About Burntwood School
Burntwood School is a girls' secondary school (co-educational Sixth Form) in Wandsworth, London, with Outstanding Ofsted rating. It is partially selective: 25% of Year 7 places (approximately 70) are awarded to the highest-scoring girls in the Wandsworth Year 6 Test (GL Assessment). Remaining places (approx. 210) are allocated by non-selective oversubscription criteria. The Wandsworth Test is GL Assessment — two papers: NVR (55 min) and VR (50 min).
Burntwood School provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum.
About Admission to Burntwood School
Burntwood School is a large and popular girls’ academy for ages 11 to 18 in Wandsworth, south‑west London, well known for academic success and its award‑winning campus. Importantly, it is not a grammar school and does not use the GL Assessment 11+. Instead it is partially selective: most places are allocated without reference to ability, alongside a small number of selective places.
Of the 240 Year 7 places, 60 (Category 1) are offered to the girls with the highest scores in the Wandsworth Year 6 Test (a verbal and non‑verbal reasoning test used for partial selection and banding across several Wandsworth schools). The remaining 180 (Category 2) places are allocated by the usual oversubscription criteria — looked‑after children, then distance — with no selective score required. You apply through your home local authority’s Common Application Form, and you only need to register for the Wandsworth Year 6 Test if you want to be considered for a selective place.
This guide explains how entry works, the key steps and dates, results and school life. Always confirm the latest details with the school and Wandsworth Council before applying.
Burntwood School Admissions Guide (Year 7 Entry)
How Places Are Allocated
Burntwood admits 240 girls into Year 7. Places are split between a selective category and a much larger open category — so a high test score is not required for most places.
- ✓Category 1 (60 places): offered to the girls with the highest scores in the Wandsworth Year 6 Test.
- ✓Category 2 (180 places): allocated by standard oversubscription criteria — looked‑after children first, then distance from the school — with no selective score needed.
- ✓Children with an EHCP naming the school are admitted first.
- ✓The Wandsworth Year 6 Test (verbal and non‑verbal reasoning) is shared with other partially‑selective/banded Wandsworth schools, so it is sat once.
Key Dates & How It Works
| 📌 Test registration | Opens ~May, closes early September of Year 6 |
| 📌 Wandsworth Year 6 Test | September of Year 6 |
| 📌 Common Application Form | To your home LA by 31 October |
| 📌 Offers | National Offer Day, 1 March |
How to Apply to Burntwood
Step 1 — Decide on a selective place
If you want to be considered for a Category 1 place, register for the Wandsworth Year 6 Test before the September deadline.
Step 2 — Apply via your LA
List Burntwood as a preference on your home local authority’s Common Application Form by 31 October.
Step 3 — Receive your offer
Offers are made on National Offer Day (1 March) through your local authority.
What the Wandsworth Year 6 Test Covers
The test is used only for the selective (Category 1) places and to band ability across some Wandsworth schools; it focuses on verbal and non‑verbal reasoning rather than curriculum content.
How to Prepare for the Burntwood School 11+ Exam
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GL Assessment Practice Papers and Quest Software for Burntwood School
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View GL Assessment practice papers →Academic Performance at Burntwood School (GCSE & A‑Level Results)
Burntwood is one of the most successful state schools of its kind, combining strong outcomes with a broad, ambitious curriculum.
- ✓Consistently strong GCSE and A‑Level results and a reputation for excellent progress, given its largely non‑selective intake.
- ✓A wide curriculum and sixth‑form offer, with pupils progressing to a range of universities and pathways.
- ✓Learning takes place on an award‑winning campus that won the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2015. (See the school’s website for the latest published results.)
Pastoral Care & Co‑curricular Life
Burntwood is known for excellent pastoral care and for encouraging ambition, confidence and achievement in an all‑girls environment.
Leadership & enrichment
There is an abundance of leadership and extra‑curricular opportunities — from sport, music and drama to clubs and student leadership — supporting the whole person.
An award‑winning campus
The school’s buildings won the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2015, providing modern, purpose‑built spaces for learning, sport and the arts.
Burntwood School Admissions — FAQ
How do I apply to Burntwood School?
You apply through your home local authority’s Common Application Form, listing Burntwood as a preference, by 31 October. Offers are made on National Offer Day (1 March). You only register for the Wandsworth Year 6 Test if you want a selective (Category 1) place.
Is Burntwood a grammar school? Does it use the GL Assessment 11+?
No. Burntwood is a partially selective state academy, not a grammar school, and it does not use the GL Assessment 11+. Most of its 240 Year 7 places are non‑selective.
Do I have to sit a test to get in?
Only for the 60 selective (Category 1) places, which use the Wandsworth Year 6 Test. The other 180 places are allocated by distance and standard criteria, with no test score required.
What does the Wandsworth Year 6 Test involve?
Verbal and non‑verbal reasoning. It is shared with several Wandsworth schools that use partial selection or banding, so a child sits it once.
Is it a girls’ school, and what ages?
Yes — Burntwood is a girls’ academy for ages 11 to 18, with a sixth form.
What is the school known for?
Strong academic results, excellent pastoral care, and a wealth of leadership and extra‑curricular opportunities — on an award‑winning campus that won the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2015.
Where is Burntwood School?
In Wandsworth, south‑west London (SW17), welcoming families from Wandsworth and surrounding boroughs.
Start preparing for the Burntwood School 11+
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