The main points of entry to our Senior School are at age 11 (Year 7) and age 13 (Year 9). Parents looking for entry to Year 8 or Year 10 should contact the Admissions team to enquire if there are places available in these year groups in the year preceding entry. If places are available, we are happy to receive registrations for entry at these points.
Step 1: Contact Admissions
Please contact the Admissions team (admissions@oxf.gdst.net) to enquire about place availability and the timeline for your admissions process.
Overseas Candidates
We are not licensed by the UK Borders Agency to support Tier 4 visa applications to enter the UK. For students outside of the EU/EEA, we require a copy of the student’s passport and visa before we can offer a place. To attend Oxford High School, it is essential that one or both parents will be living with their daughter whilst she is at our school. We cannot consider any kind of homestay or guardianship arrangements for international students as we believe that girls need the support of their families or of a good boarding school at this crucial stage of their education.
Step 2: Visit Us
Our Open Events provide an opportunity for you to meet our Headmistress Mrs Marina Gardiner Legge and our dedicated staff and current pupils whether virtually or in person.
Visit our Admissions events page to register for an upcoming event.
Step 3: Apply
We recommend applying as early as possible in the year preceding entry using our online application form.
You will be asked to upload a current passport photo. There is a non-refundable registration fee of £100 (£150 for overseas applicants). If you are in receipt of income support then we are able to waive this fee, providing proof of income support is sent through. Please contact our Senior School Registrar (admissions@oxf.gdst.net or 01865 478 678) for further information.
Step 3: Assessments
We are aware that during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, different pupils had different educational experiences. Our assessments and interviews are looking for potential. We look for how candidates apply their knowledge and understanding based on topics which would form a common core which we feel should have been covered by all.
Admissions Day
For UK applicants, the Admissions Day for entry will take place at the Senior School on a school day.
For overseas applicants, we ask parents to arrange the exams to be invigilated by their local British Council office, a reputable exams centre or their daughter’s current school. We will liaise with the invigilator directly once you have arranged the invigilation.
Year 8 (12+): Candidates will sit assessment papers in English (written, 1 hour), Maths (written, 1 hour), Modern Foreign Language (French or Mandarin; written, 1 hour) and Reasoning (verbal, non-verbal, quantitative and spatial; online, multiple choice, approx. 1.5 hours).
Year 10 (14+): Candidates will sit assessment papers in English (written, 1 hour), Maths (written, 1 hour), Modern Foreign Language (French, German, Mandarin or Spanish; written, 1 hour), Science (written, 1 hour), and Reasoning (verbal, non-verbal, quantitative and spatial; online, multiple choice, approx. 1.5 hours).
Interview
We invite every candidate who sat the entrance assessments to take part in an interview with the Headmistress or the Deputy Head. At the interview, we aim to put candidates at their ease whilst also challenging them. This approach enables us to identify whether a pupil will truly thrive here, academically and otherwise.
Reference from Current School
We will contact a candidate’s current school for a reference. We are very mindful of the disruption many pupils have experienced due to school closures as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and we will be asking the schools to outline the educational provision available during the lockdown. We would like to reassure parents that we will be carefully considering how this has impacted each individual candidate to ensure that they will not be disadvantaged by the different levels of provision that different schools provided.
Step 4: Offers and Acceptance
Parents will be informed of the outcome of their daughter’s application soon after the interview.
Acceptance of Offers
On the acceptance of a place, a deposit of £1,000 is payable, which the school retains until the end of the pupil’s final term in the school and which is refunded within 12 weeks of her leaving, less any sums owing to the Girls’ Day School Trust or the school at that time. The deposit is forfeited if the pupil does not take up the accepted place.
Step 5: Settling into Oxford High School
We believe it is crucial to ensure pupils settle quickly and happily into their new surroundings. We aim to send out all relevant information to new parents well in advance and, once your place has been confirmed as accepted, we will invite you to come along to events or concerts in school so you can meet your future classmates or fellow parents. Buddy systems and ‘New Pupils’ Day’ events are all part of the warm welcome you will enjoy when you join Oxford High School!
If you have further questions about the admissions process, please check out our FAQs page or contact us at admissions@oxf.gdst.net or 01865 478678.