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Newstead Wood School
Newstead Wood School is a super-selective state grammar for girls in Orpington. The 11+ entrance exam uses the GL assessment, with around 2,000 girls competing for approximately 180 places annually. There is no interview stage, and the school has a wide catchment area within a 9-mile radius.
For an organised, independent girl who likes to take charge of her own learning, Newstead Wood is one of the strongest options on the southern edge of London. It is a super-selective state grammar in Orpington, with a co-educational sixth form, and competition for places is real: around 2,000 girls sit its own verbal and non-verbal reasoning test each year for roughly 180 places. It opened in 1954 as Orpington Grammar School for Girls and took its present name in 1965, borrowing it from the ancient Newstead Wood nearby. Today it is part of United Learning. The Olympic sprinter Dina Asher-Smith is among its former pupils, which gives a flavour of the ambition in the place.
The Good Schools Guide describes an aspirational culture with high expectations 'but without undue pressure', and one teacher there said it is 'lovely to be around students who just want to learn'. It is not a school that academically mollycoddles, the Guide notes, so it suits self-starters who seek out opportunities rather than wait to be handed them. There is plenty of life beyond lessons: a packed cultural arts week, societies running from feminist to Afro-Caribbean, around 200 girls learning instruments and netball as the main sport. The girls come across as positive, focused and happy to speak their minds.
Newstead Wood suits an independent, self-motivated girl who is glad to take the initiative and form solid friendships along the way. It is led day to day by interim headteacher Paul Norman, and the girls who do best here are the ones who simply want to learn.
Key facts
Admissions
Registration form
Sibling policy
No
What this school tests
Selection Test
Non-verbal Reasoning14 question types
Verbal Reasoning26 question types
Catchment area
Does Newstead Wood have a catchment area?
Yes, Newstead Wood has a wide catchment area (within a 9-mile radius of the school).
Previous exam results
GCSE results
In 2025 students achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 82.8 across their GCSEs. 100% gained a grade 5 or better in both English and Maths. 74.4% achieved the English Baccalaureate at grade 5 or above. Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/
A-level results
In 2025 students achieved a B+ average grade per A-Level entry. 37.8% gained AAB or better including two facilitating subjects. Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/
Frequently asked questions
What exam board does Newstead Wood School use for the 11+?
Newstead Wood School uses the GL assessment for its 11+ entrance exam.
Does Newstead Wood School interview as part of the 11+ process?
No, Newstead Wood School does not include an interview stage in its 11+ entrance process.
Is Newstead Wood School a single-sex or co-educational school for 11+ entry?
Newstead Wood School is a single-sex grammar school for girls for 11+ entry. It has a co-educational sixth form.
What is the website for Newstead Wood School?
The official website for Newstead Wood School is https://www.newsteadwood.co.uk/.
Does Newstead Wood School have a catchment area for 11+ admissions?
Yes, Newstead Wood School has a wide catchment area, which is within a 9-mile radius of the school.
How selective is Newstead Wood School for 11+ entry?
Newstead Wood School is super-selective, with approximately 2,000 girls sitting the exam each year for around 180 places.
How do you get a place at Newstead Wood School?
Your daughter first needs to reach the required standard in the school's own selection test, made up of verbal and non-verbal reasoning papers. Places are then offered in priority order: looked-after and previously looked-after children first, then girls living within 9 miles of the school who are in receipt of Pupil Premium or Service Premium, then other girls within 9 miles (and children of long-serving staff) in score rank order, then girls living further away. A girl with an EHCP naming the school, who has shown the required ability in the test, is admitted. The school is heavily oversubscribed, so the cut-off score depends on demand each year; reaching the standard doesn't guarantee a place.
What happens if my child is ill on 11+ test day at Newstead Wood School?
The school's policy is firm that test dates and sessions are allocated in strict order and can't be changed, so there's no separate reserve test set out for a girl who falls ill on the day. The policy also doesn't publish reasonable-adjustment arrangements. If your daughter is ill or needs adjustments such as extra time, contact the school's admissions office as early as you can to ask what, if anything, can be done.
Location
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