Headington Rye Oxford

The Hive Lecture Theatre was buzzing with energy for the highly anticipated Year 8 Musical Theatre Competition before half term. 🎭🎶

This wasn’t just a performance; it was a massive collaborative effort that bridged the Drama, Music, and Dance departments. Every single pupil in the year group played a vital role in bringing the show to life. They took on responsibilities across all aspects of production, from directing to set design.

The judges faced the incredibly difficult task of picking a winner but ultimately, it was the hills that came alive, with ‘The Sound of Music’ taking home the championship trophy!

Congratulations to all of our Year 8 performers for putting on an unforgettable show!

To find out more, head to: https://www.headingtonrye.org/news/year-8-musical-theatre-competition/

Our Year 12 biologists recently traded the lab for the Pembrokeshire coastline for a hands-on weekend of biology by the sea. 🌊

Highlights of the trip included: discovering the biodiversity of the rocky shore (with the beadlet anemone being the star of the show), tasting fresh samphire while studying plant succession on the salt flats (with several girls ending up knee-deep in the mud), and ending the weekend with crabbing on the quay and landing a massive spider crab. 🦀

The girls were a total credit to the school, bringing heaps of energy and humor to every challenge. What a fantastic trip!

To find out more, head to: https://www.headingtonrye.org/news/y12-biology-field-trip-to-dale/

The late May bank holiday weekend saw a strong set of results for Headington School Oxford Boat Club in the National Schools’ Regatta at Dorney Lake. The squad were competing against some of the largest and most competitive schools and clubs in junior rowing. 🚣‍♀️

There was an excellent start to the weekend for Headington School Oxford Boat Club, with every J14, J15 and J16 crew entered progressing to their respective A Finals.
J14 A Quad Sculls – Gold 🥇
J15 B Quad Sculls – Gold 🥇
J15 A Quad Sculls – Silver 🥈
J15 VIII – Bronze 🥉
J16 2nd VIII - Bronze 🥉
J16 1st VIII - 4th Place
J14 Octuple Sculls – 6th Place

The second day of the competition saw some exceptionally fast times across the course with the 2nd VIII producing one of the performances of the day in their final. Establishing an early lead over rivals Shiplake College Boat Club, the crew extended their advantage to three quarters of a length by the line to take gold, recording a superb 6:45 in the process! 🥇

In a closely fought Girls Championship Eights final, Headington School Oxford Boat Club 1st VIII quickly closed the gap on the early lead from St Edward’s School Boat Club. It was however Shiplake College Boat Club who found another level in the middle stages to take Gold with St Edward’s claiming Silver and Headington securing Bronze. 🥉

In the Championship Double, Freya, who is fairly new to rowing, and Sophia raced brilliantly in the time trial to secure a place in the B Final, placing 16th overall. In the Championship J18 Single Scull Molly raced well in the repechage to progress to the E final, with the event running through to an H final.

Congratulations to all of the crews and a massive thank you to the parents who, as always, go above and beyond to ensure there is food at the marquee and unwavering support for our rowers out on the track. 💙

To read more, head to: https://www.headingtonrye.org/news/national-schools-regatta-2026/

Five of our talented A Level Drama students took to the stage at the prestigious Maidenhead Drama Festival, delivering a powerful and unforgettable performance of Amanda Whittington’s acclaimed play, ‘Be My Baby’. 🎭

Our students rose to the challenge beautifully. Their compelling storytelling caught the attention of the festival adjudicator, who showered the group with excellent feedback.

Congratulations to the cast on a spectacular performance!

To find out more, head to: https://www.headingtonrye.org/news/maidenhead-drama-festival/

Maidenhead Drama Festival At the end of April, five of Headington Rye’s talented A Level Drama students took to the stage at the prestigious Maidenhead Drama Festival

A group of our Year 11 pupils have been completing the Community Sports Leadership Award since the beginning of the academic year. This award allows pupils to understand and develop leadership skills through a combination of theory and practice.

During the final games sessions before exam leave the groups have run a benchball competition, rounders competition and a 'throwback' sports day including fun events such as the egg and spoon, wheelbarrow and sack races. 🏃‍♀️‍➡️

Well done to all of our Sports Leaders for excellent planning and delivery of their events.

To find out more, head to: https://www.headingtonrye.org/news/y11-community-sports-leadership-award/

Iris, Year 10, shared her views on mobile phone bans and usage in a Muddy Stilettos interview with Gen Z girls from Girls' Schools Association schools. It was great to hear such balanced and mature thoughts on such an important topic from one of our pupils. 📱

We recently introduced Yondr pouches which help to create a focused, phone-free learning environment for our pupils without taking their phones away.

Technology still has an important place in the learning environment. Our pupils each have an iPad which allows them to access educational resources, enhancing the excellent teaching we offer.

You can read Iris's thoughts on mobile phones here: https://muddystilettos.co.uk/life/parenting/girls-schools-association-what-teenage-girls-really-think/

Join us for our Senior School Open Morning on Friday 26th June and discover what makes our school so special.

Explore our facilities, meet our inspiring teachers, and hear from current girls about life at Headington Rye Oxford. Whether you’re just starting to consider options or ready to take the next step, this is the perfect opportunity to experience our community first-hand.

Book your place at https://headingtonrye.org/visit

Our new Head Girls welcome you to Headington Rye Oxford and give their thoughts and experiences which have made their Headington Rye experience so special.

From first-day nerves to lifelong friendships, hear their journey in their own words!

https://youtu.be/5Eyj1azjtlM?si=36-pudatWjbf4vlk

The recent Year 10 Science Conference showed innovation and provided inspiration with the breadth of modern STEM, leaving the audience visibly fascinated and deeply engaged. ⚛️

From molecular biology to automotive safety, the conference successfully ignited a palpable spark of curiosity in the next generation of scientists. Among our guest speakers was Polly (Year 12) who captivated her peers with her dual exploration of sustainable fashion and chemistry of sweets.

To find out more about our guest speakers, head to: https://www.headingtonrye.org/news/innovation-and-inspiration-y10-science-conference/

After studying farming in Geography, Year 7 recently visited Rushall Farm to see what they have learnt being put into practice. 🚜

After starting the day learning about crop rotations, investigating soil types and learning about the geology of the area, pupils spent the afternoon learning about animal welfare and feeding the chickens. 🐔

To find out what Merrily and Rosabel thought of the trip, head to: https://www.headingtonrye.org/news/y7-rushall-farm-geography-trip/