St Helen's was founded in 1903 to provide a Christian education for girls in the Abingdon area. In 1938, it joined with St Katharine's School in Wantage and the joint school is know commonly known as St Helen's. It is located on a single, semi-rural site of 14½ acres, on the northern side of Abingdon. On-site facilities are excellent and include a performing arts facility, a new sports centre and shortly a new library. It has its own Chaplain and Anglican worship is a feature of the school. All girls are expected to attend assembly or chapel daily. While there is a commitment to women's education and an avowed gender-bias, for some subjects in the upper school girls are taught alongside boys from Abingdon School and there are some joint activities (music, debates, sixth form conferences) with both Abingdon and Radley. Teaching is focused on the needs of able girls - in the lower and middle schools on the need to learn study skills and, in the upper school, on the development of the independence required in higher education. Examination results are excellent. Both music and drama are strong and play an important part in everyday life. There is a wide range of sport, particularly at sixth form level - rowing and sailing are available; lacrosse and tennis are strengths and there is success at county and national level. Pupils participate in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme and in Young Enterprise.
Pupils: Total age range 9-18; 622 day girls. Senior department 11-18, 584 girls. Entrance: Main entry ages 9, 10, 11, 13 and 16. Own entrance exam used; for sixth form entry, school report, interview and 5 GCSEs at least grade C (grade B in sixth form subjects). No special skills or religious requirements. State school entry, 31% of new intake at 11. Many pupils from own junior department and Manor Preparatory School in Abingdon (tel 01235 523789).
10 pa academic scholarships (4 at 11, 2 at 13, and 4 at 16), plus 4 music scholarships giving free instrumental tuition. Bursaries awarded according to academic merit and financial need.
Headmistress: Miss Rowan Edbrooke, in post from 2008. Educated at St Catherine's School, Bramley, Godalming Sixth Form College and Bedford College of HE (PE and geography). Previously Headmistress of St Margaret's School, Exeter, Deputy Head at Haberdasher's Aske's School for Girls, Senior Teacher at South Hampstead High School and taught at Queen Ellizabeth's School, Barnet. Teaching staff: 49 full time, 29 part time.
GCSE/IGCSE: 88 pupils in Year 11; 100% gained at least grade C in 8+ subjects. A-levels: 94 in Year 13: all passed in 3+ subjects (50+% with 3 or more A grades). Average final point score achieved by upper sixth formers 403.
100% of sixth form leavers go on to a degree course (32% after a gap year), 14% to Oxbridge. 12% take courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, 14% in science and engineering, 60% in humanities and social sciences, 14% in other vocational subjects such as business, physiotherapy. Others take an art foundation course, prior to taking a degree.
GCSE (& IGCSE), AS and A-levels. 19 subjects at GCSE, 4 IGCSE, 25 AS/A-level. Sixth form: Most sixth formers take 3-5 subjects at AS-level, 3-4 at A-level; general studies taught but not examined. Vocational: Work experience available. Special provision: Extra tuition can be arranged for mild dyslexia. Languages: Modern languages compulsory to GCSE. French, German, Spanish, Italian, classical Greek and Latin offered to GCSE, AS and A-level. Regular exchanges. ICT: Taught as a discrete subject and used in the teaching of many subjects; GCSE offered. 120 computers solely for pupil use (9 hours a day), all networked and with email and internet access; 15 laptops for datalogging in science and 30 laptops available for loan. Network is school-wide with fibre optic backbone.
Music: Over 50% of pupils learn a musical instrument; instrumental exams taken every term. Some 35 musical groups including 4 orchestras, 4 choirs, saxophone quartets and ensembles, brass groups, jazz ensembles, concert band, wind band, big band, numerous and varied chamber ensembles. GCSE and A-level offered. Drama and dance: Extra-curricular drama and dance offered. GCSE drama and A-level theatre studies may be taken (and are popular). Recent school productions include My Fair Lady and The Crucible(joint with Abingdon School), As You Like It and Great Expectations. Art and design: GCSE design technology, ceramics, home economics, offered; also A-level history of art.
Sport: Lacrosse, netball, gymnastics, tennis, swimming, athletics, rounders, basketball, volleyball, badminton, cross-country, hockey, football, rugby, aerobics, fitness compulsory at various ages. Optional: sailing, tae kwondo, pilates, tae chi, fencing, rowing, dance. Additional sixth form options: ice skating, conditioning, golf, rowing, squash. Pupils in various national, regional and county lacrosse teams; also national athletics; regional cross-country and county players in tennis, hockey, swimming, athletics, cross-country, netball and badminton. Nationally successful lacrosse, netball and tennis teams. Activities: Pupils take bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Community service optional for 2 years (from 16). 20+ clubs, including Young Enterprise, plus various art, sport and music activities.
Uniform: School uniform worn except in sixth form. Houses and prefects: No competitive houses. Prefects elected by Year 12 and staff; head girl elected by new prefect team. School Council. Religion: Church of England. Attendance at religious worship compulsory. Social: Music, drama, debates, lectures and sixth form conferences with Radley College and Abingdon School. Various language exchanges. Pupils allowed to bring own car/bike/motorbike to school although parking on site not guaranteed. Meals self-service.
Pupils failing to produce homework once would receive a firm reminder; further repetition could result in detention. Any pupil using drugs or other illegal substances on school premises could expect suspension and both the pupil and parents would be required to sign a contract of good behaviour.
is run by Mrs S Burnett, Old Girls Liaison Officer, c/o the school.
Samantha Cameron (business woman, wife of David Cameron), Hatti Dean (runner).
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