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Applying to Newstead Wood School for September 2028? This guide covers the Newstead Wood School Selection Test, the qualifying score, how the 168 Year 7 places are allocated and the key dates for September 2028 entry.
Newstead Wood School 11+ at a glance
School type: girls' grammar school with a mixed sixth form
Number of places in Year 7: 168 (2027-entry figure — Newstead Wood School confirms each year's admission number in its determined arrangements, published the spring before entry.)
Qualifying score: a score of 210 marks for 2027 entry, unless that isn't enough to fill the places (the last girl offered a place on National Offer Day 2026 scored 225)
11+ test: Newstead Wood School Selection Test (two multiple-choice papers: verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning)
Catchment or priority area: yes — a 9-mile radius from the main entrance
Source: Newstead Wood School Policy for Admission 2027-28. Last checked October 2026.
Key dates for September 2028 entry
Newstead Wood School confirms its exact dates in the spring before each cycle. The windows below follow the 2027-entry timetable: registration ran from Friday 1 May 2026 to midnight on Tuesday 30 June 2026, the test took place on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 September 2026 and results were due by email between Friday 16 and Thursday 22 October 2026. We'll update this page as soon as the school publishes its 2028-entry dates.
Newstead Wood School says the form opens in the summer term with the date to be confirmed, so the windows above follow the 2027-entry timetable.
Key dates for Newstead Wood School 11+ entry in September 2028, with expected windows where the school has not yet confirmed exact dates.
Date
What happens
Early May 2027
Supplementary Information Form (test registration) expected to open
Late June 2027
Year 7 open morning for Year 5 girls
End of June 2027
Test registration expected to close
Late September 2027
Selection test expected (end of September, just after your daughter starts Year 6)
Mid to late October 2027
Test results expected by email
Sunday 31 October 2027
Deadline to apply for secondary school places through your home local authority. This date falls on a Sunday.
Wednesday 1 March 2028
National offer day for secondary school places
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Newstead Wood School is selective, so your child needs to sit the 11+ test to be considered for a place.
You register your daughter for the selection test by completing the school's Supplementary Information Form (SIF), which is only available on the Newstead Wood School website during the registration window. Late registrations are not accepted.
Once you have your child's result, you apply by naming Newstead Wood School on your common application form, which goes to your home local authority. For September 2028 entry the deadline is Sunday 31 October 2027. As it falls on a Sunday, you may find it easier to submit your form in the days before.
Reaching the qualifying score makes your child eligible, but it doesn't guarantee a place. If more qualifying children apply than there are places, the school uses its oversubscription criteria, set out further down this page.
What will my child be tested on?
The Newstead Wood School Selection Test is two papers. The first assesses verbal reasoning and the second assesses non-verbal reasoning. The school doesn't test any other subjects, so there is no separate English or maths paper.
Both papers are multiple choice, and your daughter records her answers on a separate answer sheet. The school doesn't publish the length of each paper.
Results are standardised and age-weighted by an independent external company across everyone who sits the test. For 2027 entry the required standard was 210 marks, though the school can change this if not enough girls reach it to fill its places. On National Offer Day 2026, the cut-off score was 225.
How are places allocated at Newstead Wood School?
If more children reach the qualifying standard than there are 168 Year 7 places, Newstead Wood School offers places in the order below. This order comes from the school's admissions policy for 2027-28. The school sets its 2028-entry policy separately, and we'll update this table if anything changes.
Newstead Wood School oversubscription criteria in priority order, from the 2027-28 admissions policy.
Priority
Who it covers
1
Looked after and previously looked after girls who reach the required standard
2
Girls living within a 9-mile radius of the school who receive Pupil Premium or Service Premium when they apply to sit the test, and who reach the required standard
3
Girls living within a 9-mile radius of the school, and daughters of staff employed at the school for two or more years who live outside it, in rank order of test score
4
Girls living outside a 9-mile radius of the school, in rank order of test score
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Only girls who reach the required standard in the selection test are considered.
Does Newstead Wood School have a catchment area?
Newstead Wood School's catchment is a 9-mile radius, measured in a straight line from your home's national grid reference to the main entrance of the school building, using the local authority's computerised system. The school can't check for you whether you are in the catchment area. The local authority sets a deadline for moving into the catchment, usually in early to mid-December.
Within each criterion, girls are ranked by their test score. Where two girls have the same overall score, the school uses the non-verbal reasoning paper score to separate them.
If you don't live close to the school, it's worth thinking about how your child will get there every day. How long will the journey take? What transport options are available? Will they be travelling independently or with support?
A longer or more complex journey can affect your child's daily routine, including how much time they have for homework, rest and after-school activities. It's a good idea to think about how manageable the school run will be and whether it will work for your family day to day.
How can I help my child prepare for the test?
The Newstead Wood School entrance test can feel like a big milestone, but preparation doesn't have to be overwhelming. Here's how you can help your child prepare for test day.
Stay on track with a clear plan
One of the hardest parts of 11+ preparation is knowing what to focus on, when, and how to make steady progress without it taking over family life.
A clear, structured plan helps your child feel less overwhelmed and more in control. It ensures they build skills in the right order, cover everything they need, and avoid last-minute cramming.
Atom's exam plan makes this easier. Enter your child's target schools and exam dates, and we'll create a personalised weekly plan tailored to the topics they'll be tested on. It shows them what to work on and when, adapts as they improve, and helps them build progress in a calm, manageable way — little and often.
That means less guesswork for you, less stress for them, and a clearer path all the way to exam day.
Build smart exam technique
As your child's knowledge grows, practice tests can help them feel more comfortable with the real exam format.
Atom's 11+ practice papers are built to match the format, timing and question styles of real 11+ exams. They're also unlimited – you can download the same paper again and again, and your child will get new questions each time. This helps them practise without repeating the same content.
We've made marking easy for you, too. Simply photograph your child's answer sheets and upload them to Atom. The papers are marked instantly, showing your child's standardised age score (SAS), where they're doing well, and what they should focus on next. You'll also learn how they compare to other children applying to the same school.
Encourage regular reading
Strong reading skills play a big role in 11+ preparation.
Encourage your child to read every day, even for just 10–15 minutes. The key is variety. Mix fiction and non-fiction, different genres, and a range of authors. This helps them become more confident in understanding tone, purpose, and meaning across different texts.
Over time, regular reading will:
broaden their vocabulary
improve comprehension and inference
build confidence in tackling unseen texts
And just as importantly, it can help them enjoy reading — not just see it as exam preparation.
When you're supporting your child through 11+ preparation, what really matters is knowing they're moving in the right direction — not just how they scored on a single test.
Atom's progress tracking gives you a clear, simple picture of how your child is doing in each topic and the direction they're moving in. You can see where they're on track, where they might need more practice, and spot progress as it happens.
That makes it easier to give meaningful encouragement, keep motivation steady, and focus on what matters most: consistent improvement, not just one-off results.
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Take control of your child’s 11+ preparation.
Not sure if your child is on track for the grammar school 11+? You don’t need to guess what to cover or whether they’re ready. Atom shows you exactly what to practise each week and how they’re performing, so you can stay ahead of the process without the stress.
