Celebrating life at OHS Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) inspection
P3
Read our latest ISI inspection report to find out how we prepare students for successful outcomes. The rejuvenation of the House system
P6-7
Find out how the new House activities have created a surge in House spirit. Preparing individuals for the future Discover how we nurture individual development from ‘Future Ready’ to ‘Life Ready.’
2022-2023
P12-13
Welcome from the Head Welcome to the 2022/2023 edition of Minerva, which is a frame for all the wonderful opportunities and adventures over the past year. A great education always starts with learning. You will read and see here a plethora of opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning and challenge their boundaries again and again whether it’s through research projects, collaborating in groups to pick up space debris or coding robots. Learning is at the heart of all we do both in and out of the classroom. Learning is always combined with character and fun. The rejuvenation of the House system this year created so many chances for students to display their energy and sense of fun, all the way from House University Challenge to House Just Dance or Hungry Hippos. It gives opportunities to lead and speak in public before a discerning audience of peers, as well as across year groups through performances and collaborations – the things we most missed during Covid. And finally, that sense of service and giving back. The community service all the way through the school, from raising money at the summer fair for local charities to legions of students going out to litter pick. We are so lucky to benefit from a great education, as well as driven students who wish to give back to those who are not as fortunate as we are and so stand up for those whose voices are not so loud.. I hope that you love reading about what we’ve been up to as much as we’ve enjoyed getting involved. A huge thanks, as ever, to our committed and dedicated staff without whom these activities wouldn’t happen, and for the wholehearted enthusiasm of our students. Ad Lucem Mrs Marina Gardiner Legge, Head
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Our ‘Excellent’ Inspection Results
Our ‘curious, ambitious and scholarly learners’ contribute to our ‘Excellent’ rating We are delighted to report that the school was rated ‘excellent in all areas’ in our most recent inspection and met the compliance requirements which are vital to protecting students. A particular focus of the inspectors’ report was the students’ personal development. The inspectors sought parents’ views and reflected on their collective opinion that “the school is highly successful in encouraging pupils to be resilient, unafraid of challenge and self-assured.” When they asked pupils, they said they could rely on staff to help with advice or flexibility regarding work deadlines, adding to the inspectors’ observation that “the pupils’ skill at managing their time effectively enables them to balance a demanding workload with enthusiastic engagement in other activities.” “We pride ourselves as a school which empowers every student to find their voice and motivational power to support themselves and others. That self-belief, confidence and efficacy is evidenced and celebrated throughout the inspection report.” Mrs Gardiner Legge, Head
GDST’s 150th Anniversary To mark GDST’s 150th birthday, two Sixth Form students, Shira and Harsika, were invited to attend an event which celebrated the impact of a GDST education. The event was attended by over 300 guests, and focused on celebrating
E V E N T S A N D C E L E B R AT I O N S
Highlights from the report include:
Pupils’ study skills are highly developed; they ask searching questions and are confident in drawing together and analysing information from a range of resources.” Pupils make rapid progress across the curriculum, especially when teaching sets high expectations and consciously builds on previous learning.” Pupils reflect critically on their understanding and management of their own emotions when they encounter difficulties and demonstrate the ability to reflect honestly on their experiences.”
members of our community who had made a difference. It was fantastic listening to them tell their stories and share their aspirations for the future. Our students enjoyed meeting and networking with alumnae, staff and student representatives from other GDST schools.
their perspectives on how impactful a GDST education had been in shaping their future.” Harsika, Year 12 and Shira, Year 13
“We were fascinated by the accomplishments of the 13 finalists of the ‘Alumnae of the Year’ and ‘Trailblazer’ awards. Throughout the evening, dynamic speakers portrayed Minerva / 2022–2023
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Student achievements: Going Beyond
Top 5
Award-winning Conrad Challenge team In March, one of our participating teams, Orbnet, successfully reached the global finals of the Conrad Challenge, a prestigious STEM competition. Tilly, Alice and Katherina in Year 12, were selected as one of the top five teams in the ‘Aerospace and Aviation’ category. Their idea was an innovative netting system, designed to collect orbital space debris. After all their hard work, they won two awards - one for the best overall marketing and digital communications and the other for best active engagement and enthusiasm. Well done Orbnet!
“The Conrad Challenge was a fantastic and incredible experience in so many ways. We met so many other wonderful people who we are still in contact with, and we were able to talk to and connect with various leading experts in the aerospace and aviation industry. But most importantly it has inspired us, and boosted our confidence in our scientific ability. Whilst we were there, we heard first-hand accounts of people like us who used the Conrad Challenge as their launchpad to go on to have careers creating startups and in business. Hence, we are currently thinking of ways we can carry our project into the future.” Tilly, Alice and Katherina, Year 12
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in the Aerospace and Aviation category
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Orbnet from OHS
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS: GOING BEYOND
Regional success in Young Enterprise This year, our Young Enterprise team, Alyra, won the County Finals and were runners up in the Regional Finals. Participating in the Young Enterprise programme has helped Alyra develop financial literacy and a business acumen, essential to becoming successful in all aspects of work and life. It has also offered important entrepreneurial opportunities. Congratulations to our team, we are very proud of everything you have achieved!
Aneesa wins a prestigious art competition The Centre for Personalised Medicine (CPM) ran an art competition for students on ‘Measurements in Health and Disease.’ Aneesa in Year 7 won the national competition with her stunning artwork. The judges were impressed with her entry and how it conveyed the use of measurements throughout an individual’s lifetime.
Astro Pi: Mission Space Lab
“My artwork, ‘A Lifetime of Measures’ represents everything I learnt about personalised medicine and the fascinating ways that changes in health are monitored and conditions are identified.” Aneesa, Year 7
The Computer Science club entered the ‘Astro Pi’ competition. This project involved writing and coding programme on a Rasberry Pi, which measures the temperature, humidity, pressure and light intensity on the International Space Station. To test if their experiment worked, they sent the message ‘Go Beyond’ to the astronauts, which was displayed on a screen in the Space Station. STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS: GOING BEYOND
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The rejuvenation of the Building House spirit across the school House events in the Senior School This year we saw a renewed reinvigoration of the House system, with students embracing House pride through a series of events across the Senior School, culminating in Sports Day and House Drama at the end of the summer term. It was great to see a surge in House spirit, with students enthusiastically competing in these activities whilst proudly wearing their House colours. A huge well done to everyone who took part in the following events: • House life-sized Hungry Hippos - A giant version of the popular game united students and proved popular across year groups, as they cheered on their Houses. • House Bake Off - Students produced an array of delectable treats on the theme of ‘Spring.’ • House University Challenge, the Linguistics Challenge and House Chess - These events enabled students to challenge themselves to win points for their House. • House Drama - We were treated to a brilliantly entertaining performance from the talented cast. • House Dance - A fun and creative dance competition which optimises team work. • Big Walk and Wheel - We tracked the distance covered to walk, cycle, skateboard, wheelchair or scoot to school. • House Tug of War - We saw competitive spirit really come to the fore with our annual Tug of War event.
House Hungry Hippos
House Bake Off
House Dance
House cup winners 2022/2023 Autumn term - Ares Spring term - Zeus Summer term - Zeus
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HOUSE EVENTS IN THE SENIOR SCHOOL
House System House events in the Prep School Our Houses Unicorn What a year it’s been for the Unicorn House, Sophie and Lily were chosen as House Captains. House families were created and students started to get to know each other through birthdays and organised events like relay races, pumpkin-making competitions, Christmas songs, dances and Easter Egg hunts. The Unicorn fundraiser movie night was extremely successful and was welcomed by over 200 girls from Years 3 to 6.
Heads of House The start of the autumn term saw the children return to the Prep School, full of enthusiasm and excitement for the academic year ahead. The House teams plunged straight into hustings for our new House Captains. Once our new House Captains had been elected, we announced our first House competition. Each student was asked to design and carve a pumpkin. There was a fantastic response, so it was a difficult decision for the judges. Once the judging was over, the students viewed each other’s pumpkins, and they were pleased to learn that each entry earned valuable House points for their team.
Griffin Our House Captains have been such a great help this year, supporting events and attending meetings at both sites. The Prep school students particularly enjoyed the Scavenger Hunt competition during one of the House meetings.
We were the first House to hold a fundraiser, so we had lots of great ideas to choose from. Griffin voted to hold a bake sale. They took responsibility for baking and bringing in a wide variety of delicious and tempting treats to sell.
Yale This year has been an excellent year for Yale. Our House Captains Sophia and Hannah, made the team proud, by leading a range of activities.
efforts to win House Netball. In the summer term, students at the PrePrep enjoyed a fete, whilst the Prep team got soaking wet in our Yale Wet Wednesday event.
Wyvern Recently, the children decorated a Wyvern using their fingerprints. This was an activity that took place in one of our House meetings. Both Prep and Pre-Prep Wyverns had the opportunity to make their mark. We have been delighted by all their fundraising ideas this year. For their inaugural fundraiser, Wyvern House decided to hold a lunchtime school disco. Many ideas were put forward in our bi-weekly House meeting, but the idea of a disco won fair and square! A date was set and then preparations began in earnest. Tickets were sold, snacks and beverages were bought, and a photo booth was set up on the school stage. Our students (and the teachers!) had a great time, and it looks like a lunchtime school disco might become an annual event.
In September, we welcomed two adorable additions to Yale: Leya and Gabby, our goats. They were looked after by selected students each half term. In December, the students performed a heart warming rendition of Last Christmas at the Christmas Song Celebration. We also held a Secret Santa where they made presents for someone else in the House! In the spring term, we were victorious in our
HOUSE EVENTS IN THE PREP SCHOOL
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Film and Theatre Production Showcasing talent across an eclectic mix of genres Matilda Our fantastic Lower School production, Matilda, took to the stage in the summer term. We were treated to a fun evening of toe-tapping songs and brilliantly choreographed dance routines from the fantastic cast.
Being Matilda is my first main role in a musical, so this is a very new experience for me, but it has been and will continue to be an incredible experience.” Molly, Year 8
The Grimm Tales The dark and tragic stories of The Grimm Tales were brought to life by performances from nearly 40 Year 8 and Year 9 students. Whilst we may call them fairy tales, these folklore stories are far from comforting bedtime reading and our cast harnessed the dark energy of these creative childhood stories, such as Little
Red Riding Hood, to give fantastic performances full of imagination, energy and creativity. As well as the dedicated cast members, over 20 students supported the fantastic production through stage stunts, prop management, costume and make-up.
One Day Film School Year 9 students put their filmmaking skills to the test at the One Day Film School. They were introduced to filmmaking, fight choreography and scriptwriting, and practised how to shoot and edit their film. They were tasked to create a short film in only 90 minutes. Each group performed well, showing both their leadership and teamwork skills. The Best Picture Oscar was awarded to ‘Memories’, a technically superb and engaging story. The judges were particularly impressed by the excellent performances and high standard of camerawork, editing and sound design, making it a highly entertaining production.
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THE ARTS
Sister Act In the autumn term, the whole school community was treated to an amazing performance of Sister Act by our upper school drama team. The three evenings saw our actors and stage crew deliver a spectacular show to packed audiences with some brilliant individual songs for the key characters.. We welcomed parents, pupils, alumnae and friends to our Stephanie North Hall for the musical. A truly memorable evening.
The Gloomy Day In October, a team of students staged their own drama production, written and directed by Poppy in Year 11. The production was a sell-out, whilst also proving an invaluable learning experience for those who acted, produced and directed it. Well done to everyone involved, including our wonderful Drama Department for all your advice and support.
THE ARTS
Fiddlers Three A group of Year 12 students worked hard to produce, direct and perform in a production of Agatha Christie’s play, Fiddlers Three. With a focus on supporting local charities, this production generated donations for Oxford Food Hub. Fiddlers Three is the last play written by Agatha Christie, which sees a prank turn ugly when a group of people try to get their hands on an inheritance payment.
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Music Performance Enjoying a wonderful year of musical delight It has been a busy year for our talented musicians, with the the festive Carol Service, Lower School Concert, British Army Band Workshop, Sheldonian Concert and Senior Scholars’ Concert, finishing the academic year with the Summer Promenade.
Lower School Concert Musicians from across Years 7, 8 and 9 came together for the annual Lower School Concert, which celebrated their talents and hard work. Thank you to the performers for an excellent evening of music, which consisted of both classical and modern pieces from Coldplay’s Viva La Vida to Queen of the Night Aria by Mozart. The hard work and talent really shone through!
Senior Music Scholars’ Concert at University Church In the summer term, Senior Music Scholars played a lunchtime concert at University Church, Oxford. We were treated to beautiful music performances on the harp, organ, flute, violin, marimba, bassoon, and piano. The audience was a mixture of parents, local residents and tourists, who heard the enchanting sounds as they walked down the High Street, and came in to take a look.
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THE ARTS
British Army Band workshop This year, we were treated to a visit from the British Army Band who gave a workshop to the Lower School Orchestra and the Concert Band. Later, the whole of Year 7 and 8 listened to a wonderful performance by the army musicians. The students were able to ask questions about the band’s career as professional musicians and learn about less familiar wind and brass instruments.
The Sheldonian Concert The famous Sheldonian Theatre echoed the beautiful sounds of classical and modern music, as our students confidently performed for staff, parents, alumnae and friends. The event line up included numerous ensembles and soloists from students in Years 10-13, including music from How to Train Your Dragon, Amy Winehouse and Coldplay.
THE ARTS
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Future Ready Promote individual strengths and interests.
Cultivate social and emotional skills, whilst promoting academic development.
Nurture academia, sustainability, life skills and personal development.
Celebrate childhood.
Develop the whole child. 12
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Build well-rounded young people with many different passions.
Set goals and meet targets. FUTURE READY TO LIFE READY
Life Ready
Establish positive relationships with teachers and students. Create strong support networks which are mutually respectful.
Benefit from a proactive and age appropriate PSHCE curriculum which builds on classroom activity with topical guest speaker events, utilising the expertise of professionals in their field.
Engage in the learning process and foster a commitment to give back to others within the school community and the wider world.
Develop the following personal attributes through our Wellbeing Toolkit - respect, responsibility, resilience, courage, curiosity and commitment. Also, develop selfawareness and understand the impact of individual actions on others.
Reach your potential through our Life Ready Programme by honing individual strengths, developing academic knowledge and learning skills for life.
FUTURE READY TO LIFE READY
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Introducing Dance Introducing dance to our co-curricular offering Prep Dance Squad This year dance became very popular with students showcasing a range of talents both in lessons and through our co-curricular activities. In March, the Year 3 & 4 Dance club attended the New Theatre in Oxford, to perform their dance to Schoolin’ Life by Beyonce. They performed to hundreds of people in a sold-out theatre and made us proud! In March, students performed at the ‘Great Big Dance Off’ Regional heats. The girls performed brilliantly and reached 5th place in the competition.
Senior School Dance Show In March, we hosted our first Dance Show, which showcased the talents and dance skills of our students. There was an eclectic mix of performances, with many routines being choreographed by students. We are very excited that dance continues to blossom and look forward to many more shows in the future!
Finally, we finished off the dance calendar with our annual House Dance competition. Year 5 created a dance after being inspired by a photo, whilst Year 6 based their choreography on a particular dance style. Both teams brought their creative talents to the fore!
Prep Swim Squad Success It has been an exciting year for the Swim Squad, who competed against local schools, finishing with two wins, a draw and a loss. At a recent swimming rally, our girls competed against other GDST schools from across the country. Our under 11A team went on to finish 7th whilst our under 11B team finished 5th. We also competed in the English Schools Swimming Association (ESSA) Oxfordshire County Team Relays, with our mixed and freestyle relay ‘A’ teams qualifying for the ESSA South East Regionals. Congratulations!
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SPORTS
Wellness Week Finding the right balance between academic study and leisure time In the spring term, we launched our Wellness Week initiative for the second year running. Our programme gave students the opportunity to learn more about mental health and develop new skills for dealing with lifes challenges. The sessions encouraged them to work together to create a culture of kindness and openness with their friends and the wider school community. We had a visit from alumna Laura Deuster, a trained counsellor and psychotherapist, who gave an interesting talk on happiness and keeping calm during times of pressure, which proved useful ahead of impending summer exams and university applications.
S C H O O L- W I D E I N I T I AT I V E S
Learning about the importance of diet on our mental and physical well-being Having fun and taking some time to relax Moving our body Talks on through dance to keeping calm shake off any stresses in times of pressure Promoting work life balance
Talks on happiness Promoting a healthy lifestyle
Eating healthy food and enjoying fruit smoothies Developing new techniques to manage stress
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Local trips and excursions Exploring places of cultural and academic interest Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
We offer the Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards. The scheme is vital to instil confidence, build independence and develop new skills such as orienteering. This year, Claudia and Amy in Year 13 achieved their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and were invited to Buckingham Palace to receive their awards from HRH Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh.
Textiles trip to the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in London
Our GCSE and A Level Textiles students visited the V&A Museum to draw and research – students sketched, took photographs, made notes and chose outfits from the areas that inspired them. Our Year 12 students researched a chosen area of study whilst the Year 10s admired fashion collections from the 18th century to modern day.
Year 10 residential
Our students took a trip to Pembrokeshire for a weekend of new adventures. The trip enabled them to experience a wide range of enjoyable but challenging activities, such as surfing and coasteering. The St David’s coastline offered the perfect setting to create new memories with their friends, and develop resilience and courage. At the end of a busy weekend, students enjoyed reminiscing on their achievements around a log fire, whilst toasting marshmallows.
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They saw outfits of fashion designers from Schiaparelli to Jean Paul Gaultier, and imagined what it would be like to design and wear them. In the ‘Re-imagining Musicals’ exhibition, they drew costumes from famous musicals such as ‘The Lion King,’ ‘Matilda’ and ‘Warhorse’. In the afternoon they visited an exhibition which celebrated the dynamic and varied fashion scene, with exhibits from textiles, fashion, the visual arts and music.
English residential
At the beginning of the autumn term, our Year 13 English students enjoyed their residential trip to the South Downs. They enjoyed three days immersed in literature, focusing on the themes ‘Family & Identity,’ where they learnt about the writers and places that shape their studies. Whether looking at ‘Sense & Sensibility’ in Jane Austen’s house, reading T.S Eliot’s ‘Four Quartets’ in the garden at Charleston, or chanting ‘Antigone’ outside Brighton Pavilion, the trip helped our English students develop a deeper understanding of literature in a range of memorable contexts. TRIPS
Munich exchange
In March, our successful German Exchange programme returned for its eighth year. Students were paired with pupils from Gymnasium School in Munich. They stayed with their host families to immerse themselves in German life, exploring the local area and practising their language skills ahead of their GSCE and A Level exams.
Cultural visits overseas Spanish study tour
The Spanish study tour saw our Year 9 and 10 students travel to Puerto de Santa Maria in the Bay of Cádiz. The aim of the trip was to further their Spanish speaking skills and enjoy new cultural experiences. “The Spanish study tour was an incredibly enjoyable and informative experience. From making Paella to visiting the Cathedral of Jerez, every activity was incredibly fun and unique, whilst also providing us with insights into different aspects of Spain. The trip was a microcosm of the beauty, diversity and culture of Spain and brought all that we had learnt in our Spanish lessons to life.” Tvisha, Year 9
Classics trip to Greece
In October, our students gathered under the sunflowers, excited to set-off on their trip to Greece. Their first stop was sunny Athens to visit many ancient and beautiful sites; including the Temple of Poseidon, the Acropolis, Delphi, the theatre of Epidaurus and Mycenae. Not only was the architecture of the sites astounding, as well as the scenic views, but the rich history and myths surrounding each place made it easy to visualise the past. “Several highlights of the trip included the serene monastery of Saint Hosios Loukas, the delicious and inexpensive lunches from local bakeries and the Greek dancers at Touris. Everyone had a thoroughly enjoyable time, I made many new friendships across the year groups. The Greek trip was a wonderful experience that I would highly recommend.” Sofia, Year 11
TRIPS
New York and Washington trip In October half term, our Year 12 and Year 13 students went on an Economics, Politics and Psychology trip to New York and Washington DC. They visited museums and memorials such as the Holocaust Museum, the 9/11 Memorial and Arlington Cemetery. They also enjoyed a packed itinerary from watching a New York Knicks basketball game at Madison Square Garden, to trying local cuisine at a singing diner and immersing themselves in a Broadway show.
They enjoyed views from the top of the One World Observatory and the Washington Monument. The group also visited the World Bank and went to a university seminar on Forensic Psychology. They attended talks by a leading UK Diplomat in Washington DC and a high-ranking reputational manager in New York. The students truly immersed themselves in the experience of both cities. Minerva / 2022–2023
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Charity, volunteering and community engagement Inspiring the next generation
Juniors in Engineering, Maths and Science (JEMS)
In March, nearly one hundred Year 5 students from New Marston Primary School, Cutteslowe Primary School and St Francis C of E Primary School took part in the Juniors in Engineering Maths and Science (JEMS) challenge. The children engaged in hands-on science experiments,
exploring what the brain looks like and how it works, through experiments which investigate their reaction times and memory recall. This initiative is part of our long standing community engagement programme. We have been leading the JEMS programme for 12
years and are passionate about engaging students through science and stimulating young learners to discover more about the world around them. The programme also creates leadership opportunities for our students, through opportunities to mentor the younger visitors during these lessons.
OxClean Litter Pick Oxford High School takes part in the annual OxClean Litter Pick, which enables groups of people to work together to clean our city by picking up litter in and around the school grounds. This year, we were proud of the hard work and dedication of more than 80 student volunteers from Years 7 to 12. They braved the inclement weather and did their bit for their local area. Well done everyone! 18
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C H A R I T Y, V O L U N T E E R I N G A N D C O M M U N I T Y E N G A G E M E N T
Sustainability Looking after the environment and reducing our carbon footprint The Eco Committee
GDST’s ‘We are One’ initiative We are delighted to participate in the GDST’s ‘We are One’ initiative, which strives to create a more sustainable future. Our Year 6 Green Team, Alyssa, Nicky, Siri and Ottilie, fully embraced the project.
habits in school and within the wider community. In June, the team were invited to Wimbledon Common along with other GDST schools, where they enjoyed taking part
in natural art and orienteering lessons outdoors as part of the ‘We are One’ celebration. The students wrote a pledge for the school that they ‘Dare to Care’ about the future health of our planet.
They engaged in the teaching sessions about our changing climate and enjoyed working with a mentor from Thoughtbox Education, to learn how small changes make a positive difference on the environment. Our team created a two-minute video to promote behavioural change and encourage people to create a more sustainable future. They shared the film project in assembly and asked everyone to build sustainable
The Eco Committee has been busy making small changes to reduce our carbon footprint. They have taken the lead on sustainable initiatives around school such as the ‘Big Walk and Wheel,’ Another focus of the year, was creating an efficient recycling system and collaborating with the Biodiversity Club to make our ponds more biodiverse. They are currently adding plants to the school pond to create a more varied habitat for wildlife.
Biodiversity Club This academic year, the Biodiversity Club have been working hard to increase the biodiversity across the school grounds. We are proud to say that this year alone we have planted over 30 trees (Rowan, Crab Apple, Silver Birch, Oak, etc), sown wildflower seeds (including some that specifically attract the sorts of insects that bats thrive on), installed bird feeders, built a bug hotel and set up a hedgehog house. The team have also been looking at how they can contribute to school meals, by growing vegetables and herbs. We have a greenhouse full of seedlings, including tomatoes, beans, courgettes, lettuce, basil and parsley. In fact, our lettuce has already been served during school lunches!
S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y
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Leadership opportunities Developing future leaders and advocates Careers & Higher Education Evening Our annual Higher Education and Careers evening took place in February, bringing together alumnae, parents and university representatives. This year’s event welcomed over 450 guests, including over 60 guest speakers, 40 of whom were valued members of our alumnae community. Students had the opportunity to meet professionals from a range of industries and delve into a range of professions, from the Music and Theatre industries to careers in Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. They also discovered wide-ranging career paths, and learnt individual journeys from starting university to becoming a skilled professional. The event started with a keynote address from Reverend Catherine Bond, an alumna who talked about the highs and lows of entrepreneurship and the key lessons she learnt throughout her career.
The Tangent The Tangent is a student-led STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) magazine, published twice a year. The project promotes leadership opportunities and gives Year 11 and 12 students the opportunity to research and write articles on topics they are really passionate about. The magazine aims to educate and inform, whilst piquing the interest of younger members of the school community. You can read the latest issues on the school website. “This project has been an excellent opportunity for me. Not only have I broadened my knowledge on areas of science that interest me, but I have also learnt about multiple other areas which I would have never otherwise delved into. I am particularly interested in Chemistry and Biology, hence I rarely have a chance to research Physics or Engineering. As a result of the excellently written articles in The Tangent, I have been able to widen my knowledge in these areas. Equally, I hope this magazine will have the same benefits for other readers.” Emma, Editor, Year 12
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Medical Myriad The Medical Myriad is a biannual school magazine that explores the field of medicine through interviews with students and practitioners, scientific research and medical news. The editorial team delves into the lives of healthcare professionals to provide first-hand accounts of the industry. They contact medical professionals and students to find out more about the university application process, their daily lives and the various career pathways, as well as work experience advice. The magazine also provides insight into university life at medical school. All issues of the Medical Myriad are available on our website.
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Student-led Conferences This year our students led a series of conferences on topics ranging from Sustainable Fashion to Engineering. They selected the topics based on their interests or future career
aspirations. Each aspect of the event was coordinated by our students. They designed the programme, coordinated the guest speakers and hosted the event on the day. The Virtual Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science Conference welcomed speakers from across these specialist professions,
including Dr Sarah Blagden, Professor of Experimental Oncology and Honorary consultant Medical Oncologist. Her thought-provoking talk delved into her journey from medical school through to researching post-transcriptional gene regulation in cancer. This conference was a huge success
and was attended virtually by over 100 schools across the country. We are looking forward to another exciting conference programme next year.
Student Ambassadors for Teaching and Learning This year, our Student Ambassadors for Teaching and Learning have been working on a research project focussed on improving the educational experience. In February, they took a trip to Northampton High School GDST to present the outcome of their research to other school representatives at a mini conference. “I found it really pleasing to present the research that we had worked so hard on, especially as everyone was interested in the work that each other had done. It was so nice to hear from others about their projects and it gave me ideas on how we could advance our own project. It was such a lovely reward for completing our research projects, and all in all it was a brilliant day.” Amy, Year 10
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
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Connecting with our alumnae community Alumnae Reunion In May, we welcomed back the graduating classes 1983, 1998, 2013 and 2018 for afternoon tea. Helen Thomas, an alumna from 1998, gave a wonderful speech on all the incredible memories and opportunities she had during her time here. Our alumnae toured the school with our fantastic student helpers and current staff. They enjoyed reminiscing on the past with former classmates and teachers, and explored the facilities to see how much it had changed. The archives were also available to browse, featuring school photographs, magazines and school work, bringing back the fond memories. It was wonderful to reconnect with our alumnae.
Alumnae Spotlight: Katy Barrow-Grint, Class of 1997 Katy Barrow-Grint graduated from OHS in 1997 and a few years later joined Thames Valley Police, where she worked her way up the ranks. Katy has been Head of Criminal Justice for Thames Valley Police and the Head of Specialist Operations, running covert policing for the force, and in September 2021 she was promoted to Chief Superintendent.
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“OHS was very good at giving you the confidence to try new things and achieve your best. I have taken this with me throughout my career and often talk about it when I come back to school. I studied History, Economics and French and then went on to LSE to study Sociology. This is where my interest in crime and criminology really began.”
ALUMNAE
2023 Results and Destinations Celebrating outstanding A Level results and creating bold futures
We have a strong track-record for excellent exam results, as was reflected in our 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 A Level results continued that pattern.
Our A Level students congratulated each other on impressive results; the culmination of years of study, collaboration and creativity.
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%
85%
of A Levels were graded A*- B
37%
of pupils were awarded three or more As and A*s
All students with A Levels in Computing, French, Russian and Geography gained As and A*s
of A Level students will go on to study at Oxbridge
The diverse, progressive and ambitious decisions of our A Level students are reflected in the variety of choices they’ve made about what to move on to next, ranging from Anthropology to Computing and Artificial Intelligence. A sustained area of strength for the school is students going on to study Medicine. Alice, Eunsong, Anna and Saachi have all accepted offers to study Medicine.
Demonstrating our GCSE students’ resilience and determination through their outstanding results This year’s excellent GCSE results continued the pattern of strong academic attainment.
49%
76%
89%
of GCSEs awarded of GCSEs awarded of GCSEs awarded were Grade 8s and 9s were Grade 7s, 8s and 9s were Grade 9s 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. This is a cohort of students who spent their Years 8 and 9 working remotely from home, separated from their friends and teachers, so their achievements extend far beyond the academic, instead it is a testament to their strength of character.
R E S U LT S A N D U N I V E R S I T Y D E S T I N A T I O N S
Equally, the school’s pastoral provision was highlighted in the recent inspection: “an atmosphere of mutual pleasure in working to achieve success” – means that students will continue to benefit from ongoing pastoral support as they navigate the emotionally-intensive exam result period.
Demonstrating our strengths in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine) subjects, university places have been offered and successfully accepted for subjects including Computer Science and Environmental Geoscience. The Arts remain a strong area too, with several students heading off to Art Foundation courses. The wide range of Languages offered is represented exceptionally, with pupils going on to study for degrees in French, Spanish, German, Chinese, Russian and Classics.
These results are a testament to the support, opportunities, and experiences we offer to the bright and the ambitious. I am so grateful to all our staff, our parents and everyone in our community who has worked so hard to support them. These year groups have faced such challenges in their education, more than many generations before them. They are an excellent group of leaders, who worked hard, expanded their horizons and supported the whole student body in emerging into a complex but navigable world. They also happen to be great people too. Congratulations to them all.” Marina Gardiner Legge, Head Minerva / 2022–2023
23
Rated ‘Excellent’ in our recent inspection results.* Register for one of our upcoming admissions events to discover more about life and learning in our school. oxfordhigh.gdst.net *Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) 2023
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The information is correct at the time of going to print. Please refer to our website for the latest information: https://oxfordhigh.gdst.net