Head
Headington Rye Oxford - Senior School
Oxford
- Expiring soon
- Job type:
- Full Time, Permanent
- Apply by:
- 23 April 2026
Job overview
Headington Rye Oxford is an independent day and boarding School in Oxford for girls and boys aged 3–11 and girls aged 11–18. Founded in 1915 and set across a 47-acre estate, the School is home to over 1,000 pupils representing more than 45 nationalities. Following the successful merger of Headington School and Rye St Antony in 2024, it now operates across four sites with outstanding facilities, a thriving boarding community and consistently strong academic results at GCSE and A Level. The School has a Christian foundation and is a respected and influential voice in the wider world of independent education.
With the current Head retiring and the School's five-year strategic plan reaching its conclusion, the Governors are seeking a new Head to shape the next chapter. This is an opportunity to lead a School in excellent health, with superb facilities, a talented staff body of over 380 and a highly engaged governing board. The successful candidate will develop and implement a clear strategic vision, strengthen the School's market position in an increasingly competitive landscape and ensure it continues to deliver an exceptional all-round education for every pupil.
The Governors are looking for a proven senior leader with experience of high-performing day and boarding provision, strong commercial and financial acumen and a deep commitment to the education of girls and young women, and to the value of co-education in the preparatory years. The successful candidate will be a confident communicator with the presence and resilience to lead a large, outward-facing School, and will bring an international outlook alongside an appreciation of the School's values and culture.
Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to Headington Rye Oxford on this appointment. For further information about the role, including details about how to apply, please visit https://roles.saxbam.com/ using reference LAIDB. Applications should be received by noon on Thursday 23 April.
About Headington Rye Oxford - Senior School
- Headington Rye Oxford - Senior School
- Headington Road, Oxford
- Oxfordshire
- OX3 7TD
- United Kingdom
Headington Rye Oxford is a vibrant and welcoming school set in 23 acres of playing fields and grounds. In an environment where individuals come first, Headington Rye Oxford is renowned for its commitment to academic excellence, pastoral support and an impressive range of extra-curricular opportunities.
The School has roots as Headington since 1915 and as Rye St Antony since 1930, with the two schools merging in 2024. Both schools were founded to offer girls a contemporary education fit to prepare them for the world at the time. Today, pupils at Headington Rye Oxford face very different challenges and we aim to enable them to develop the thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills they need to help explore their potential and achieve more than they thought possible. Headington Rye Oxford is home to more than 1,000 pupils comprising 45 nationalities, including approximately 200 boarders and 250 pupils in the Preparatory School. We have undertaken several exciting building projects in the last 15 years including a Theatre, Sixth Form Centre, Music School, Dance and Fitness Centre and a state-of-the-art Library. More recently, we opened our new Creativity & Innovation Centre, ‘The Hive’, in September 2021 and a brand new Food and Nutrition Centre, featuring state-of-the art teaching kitchens and a mezzanine demonstration kitchen, in April 2022. A new boathouse on the River Thames for the School's championship winning boatclub was completed in 2023.
Our goal is that each pupil will achieve beyond their expectations and become independent in thinking and learning. Pupils can choose from around 30 subjects in the Sixth Form, allowing each individual the flexibility to follow the curriculum most suitable for them. Academically, Headington Rye Oxford is consistently one of the top performing schools in the UK.
In 2023, 58% of GCSE grades were 8/9 and 75 per cent of all grades were 7 or higher. A Level results were similarly impressive, with 49 per cent of results at grades A* or A and 75 per cent at grades A*- B.
We believe that a truly excellent education is about more than academic achievement alone, so we encourage every pupil to take advantage of the impressive range of around 150 clubs and societies. Pupils have the opportunity to have a go at everything from Street Dance and football to Duke of Edinburgh and Robotics. We are one of only a handful of girls’ schools nationwide to have a thriving Combined Cadet Force and we consistently rank as the top girls’ rowing school in the UK.
We are proud of the excellent pastoral care at Headington Rye Oxford. Every teacher is involved, either as a tutor or as part of the experienced and dedicated boarding staff. Tutors are supported by Heads of Year and Section, with the aim of ensuring that every pupil receives support, advice and encouragement, as required. Our thriving boarding community, comprised of five houses, enriches the educational opportunity and experience for all. Pupils have the advantage of choosing from full, weekly or half-weekly boarding and all enjoy the benefits of an outstanding programme of boarders’ activities and events.
Headmistress
Caroline Jordan
Please note that you are wholly responsible for fact checking in respect of the information provided by schools. Please also check for the latest visa and work permit requirements that may apply. Tes is not responsible for the content of advertisements or the policies adopted by advertising schools. Tes asks that all schools follow Tes' Fair Recruitment Policy.