Tolworth Girls' School and Sixth Form
101%
Capacity
1,486
Pupils
2.8x
Demand
About Tolworth Girls' School and Sixth Form
Tolworth Girls' School and Sixth Form sits in the Kingston upon Thames local authority, where it ranks third out of ten state secondary schools by Progress 8 score. That puts it just behind The Kingston Academy and Tiffin Girls' School, and level-pegging with Tiffin School — all three of which are its top-performing local peers. The school is one of five in the borough rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and its most recent graded inspection, in 2017, gave it top marks across the board. An ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed that the school remains Outstanding. With 1,486 pupils on roll, it is slightly over capacity, and its popularity is clear from admissions data: for 2025/26 entry, the school received 716 applications for 254 places, with 208 offers going to first-preference families. The oversubscription ratio sits at 2.82, meaning nearly three families compete for every place.
Academically, Tolworth Girls' delivers results that are well above average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.87 is comfortably ahead of the Kingston upon Thames average of 0.66, and places it in the top 5% of schools nationally. The school is particularly strong in English, where Progress 8 reaches 1.2, and in open subjects, where it hits 1.19. Attainment 8 sits at 58.8, and 84.7% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths. The EBacc average point score is 5.18, with 44.5% of pupils entering the EBacc combination. At sixth form, the picture is more mixed: the value-added score is -0.15, which is below average, and the average points per entry grade is C+. The best three A-levels average out at a C+ grade, and the progress banding is rated below average. That said, the sixth form provision itself was judged Outstanding in the 2017 inspection.
The school offers a strong range of facilities, including a theatre, art studios, music rooms, a sports hall, astro turf, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer include rugby, hockey, netball, tennis, and basketball, while clubs range from Model UN and Debate to Coding, Chess, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The school has a resourced provision and supports pupils with a wide range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia. For families in Kingston upon Thames, Tolworth Girls' is a high-performing, oversubscribed option that suits girls who thrive in a focused academic environment, particularly those strong in English and open subjects. The sixth form, while less strong on value-added, still offers an Outstanding-rated setting for those who want to stay on.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Girls |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Tala Close, Surbiton, Kingston upon Thames, KT6 7EY |
| Headteacher | Jolande Botha-Smith |
| Local Authority | Kingston upon Thames |
| Number of Pupils | 1,486 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 15.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,486 / 1,477 (101% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
21 Sept 2023Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Latest inspection (21 Sept 2023): School remains Outstanding
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 1 Nov 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.87)
136th of 3,141
Nationally
58th of 487
In London
3rd of 10
In Kingston upon Thames
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
37.6
'22/23
34.8
'23/24
32.1
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where school leavers go
2022/2365%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 132 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
17%
Russell Group
14%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)65%
- Employment23%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Further education2%
- Not sustained2%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed254
716
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
228 families put this school as their 1st choice (32% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White British42.4%
- Asian25.7%
- White (other)13.8%
- Mixed8.6%
- Black0.3%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
9
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
7
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tolworth Girls' School and Sixth Form
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Tala Close, Surbiton
Kingston upon Thames, KT6 7EY
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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