Testwood School

About Testwood School

Testwood School sits in the New Forest area of Hampshire, a secondary for 11-to-16-year-olds that serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage — 30.2 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals. Within the local authority, it ranks 58th out of 80 same-type schools on Progress 8, placing it in the bottom half of the table. The top-performing peers in the area are Sparsholt College Hampshire, Lift Winton and Thornden School, all of which achieve significantly stronger academic scores. Testwood is currently rated Good by Ofsted following its most recent graded inspection in 2015, and an ungraded visit in November 2024 confirmed that standards are being maintained. The school is led by headteacher Tim Webber and has capacity for 1,215 pupils, though it currently enrols 854, suggesting room to grow. It is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 236 applications for 154 places and 149 first-preference offers made.

Academically, Testwood’s results are well below the national average. Its Progress 8 score of -1.01 is classified as well below average, and pupils achieve an Attainment 8 score of 34.8, compared with the Hampshire LA average Progress 8 of -0.17. Just 22.2 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths (the basics 5 measure), and only 4.2 per cent entered and achieved the English Baccalaureate at that level. The EBacc entry rate is low at 7.2 per cent, and the EBacc average point score sits at 2.91. Progress is consistently negative across all subject areas: English (-1.00), maths (-1.04), EBacc subjects (-1.01) and open subjects (-1.14). Nationally, Testwood ranks 3,025th out of 3,141 schools on Progress 8, placing it in the bottom 4 per cent. These figures suggest the school faces significant challenges in driving academic outcomes, particularly for a cohort with high levels of pupil premium eligibility.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including tennis courts, a swimming pool, science labs, art studios and a gymnasium, and runs clubs such as DofE, Model UN, coding and debate. Its SEND provisions cover seven areas, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. Parent View responses from 121 families are largely positive: 87 per cent would recommend the school, and strong majorities agree that their child is happy (89 per cent agree or strongly agree) and feels safe (86 per cent). However, only 72 per cent of parents agree that SEND children receive the support they need, and 19 per cent disagree that concerns are dealt with properly. Testwood is a non-selective, non-religious state school with no sixth form, so pupils move on elsewhere after Year 11. It may suit families who value a wide extracurricular offer and a supportive pastoral environment, but those prioritising strong academic outcomes may want to look at higher-performing local alternatives.

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