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24 August 2023
Oxford High School GDST GCSE students are celebrating their impressive results today, as they look forward to what comes next.
Oxford High School GDST’s students continue to demonstrate the highest levels of achievement, as was reflected in the school’s recent ISI inspection report, the inspectors noted the “consistent pattern of strong academic attainment, with many pupils attaining results above those expected on entry”. This year’s excellent GCSE results continued that pattern.
- 48% of GCSEs awarded were Grade 9s
- 75% of GCSEs awarded Grade 8s and 9s
- 88% of GCSEs awarded were Grade 7s, 8s and 9s
The school’s pastoral provision – again, highlighted in the recent inspection: “an atmosphere of mutual pleasure in working to achieve success” – means that the students, who benefitted from intensive pastoral support – particularly during the Covid lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 – will continue to do so as they navigate the next stages of their education.
A cohort of students who spent their Years 8 and 9 working remotely from home, separated from their friends and teachers, their achievements extend well beyond the academic:
- Cecily spent the summer at the England Women’s Under 16 International Fixture Camp and has recently stepped up to Oxford United’s Women’s First Team. Cecily managed to balance her flourishing football career with her schoolwork: six of her 10 GCSE results are Grade 9.
- Iris’ talent secured her a place at the highly competitive Academy of Balletic Arts. With the school’s full support, Iris travelled to London once a week to attend the Academy. Her commitment to both her ballet and academic studies have meant that she secured all 9s in her GCSEs.
- Lowenna was awarded Advanced Novice Girls Champion at the British Figure Skating Championships in 2021 and Bronze in 2022. She achieved all Grades 7-9 in her GCSEs.
- Sidra, achieving all 8 and 9 Grades at GCSE, came second in the 2023 GDST Chrystall Carter competition. Judges described her outstandingly engaged and passionate speech – delivered entirely from memory – as a ‘tour de force.’
In addition to the above, the school is celebrating those students who took extra GCSE courses beyond their core curriculum in Years 9 and 10, with 83% of those pupils achieving grade 9s.
Marina Gardiner Legge, Head of Oxford High School GDST, said, “It’s been a wonderful experience to support the growth and curiosity of this group of courageous and bold students as they navigated ‘post-pandemic learning’. I am so grateful to all our staff, our parents and everyone in our community who has worked so hard to support them.
She continued, “Having worked across both the Independent and State education sectors, I know how many challenges teachers and school leaders are facing currently. We all work so hard to support young people as they reach big moments like this – particularly for a generation that has needed to be quite so resilient after facing lockdown, isolation and disrupted learning. I’m thinking of all of those young people today.”
Jeff Pelling, Head of Year 11 said, “The varied interests, sparky attitude and determination of these students shines through these results. We’re so proud of them. I know from all of my conversations with them, their parents and teachers that they will go on to do great things – many within our Sixth Form. I am so grateful for the support and guidance that our team of tutors and pastoral staff have given them over the last couple of years.”
Students going on to Oxford High School GDST Sixth Form will benefit from an educational experience combining academic challenge with inspiring leadership opportunities, to prepare students for the future, including:
- GDST Lead Programme – designed specifically to empower women leaders of the future, built around the skills identified by World Economic Forum as being key to the future.
- Individually matched university application advice, which led to 87% of students progressing to their chosen university in 2023.
- The choice between 27 A Levels as well as being able to choose 4 or even 5 to study – we build the timetable around our students’ A level choices
- Oxford High School Inspire Programme – Postgraduate mentors extending students’ knowledge beyond the curriculum
- 10% of students progress to Oxbridge
- Full programme of leadership and community service as part of the curriculum for all Sixth Form students
- Sport options for all students
