Headington staff and girls have had good reason to celebrate this summer — not only did this year’s GCSE and A-Level cohorts gain some of the best marks in Headington history, they also put the school at the top of the UK league tables for GCSE results nationally.

According to data compiled by the Independent School Council (ISC), Headington girls earned more points per candidate than any other independent school in the UK. Their average of 618.4 points put them four points clear of the second place school, and more than 20 points clear of the third.

Headington was also ranked 25th nationally in the ISC’s A-Level league table.

Headmistress Mrs Coutts said: “I’m just delighted. We are not a highly-selective school, so these results are testimony to the excellent teaching that the girls receive.

“I’m very proud of the girls’ grades, and all the more so as they have been achieved by students of such wide-ranging abilities.”

This summer, Headington girls took GCSEs in 26 different subjects, including IGCSE maths; 41.6 per cent of passes were at grade A*, and more than 82 per cent at A or A*. Fifty-five girls — more than half the year group — gained straight As or A*s, while five girls had straight A*s.

Mrs Coutts commented: “Of course league tables are flawed — they can’t take account of every aspect of a school’s achievements, and at Headington education is about much more than good grades. But as a scientist, I believe that it is important that achievements should be measured.

“As a school, of course we should be accountable, and I am always happy for our exam results to be published. It would be a shame not to celebrate the girls’ successes.”

At A-Level, girls took exams in 29 different subjects, with 91 per cent passing at grade A or B. Fifty-six girls gained three, four, five or even six grade As, in fields ranging from PE to politics and fine art to further mathematics.

Headington’s successes and achievements this year have not been limited to the examination hall.

The school’s sports teams have had a spectacular year, following the completion of the school’s floodlit Astroturf sports pitch last winter.

The Aberdare tennis team reached the national championships for the first time in Headington history; rowers won triple gold at Henley Women’s Regatta, the Schools Head and the National Schools’ Regatta, and the fencing team went from strength to strength.

Headington cross country, tennis, hockey and netball teams were named county champions in no fewer than seven age categories, and the school’s inaugural showjumping competition was a spectacular success.

For musicians, too, the future is bright. A state-of-the-art music school was officially opened in June, and this term girls are enjoying their first lessons in the new electronics suite, recording studio, and airy teaching rooms that the facility provides.

A week-long programme of concerts from October 3-10 will celebrate the opening of the new facility — visit the website www.headington.org for details and tickets.

At Headington, the focus is firmly on opportunity. Whatever your daughter’s talents, at Headington she will find the support and confidence that she needs to reach her full potential.

If you are interested in finding out more, join us for a senior school open morning, sixth form options evening, or prep school open morning this autumn to find out more.

A wide range of scholarships and means-tested bursaries of up to 100 per cent of fees are also available for girls joining the school.

Call the admissions team on 01865 759 113 for details.