St Helen's School
Same Hillingdon area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 18 August 2026
Northwood College for Girls GDST is a private secondary-stage school in Northwood, Greater London, with a published age range of 3-19.
Private school Girls Ages 3-19 Sixth form No boarders
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 3-19
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
Northwood College for Girls GDST
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Girls only
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 3-19
- 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
Northwood College for Girls GDST has a recent chapter of change in its history: the 2014 merger with Heathfield School was followed by plans for new science and Sixth Form facilities. That development sits within the Girls' Day School Trust and an academically selective, girls-only education from age 3 to 19.
The academic approach centres on individually tailored targets, analytical thinking and debate. These priorities become especially visible in the Sixth Form, where small tutorial groups, independent study, monitoring and mentoring support a more self-directed style of learning. Students can take three linear A Levels, or four with Further Mathematics, alongside the Excite! sessions.
The Sixth Form Pavilion gives post-16 students a defined base, while pastoral guidance focuses on wellbeing, resilience and responsible independence. The combination of tutorial teaching and close monitoring is designed to help students move from supported school learning towards the demands of university-level study.
Northwood is a day school with no boarding provision, and its girls-only route continues through Sixth Form. The college's current identity therefore joins GDST traditions with a deliberately analytical academic culture, a clear post-16 structure and a recent history of investment in specialist science and Sixth Form space.
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
- 95.7% grade 5+ in English and maths and 69.9 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 34% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Hillingdon and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 69.9
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 95.7%
- EBacc APS
- 6.17
- EBacc entry
- 38.6%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Hillingdon 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
- Girls only
- Age range
- 3-19
- Headteacher
- Mrs Rebecca Brown
- Pupil roll
- 814 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Maxwell Road, Northwood, Greater London
- Postcode
- HA6 2YE
- Area
- Hillingdon
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Mrs Rebecca Brown
School contact
- School phone
- 01923825446
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions email
- admissions@nwc.gdst.net
- Admissions phone
- 01923825446
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 3-19
- Gender
- Girls only
- Boarding
- No boarders
- Day fees
- £8,722 per term for Years 7-13 in 2026/27, including VAT and excluding compulsory lunch
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Scholarships and bursaries
- 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
- Papers and stages
- 2 stages
- Format
- Interview stages
Papers and rounds
-
Round 1
Interview
Sixth Form interview and school-report review
Sixth Form applicants are assessed by interview with school reports considered alongside requirements of five GCSE passes at grades 9 to 5, including grades 9 to 7 in intended A level subjects.
-
Round 2
Other, Interview
Year 7 academic scholarship assessment
Academic scholarship decisions use the Year 7 entrance tests, interview and reference; this is a scholarship route rather than a school-wide Sixth Form test.
Published assessment components
Interview is listed across the school's published assessment routes.
Published
-
Interview
Sixth Form applicants are assessed by interview with school reports considered alongside requirements of five GCSE passes at grades 9 to 5, including grades 9 to 7 in intended A level subjects.
Application
Application
Key dates
Get date reminders-
Year 12 (16+) September 2027 bursary and scholarship application closes
13 November 2026
Entry route: Year 12 (16+); entry year: September 2027.
-
Year 12 (16+) September 2027 academic scholarship examination
November 2026
Entry route: Year 12 (16+); entry year: September 2027.
-
Year 12 (16+) September 2027 interviews and report review
Throughout the year
Entry route: Year 12 (16+); entry year: September 2027.
-
Year 12 (16+) September 2027 offers and acceptance
Throughout the year
Entry route: Year 12 (16+); entry year: September 2027.
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 ?
- 69.9 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 97.1% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 95.7% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 6.17 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 34% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 42.83 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 20 June 2025
Use the latest ISI report for inspection detail.
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Non-Routine Inspections 2025 records an inspection beginning 20 June 2025. The report says the relevant standards were met.
Similar schools and comparisons
Similar schools and comparisons
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Shortlist comparisons
Explore this school in context
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Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
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Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Northwood College for Girls GDST handle admissions?
Northwood College for Girls GDST handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Northwood College for Girls GDST?
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 Northwood College for Girls GDST?
Year 12 (16+) September 2027 bursary and scholarship application closes: 13 November 2026. Year 12 (16+) September 2027 academic scholarship examination: November 2026. Year 12 (16+) September 2027 interviews and report review: Throughout the year. Year 12 (16+) September 2027 offers and acceptance: Throughout the year
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Northwood College for Girls GDST?
Northwood College for Girls GDST is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 20 June 2025.