Headington School Oxford: coeducational to 11, then a girls’ Senior School

Use the current school name—and understand what the merger changed

Headington School and Rye St Antony merged in September 2024. The former Rye site at Pullens Lane became a coeducational Prep for ages 3–11. The Headington Road site remains the girls’ Senior and sixth form, with boarding for girls from Year 7.

The merged school first used Headington Rye Oxford. The legal company returned to Headington School Oxford Limited in April 2026, and that is the live site’s name. January 2026 inspection material still uses the earlier name because it predates the change; it is evidence about the same institution, not another school.

Choose the boarding nights your family needs before comparing costs. The different patterns change both the bill and how often your child is home.

Nine GCSEs and a broad sixth form do not make every choice possible

Senior pupils usually take nine GCSEs plus an optional one-year qualification. Maths, English language and at least one science are compulsory.

Across 1,478 GCSE grades in the 2026 department tables, 60.9% were 8/9 and 77.8% were 7 or above. At A level, 206 of 319 entries were A*/A and 285 A*–B, alongside seven BTEC entries. These are subject entries, not pupil counts or value-added comparisons.

Half-weekly, weekly and full boarding solve different problems

Half-weekly boarding allows three nights, including weekends. The published weekly service provides accommodation until Friday, with return Sunday evening or Monday morning. Full boarding includes term-time weekends. Individual leave, exeats and actual weekend house occupancy still need confirmation. Short-stay boarding is available to girls in Years 7–9 for at least one term.

Full boarding does not mean 365-day care. Houses close for published half-terms and holidays. International families need a UK parent or guardian for closures and emergencies. Child Student visa sponsorship is limited to girls aged 11–18 who full board.

Day families should price time as carefully as transport

Headington currently describes ten private Oxfordshire routes shared with MCS, while MCS’s page says 12 and retains the former Headington Rye name. Treat neither count as a settled timetable. Obtain the current operator map, stops and return services. An annual route booking gives eligible boarding families £150 per term off boarding, but occasional boarders are excluded.

A full Senior bell timetable is not public. The phone policy does reveal an operational window: Years 7–11 lock phones in Yondr pouches from 8:30 to 4:00. Ask for the normal finish, activity finish, late transport and supervision before deciding that a route “works”.

Prep wraparound runs 7:30–18:00, with separate charges. That can make a job and school compatible, but only if spaces, booking rules and the child’s energy work too.

SEND support and EAL sit on different financial terms

The Senior SEND policy describes screening in Years 7, 9 and 12, classroom adjustments and specialist support where needed, with no extra charge for that provision. Admission still depends on the school being able to meet the child’s needs reasonably.

EAL is different. The school may test English, reassess after arrival and require tuition charged at £56 an hour; IELTS coaching carries the same rate. Ask for expected hours and review points before accepting, especially when visa and full-boarding costs already apply.

Published pastoral provision includes two tutors per form, year and section heads, two counsellors, chaplains, a Wellbeing Hub and nurses.

The 2026 inspection supports boarding and activities, with one next step

The latest ISI report from January 2026 found all inspected standards met, safeguarding effective and positive evidence on SEND progress. Inspectors described boarding as inclusive and the broad, flexible co-curricular programme as a significant strength.

The formal next step was to make peer discussion and oracy opportunities more consistent in lessons. This is not an Ofsted “Outstanding” grade, and the report uses the earlier name, Headington Rye Oxford. Read the evidence, not just the old name or a rating label.

The boarding pattern changes the annual bill by nearly £29,000

These are the school’s VAT-inclusive fees from September 2026, annualised as three terms. They are not a quotation for September 2027.

Direct sixth-form day tuition is £10,261 a term and full boarding £20,688: £30,783 and £62,064 over three terms. Fees include ordinary materials and lunch/snacks for day pupils, or accommodation and meals for boarders. Music, EAL, some meals, aftercare and occasional boarding can cost extra.

A specific, limited assistance scheme for 2027

The September 2027 assistance guide is unusually specific: up to four potentially full awards at 11+, awards up to 50% at 13+, and sixth-form help only through a Special Award. Applicants must be girls taking day places and live within 30 miles. Prep and boarding receive no assistance.

11+, direct 13+ and pre-test 13+ are separate routes

Nursery, Reception, Year 3 and Year 5 are the main Prep entry points, with other Prep years considered where space exists. The public Prep material does not provide one complete 2027 calendar. At Senior level, 11+, 13+ and 16+ are the clearest routes; 12+ and 14+ depend on vacancies.

The dates below come from the school’s live September 2027 calendar. Use it over older scholarship-publication layers, then ask admissions for the exact timetable sent to your route.

The separate prep-school 13+ route uses ISEB in Year 6 or 7, then a spring interview or taster and the current head’s report. Direct 13+ is for maintained-school, overseas and missed-pre-test candidates applying for 2027. Ask which route the school expects before preparing for either.

Current 11+ is English, maths, interview and observed activity

The current policy specifies English comprehension and writing, mathematics, an interview and observed activities. Older school material mentions verbal and non-verbal reasoning, but that is not the current standard 11+ description and should not drive 2027 preparation.

No current standard entrance specimen papers were found on the live admissions pages. The safest preparation is accurate age-appropriate maths, thoughtful reading and writing, and comfort working around unfamiliar peers.

References and school reports contribute. Access arrangements should reflect the child’s normal way of working and need early disclosure. An existing arrangement may not transfer automatically, and the evidence has its own deadline.