Headington Rye Oxford - Senior School

Headington Rye Oxford is a vibrant and welcoming school set in 23 acres of playing fields and grounds. In an environment where individuals come first, Headington Rye Oxford is renowned for its commitment to academic excellence, pastoral support and an impressive range of extra-curricular opportunities.

The School has roots as Headington since 1915 and as Rye St Antony since 1930, with the two schools merging in 2024. Both schools were founded to offer girls a contemporary education fit to prepare them for the world at the time. Today, pupils at Headington Rye Oxford face very different challenges and we aim to enable them to develop the thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills they need to help explore their potential and achieve more than they thought possible. Headington Rye Oxford is home to more than 1,000 pupils comprising 45 nationalities, including approximately 200 boarders and 250 pupils in the Preparatory School. We have undertaken several exciting building projects in the last 15 years including a Theatre, Sixth Form Centre, Music School, Dance and Fitness Centre and a state-of-the-art Library. More recently, we opened our new Creativity & Innovation Centre, ‘The Hive’, in September 2021 and a brand new Food and Nutrition Centre, featuring state-of-the art teaching kitchens and a mezzanine demonstration kitchen, in April 2022. A new boathouse on the River Thames for the School's championship winning boatclub was completed in 2023.

Our goal is that each pupil will achieve beyond their expectations and become independent in thinking and learning. Pupils can choose from around 30 subjects in the Sixth Form, allowing each individual the flexibility to follow the curriculum most suitable for them. Academically, Headington Rye Oxford is consistently one of the top performing schools in the UK.

In 2023, 58% of GCSE grades were 8/9 and 75 per cent of all grades were 7 or higher. A Level results were similarly impressive, with 49 per cent of results at grades A* or A and 75 per cent at grades A*- B.

We believe that a truly excellent education is about more than academic achievement alone, so we encourage every pupil to take advantage of the impressive range of around 150 clubs and societies. Pupils have the opportunity to have a go at everything from Street Dance and football to Duke of Edinburgh and Robotics. We are one of only a handful of girls’ schools nationwide to have a thriving Combined Cadet Force and we consistently rank as the top girls’ rowing school in the UK.

We are proud of the excellent pastoral care at Headington Rye Oxford. Every teacher is involved, either as a tutor or as part of the experienced and dedicated boarding staff. Tutors are supported by Heads of Year and Section, with the aim of ensuring that every pupil receives support, advice and encouragement, as required. Our thriving boarding community, comprised of five houses, enriches the educational opportunity and experience for all. Pupils have the advantage of choosing from full, weekly or half-weekly boarding and all enjoy the benefits of an outstanding programme of boarders’ activities and events.

Headmistress

Caroline Jordan