Ballard School
Same Hampshire area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 18 August 2026
New Forest Small School Ltd is a private secondary-stage school in Lyndhurst, Hampshire, with a published age range of 3-17.
Private school Co-ed Ages 3-17 No sixth form listed No boarders
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 3-17
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
New Forest Small School Ltd
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 3-17
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
New Forest Small School began in 1994 when Nicholas and Alison Alp founded the New Forest Montessori Pre-school. Primary provision followed, a secondary class arrived in 2003 and the community moved in 2012 to a converted Victorian police station built in 1857. The forest is part of the setting from the garden gate.
The curriculum adapts the National Curriculum while leaving room for independent exploration. English, mathematics and science remain central in the secondary phase, with history taught chronologically and wider subjects including psychology, Spanish, music, art, drama and PSHE. Secondary classes are limited to 12, allowing teachers to respond closely to academic, social and emotional needs.
Primary and secondary pupils join a School Meeting at least once a term, chaired by a pupil, while the garden and vegetable plot bring practical work into the week. The secondary phase runs from 11 to 16 and is GCSE-focused, while the wider setting covers ages 3 to 17 and has no boarding. Entry begins with a visit and may include taster sessions before registration.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 55.6% grade 5+ in English and maths and 39.2 Attainment 8
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2023/24 KS4 measures compared with Hampshire and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 39.2
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 55.6%
- EBacc APS
- 2.81
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Hampshire and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Age range
- 3-17
- Headteacher
- Mr Alex James
- Pupil roll
- 64 pupils
- Sixth form
- No
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- 1 Southampton Road, Lyndhurst, Hampshire
- Postcode
- SO43 7BU
- Area
- Hampshire
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Mr Alex James
School contact
- School phone
- 02380284415
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions phone
- 02380284415
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 3-17
- Gender
- Mixed
- Boarding
- No boarders
- Day fees
- Check school fees page
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Check school site
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 39.2 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 55.6% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 55.6% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 2.81 EBacc APS
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 21 October 2025
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2025 records an inspection beginning 21 October 2025. The report says the relevant standards were met.
Similar schools and comparisons
Similar schools and comparisons
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Shortlist comparisons
Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does New Forest Small School Ltd handle admissions?
New Forest Small School Ltd handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to New Forest Small School Ltd?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for New Forest Small School Ltd?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for New Forest Small School Ltd?
New Forest Small School Ltd is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 21 October 2025.