Kent

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1231" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-School-Nursery-Tonbridge-Front-Door-cropped.jpg" alt="Hilden Oaks Prep School &amp; Nursery, Tonbridge Front Door cropped" class="wp-image-90422" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-School-Nursery-Tonbridge-Front-Door-cropped.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-School-Nursery-Tonbridge-Front-Door-cropped-800x657.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-School-Nursery-Tonbridge-Front-Door-cropped-1000x821.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-School-Nursery-Tonbridge-Front-Door-cropped-400x328.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-School-Nursery-Tonbridge-Front-Door-cropped-768x630.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-School-Nursery-Tonbridge-Front-Door-cropped-640x525.jpg 640w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<a href="https://www.hildenoaks.co.uk">Hilden Oa</a><a href="https://www.hildenoaks.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ks</a> is a small independent co-educational prep school and nursery in Tonbridge, for children aged 3 months to 11 years. It is a small, values-based school, where each member of the school community plays a crucial role in its collective success. 



Skilful, experienced and dedicated teaching specialists aim to ensure learning is as innovative and engaging as possible. What&#8217;s more, Hilden Oaks families are active partners in their children&#8217;s education, fostering a strong, collaborative spirit.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-s-at-the-helm">Who&#8217;s at the helm?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Sharon-Wade.jpg" alt="Hilden Oaks Prep Tonbridge Kent Sharon Wade" class="wp-image-108539" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Sharon-Wade.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Sharon-Wade-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Sharon-Wade-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Sharon-Wade-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Sharon-Wade-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Sharon Wade became Headteacher of Hilden Oaks in September 2024 having been Deputy Head for the past nine years, where she was instrumental in implementing many of the successful initiatives that were introduced during that time. &nbsp;



Sharon Wade says: &#8216;I first came to Hilden Oaks as a parent in 2012 when my daughter was nurtured by our dedicated nursery practitioners. In her Reception year, I joined the staff as Deputy Head and saw firsthand the experience and skill of the school teaching and support team.&#8217;



&#8216;As my daughter grew and progressed on to secondary school, the advantage a Hilden Oaks education had given her became clear,&nbsp;&nbsp;as she confidently embraced every opportunity, and whatever the future brings, I know that she has had the best possible foundation. Hilden Oaks is enormously important to my family, and I consider it a great privilege to now take over the leadership of this wonderful school.&#8217;



Here&#8217;s 5 ways new Head, Sharon Wade, is very much looking forward to continuing the mantle of making an excellent school even better.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-future-focused-vision">1. Future focused vision</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1094" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Computing.jpg" alt="Hilden Oaks Prep Tonbridge Kent Computing" class="wp-image-108537" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Computing.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Computing-800x583.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Computing-1000x729.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Computing-400x292.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Computing-768x560.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



In an ever-changing world, the Hilden Oaks curriculum offers a broad foundation of knowledge and skills with exceptional opportunities for pupils to develop problem solving and integrated IT expertise via the school&#8217;s THINK and embedded computing syllabus. Regular lessons beyond the classroom, ensure that&nbsp;&nbsp;adventure is never far away.



Sharon Wade says: &#8216;My vision for Hilden Oaks is to be the best future-focused school that enables pupils, staff and families to become kind, brave and brilliant having a positive impact on the world.&#8217;



&#8216;We genuinely care and strive to offer each child the best educational experience while they are with us. Our new &#8220;Kind, Brave, Brilliant&#8221; motto aims to bring together the very best that we hope for everyone at Hilden Oaks. &#8220;Kind&#8221; expresses our school values. &#8220;Brave&#8221; promotes the confidence that comes from speaking up, trying new things and embracing challenge, and &#8220;Brilliant&#8221; is the excellence our pupils achieve in so many ways, every day.&#8217;



&#8216;Pupils are taught that they can be a force for good in the world and the pupil leadership team plays a key role in our ‘Superkind’ project choosing which charities and events they will support throughout the year that will make the biggest difference. From cancer charities to environmental action, they are eager to get stuck in and have lots of fun in the process.&#8217;&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-positivity-and-rewards">2. Positivity and Rewards</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1503" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-reward-system-Acorn-Jar.jpg" alt="Hilden Oaks Prep Tonbridge Kent reward system Acorn Jar" class="wp-image-108542" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-reward-system-Acorn-Jar.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-reward-system-Acorn-Jar-532x800.jpg 532w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-reward-system-Acorn-Jar-665x1000.jpg 665w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-reward-system-Acorn-Jar-266x400.jpg 266w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-reward-system-Acorn-Jar-768x1154.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Values-based Education is an intrinsic way of life at Hilden Oaks, supporting social interaction and creating an enhanced learning environment. The School focuses on a set of lifelong values, which provide the common thread to link everything they do throughout the school.&nbsp;



Sharon Wade says: &#8216;The meaning of specific values are explored as pupils present and participate in assemblies. Children love collecting wooden acorns for demonstrating the desired values and parents nominate pupils for Oak Leaf awards for continuing to show the values at home.&#8217;



&#8216;Preschool children adopt values right from the start, with sharing and self-control. Secondary schools tell me they can easily spot a pupil from Hilden Oaks because of their enthusiasm for learning and their thoughtfulness for others.&#8217;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-academic-brilliance">3. Academic Brilliance</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Academic.jpg" alt="Hilden Oaks Prep Tonbridge Kent Academic girl and boy in lesson" class="wp-image-108536" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Academic.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Academic-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Academic-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Academic-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Academic-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Hilden Oaks is more than just an educational institution; it offers a nurturing community dedicated to fostering excellence in every child. The unique values-based approach and small class sizes ensure that each pupil receives personalised teaching, and this is what makes the biggest difference to academic performance. As a result, the children are able to reach their full potential and almost all pass the 11+ exam and move on to one of the many fantastic grammar and independent secondary schools in the area. Our parents invest in what matters.



Sharon Wade says: &#8216;At Hilden Oaks, children are encouraged to dream big, think creatively, and act with integrity, shaping a future where pupils are not just learners, but leaders, ready to make a meaningful difference in the world.&#8217;



&#8216;Hilden Oaks is committed to developing not only academic excellence but also the essential life skills and values needed to navigate an ever-changing world. I believe in creating a supportive environment where kindness is paramount, bravery emboldened, and brilliance is celebrated.&#8217;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-sport-and-pe-lessons">4. Sport and PE lessons</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Sports.jpg" alt="Hilden Oaks Prep Tonbridge Kent Sports" class="wp-image-108540" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Sports.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Sports-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Sports-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Sports-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Sports-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Pupils have every opportunity to participate in a wide variety of sports, taught by specialist PE teachers, from an early age.&nbsp;&nbsp;Preschool and Reception children enjoy daily ‘Real PE’ lessons, where they develop locomotive, stability and manipulative skills. 



In Pre-prep they develop further soft skills such as teamwork, resilience, goal setting, sportsmanship, and leadership while playing netball, rugby, cricket or athletics etc.&nbsp;&nbsp;From Prep onwards pupils enjoy participating in fixtures against other local schools. The children play in mixed gender teams and love being given the option of which sports they would prefer to play each term.&nbsp;



Sharon Wade says: &#8216;We are lucky enough to have access to world class sports facilities on our doorstep where our pupils swim and use outstanding athletics facilities.&#8217; 



&#8216;Popular field sports are played at other nearby pitches.&nbsp;&nbsp;We have a number of very talented children, who frequently compete at county, national and international level in various sports including swimming, diving, judo, cricket, football and netball.&#8217;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-nursery-amp-preschool">5. Nursery &amp; Preschool</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1204" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Preschool-1.jpg" alt="Hilden Oaks Prep Tonbridge Kent Preschool girl in class" class="wp-image-108538" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Preschool-1.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Preschool-1-800x642.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Preschool-1-1000x803.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Preschool-1-400x321.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Hilden-Oaks-Prep-Tonbridge-Kent-Preschool-1-768x616.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



As the only local prep school to take pupils under 2 years old, Hilden Oaks is becoming known as the pre-eminent Nursery in the area, offering unique and flexible care for children from the age of three months with exceptional facilities for even the smallest in our community.&nbsp;



The staff are all fully qualified, professional Early Years educators, who are committed to focusing on the development of the whole child.&nbsp; The children, therefore, enjoy exceptional levels of care, with a high ratio of staff to children. It is very much a family environment with the Nursery and Preschool forming an integral part of the School.&nbsp;



Sharon Wade says: &#8216;It is such a privilege to see children who join us as babies move through the Nursery and Preschool, then transfer seamlessly to Reception class and beyond.&#8217;



&#8216;Staff liaise closely with parents to keep familiar routines, promote healthy mealtimes and encourage children when they are ready to learn more.&nbsp;&nbsp;They move to Reception with confidence when they reach 4 or 5 years old, having already started their phonics and maths journey in Preschool.&#8216;



So to sum up? Sharon Wade concludes: &#8216;I am committed to working together with families and staff to deliver the best possible education, and for that to resonate outwards to create a positive impact in the world.&#8217;



38 Dry Hill Park Rd, Tonbridge TN10 3BU, Tel: 01732 353941, <a href="https://www.hildenoaks.co.uk">Hilden Oak</a><a href="https://www.hildenoaks.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">s</a>

Talking Heads: Sharon Wade, Headteacher of Hilden Oaks, Tonbridge

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