doris
doris
Find Schools
Events
My shortlist
My account
Ask doris
Parent Guide Parent testimonials Community Transparency Charter About For Schools
Currency
H

Headington Rye Oxford

United Kingdom, Oxford

Shortlist
Share
Navigate

· Reviewed by · Co-founder & CEO

Independently researched by doris.
Not yet claimed by the school
Claim your profile
The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees £15,351 - 30,783
Ages 3 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 1075
Type Co-educational, Girls School (boarding)
Opened 1915
Bus Service No
Availability Not shared by this school
Academic offering
Curriculum EYFS (Early years foundation stage), British Curriculum
Taught languages French, Spanish, German, Latin, Italian
Strengths Languages, Performing Arts, STEM
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Community and Service
Stages Early Years, Primary School, Secondary School, Sixth Form
Introduction

Headington Rye Oxford is an independent day and boarding school for girls aged 3 to 18, with two Oxford campuses: Prep at Pullens Lane in Headington and Senior at Headington Road. Set on a 12-acre site, the school features a Forest School, floodlit AstroTurf pitches, a 25m indoor pool, a 300-seat auditorium, a music school and dedicated art and design technology facilities. The curriculum follows the EYFS framework and the British Curriculum, offering breadth across linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education. Pupils study a broad range of GCSE and A Level subjects, with the option to specialise; languages include English Language and Literature, French, Spanish, German, Latin and Greek, with Italian added from 2025. Prep pupils access Senior School facilities for swimming, theatre and fitness, enhancing continuity of learning. Enrichment options include HPQ and the Headington Rye Awards, alongside a wide programme of arts, drama, music and sport.

Prep campus: Pullens Lane, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BY; Senior campus: Headington Road, Oxford OX3 7TD

Vibes and Culture
The school has not added this information
The Essentials

Headington Rye Oxford has 1,075 pupils, instruction in English.

Location
The school has two campuses in Headington, Oxford. The Prep School is on Pullens Lane (OX3 0BY) and the Senior School is on Headington Road (OX3 7TD).

Stages
Prep School for ages 3–11 (co-educational) and Senior School for ages 11–18 (female).

Type
Independent day and boarding school.

Additional learning support
SEND provision is available; 129 pupils require SEND support; 150 pupils speak English as an additional language.

Country affiliation
England

Religious affiliation
Founded by evangelical Christians
Diving Deeper
The school has not added this information
Fees

Annual tuition at Headington Rye Oxford ranges from GBP 15,351 to GBP 30,783 for 2026/27.

Application / Registration Fees
- Registration/application fees apply at the point of application. For UK applicants the published registration fees (2024–25 schedule) are: Prep School (UK applicant) £95 + VAT; Senior School (UK applicant) £150 + VAT.
- For overseas applicants the school's overseas-admissions guidance lists an application fee charged directly to overseas families of £180 for Prep-age candidates (Nursery to Year 6) and £300 for Senior School and Sixth Form overseas candidates.

Tuition (termly and annual) — Day pupils
- Reception: £5,117 per term — Annual total (three terms) £15,351.
- Year 1–Year 2: £6,067 per term — Annual total £18,201.
- Year 3–Year 4: £6,886 per term — Annual total £20,658.
- Year 5–Year 6: £7,786 per term — Annual total £23,358.
- Year 7–Year 11 (Senior School day): £9,346 per term — Annual total £28,038.
- Sixth Form (current pupils): £9,346 per term — Annual total £28,038. Sixth Form direct entrants: £10,261 per term — Annual total £30,783.

Tuition (termly and annual) — Boarding (Senior School & Sixth Form where applicable)
- Half-weekly boarding (termly): Year 7–11 and Sixth Form current pupils £12,600 — Annual total £37,800. Sixth Form direct entrants £13,922 per term — Annual total £41,766.
- Weekly boarding (termly): Year 7–11 and Sixth Form current pupils £15,773 — Annual total £47,319. Sixth Form direct entrants £17,488 per term — Annual total £52,464.
- Full boarding (termly): Year 7–11 and Sixth Form current pupils £18,882 — Annual total £56,646. Sixth Form direct entrants £20,688 per term — Annual total £62,064.
- Occasional boarding (subject to availability): charged at £120 per night (maximum of 8 nights per academic term).

Nursery fees and pattern-based charges
- Nursery fees are charged per term and vary by the pattern of attendance (mornings-only, full days or mixed combinations). Example per-term figures (selected examples from published schedule): 2 full days £2,199; 3 full days £3,199; 4 full days £4,027; 5 full days £4,546. Morning-only and mixed-session charges are published on the nursery fee schedule and Tax-Free Childcare can be accepted for Nursery fees.

Deposits and Advance Fee
- Prep School acceptance deposit (day): £500.
- Senior School acceptance deposit (day): £1,000. Senior School boarding deposits (UK boarders): half-weekly £1,500; weekly £2,000; full £2,500. Overseas boarders' deposit: £3,250. An Advance Fee for overseas placements is recorded at £12,500. Deposits are generally credited against the final invoice but are non-refundable except in limited, published circumstances.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Annual tuition is divided into three equal parts and invoiced termly. Each term's fees fall due for payment on the first day of that term. Fees must be paid in full by direct debit or direct bank transfer on or before the first day of the term to which the invoice relates. Interest may be charged on late payments at a published rate (the school's contractual rate above its bank base rate). The school may refuse attendance, withhold references or take other contractual steps if fees are not paid.

Fee payment options and related arrangements
- Accepted methods include direct debit and direct bank transfer. Tax-Free Childcare payments can be used for Nursery fees, Aftercare and clubs outside the school day, and for Reception children who have not yet reached compulsory school age; childcare vouchers are accepted for Aftercare and clubs up to Year 10. The school operates a Fees in Advance (FIA) scheme under separate terms. The school may, at its discretion, agree alternative arrangements in writing.

Supplemental charges and other regular additional costs
- Optional extras and commonly charged supplemental items (examples, per term unless otherwise stated):
- Senior School breakfast club: £236 per term. School supper: £6.20 per session. Individual music lessons (10×40 minutes): £540 per term. Instrument hire: wind £80, string £62 per term. Speech & Drama (10×30 minutes): £393 (individual) / £472 (pairs) per term. EAL group lessons: from £56 per hour (senior) / £52 per hour (prep). Aftercare: £7.50 per hour; full aftercare session (to 6.00 pm) £15; late-collection and emergency extension charges also apply. All optional extras are charged as supplemental charges and invoiced termly unless otherwise stated.

Uniform and supplier
- A school uniform is required for all pupils below Sixth Form. The school's specified uniform supplier is Stevensons (Oxford). A second‑hand uniform shop operates from the Prep School site. Specific items (blazer, pullover, tartan skirt or navy trousers, sports tops and socks) and transition arrangements to the unified Headington Rye Oxford uniform are set out in the published uniform policy. (Uniform item prices are set by the supplier and second‑hand shop; the school publishes the required list and supplier details.)

Refunds, deposits and withdrawal terms
- The acceptance deposit is ordinarily non‑refundable if a place is declined or a pupil fails to take up a place, except in limited circumstances where the school fills the vacancy and refunds the deposit less administrative costs. If you wish to withdraw a place before your child starts you must give a term's written notice or pay a term's fees in lieu of notice. After a child has started at the school, a term's notice in writing is required to withdraw a child (longer notice is required at certain key points such as end of Year 11), otherwise fees in lieu of notice become payable. Fees and supplemental charges will not be reduced or refunded for absence due to illness or any other reason; suspension, exclusion or removal from school does not entitle parents to a refund. For exceptional events outside either party's control there are specific contractual provisions that may allow pro‑rata adjustments or cancellation after prolonged disruption; these are subject to the terms set out in the school's contract.

Other points of cost and concessions
- Bursaries through the Headington Access Programme are available but are limited in scope (bursaries are typically for local day Sixth Form pupils and not generally available for boarding or Prep School). Pupils with a parent working in full‑time UK military or the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (posted overseas) may qualify for a 20% discount on fees. The school may waive application fees or deposits in exceptional cases of financial hardship as part of the financial assistance process.

If you require the exact numeric totals listed above entered into a specific format for your database, use the per‑term figures provided (they are the published termly charges) and multiply by three to obtain the standard annual totals; the per‑term figures above are the published charge points for each category and are current for the September 2026 term schedule.
Academics

Headington Rye Oxford teaches EYFS (Early years foundation stage), British Curriculum for students aged 3 to 18.

Curriculum
Headington Rye Oxford provides a broad, balanced curriculum across linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education. It promotes intellectual and personal growth, enabling pupils to make the most of opportunities and to develop their talents. The curriculum offers breadth, balance and progression and provides access to a broad range of GCSE and A Level subjects with the option to specialise. Languages include English Language, English Literature, French, Spanish, German, Latin and Greek, with Italian added from 2025. The curriculum also covers Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Trilogy Science; Computing, Three‑Dimensional Design, Food Technology, Fashion and Fabric Design, Graphic Communication; Geography, History, Religious Studies and Classical Civilisation; plus a range of arts subjects such as Art, Drama and Music, and enrichment options including HPQ and Headington Rye Awards.

Student Teacher Ratio
1:8 staff to pupil ratio.

Exam Results
GCSE results for 2026 show 61% of grades at 8 or 9, 78% at 7 or above, and about 20% of the year group achieved 8/9 grades or A* in all subjects. A Level results for 2026 show 65% of grades at A* to A and 89% at A* to B, with A* to A achieved in eight subjects. Subject-specific A Level achievements include 100% A* to A in Fine Art and Lens-based Media, and 100% A* to A in Politics, Spanish and Economics.

Higher Education Progression
Leavers destinations include universities around the world. In the UK, leavers go on to institutions such as Bristol, UCL and King's College London. In the US, graduates have joined Brown, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, Yale, Harvard and NYU, among others.

Gifted and Talented
Higher Project Qualification (HPQ) and Headington Rye Awards in Creative Writing, Global Citizenship and Philosophy are offered. The school provides a wealth of supra-curricular enrichment opportunities, including cross-curricular links, educational visits, exchanges, lectures and workshops.
Wellbeing
The school has not added this information
Parent Experience
The school has not added this information
Facilities
The school has not added this information
Extra-Curricular Activities
The school has not added this information
Languages
The school has not added this information
Reputation
The school has not added this information
Admissions

Admissions
1. Apply and pay the registration fee. Submit the online application form and pay the Registration Fee for 2024-2025: Prep School UK £95 + VAT; Prep School Overseas £150 + VAT; Senior School UK £150 + VAT; Senior School Overseas £250 + VAT. 2. Entrance assessments and interviews. Prep School entry (Nursery to Year 2) is determined by a visit or virtual meeting; Reception uses emergent tasks; Years 3–6 entry is by assessment in Mathematics, English and Non‑Verbal Reasoning plus an interview and a day with peers. Senior School entry (Year 7/11+, Year 9/13+, Year 12/16+) involves entrance papers, interviews and, for overseas applicants, remote assessments where appropriate. 3. Language, EAL and international considerations. English as an Additional Language is assessed; candidates may take the OUP language test and EAL lessons are compulsory and chargeable if needed. International candidates may be interviewed and assessed remotely and there is no requirement to use an agent unless language support is needed. 4. Decisions and offers. After the relevant entrance examinations, results, interviews and reports are reviewed by a panel; offers are sent by e‑letter, usually within three weeks of the entrance day; in some cases, candidates may be invited to join a waiting list. 5. Appeals and progression. If a decision is contested, parents may appeal via the Director of Marketing and Admissions; the Headmistress's decision is final. 6. Transition and additional information. Transition events help prep pupils familiarise themselves with the Senior School; international and additional considerations are addressed through the admissions team as needed.

Scholarships
Scholarships recognise merit and offer opportunities to develop in the chosen area; most scholarships do not carry a financial award, but there are special academic and music scholarships at 11+, 13+ and 16+; music scholarships may include free tuition for a musical instrument. Scholarship holders benefit from the school's enrichment and extension programmes. Scholarship candidates may also apply for means‑tested support worth up to 100% of day fees. Financial assistance through the Headington Rye Access Programme (HRAP) can provide up to 100% of day fees for Year 7 (11+) and up to 50% for Year 9 (13+); HRAP awards are separate from the scholarships programme and are means‑tested. Financial assistance for Prep School or boarding fees is not available; HRAP awards are confidential and based on entrance performance and family circumstances.

Waitlist
In some cases, suitable applicants may be asked to join a waiting list.
School Events
The school has not added events
Compare Headington Rye Oxford with
vs d'Overbroeck's Oxford vs Greene's College Oxford vs Oxford International College
Search for more schools
Search schools in United Kingdom View all schools in Oxford View all schools in United kingdom British curriculum schools in United Kingdom Open days & tours in Oxford What is the British curriculum? View all schools Search all schools