Newstead Wood School

Newstead Wood School is performing exceptionally well overall. Pupils achieve exceptionally well, with GCSE and A-level outcomes consistently above national averages across all subjects. Disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND also achieve very highly, with no discernible gap between their outcomes and those of other pupils. Attendance is a clear strength, and behaviour is calm, respectful and mature, with a strong sense of belonging. The school is highly inclusive, and pupils with specific needs or barriers to learning thrive. Teaching is very effective, and the curriculum is well sequenced and ambitious. Leadership and governance are strong, with ambitious leadership, highly effective governance and notable staff development. Post-16 provision is also strong, with expert teaching, high attainment and good preparation for university and careers. Careers education is a particular strength. The school is part of the United Learning trust and has a predominantly female environment, with male students well supported when they join the sixth form. The main area for improvement is personal development and wellbeing, which is at the expected standard. The PSHE curriculum, including relationships and sex education and health education, is not implemented with the same consistency and high expectations as the rest of the curriculum. Leaders' understanding of RSE requirements is inconsistent, staff lack training in some aspects, and there are gaps in pupils' knowledge of fundamental British values and protected characteristics. Leaders should strengthen oversight of PSHE to address this. Safeguarding standards are met.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve exceptionally well, with outcomes at key stages 4 and 5 consistently above national averages in all subjects.
• Disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND achieve very highly, with no discernible difference from their peers.
• Attendance is exceptionally high and well above national averages, including for disadvantaged pupils.
• Behaviour is calm, respectful and mature, and pupils interact harmoniously with staff and each other.
• The school is highly inclusive, with tailored support that enables pupils with specific needs to thrive.
• Teaching is very effective, with secure subject knowledge and a well-sequenced curriculum.
• Leadership and governance are ambitious and reflective, with highly effective governance and strong staff development.
• Post-16 provision is strong, with expert teaching, high attainment and good preparation for next steps.
• Careers education is a particular strength, with well-matched work experience placements.
• Pupils benefit from a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities and a strong sense of belonging.

Areas for Improvement

• Personal, social, health and economic education, including RSE and health education, is not implemented with the same consistency and high expectations as the rest of the curriculum.
• Leaders' understanding of the requirements of the RSE curriculum is inconsistent, and staff lack training in some aspects.
• There are gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding of fundamental British values and protected characteristics.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Newstead Wood School attended 96.4% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 4.5% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.1% of pupils at Newstead Wood School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Newstead Wood School had 22.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 23.1% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 9.5% of pupils at Newstead Wood School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 0.3% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Newstead Wood School received £8,240 and spent £8,284 for each of its 1,262 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,128,000 (£894 per pupil).

Across all 93 schools of United Learning Trust, income was £8,687 and spending £8,616 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Bromley · Bromley local authority: places and applications

Newstead Wood School is part of United Learning Trust, which runs 98 schools. The nearest others:

• Sedgehill Academy London
• Conisborough College London
• The John Roan School London
• Bacon's College London
• The Elms Academy London
• Ernest Bevin Academy London
• Goresbrook School Dagenham
• Winston Way Academy Ilford
• Langford Primary School London
• The Hurlingham Academy London

What is Newstead Wood School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Newstead Wood School is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Newstead Wood School last inspected by Ofsted?

Newstead Wood School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Newstead Wood School have?

Newstead Wood School has 1,347 pupils on roll.

What age range does Newstead Wood School cover?

Newstead Wood School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Newstead Wood School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 79.5, and 98% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Newstead Wood School?

Newstead Wood School is at Avebury Road, Orpington, Kent, BR6 9SA.