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Reviewed

St Clare's, Oxford

Independent school · Oxford, OX2 7AL
  • Sixth form
  • Co-ed
  • Ages 15-19
  • From £25,008 pa
  • 290 pupils
  • Boarding
We've reviewed this school • Unlock to access

The college which offers excellent preparation for the IB for students from predominantly affluent but forward-thinking international families. First-class teaching, supportive pastoral care, very high-calibre careers advice and the nurturing of independent learning create a unique offering for future global citizens.

Why read our school review?

Unlike other websites, schools can't pay to be included in The Good Schools Guide. This means our review of this school is independent, critical and fair, and written with parents' best interests at heart.

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Overview & data

Pupil numbers
290 ·
Sixth form numbers
247 ·
Offers boarding
Yes ·
Religion
None
Fees
Day £25,008; Boarding £52,269 pa
Local authority
Oxfordshire County Council
Area guides

Headteacher

Principal

Duncan Reith

Since 2022, Duncan Reith, educated at Glenalmond. With impressive academic credentials, more than twenty years’ experience in education management, and a long-held belief in the value of international collaboration and co-operation, he has a CV that


Entrance

Although officially non-selective, in reality, students self-select. From wealthy families with the confidence to leave their home countries to travel overseas to study in English (pre-supposing a high level of proficiency in English), they possess

Open days
September, November, January and May

Exit

All straight to higher education or gap years – about half to UK universities, many others to the US. Popular choices include London colleges (LSE, UCL, Imperial) which are often favoured over Oxbridge by international students. Russell Group and new


Latest results

In 2024, IB average point score was 35.

Average points score (2024)

School
41.06
LA avg.
32.67
Eng. avg.
35.69
Data highlight

What is this?

These figures tell you the average grade and average points that pupils achieved in their academic qualifications. A maximum of 60 points are available for a grade A* at A level.


Teaching & learning

The longest established World IB School in England, St Clare’s is a sixth form college famous for pioneering the country’s first IB programme in 1977. If IB is what you are looking for, its results, given its non-selective entry requirements, are top

Qualifications taken in 2024
  • IB
15:1
Pupil to teacher ratio
9-11
Average class sizes

Learning support & SEN

Learning difficulties identified at interview and via medical questionnaire prior to arrival. This is used by LDD coordinator and SENCo to determine future pathways. Mild to moderate learning difficulties supported. International students, unlike

0 %
Students with a SEN EHCP
14.1 %
Students with SEN support

Arts & extracurricular

St Clare’s does not offer the all-singing, all-dancing facilities of a traditional public school but it doesn’t try to. ‘There’s no concert hall for a thousand here.’ This is a sixth form college where students are free to explore their interests


Sport

Whilst St Clare’s does not have its own dedicated playing fields, a raft of team sports on offer include football, basketball, volleyball and badminton, with options to take part in local, national and international competitions. All students are


Boarders

Some 85 per cent of students from overseas, about 15 per cent day students. Boarding houses all single-sex and located around the school or in nearby Summertown, within walking distance of both teaching facilities and local eateries and shops. All

230
Total boarders
230
Full time boarders

Ethos & heritage

Founded after World War II by visionary educationalist Anne Dreydel, who lost both legs during a bombing raid over London. A real postwar pioneer in bringing students together from many nationalities to learn from one another’s perspectives and


Pastoral care, inclusivity & discipline

Students thoroughly enjoy their diverse international community and like not being constrained by the English culture. They are given a lot of freedom but taught that with freedom comes responsibility. Support is there when it is needed and if needs


Mobile phone policy

A clear mobile phone policy is a really important part of modern schooling. This school has provided us with their policy.

Mobile phone policy

Provided by the school and not part of our review

There is no mobile phone policy, but we have an ‘acceptable and responsible use of IT resources’ policy which covers all technology equipment and internet use, security, plagiarism, and protection.

Updated May 2024

Pupils & parents

With about 12 per cent of students British and St Clare’s keen to grow this number, those from families returning to the UK after living abroad have often attended international schools. We wonder whether local families are missing a trick here.

290
Number of pupils

Money matters

A number of generous means-tested scholarships available for the IB diploma.

Fee information
Day £25,008; Boarding £52,269 pa

The last word

The college which offers excellent preparation for the IB for students from predominantly affluent but forward-thinking international families. First-class teaching, supportive pastoral care, very high-calibre careers advice and the nurturing of

St Clare's, Oxford school badge

What the school says

Ours is an education unlike any other in the UK. St Clare’s, Oxford is a remarkable place of global education for remarkable young people, advancing international education and understanding for 70 years.

We are a world-leading International Baccalaureate World School, the first in England, attracting students from over 50 countries and embracing internationalism and academic excellence as our core values. Our teachers write the IB textbooks and teach the teachers of the future, and our results are consistently sector-leading and far above global averages.

Everyone in our community is united by one key motivation: to step out of their comfort zones to grow, and to be the most globally aware and academically ambitious version of themselves. Ours is thus a culture of challenge. Walking around, you see individualism and character, engagement with the community, independence, responsibility and happy, fulfilled young people readying themselves for the world. This is just one reason why independent analysts show that our students consistently make more academic progress here than they would at most other IB schools in the UK.

To be at St Clare’s is to feel freedom and benefit of choice; to stand on top of a mountain with every direction available to you. Any career, any location, any direction for your future made possible. Our careers and higher education support is among the best in the world, sending students to the top-ranking universities worldwide but, more importantly, to the right university for them. This is where aspiration and ambition meet knowledge and experience.

We believe that academic achievement matters and lays the foundations for prosperous futures, and that independence is the greatest skill a person - and a mind - can learn. St Clare’s is a place for those who think differently. We help young people become academically successful, self-reliant and aware of the world. Be challenged, be independent, be remarkable.

Last updated 12 August 2024

Key links to information you need

Contact the school

Address

139 Banbury Road
Oxford
Oxfordshire
OX2 7AL
Get directions

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Independent school · Oxford, OX2 7PL ( miles)
  • Secondary
  • Co-ed
  • 11-18
  • From £26,055 pa
  • 700 pupils
  • Boarding
School data & information St Clare's, Oxford 139 Banbury Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX2 7AL
290 Pupil numbers
99/191 Pupil numbers boy/girls split
247 Sixth form numbers
230 Total boarders
230 Full time boarders
9-11 Average class sizes
15:1 Pupil to teacher ratio

Mobile phone policy

Provided by the school and not part of our review

There is no mobile phone policy, but we have an ‘acceptable and responsible use of IT resources’ policy which covers all technology equipment and internet use, security, plagiarism, and protection.

Updated May 2024
Our review contains additional results data reported to us by St Clare's, Oxford and is updated annually. See the review

Average points score (2024)

School
41.06
LA avg.
32.67
Eng. avg.
35.69

What is this?

These figures tell you the average grade and average points that pupils achieved in their academic qualifications. A maximum of 60 points are available for a grade A* at A level.

Entry and exit data

We do not have entry or exit data for pupils at this school. Find out more


SEN overview

St Clare's, Oxford is a mainstream school. The school may provide support for students with special educational needs as detailed below. If you require more information on conditions the school can support, we encourage you to contact the school directly.

SEN statement

Provided by the school and not part of our review

Nov 09.

0 %
Students with a SEN EHCP UK mainstream school avg. 2.7%
14.1 %
Students with SEN support UK mainstream school avg. 12.9%

SEN conditons supported

Schools report the conditions they might be able to support. Please note, this may not be a complete list. Find out more.

Conditions (Might cover/be referred to as) Provision
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder Aspergers, Autism, High functioning autism, Neurodivergent, Neurodiversity, Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), Social skills Yes
HI - Hearing Impairment
MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty Learning needs
MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment Sensory processing
OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability Downs Syndrome, Epilepsy, Genetic, Tics, Tourettes
PD - Physical Disability
PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty Complex needs, Global delay, Global developmental delay
SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health Anxiety, Complex needs, Emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA), Mental Health
SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication Selective mutism
SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty Complex needs
SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Auditory processing, Developmental Co-ordination Difficulties (DCD), Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Handwriting Yes
VI - Visual Impairment Special facilities for Visually Impaired
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