Hi everyone,
I am in a dilemma of whether we should go for newstead wood or townley as first and second choice. Am I correct in thinking newstead wood is very good academically compared to townley. But, townley has better facilities in terms of sports and ?. We have easy commute to both. We visited both schools and liked both.
If anyone could give me info on GCSE results in both schools, I would much appreciate.
Thanks you.

Progress 8 measure is similar for both schools but yes Newstead gets better results at GCSE but not by miles. Newstead results here https://www.newsteadwood.co.uk/about-us ... erformance
Class sizes Y7-9 are 32,at Townley, 27 at Newstead

Sciences: looking at the stats it seems girls have to do triple science at Townley and there is no choice. Girls have a choice at Newstead

Latin is a paid for option at Newstead (as is dance, Japanese and Mandarin) but a free option at Townley

Sports: Newstead have lovely playing fields and access to the nearby tennis centre. They have a good relationship to those fitness groups who rent the sports halls to the extent these are offered as free electives in Y10. Less polluted area compared to Townley.

Yes buildings are tired at Newstead but teaching mostly great. DD is very happy there.

Hopefully someone will come and balance this and rave about Townley- they are both good schools.

Does anyone know if Newstead’s orchestras and ensembles etc are with additional charges and run by external teachers ? And are they only at lunchtimes?

Ensembles etc are free, mostly run by teachers or the interests students themselves. Combination of lunchtime and after school, mostly lunchtime. The school have a late lunch so break time is sometime treated as an early lunch opportunity by girls with lunchtime clubs. They sell snacks and small meals at break time.

Thanks pettswoodfiona. Good to know.

P.s Newstead is on an easy bus route, ten mins to Bromley Youth Music Trust on Southborough Lane, Bickley (BYMT) where a number of the girls do musical theatre or orchestra etc. That is a paid option and separate from the school. BYMT has some amazing opportunities.

Also good PwF ! Didn’t realise it was that close.

Also - one more thing on Newstead : is there support if she struggles?

DD is naturally bright , always has been. She scored 100% in the year 2 SATS with no external help, and is consistently top 2 or 3 of the class (average state primary) academically and doing work 1-2 years ahead. We did do some group tutoring for the last term of year 5 - with some home support with papers etc but were also away much of the summer.

She didn’t get a stellar score on Newstead but probably enough to get in. She did better in bexley. We are incredibly proud of how well she has done - especially as she also got full music scholarships to other places. We prefer Newstead : but there’s a little niggle about support if she struggles.

We all know the exam is not really a level playing field : independent vs state primary prep, tutoring or not; etc . So it’s hard to judge if she will be ok just on the exam result....

If she has done OK enough to get a place, then the school think she is capable of coping.

I say it to all children - if you start to have a problem academically, nip it in the bud by going and speaking to your teacher about it and asking for help. If that teacher doesn't explain it any better second time around, ask another member of staff in the same department. If you have problems that are non academic, the school should have a system of pastoral support - often a buddy or mentor from an older year, then a personal tutor, student services, then a head of year, head of lower school, head of Pastoral and/or counsellor...or some combination.

If you are afraid your DD might struggle in a particular subject, then you should go to Newstead - as explained above, you have the option not to do too many 'difficult' subjects unlike Townley (or most grammar schools for that matter).

Yes there is support at NW it comes in different guises. Sixth formers mentor lower school girls for example in maths. They have lunchtime clinics where the teachers make themselves available. The girls are all supportive of each other too, when DD has ‘got’ something her friends haven’t she helps them out and vice versa - the school encourages learning in a variety of ways. That doesn’t mean the teaching is bad, it just happens sometimes. They have setting from Y8. They support girls with SEN or physical disabilities and some girls get extra time for exams and they are well versed in supporting that scenario.