An Abingdon-based school has been ranked as the top independent girls school in Oxfordshire by The Times.

St Helen and St Katharine were recognised for the second year in a row by The Times Parent Power 2024 schools guide.

The school was also ranked fifth in the Southeast and 47th in the UK.

The ranking was influenced by the school’s A level and GCSE results from summer 2023.

91.7 per cent of its students secured grades A* to B at A level, and 81.5 per cent scored grades 9 to 7 in their GCSEs.

The school is acclaimed for its pastoral care, extracurricular activities, academic enrichment programmes, and state-of-the-art Sixth Form Centre, the Benedict Building.

Headmistress Rebecca Dougall said: "We’re very proud of the work we do at St Helen’s and to have external validation of that is always pleasing.

"It’s a real team effort in all areas of school life be that academic, pastoral, sport or the performing and visual arts.

"It’s about great teachers working with wonderful students and coordinating those endeavours with a supportive parent body."

Earlier this year, the school was also ranked top girls school for sport in Oxfordshire by School Sport Magazine.

St Helen and St Katharine provides bursaries from 20 to 100 per cent of fees from Year 7, attracting students from six counties via its extensive school bus network.