About Chestnut Grove Academy
Chestnut Grove Academy is a co-educational secondary school in Balham, London Borough of Wandsworth. It offers up to 30 specialist Art & Design places and up to 30 specialist Modern Foreign Language (MFL) places through the Wandsworth Year 6 Test plus a separate school aptitude assessment. Remaining places are allocated by fair banding using the Wandsworth Test. All applicants for specialist places must register for the Wandsworth Year 6 Test.
Chestnut Grove Academy provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum. GCSE 9–7: 35.1%. A-Level A*–B: 59.9%.
About Chestnut Grove Academy
Chestnut Grove Academy is a co‑educational, non‑selective comprehensive academy for pupils aged 11–18 in Balham, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Founded in 1986, it was one of the first Arts Colleges in the country and holds specialist status in Art and Languages. Ofsted judged it Good (2024), and its 2024 GCSE results placed it among the stronger‑performing schools nationally.
Chestnut Grove is not a grammar school and does not run a selective 11+ test. Like all Wandsworth secondary applicants, children sit the Wandsworth Test, which places them into one of five ability bands. As a proudly comprehensive school, Chestnut Grove admits an equal number of pupils from each band — so the test is used for fair banding across the full ability range, not to select the highest scorers. The published admission number is 210.
In addition, up to 30 places for aptitude in Art and up to 30 for aptitude in Modern Foreign Languages are offered through separate aptitude assessments. To apply, register for the Wandsworth Test and list Chestnut Grove on your home local authority’s Common Application Form (CAF) by 31 October; offers are made on National Offer Day (1 March).
Year 7 Admissions Guide for Chestnut Grove Academy
Chestnut Grove Academy Admissions Criteria
Chestnut Grove Academy is a co-educational secondary school in Balham, London Borough of Wandsworth. It offers up to 30 specialist Art & Design places and up to 30 specialist Modern Foreign Language (MFL) places through the Wandsworth Year 6 Test plus a separate school aptitude assessment. Remaining places are allocated by fair banding using the Wandsworth Test. All applicants for specialist places must register for the Wandsworth Year 6 Test.
- ✓Register for the Wandsworth Year 6 Test via Wandsworth Council — opens May 2026, closes early September 2026.
- ✓Sit the Wandsworth Test (for banding) — two papers: Non-Verbal Reasoning (55 min) and Verbal Reasoning (50 min) in mid-September 2026.
- ✓Art & Design specialist places (up to 30): Register separately with the school for the Art aptitude assessment.
- ✓Modern Foreign Languages specialist places (up to 30): Register separately with the school for the MFL aptitude assessment.
- ✓Remaining places allocated by fair banding using the Wandsworth Year 6 Test, then within each band by: looked-after → medical/social → siblings → catchment → distance.
- ✓Apply via Wandsworth LA CAF by 31st October 2026.
Chestnut Grove Academy Oversubscription Criteria
If applications exceed the 210 Year 7 admission number, the Board of Governors / Trust applies the following criteria in priority order. Places are allocated by fair banding (an equal number from each of the five bands) and the published oversubscription criteria — there is no selective 11+ test.
- Looked-after / previously looked-after children (highest priority by law)
- Children who achieve the qualifying mark in the entrance test (above the qualifying standard set by Chestnut Grove Academy)
- Children eligible for Pupil Premium / Free School Meals Entitlement (FSME)
- Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) naming the school
- Children with sibling(s) currently attending the school
- Children of staff (where staff member has worked at the school for 2+ years)
- Children ranked by total standardised score (highest first) up to the published admission number
- Tiebreak: distance from home to school (straight-line measurement) for children with equal scores
Key Dates & Deadlines — Chestnut Grove Academy 2026 Entry
| 📌 Registration opens | May 2025 via individual school portals |
| 📌 Registration closes | Mid-July 2025 (varies by consortium) |
| 📌 Wandsworth Test (for banding) | Mid-September 2025 (varies — Sutton, Kingston, Wallington consortiums have different dates) |
| 📌 Test results released | Mid-October 2025 |
| 📌 CAF deadline (apply via Local Authority) | Friday 31 October 2025 |
| 📌 National Offers Day | Monday 2 March 2026 |
How to Apply to Chestnut Grove Academy via the Common Application Form
Step 1 — Register for the Wandsworth Test and list Chestnut Grove on your CAF
Register through your regional 11+ portal (e.g. London) when registration opens. Closes Mid-July 2025 (varies by consortium). There is no selective 11+ for Chestnut Grove — the Wandsworth Test is used only for banding.
Step 2 — Attend an Open Day at Chestnut Grove Academy
Visit during Year 5 or early Year 6 to meet staff and pupils and decide whether to list this school on your CAF.
Step 3 — Sit the Wandsworth Test (used for banding)
Your child sits the Wandsworth Test in mid-September 2025. The test typically covers English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with standardised scores age-adjusted.
Step 4 — Receive your standardised test results
Test results are released to parents on Mid-October 2025, BEFORE the Common Application Form deadline. You will receive a standardised score and an indication of whether your child has passed the qualifying mark.
Step 5 — Complete your Common Application Form (CAF)
List Chestnut Grove Academy as one of your preferences on the CAF submitted via your home Local Authority (not the school's LA, unless they are the same). You can usually list 3-6 preferences depending on your LA.
Step 6 — Submit the CAF by the deadline
Submit your CAF by Friday 31 October 2025. Late applications are processed only after all on-time applications have been allocated, dramatically reducing your chance of a place.
Step 7 — Receive your school offer on National Offers Day
Offers are issued via your Local Authority on Monday 2 March 2026. If unsuccessful, you can appeal or join Chestnut Grove Academy's waiting list — managed by the school itself.
The Wandsworth Test (Used for Fair Banding)
11+ Practice Papers for Chestnut Grove Academy
Chestnut Grove is non‑selective and does not set a selective 11+ test. For general enrichment, our practice papers build core English and Maths skills — with full video explanations for every question.
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Academic Performance at Chestnut Grove Academy
Chestnut Grove shows that a fully comprehensive intake can achieve strong results: its 2024 GCSE outcomes placed it among the stronger‑performing schools nationally, and Ofsted judged the school Good in 2024. As a specialist Art and Languages school it has a particular strength in the creative arts and modern languages, alongside a broad curriculum and a sixth form.
- ✓Strong GCSE outcomes from a banded, all‑ability intake.
- ✓Specialist strengths in Art & Design and Modern Foreign Languages.
- ✓A sixth form offering a range of A‑Level and other courses.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Enrichment at Chestnut Grove Academy
Chestnut Grove is a diverse, inclusive London school with a strong creative ethos and an emphasis on developing confident, responsible young people. Its banded intake gives a genuinely comprehensive community.
- ✓Pastoral support: a tutor and year‑group structure focused on wellbeing and personal development.
- ✓Creative arts: a particular strength in art, design and the performing arts, reflecting its specialist status.
- ✓Enrichment & sport: a range of clubs, activities and sport across the school.
Admissions, Banding & Oversubscription at Chestnut Grove Academy
Chestnut Grove admits 210 pupils to Year 7 and is heavily oversubscribed. Admission is coordinated by Wandsworth Council. All applicants sit the Wandsworth Test and are placed into one of five ability bands; the school then admits an equal number from each band, so selection is by fair banding rather than highest score.
Within each band, places are offered in this order:
- Looked‑after and previously looked‑after children.
- Children with exceptional social or medical needs (with professional evidence).
- Up to 30 Art and up to 30 Modern Foreign Languages aptitude places.
- Children with a sibling at the school.
- Remaining places by distance from the school, within each band.
Frequently Asked Questions about Chestnut Grove Academy
Is Chestnut Grove Academy a grammar school?
No. It is a non‑selective comprehensive academy for ages 11–18. It uses the Wandsworth Test only to place pupils into ability bands and admits an equal number from each band — it does not select the highest scorers.
How do I apply for a Year 7 place?
Register for the Wandsworth Test (via Wandsworth Test Applications) and list Chestnut Grove on your home local authority’s Common Application Form (CAF) by 31 October. Offers are made on National Offer Day (1 March).
What is the Wandsworth Test?
It is a test taken by all Wandsworth secondary applicants that places children into one of five ability bands (A–E). At Chestnut Grove it is used for fair banding, not selection.
Are there specialist places?
Yes — up to 30 places for aptitude in Art and up to 30 for Modern Foreign Languages, awarded through separate aptitude assessments in the autumn of Year 6.
What is the admission number?
The Year 7 published admission number is 210, and the school is consistently oversubscribed.
Does the school have a sixth form?
Yes — Chestnut Grove has a sixth form offering A‑Levels and other courses.
How to Prepare for the Chestnut Grove Academy 11+ Exam
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