love, just like me.
At PE we do running and jumping outside and we race each other. I’m getting faster at running. Sometimes we play games and I love trying to win.
An exciting thing is that I’m on the student council and we’re doing a cake sale to raise money to help other people. I chose what cakes we should sell and I’m going to help make them too. It makes me feel really grown up.
At lunch, the chicken noodles are the best! I always eat everything because it tastes so good.
I can’t wait to come to school every day because there’s always something fun to do and I feel like everyone is really kind here.
Ottilie - Reception
I actually miss school on weekends!
I’m Harry and I’m six years old. I have to tell you something funny – I actually miss school when it’s the weekend, I love Oakhill and my friends so much I wish I could come every day.
I’ve tried different schools before but I really like it here. The teachers really take care of us and make everything fun. We all play together and no one gets left out.
What I love most about school is sports and lunch! I have a jacket potato and pudding, and it’s delicious. At sports, we play in the sports hall and sometimes we do glow in the dark dodge ball, which is exciting.
My teacher says I’m a superstar at tidying up! It makes me proud when my teacher notices the things I’m good at.
We get to work with robots which is amazing. I can make them move around and do different things. My teacher helps me learn how to move them and I’m getting really good at it.
The best trip ever was going to Blackpool Zoo. I saw Rosti the tiger and my favourite animal, the black jaguar. It was so big and strong!
When I need help with my maths, my teachers are always there to help me straight away.
I’m so happy I came to Oakhill. It feels like home and I love coming here every single day!
Harry - Year 1
Learning about our village
Hi! I’m Frankie and I’m six. I’ve been at Oakhill since I was really little, and I love learning about where I live!
One of my favourite things was learning facts about Whalley. We walked around the village with our class and learned about all the different places. The best part was when we asked people what they liked about living here. Everyone was so nice and told us interesting things about our village. It made me feel really important talking to grown-ups and asking them questions. My teacher taught us how to be polite and listen carefully.
I love reading the books at school too. My favourite is the Highway Rat because it’s funny and exciting. Â I like to go to origami club and dancing. At origami club, I learn to fold paper into shapes.
I like that I can do lots of different things at school. In the morning I might be learning about buildings in Whalley, then reading about the Highway Rat, then making origami animals, then dancing! Every day is different and exciting.
My teachers know me really well because I’ve been here for so long and I feel safe here.
Frankie - Year 1
I'm a fractions wizard!
Hello! I’m Emmie and I’m seven years old.
I’ve been at Oakhill since I was in nursery, and now I’m in Year 2 and I LOVE maths! It’s my favourite subject ever. I love learning my times tables but my best thing is fractions. My teacher taught me all about them and now I’m really confident with them. My teachers are kind and help me learn new things every day
We get to use B-bots in our lessons, which are little robots that we can program. We give them instructions and tell them where to go and what to do.
I love playing with my friends at break time. We play football together and I’m getting really good at it. I even go to football club with Clitheroe Wolves. It’s fun learning football skills from real coaches.
The playground is really nice too. We have hopscotch painted on the ground and lots of toys to play with. Sometimes we make up our own games and everyone joins in.
When people ask me about school, I always tell them it’s amazing. I’ve grown up at Oakhill and it feels like home.
Emmie - Year 2
Taking my time to do my best
Hi, I’m Henry and I’m seven. My brother and I joined Oakhill from another school, and I’m so glad we did!
My favourite thing to do is playing tig with my friends at break time. We run around and try to catch each other, and everyone laughs so much. I’ve made really good friends here and we always look after each other.
I love Learning Kahoot. It’s like a quiz but on iPads and it makes maths feel like a game. We all try to answer the questions quickly and it’s so much fun. I’m getting much better at maths.
My teacher helped me learn something really important – I need to try to do my work more slowly. At first I thought that was strange because I want to be first to finish but my teacher explained that when I take my time, my work is much better and I understand things properly. Now I’m not rushing anymore and my handwriting looks much neater too.
If you eat all your dinner at lunchtime, you get a sticker! I love fish fingers, and when I finish everything on my plate, I get to choose a sticker to put on my chart.
I go to Golf Club which is brilliant! We learn to play golf and when you get a hole in one, you get a prize. I’m still practising, but I’m getting better every time.
The best thing about Oakhill is that the teachers really care about helping me learn, they help me understand that doing things properly is more important than doing them fast.
Me and my brother are both really happy we came here. Everyone is so friendly and kind!
Henry - Year 2
I go bonkers for maths!
Hi ! I’m Aadrita and I’m eight years old.
I’ve been at Oakhill since I was tiny in nursery. What I love about my school is that because there are fewer pupils, we get loads more individual attention and my teachers are really, really kind.
Something about school that makes me SO excited is I go absolutely bonkers for maths! I know some people think maths is boring, but I really love it. My favourite thing is learning times tables.
I don’t just do maths though. I’m in choir and rock band, which is good fun. Â I also go to book club where we read stories and talk about them together. I love discussing what we think will happen next or what the characters are feeling.
Lunch is really good here! Today we had a picnic outside which was brilliant – eating lunch in the sunshine with my friends on the grass.
We’re going on a trip soon to try paddleboarding and I can’t wait. I’ve never done paddleboarding before but it sounds exciting. I love that we get to try new things and go on adventures.
I love everything about Oakhill, Â I feel really confident and happy here. Every day I learn something new and exciting!
Aadrita - Year 3
My whole life at oakhill!
Hello! I’m Nancy and I’m eight years old. I’ve been at Oakhill since I was a baby, I started in the baby room and now I’m in Year 3!
Some of my teachers remember when I was learning to walk and talk, and now they see me doing rugby and drama! They make me feel loved and cared for.
Right now in PE we’re doing rugby, which is brilliant. We play lots of different sports throughout the year and I love trying new things.
One of the most exciting things we are doing right now is our murder mystery drama. I love music and drama so much. We’re all working together to put on this amazing show. I’m also in rock band and choir, and sometimes I even get to do solos. It used to make me nervous but now I love it.
Being at the same school for so long means I feel like it’s my home here. I know everyone, all the teachers, and I’ve grown up with lots of my friends.
Nancy - Year 3
Learning is fun here!
Hi! I’m Teddy and I’m nine years old. The best thing about Oakhill is that we learn loads but we also mix in fun – that’s what makes it so brilliant!
I love PE and I’m really proud because I’m on the football team  – I get to represent Oakhill in matches against other schools. We have football club with Clitheroe Wolves, which means we get proper coaching and learn real skills.
We don’t just do football though. We play dodgeball too, which is so much fun, everyone gets really excited and competitive.
One of my favourite things about lessons is that we get to do our own research on our iPads for different topics. Instead of just being told things, we can investigate and find out information ourselves.
One of my favourite trips was at Waddow Hall. We did orienteering, which is like treasure hunting with maps and compasses. We went grass sledging, which was like sledding but on grass instead of snow. And we tried paddleboarding on the river.
In art, we’ve been drawing Viking longboats. I love learning about the Vikings and then getting to draw their ships. It helps me imagine what it was like to be a Viking sailing across the sea.
I go to tennis club and cards club too. Tennis is helping me get better at sports, and cards club is actually helping me with my maths!
The best thing about Oakhill is that every day feels like an adventure, we learn lots but we mix in fun too.
Teddy - Year 4
My name’s Kuda and I’m in Year 7. I joined Oakhill in Year 6, and it’s honestly the best decision ever.
What makes this place special is that it’s such a nice, calm space to learn. I’m absolutely fascinated by science – especially learning about the human body and the periodic table. In the labs, I love looking through microscopes and studying cells, then creating detailed diagrams of what I see. It feels like I’m discovering a whole new world.
The teachers here are so nice and kind. Because the school is smaller, you get loads of individual help, which has really boosted my confidence. I’ve joined the Dungeons and Dragons club plus football and basketball clubs to keep active.
One thing I’ve really improved on is my English, especially writing stories. My classmates are so funny – they always make me laugh, which makes every day enjoyable. I also love drama with Mrs. Berry.
What’s special about Oakhill is how everyone sticks together, and students from all ages mix and play together. That doesn’t happen at other schools, but here, we’re one big family
Kuda - Year 7
Hi, I’m Joe and I’m in Year 6 now. I actually joined Oakhill with my brother in Year 5 after moving to the area, and it’s been brilliant.
One of the coolest things is that we all get our own iPad for research and schoolwork. The sports facilities are good too – there’s a 3G pitch where I play football. I’ve even made it onto the school team, which makes me feel proud.
What I love most is how friendly everyone is here. I’ve made loads of great friends, and there’s always something fun to do at lunchtime. It’s a really nice location with lots of space to play. The clubs are really good – I never played golf before coming to Oakhill, but now it’s one of my favourites. I like learning in the science labs too with all the specialist equipment.
Last week was the highlight of my year so far – we went on a PGL residential trip. We did rock climbing and raft building, and it was absolutely amazing. The best part though is just hanging out with my friends. We spend so much time together and always have a laugh.
Joe - Year 6
I’m Lucy, and I’m in Year 7. What drew me to Oakhill immediately was the smaller classes. The school feels quiet and calm, which suits my learning style. I feel like my grades have really improved since joining Oakhill, and that motivates me to want to do even better.
I really appreciate the different style of learning here. It’s more personalised and engaging. The teachers are lovely, and I’ve made some really nice friends. One of my favourite subjects is CDT – we’re creating texture boxes at the moment, and it’s so much fun. I love how we move around to different classes, and the trip to the Science Museum in Manchester was fantastic.
At lunchtime, I join the Walk and Talk club where we explore around Whalley whilst chatting, which is such a nice way to get some fresh air and exercise.
Everyone here was so welcoming from day one. The food is good too – the cheese pie particularly! Â
Lucy - Year 7
I’m Maisie and I’m in Year 8. I transferred here from another school and the difference has been incredible.
The small classes immediately felt welcoming and enable you to build close friendships. Â You naturally make friends across different year groups too. The teachers really get to know you personally, which helps them understand exactly where you need support, both academically and pastorally. The Oakleaf room is a great space to use if you need any support, if feels like a safe space.
I’m involved in choir and art club, which I absolutely love. Having our own learning iPads makes research easy and enjoyable. History has become one of my favourite subjects because of how our teacher presents it and links it to English too. My grades have definitely improved since joining Oakhill. One highlight this year was our glow-in-the-dark netball match – we won, which was such a great team moment.
What I love most is that you can truly be yourself here. I feel so much more confident and comfortable. The structure of the school day feels better too with more space to breathe and relax between lessons.
Maisie P - Year 8
Hi, I’m Maisie from Year 9. I live near Chorley, and choosing Oakhill has been one of the best decisions.
The teachers and students are really nice here. Because the school is small, you get to know everyone regardless of their age. What’s remarkable is that no one here is mean – there’s just this genuine kindness throughout the community.
French has become one of my favourite subjects because of how we learn. The activities are fun and interactive, making the whole class engaged. Having specialist teachers has really helped me feel more academically confident.
I’m involved in rounders and the running club, and we’ve had amazing trips like visiting the zoo and a ski trip to Italy. These experiences have made me really feel like part of the school family.
Since joining Oakhill, I’ve improved in every single subject. I work much harder here because it feels important, and everyone genuinely wants to succeed. I feel completely safe here, which I think comes from it being small and having so many special friendships.
Maisie B - Year 9
I’m Tilly, currently in Year 10. I came from St. Leonard’s, and the change has been transformative.
The smaller classes immediately made me feel more comfortable. What I love about Oakhill is how they suit the learning style to you individually. I’ve developed a real love for Spanish and the culture behind it. We use iPads for research, and we have good, strict technology rules that help us focus. Religious Education has become fascinating, especially when we debate topics like abortion and euthanasia. Hearing different opinions and having proper discussions has really opened my mind.
In sports, everyone gets involved here – they don’t just pick an elite team. There’s a space for everyone, whether it’s rounders, netball, hockey. The Duke of Edinburgh experience was brilliant, it really challenged me, but I felt so proud of myself afterwards.
Having a mentor teacher I can really talk to has been invaluable – I feel like I can discuss anything with them. I feel so much more confident here. Everything feels easier and more natural. Honestly, I never wanted to go anywhere else after experiencing Oakhill, this place has become my second home.
