Newstead Wood School 11+ Guide

About Newstead Wood School

Newstead Wood School is a selective secondary school in Bromley, London. For children to get into Newstead Wood School they need to pass the school's 11+ entrance test. Hence, Newstead Wood School is a traditional grammar school, one of only 163 remaining in England.

Nestled in the heart of Orpington, southeast London, Newstead Wood School is a beacon of academic excellence for girls aged 11 to 18, with a mixed sixth form. This highly selective grammar school has been nurturing young minds and fostering a passion for learning since its establishment. Over the years, the school has undergone remarkable expansion, both in terms of its student body and its state-of-the-art facilities, which include dedicated Music and Technology Blocks, an Engineering suite, and a Tennis Centre.

At Newstead Wood School, the meticulously designed curriculum takes students on a comprehensive seven-year educational odyssey, covering a wide array of subjects and skill areas. The school's commitment to providing the best educational opportunities is evident in its constant review and updating of the curriculum. Pupils delve into key subjects such as maths, science, design, and modern languages, including the unique offering of Japanese.

Beyond the classroom, Newstead Wood School distinguishes itself by providing an unparalleled range of extracurricular activities. Students are encouraged to explore their passions during their lunch break, with options spanning sports, creative pursuits, various performances, and more. The school's ethos is firmly rooted in a love for learning, mutual freedom, and respect, creating a supportive environment that inspires pupils to embrace challenges and reach their full potential.

Newstead Wood School's commitment to excellence is reflected in its "Outstanding" Ofsted rating. The school is also actively cultivating local, national, and international partnerships to broaden its students' horizons. As part of its ongoing dedication to improvement, Newstead Wood School is currently implementing a 10-year plan to enhance its facilities, including a renovated library, a new DT kitchen area, and refurbished science laboratories.

School Information

Below you will find further information about Newstead Wood School together with their admissions contact details.

Newstead Wood School is a girls only school. It is also an academy, meaning the school is run independently by a trust or sponsor and is directly funded by the central government (not the local authority).

In total 1,265 pupils attend Newstead Wood School and it's led by the Headteacher, Mr Alan Blount.

Newstead Wood School Location

Below you will find a map showing the school's location:

GCSE & A-Level Subjects

Below you will find a complete list of GCSE and A-Level subjects offered to pupils at Newstead Wood School for the 2022-23 academic year.

Newstead Wood School 11+ Information

In order to get into Newstead Wood School, children need to pass the Newstead Wood School 11+. This 11+ test is written by GL Assessment for use by the school's admissions process.

Newstead Wood School 11+ Subjects & Structure

The Newstead Wood School 11+ requires children to complete tests in the following subjects:

• Verbal Reasoning
• Non-verbal Reasoning

The selection test for Newstead Wood School is a comprehensive assessment designed to evaluate applicants' aptitude and potential. The test is comprised of two papers, both provided by GL Assessment, which cover verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning skills. These subjects are not part of the standard national curriculum, so students may encounter unfamiliar question types during the assessment.

Each paper lasts between 50 minutes to one hour, with a brief intermission between the two. Students are given a question booklet and separate answer sheets for each paper. All questions are presented in a multiple-choice format, requiring students to select the correct answer options and mark them on the provided answer sheets.

The verbal reasoning section assesses a student's ability to solve problems using written information, such as letters, words, symbols, and numbers. The non-verbal reasoning section focuses on evaluating a student's capacity to use logic and reasoning to solve problems presented through visual information, including shapes, diagrams, and pictures. These tests are designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of a student's cognitive abilities and potential for academic success at Newstead Wood School.

Newstead Wood School 11+ Marking Process

The reality of 11+ tests, selective education and academic institutions such as Newstead Wood School is that only children with particularly high marks are admitted. Hence why it is important that children perform well in their 11+ papers.

Different schools (and different 11+ tests) have different marking processes. Some tests are marked in person, some remotely, while others utilise computer-based optical recognition technologies for quickly marking multiple-choice answer sheets.

Many 11+ tests are age-standardised to ensure younger children are not disadvantaged (i.e. their marks may be moderated depending on the month in which they were born). While creative writing papers can be used as tie-breakers, multiple-choice tests in Maths, Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning normally make up the bulk of a child's marks. The specific details and weightings can vary from year to year.

It's worth remembering that once children's 11+ tests are being marked, the admissions process is completely outside of the parents' control. Hence, parents should not worry themselves about whether their child has got a place!

Newstead Wood School 11+ Pass Mark

The pass mark for the Newstead Wood School 11+ changes every year and isn't generally made public knowledge. This is due to the academic strength of the children taking the test varying and how challenging the test ends up being (as well as plenty of other smaller variables).

Hence, as a vague rule-of-thumb, it's recommended that children aim for roughly 75-80% in their practice tests. Whilst this won't guarantee them a place at Newstead Wood School, it's a ballpark exam result figure for successful candidates.

Newstead Wood School 11+ Key Dates for your Diary

Here are all the important dates for the Newstead Wood School 11+ tests (to get into Newstead Wood School) as well as other relevant dates.

Although the utmost care has been taken to gather these dates, parents should treat them as a guide and check with Newstead Wood School as they may well change.

Ofsted Information

Newstead Wood School was last inspected by Ofsted on 02/02/2022 and the inspection only lasted one day. Ofsted published their report on 17/03/2022, declaring that the school was 'Outstanding'. This information is summarised in the table below along with a link to the full report.

Last Ofsted Report Data

Ofsted Report Summary

Newstead Wood School was inspected by Ofsted on 2 February 2022 and received an Outstanding rating in all areas. The school demonstrated exceptional performance in the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form provision.

The inspection report highlights the school's outstanding achievements across all key areas. Newstead Wood School has shown excellence in providing a high-quality education, fostering positive behaviour and attitudes among students, promoting personal development, and maintaining effective leadership and management.

The sixth form provision at Newstead Wood School was also rated as Outstanding, indicating that the school provides an exceptional learning environment and support for students in their post-16 education.

GCSE & A-Level Performance

Below are the individual GCSE and A-Level performance tables for Newstead Wood School per subject. Note that this may include children taking GCSEs early (e.g. taking a language GCSE in Year 10) or indeed a child in Year 12 retaking a GCSE.

GCSE Results Information (2022-23)

A-Level Results Information (2022-23)

Past 11+ Paper Downloads

Unfortunately, Newstead Wood School has not made any of their past 11+ papers publicly available.

Practice 11+ Paper Downloads

Here are some superb free 11+ practice papers that children can download and use to help prepare for the Newstead Wood School 11+ Ensure you double-check with Newstead Wood School which subjects and topics your child's 11+ tests are in to ensure you prepare for the right tests.