Girls record fantastic GCSEs
A drizzly day failed to dampen the spirits of Headington’s GCSE cohort as they celebrated the fantastic results securing their Sixth Form places.
While most received their results electronically, many chose to come in to school to mark the occasion with teachers and friends.
Nearly one in three of all GCSEs taken were graded at 9, the highest possible level. Twenty-four girls achieved 10 or more 8s or above, with ten girls achieving 10 or more nines and six securing straight 9 grades. Forty-four girls – nearly a third of the year group – achieved at least ten 7 grades.
The proportion of all exams taken graded at the equivalent of 8 or above was 58.6 per cent while 78.8 per cent were at a 7 or higher.
Hattie Dormer, who was awarded the prestigious Oster Warriner Scholarship for Headington Rye Oxford Sixth Form, achieved an impressive seven 9s and two 8s. At the same time, she was working for her Black Belt 2nd Dan in Karate.
She said: “I think the results actually reflect the work that I put in, not just in the exam period but the whole two years.
“The most important thing was that I managed to continue to do everything outside school alongside getting the results I wanted, and Headington has 100 per cent helped me with that.”
Hattie will take A Levels in History, Politics, Spanish and Chemistry.
Head of Year Rhiannon Workman will take Physics, Maths and Politics A Levels at Headington Rye Oxford after achieving mainly sevens and above and dramatically improving on mock results through sheer hard work.
She said: “The two subjects where I would have been happy if I got a 6 I ended up getting my highest Marks and in English Language I got a 9 – before I was on a 5. I honestly think it was just down to revision and actually putting the work in.”
Academic and Music Scholar Libby Chan achieved 12 GCSEs at the top 9 grade. She said: “I feel absolutely delighted and kind of overwhelmed. I’m really happy!”
Libby will take A Levels in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths and Further Maths and said she was sad to leave Headington. She said: “I have made so many friends here, I know the teachers so well and it’s a lovely environment – I will miss Headington a lot.”
Drama Scholar Lydia Meller is a familiar face around school after taking leading roles in a number of productions, including as Fagin in ‘Oliver!’ in December 2023. She chose to open her results in school and was so delighted with her achievements she had to double check she had the correct result.
She said: “I’m feeling good and really shocked. The School have massively helped me and I don’t think I could have got anywhere near this without their support, including with things like exam stress.”
Lydia will take A Levels in Drama, Lens Media, Textiles and a mini MBA but after achieving 9s in both English Literature and Language, is considering swapping one of her subjects for English.
Aev Lari took an innovative approach to de-stressing in the process of achieving five 9s and four 8s – joining a samba group and organising a solo 24-hour drumathon for Save the Children’s Gaza appeal which raised £7,630.
She said: “I found it really relaxing and a good release! I also went to after-school Maths help club and really focused on Maths after my mocks to slowly work away at it.”
Aev will take History Economics, Physics and AS Level Maths at Headington Rye Oxford.
Franca Davies, who recorded ten 9s and an 8, said the only surprises opening her envelope were ‘happy surprises. Franca, who will take Biology, Chemistry, Maths alongside Further Maths AS Level and an EPQ at Headington Rye Oxford, joined the School in Year 2 and aspires to be a vet. She said; “I’m very pleased and I’m looking forward to staying for Sixth Form – it’s exciting!”
There were some particularly exceptional results in a number of subject areas. In Drama, 88.5 per cent of pupils achieved an 8 or higher with 76.4 per cent of those taking Physics achieving 8s or 9s. Three quarters of those taking 3D Design – the first year of results for this subject – achieved at least a seven. More than half of all grades in Chemistry and Physics were 9s.
Alongside excellent results in the core languages taught at Headington of French, German and Spanish (over 79 per cent 7s or higher across the three subjects) the GCSE results also reflect the School’s vibrant multicultural and multilingual make up. The School supports girls to sit GCSEs in their native languages, where possible, and this year girls picked up fantastic results in Chinese, Modern Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Turkish. In these subjects, no pupil achieved lower than a 7.
Headington always attempts to reflect the enthusiasms, passions and skills of its pupils when setting its extra-curricular programme. In response to demand, one of our Physics teachers ran an extra-curricular Electronics club, with the possibility of taking a GCSE in the subject alongside their regular GCSE schedule. Both girls sitting the exam achieved a 9.
Headmistress Caroline Jordan said: “I am so proud of what the girls have achieved across such a diverse range of subject choices. They have worked incredibly hard and their results are richly deserved.
“I very much look forward to seeing them turning their attention to the next step on their academic journey.”
