Founded in 1903, St Helen and St Katharine is an independent day school for girls and young women aged 9–18 in Abingdon, just south of Oxford. Our 720+ students study in a campus-style environment with beautiful Edwardian and modern buildings set in 22 acres of grounds. We offer students the best possible experience at each stage of their educational journey, from our Junior Department through to Sixth Form.
St Helen’s is a school where bright girls with enquiring minds thrive, as they grow into intellectually curious and erudite young women. Academic life is full, vibrant and spirited, both within and beyond the classroom, combining to stimulate intellectual endeavour and inquisitive independence which embody the ethos of our school. Our goal is to ensure that every student achieves success as she defines it so that she can believe in herself, her talents and abilities, and feel prepared and equipped for life beyond school.
Academic. Ranked top independent girls' school in Oxfordshire (The Times Parent Power 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025), our academic results are excellent and consistently place us among the best schools in the country. In 2024, 92% of A level grades were A*–B, and 64% were A*–A. 86% of (I)GCSE grades were 9–7, while 66% were 9–8.
Our curriculum offers a broad and stimulating range of subjects as well as opportunities for academic enrichment beyond lessons, such as attending specialist lectures and conferences, discussion dinners and Oxbridge preparation.
In Sixth Form, students create an individual programme of study with three or four A levels and a St Katharine’s Study option.
Pastoral. Behind everything we do at St Helen’s is a deeply held belief in the value of kindness. We want them to be confident in creating and maintaining secure, appropriate and positive relationships with other people as they travel through life. We support them in developing an increased self-understanding and to be able to savour the best of times and weather the more challenging moments.
We do a lot of discussing and listening; in addition to their friends, students will have a range of people with whom they can share their world. At the heart of the pastoral system, Form Tutors are the first port of call alongside an extensive network of support, including the Head of Section, Pastoral Deputy Head, Health Centre, Counselling team and Chaplain.
Extracurricular activities, trips and visits. Our broad and exciting extracurricular programme, Beyond, plays a central role within school life and encourages students to give new things a go. We host 70+ sports clubs for elite competition as well as for leisure, 300+ music lessons per week and at least six drama productions every year. There are clubs and societies from debating, ceramics club or Tycoon Enterprise Competition to astro club and maths olympiads, all of which open doors to a host of new experiences.
Whether joining a cricket tour of Sri Lanka, a language exchange to Europe, studying volcanic landscapes in Iceland or taking on a DofE Award, our exceptional trips and expeditions programme gives students a chance to broaden their understanding of themselves and the world, and play their part in developing self-reliance.
Facilities. Over the last decade, an extensive building programme has been undertaken with many new additions to the School, including our Sports Centre, Performing Arts Centre, state-of-the-art Library, Science Centre and a 3D Design Centre. Our Sixth Form Centre, the Benedict Building, opened in 2023 and features nine spacious classrooms, a range of individual and group study spaces, a flexible hall and a café.
Admissions. Students are admitted to the Junior Department at either Years 5 or 6, and to the senior school at Years 7, 9 or Lower Sixth. It may be possible to admit students into other years should a place be available.
Fees per term (2024-2025). Termly tuition fee £8,052 (inclusive of VAT). School lunches per term £360 (non-optional).
Scholarships. A range of scholarships is awarded to recognise excellence, ability and potential in the areas of academics, music, sport, art and drama. Scholarships are not subject to means testing and vary in durations and value.
Bursaries. Opening access for families who would not otherwise be able to afford school fees has always been central to our ethos. If a student has the ability, imagination and drive to grasp the opportunities on offer at St Helen’s we would like to give her that chance. We offer means-tested bursaries from 20–100% of fees from Year 7, as well as transformational bursaries at A Level.
For more information contact: Mrs Jane Herold, Director of Admissions, St Helen and St Katharine, Faringdon Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 1BE Tel: 01235 520 173 Email: admissions@shsk.org.uk. Charitable status. The School of St Helen and St Katharine Trust is a registered charity, number 286892.
Governors & Staff:
Chair of Governors: Ms Sara Benbow
Headmistress: Mrs Rebecca Dougall, MA London, BA Bristol
Director of Finance and Operations: Mrs Nicola McAvoy, BSc London
Senior Deputy Head: Mr John Hunt, MA St Andrews
Pastoral Deputy Head: Mrs Elizabeth Bedford, MA Oxford Brookes, BA Durham
Assistant Head, Academic Enrichment and Extracurricular Activities: Dr Abbie Pringle, DPhil, MSc Oxon, BSc Oxford Brookes
Assistant Head, Futures and Partnerships: Mrs Heather Darcy, MA Warwick, BSc London
Director of Studies: Joe Bettle, MSc, BSC Birmingham
Director of Communications and Marketing: Ms Lea Askgaard, MA Southern Denmark