About Orchard Park High School
Orchard Park High School is a non-selective state school in Croydon, London. It is NOT a grammar school. Admission is via the standard Croydon LA secondary school application process. Parents interested in selective grammar school education should look at the selective grammar schools in neighbouring Sutton.
Orchard Park High School provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum.
How Admission to Orchard Park High School Works
Orchard Park High School is a non-selective, co-educational secondary academy for pupils aged 11–16 in Croydon, south London. It is not a grammar school and there is no 11+ entrance examination — places are offered on the basis of the local authority's oversubscription criteria, not on a test.
Applications are made through your home Local Authority using the secondary Common Application Form (CAF), listing Orchard Park High School as one of your preferences — never directly to the school. The CAF deadline for 2026 entry is Friday 31 October 2025, and National Offer Day is Monday 2 March 2026, when Local Authorities issue Year 7 secondary school offers.
If the school is oversubscribed, places are allocated using published criteria in priority order — typically looked-after and previously looked-after children, pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) naming the school, siblings already at the school, and then distance from home to school. This page is updated each year with the latest verified admissions criteria, key dates and oversubscription rules.
Year 7 Admissions Guide for Orchard Park High School
Orchard Park High School Admissions Criteria
Orchard Park High School is a non-selective state school in Croydon, London. It is NOT a grammar school. Admission is via the standard Croydon LA secondary school application process. Parents interested in selective grammar school education should look at the selective grammar schools in neighbouring Sutton.
- ✓Apply via Croydon Council's standard secondary school application process.
- ✓No 11+ entrance examination required.
- ✓Places allocated by oversubscription criteria: EHCP → looked-after → siblings → catchment → distance.
- ✓Apply via Croydon LA CAF by 31st October 2026.
Orchard Park High School Oversubscription Criteria
If applications exceed the published Year 7 admission number, the Trust applies the following criteria in priority order. As a non-selective school there is no entrance test, and the final tie-break is distance from home to school.
- Looked-after / previously looked-after children (highest priority by law)
- Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) naming the school
- Children eligible for Pupil Premium / Free School Meals Entitlement (FSME)
- Children with sibling(s) attending the school at the time of admission
- Children of staff (where the staff member has worked at the school for 2+ years)
- Remaining places allocated by distance from home to school (straight-line measurement), which is also the tie-break for equidistant applicants
Key Dates & Deadlines — Orchard Park High School 2026 Entry
| 📌 Registration opens | May 2025 |
| 📌 Registration closes | Mid-July 2025 (varies by school) |
| 📌 GL Assessment 11+ Entrance Test | September 2025 (English + Maths + Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning) |
| 📌 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 Orchard Park High School via the Common Application Form
Step 1 — Check the school and how places are allocated
As a non-selective school there is no entrance test and no registration. Review how places were allocated in recent years (including the furthest distance offered) to gauge your likelihood of an offer.
Step 2 — Attend an Open Day at Orchard Park High School
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 — Decide your preferences
There is no entrance test for this school. Decide where Orchard Park High School should sit among your ranked preferences on the Common Application Form.
Step 4 — Note the key deadlines
Because admission is non-selective, there are no test results to wait for. Focus on the Common Application Form deadline and National Offer Day below.
Step 5 — Complete your Common Application Form (CAF)
List Orchard Park High School 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 Orchard Park High School's waiting list — managed by the school itself.
Is There an Entrance Test for Orchard Park High School?
No. Orchard Park High School is a non-selective secondary academy, so there is no 11+ entrance examination. Admission is determined by the local authority's oversubscription criteria rather than by a test.
GL Assessment Practice Papers for Orchard Park High School
Our practice papers follow the GL Assessment 11+ format and closely mirror its test structure — with full video explanations for every question.
- 3 × English, Maths, VR & NVR tests
- 600 video explanations
- 31.5 hours of video content
- 3 × English, Maths, VR & NVR tests
- 600 video explanations
- 28.5 hours of video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 11.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 10.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 10 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9 hrs video content
How to Prepare for the Orchard Park High School 11+ Exam
ExamTutor practice papers with tutor explanations for every question offers an affordable substitute for private tuition for a fraction of the cost.
📋 Take a Diagnostic Test
Start with a timed practice test to identify strengths and areas needing improvement.
📅 Build a Study Plan
Start at least 6–12 months before the exam. Focus extra time on weaker subjects.
🎥 Review with Video Explanations
Watch video solutions for incorrect answers. Rewatch difficult topics until confident.
⏱️ Develop Exam Technique
Practice under timed conditions to build stamina and learn to manage difficult questions.
📈 Track Progress
Monitor scores over time to see genuine improvement and identify remaining weak spots.
🚀 Build Confidence
Simulating real exam conditions means no surprises on the day — your child knows what to expect.