Bentley Wood High School

About Bentley Wood High School

Bentley Wood High School is a girls’ secondary school in Harrow that is comfortably full but clearly in high demand. With 1,394 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,464, it is operating very close to its limit. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 28.7%, which is significantly above the national average for secondary schools and suggests a genuinely comprehensive intake. Demand is strong: for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 661 applications for 236 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.8 to one. Of those applicants, 243 put Bentley Wood as their first preference, and 173 first-preference offers were made. That level of competition places it among the most sought-after non-selective schools in the borough, and it is worth noting that the school is non-religious, so its appeal cuts across the community rather than being tied to a particular faith.

Academically, Bentley Wood is performing at an exceptionally high level. Its Progress 8 score of 0.9 is rated ‘well above average’ and places it second out of 13 schools in Harrow, well ahead of the local authority average of 0.36. Nationally, it sits in the top 4% of all schools for progress. The Attainment 8 score of 56.6 is strong, and 79.1% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The school also pushes the EBacc hard: 96.4% of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects, and 55.9% achieved the benchmark grade 4 or above across all five components. In the sixth form, the picture is solid rather than spectacular: the average A-level point score per entry is 35.64, equivalent to a B- grade, and the value-added score of 0.11 is rated ‘average’. The most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2023 awarded Outstanding across every category, including behaviour, personal development, and sixth-form provision.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a theatre, science labs, a sixth-form centre, and extensive outdoor provision with playing fields and tennis courts. Sports on offer include netball, gymnastics, and martial arts, while clubs range from Model UN and Young Enterprise to orchestra and eco club. Bentley Wood has a well-developed SEND department, with provisions covering dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities, among others. It also has a resourced provision, which suggests specialist support for a specific cohort. This is a school that suits families looking for a high-performing, non-selective girls’ school with a genuinely comprehensive intake and a strong track record of adding value. The oversubscription means early application is essential, and the school’s popularity shows no sign of easing.

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