[2] The school was based at two sites in Maidstone town centre: Faith Street and Tonbridge Road.

[1][2] The new premises were officially opened in September 1959 with a service of dedication performed by the then Archbishop of Canterbury Geoffrey Francis Fisher.

On 1 April 1992 OPGS became one of the first schools in the area to achieve grant maintained status, giving it independence from KCC.

Enrolment increased thereafter and in September 1993 grammar schools across the area started admitting pupils at the age of 11 (year 7).

The school has sports teams in football, rugby, cricket, basketball, rowing and athletics which compete at local, county and national levels.

The school has music groups including an orchestra and the Coconut Grove steel band.

[4] Oakwood focus on these aspects greatly and it is very unusual for a grammar school to emphasise the importance of extracurricular work.

OPGS used to have houses named after local villages – Allington, Brenchley, Chillington, Detling, Egerton and Farleigh.