History of the School
The history of the school can be traced back to 1918, when a new school, called ‘The Technical Institute’ was founded in St Faith’s Street, Maidstone. When the school opened in January 1918 it was a fee paying, selective school which initially admitted both male and female students. The school’s co-educational status was short-lived with the girls section of the school closing in 1921.
In 1938, due to an expansion in pupil numbers, the now all boys school acquired additional buildings on the Tonbridge Road. The date for the whole scale move from the St Faith’s site to the Tonbridge Road site was September 1939. War, of course, led to a significant disruption of that plan.
In 1944 the school’s roll increased to 279 boys and in February 1949 the Minister for Education approved the development of a new school, with a four-form entry. 1954 sketch plans were submitted for new buildings in Oakwood Park and architects employed. The school’s ‘Strive and Serve’ motto was introduced in 1956 by Headteacher, Mr R.H. Voice who also oversaw the school’s move to its current site in Oakwood Park. Building began in 1956 and completed 1959.
The school was officially opened in September 1959 by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The school finally took the name ‘Oakwood Park Grammar School’ in 1983 with a co-educational sixth form being established in September 1994. The school celebrated its centenary with the opening of ‘The Centenary Building’ in 2017-18.