GirlsIndependent

St Helen and St Katharine

Abingdon, Oxfordshire, South East · OX14 1BE

Founded in 1903, St Helen and St Katharine is an independent girls' school in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, educating around 711 pupils from age nine through to the sixth form. The Independent Schools Inspectorate awarded it its highest rating of "excellent" for both education quality and personal development, with all compliance standards met. Under Head Mrs Sarah Rollings, the school combines strong academic results with a clear commitment to access, offering means-tested bursaries of up to 100 per cent from Year 7. With day fees reaching £26,700 a year, it sits firmly in the independent sector, though its bursary programme is designed to widen entry.

711

Pupils

excellent

ISI

£26,700

Day fees / yr

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Overview & data

Gender: Girls
Type: independent (fee-paying) school
Age range: 9-18
Pupils: 711
Location: Abingdon, Oxfordshire, South East
Website: www.shsk.org.uk
Telephone: 01235 520173

Entrance & admissions

Entry age: 11

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Headteacher

Head Mrs Sarah Rollings

Latest results

Attainment 8

71.8

National average 46.9

GCSE grade 5+ (English & Maths)

98%

National average 47%

GCSE grade 9-7

92%

A-level A*-A

64%

A-level A*-B

87%

Teaching & academics

Results here are well ahead of national figures: an Attainment 8 score of 71.8 against a national average of 46.9, and 98 per cent of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and Maths, compared with 47 per cent nationally. At GCSE, 92 per cent of grades fall in the 9-7 range, while 64 per cent of A-level entries reach A*-A and 87 per cent A*-B. Sciences and mathematics are popular at every stage, and sixth-formers can take the EPQ alongside their A-levels. Academic and maths scholarships recognise high achievers, and the breadth of languages on offer includes French, Spanish, German and Chinese.

Sixth form

Sixth-form pupils: 190

Popular A-level subjects

MathematicsBiologyChemistryPsychologyHistoryGeographyEnglish Literature

Qualifications offered

GCSEA-levelEPQ

Learning support & SEN

SEN support: 18.57%
EHC plans: 0.28%

Arts & extracurricular

Scholarships

AcademicMaths

Languages

FrenchSpanishGermanChinese

Popular GCSE subjects

English LiteratureMathematicsBiologyChemistryPhysicsFrenchSpanish

Sport

Main sports

NetballTennisLacrosseCricket

Beyond the classroom

Sport is a notable strength, with netball, tennis, lacrosse and cricket among the main pursuits. The 190-strong sixth form gives older girls a substantial community in which to specialise and lead.

Ethos & heritage

Founded: 1903
Boarding: No

Mobile phone policy

Students in years 5–10 hand in their mobile phones during morning registration and retrieve them at the end of the school day

Money matters

Day fees (per year): £26,700
Bursaries up to: 100% of fees

Means-tested bursaries up to 100% available from year 7; transformational bursaries available in sixth form

Inspection reports

ISI rating: excellent
ISI personal development: excellent
Last inspected: 11 March 2025

Read the full inspection report ↗

The last word

A high-achieving girls' school whose academic record speaks for itself, backed by generous bursaries that put it within reach of more families than the fees alone might suggest.

The Passmate verdict