Oxford High School GDST is celebrating a strong set of GCSE results as the Oxford school marks its 150th anniversary year.
Half of all GCSE grades awarded to students this year were Grade 9, while 74% were graded 8 or 9 and 88% were graded 7 to 9.
The results included particularly strong performances across the sciences, with Biology, Chemistry and Physics averaging 58% Grade 9s and 81% of grades in the subjects awarded at Grades 8 or 9.
Languages were another standout area, with more than 70% of grades in Italian, French, German and Mandarin awarded Grade 9. Textiles, Russian, Mandarin and Computer Science all recorded 100% of grades at 7 or above, while 67% of Drama grades were Grade 9.
Twenty-two students also took the Extended Maths Certificate, designed to stretch their mathematical expertise, with 60% achieving a Distinction*.
The breadth of subjects studied extended beyond the school’s established language provision. Alongside the eight languages already offered at Oxford High, students also took examinations in Polish and Brazilian Portuguese.
Achievement beyond the classroom
The results come alongside a wide range of achievements outside the classroom.
Students Taisia and Aadya combined their academic studies with success in tennis, helping Oxford High secure the Lawn Tennis Association’s School of the Year award. The school has also reached national finals twice and won the School Sport magazine National Cup.
Cassie, a member of the U16 England touch rugby team, achieved eight grades at 8 or 9 and was recognised by the OCR examination board as one of the country’s top-performing candidates in Textiles. She will continue her studies at Oxford High’s Sixth Form as a STEM Scholar.
Other students have combined academic achievement with creative and community activities. Maria and Alice established a charity aimed at providing debating opportunities for others in the community, while Lizzie, who achieved grades 8 and 9 throughout her GCSEs, volunteered at Oxford’s Story Museum.
Students also balanced their studies with the school’s 150th-anniversary production of Les Misérables, staged in June. Members of the cast, backstage team and band collectively achieved a strong set of GCSE results, including 26 Grade 9s among eight students involved in the production.
Musician Lexi achieved 10 GCSEs at Grades 8 and 9 while also performing as a clarinettist at the Lord Mayor’s Show in London and representing Guildhall Young Artists and the Junior Guildhall School of Music.
Continuing into Sixth Form
The majority of the year group will continue into Oxford High’s Sixth Form to study A-levels.
Head of Oxford High School GDST, Marina Gardiner Legge, said the results reflected not only academic achievement but also the wider development of the students.
“Today is an occasion to celebrate not only the grades our students have achieved, but the young women they have become in the process.”
She said the cohort had demonstrated “real resilience and tenacity”, adding that students who began their senior school journey during the disruption caused by COVID-19 had grown into “positive, confident, generous young people”.
The GCSE results also follow strong A-level results at the school last week, with several families celebrating achievements across both year groups.
Among this year’s GCSE cohort, Evie achieved straight Grade 9s in 11 subjects, while Emilia achieved eleven Grade 9s. Other students achieved similarly strong results while preparing to continue their studies at Oxford High’s Sixth Form.
150 years of educating girls in Oxford
The results have particular significance during Oxford High’s 150th anniversary year.
Founded in 1875, Oxford High School describes itself as the oldest girls’ school in Oxford. The school has marked the anniversary throughout 2026 with events celebrating its history and the achievements of generations of students.
The school will open its doors to visitors on 26 September, offering an opportunity to explore the school and learn more about its history and current education.
For the latest GCSE cohort, the anniversary provides a backdrop to results that demonstrate both the school’s academic performance and the breadth of interests pursued by its students.
