A selective girls grammar school in Orpington, Greater London, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,262 pupils on roll.
Newstead Wood School
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On this page
At a glance
Newstead Wood School is a highly selective girls' state secondary school in Orpington, with a co-educational sixth form. The school presents itself around "creating opportunities for success" and describes education as more than classroom learning. Its academic record is intense - GCSE and A-level outcomes are among the strongest in the country - but the website also puts character, enrichment and wellbeing close to the centre of the offer.
The curriculum is planned as a seven-year journey. Year 7 pupils study a broad set of subjects including art, computer science, design and technology, drama, English, French, German, humanities, mathematics, music, PE, RPE, science, Spanish and a personal development curriculum; Latin is available as an opt-in, with Mandarin and Japanese opportunities later in Key Stage 3. GCSE choices are broad, including separate sciences and options such as environmental management, Japanese, Latin and Mandarin. In sixth form, most students begin with four A levels before usually moving to three, with EPQ, CREST Gold and elective courses available.
Newstead's wider life is a major selling point. The curriculum page describes an extensive co-curricular programme, peer and academic mentoring, a house system and an elective programme for KS4 and KS5. The sixth-form pages add Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh, subject societies, a lecture programme, Oxbridge and medicine/veterinary/dentistry mentoring, Young Enterprise, work experience and weekly sport. Published 2025 destinations include seven students going to Oxford or Cambridge and 141 to Russell Group universities.
Year 7 admission has 168 places and uses Newstead's own selection test in verbal and non-verbal reasoning. For 2027 entry, registration runs from 1 May to 30 June 2026 and testing is scheduled over 25 and 26 September 2026. The current policy uses a required standard score of 210, then prioritises looked-after children, Pupil Premium or Service Premium applicants within nine miles, other qualified girls within nine miles, qualifying staff daughters and then qualified girls outside the nine-mile radius by score. The school publishes 2025 results of 88% GCSE grades at 7-9 and 50% A*-A at A level; GOV.UK shows Ofsted Outstanding and 100% grade 5+ in English and maths.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Bromley and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Bromley and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Bromley and England.
January 2025 school census
Whole-school roll of 1,262 pupils; 1,249 had a recorded ethnic group.
| Recorded group | Share | Category | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian | 27% | Asian | 341 |
| White British | 15.5% | White | 195 |
| Any other Asian background | 12.4% | Asian | 156 |
| Chinese | 8.3% | Asian | 105 |
| African | 8.2% | Black | 103 |
| Any other White background | 7.4% | White | 94 |
| Any other mixed background | 5.5% | Mixed | 69 |
| White and Asian | 3.6% | Mixed | 46 |
| Any other Black background | 3.2% | Black | 41 |
| Any other ethnic group | 2.1% | Other | 27 |
| White and Black African | 1.4% | Mixed | 18 |
| Pakistani | 1.2% | Asian | 15 |
| Caribbean | 1.1% | Black | 14 |
| Bangladeshi | 1% | Asian | 13 |
| Unclassified | 1% | Unclassified | 13 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.8% | Mixed | 10 |
| Irish | 0.2% | White | 2 |
A 9-mile radius priority applies after the selective standard is met. Candidates outside the radius can still be considered after the in-radius priority categories, in rank order of selection-test score.
EHCP naming the school
Girls with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school are admitted within the published admission number. The required selective standard still applies where the policy requires academic suitability.
Looked-after and previously looked-after girls
Qualified looked-after and previously looked-after girls receive priority.
Pupil Premium or Service Premium within 9 miles
Qualified girls living within a 9-mile radius who receive Pupil Premium or Service Premium are ranked by selection-test score.
Other qualified girls within 9 miles and qualifying staff daughters
Remaining qualified girls living within 9 miles, together with qualifying daughters of staff where the policy applies, are ranked by selection-test score.
Qualified girls outside 9 miles
Remaining qualified girls outside the 9-mile radius are considered in rank order of selection-test score.
Admissions policy
Admission Policy 2027-28
2027 entry
Information booklet
Year 7 admissions
2027 entry
2025
221
Initial offer score
The selection test uses verbal and non-verbal reasoning papers. Non-verbal reasoning can be used to separate candidates with the same overall score.
Paper 1
Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning
Selection test
Two reasoning papers are used: one verbal reasoning paper and one non-verbal reasoning paper. Scores are age-standardised.
Verbal reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning are included in the published format.
English, Maths and Science are not listed in the current published format.
Verbal reasoning
Two reasoning papers are used: one verbal reasoning paper and one non-verbal reasoning paper. Scores are age-standardised.
Non-verbal reasoning
Two reasoning papers are used: one verbal reasoning paper and one non-verbal reasoning paper. Scores are age-standardised.
English
Maths
Science
Selection-test registration opens
1 May 2026
PastSupplementary Information Form opens.
Selection-test registration closes
30 June 2026
Deadline is midnight.
Selection test
25 or 26 September 2026
Selection-test results
16 to 22 October 2026
Common Application Form deadline
31 October 2026
National Offer Day
1 March 2027
Register for the selection test
Submit the Supplementary Information Form between 1 May 2026 and midnight on 30 June 2026.
Year 7 admissionsSit the selection test
The selection test is scheduled for 25 or 26 September 2026.
Test detailsCheck results before naming schools
Selection-test results are due by email between 16 October and 22 October 2026.
Admissions pageSubmit the Common Application Form
Name the school on the local-authority CAF by 31 October 2026 if applying for a Year 7 place.
Admissions pageLatest official destinations data currently covers 2022/23 study leavers.
Recent trend
This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 84 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 81.5 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 80.2 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 82.8 | 72.3 | 46.8 |
Recent trend
This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | A- average (47.5 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B+ average (43.3 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | A- average (45.6 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B+ average (43.5 points) | 41.8 points | 35.0 points |
Recent trend
This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 99% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 100% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 99% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 100% | 98.7% | 91.8% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 100% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 3 February 2022
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
Nearby London option with a similar admissions route
Nearby option within a reasonable travel distance
Nearby option within a reasonable travel distance
Same wider selective region and a similar admissions route
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
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FAQ
Newstead Wood School currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Register for the selection test: Submit the Supplementary Information Form between 1 May 2026 and midnight on 30 June 2026. 2. Sit the selection test: The selection test is scheduled for 25 or 26 September 2026. 3. Check results before naming schools: Selection-test results are due by email between 16 October and 22 October 2026. 4. Submit the Common Application Form: Name the school on the local-authority CAF by 31 October 2026 if applying for a Year 7 place.
Selection-test registration opens: 1 May 2026. Selection-test registration closes: 30 June 2026. Selection test: 25 or 26 September 2026. Selection-test results: 16 to 22 October 2026. Common Application Form deadline: 31 October 2026. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027
Newstead Wood School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 3 February 2022.