Headington Rye Oxford
Same Oxfordshire area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 17 August 2026
St Helen and St Katharine is a private secondary-stage school in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, with a published age range of 9-18.
Private school Girls Ages 9-18 Sixth form No boarders
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 9-18
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
St Helen and St Katharine
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Girls only
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 9-18
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
The 1938 union of two girls' schools still shapes St Helen and St Katharine. A Junior Department, Lower and Middle Schools and Sixth Form now share a 22-acre Abingdon campus, keeping each stage recognisable while allowing pupils to grow through a connected education. The setting combines Edwardian buildings with a modern academic and performance environment.
Academic selectivity sits beside breadth. Inquiry and independent learning run through sciences, languages, humanities, creative subjects, philosophy and mathematics. The Benedict Building, opened in 2023, gives Sixth Form pupils dedicated classrooms, study areas, a library, cafe and lecture and performance space for the more independent work of the final years.
Drama grows from classroom teaching into productions, technical roles, workshops and theatre visits. Science, design, sport, library and performance facilities share the grounds with School Council and House roles, prefect duties, charity and environmental projects, enterprise and Model United Nations. Leadership is therefore practised through varied forms of work.
Main entry points run from Year 3 through Lower Sixth, with most pupils joining at 11. References, tests, interviews and age-specific guidance shape the route. This is a girls' day school in Abingdon, with no boarding, and its admissions process reflects that focused model.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 100% grade 5+ in English and maths and 71.8 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 57.6% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Oxfordshire and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 71.8
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 100%
- EBacc APS
- 6.08
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Oxfordshire and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Girls only
- Age range
- 9-18
- Headmistress
- Mrs Sarah Rollings
- Pupil roll
- 700 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Faringdon Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire
- Postcode
- OX14 1BE
- Area
- Oxfordshire
School leadership
- Headmistress
- Mrs Sarah Rollings
School contact
- School phone
- 01235520173
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions email
- admissions@shsk.org.uk
- Admissions phone
- 01235520173
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 9-18
- Gender
- Girls only
- Boarding
- No boarders
- Day fees
- Check school fees page
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Check school site
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
Key dates
Get date reminders-
Sixth Form registration deadline
12 October 2026
Route: Sixth Form (16+); entry: September 2027.
-
Sixth Form online reasoning tests
17 October 2026
Route: Sixth Form (16+); entry: September 2027.
-
Sixth Form interviews
Week commencing 9 November 2026
Route: Sixth Form (16+); entry: September 2027.
-
Sixth Form conditional offers
1 December 2026
Route: Sixth Form (16+); entry: September 2027.
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 71.8 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 100% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 100% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 6.08 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 57.6% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 46.71 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 11 March 2025
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2025 records an inspection beginning 11 March 2025. The report says the relevant standards were met.
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Shortlist comparisons
Explore this school in context
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Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
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Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does St Helen and St Katharine handle admissions?
St Helen and St Katharine handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to St Helen and St Katharine?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for St Helen and St Katharine?
Sixth Form registration deadline: 12 October 2026. Sixth Form online reasoning tests: 17 October 2026. Sixth Form interviews: Week commencing 9 November 2026. Sixth Form conditional offers: 1 December 2026
What does the latest inspection picture look like for St Helen and St Katharine?
St Helen and St Katharine is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 11 March 2025.