Norbury High School for Girls Review 2026: Girls-only 11 to 19 academy with a broad curriculum and busy enrichment offer

A girls-only secondary and sixth form with a clear emphasis on confidence, culture, and opportunity, Norbury High School for Girls combines mainstream comprehensive admissions with a strongly structured day and a high-profile enrichment layer. The rhythm of the week is shaped by a long school day that can run through to 16.15, plus clubs that range from STEM Club to musical theatre and multiple choirs.

Leadership continuity matters here. Mrs M. Hayden has been headteacher since September 2020, stepping up from deputy headship following the retirement of Mrs Compton.

For families comparing options in Croydon, this is a popular choice. Croydon’s secondary admissions prospectus shows 280 applications for 196 Year 7 places in the 2025 admissions round, a ratio that signals steady demand.

The school’s own language is centred on empowerment, equality, empathy, and excellence, with a strong emphasis on cultural diversity and inclusion. That is not presented as a slogan in isolation. The external evidence points to a settled environment where pupils feel safe, behaviour is respectful, and pupils are encouraged to speak up and participate.

There is a clear “opportunities culture”. Performing arts and music sit in the foreground, with choirs and performance groups repeatedly referenced as a signature strength. The same sits alongside practical, everyday support: Homework Club in the library runs until 16.15 most days, while there are targeted sessions such as EAL Homework Support and SEN Homework Support for pupils who need a quieter structure after lessons.

The current academy identity is relatively recent, even though the community knows the school by older names as well. Ofsted’s records show the predecessor establishment closing at the end of 2011 and the current academy opening on 31 December 2011, which is best understood as a conversion rather than a fresh start on a new site.

Norbury High School for Girls sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile) for both GCSE and A level outcomes, based on FindMySchool rankings derived from official data. Ranked 1307th in England and 13th in Croydon for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), the school’s results indicate broadly steady performance relative to the national picture.

At GCSE, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 50.1 and Progress 8 is +0.27, indicating students make above-average progress from their starting points. The average EBacc APS score is 4.54, above the England average of 4.08.

Sixth form outcomes tell a similar story of solid, mid-band performance. Ranked 1417th in England and 14th in Croydon for A level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), 50.86% of grades were A* to B. That is slightly above the England average of 47.2% A* to B. A* to A grades were 12.93%, below the England average of 23.6% A* to A.

For parents benchmarking locally, the most useful next step is often side-by-side comparison. The FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool can help you view GCSE and sixth form outcomes alongside other Croydon options using the same methodology.

Curriculum breadth is a recurring theme. The most recent inspection evidence describes an ambitious curriculum in many subjects, with examples ranging from history’s coverage of British, European, and wider world content to English texts spanning Shakespeare and global poetry.

Reading is treated as a cross-curricular expectation rather than a standalone intervention. Pupils are encouraged to read aloud in lessons, and the library is used actively, including as the base for daily Homework Club until 16.15.

At sixth form, the offer is designed around three routes: A level only, BTEC Level 3 only, or a blended pathway. This is a practical model for a mixed-ability sixth form because it allows strong academic specialists to stay focused, while others combine applied and academic options without narrowing future choices too early.

The school does not publish a single headline Russell Group or Oxbridge figure on its website, so the most reliable destinations picture is the official cohort destination dataset. For the 2023/24 leavers cohort (68 students), 66% progressed to university. Apprenticeships accounted for 3%, further education for 7%, and employment for 4%.

Sixth form guidance appears structured around the standard post-16 pipeline: open events, a formal application, then confirmation and enrolment aligned with GCSE results day, with an induction or taster event typically taking place in early July.

For students who will be the first in their family to consider higher education, the school also references widening participation links with higher education providers and related organisations. This matters in practice because it can widen awareness of pathways, funding, and application strategy, particularly for competitive courses.

Year 7 admissions are co-ordinated through Croydon Local Authority (or your home borough if you live outside Croydon) via the Common Application Form. The school’s admissions page states that a separate supplementary form is no longer required.

For September 2026 entry, Croydon’s published timetable sets out the key dates clearly. The online application process opened on 1 September 2025, the statutory deadline was 31 October 2025, National Offer Day is 2 March 2026, and the deadline for accepting or refusing the offered place is 16 March 2026.

Open events typically run early in the cycle. For the September 2026 intake, Croydon’s prospectus lists a Year 7 open evening on Tuesday 16 September 2025 (16.00 to 19.00). The school also advertised open mornings on 22 to 24 September 2025 for families seeking places for September 2026. If you are looking at September 2027 entry, expect a similar pattern in September, but check the school’s current listings because dates change each year.

Demand is meaningful but not extreme by London standards. Croydon’s prospectus shows 196 Year 7 places and 280 applications received in the 2025 admissions round.

Distance can matter in oversubscribed years. In 2024, the last distance offered was 3.327 miles. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place. Parents should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check how their home address compares with the last distance offered, bearing in mind annual variation.

Sixth form admissions follow a direct route via the school’s application platform, with enrolment aligned to GCSE results day and additional enrolment in early September for those who meet entry requirements.

Pastoral support is framed as a strength, with a structured programme that covers resilience, self-confidence, and age-appropriate relationships education. Pupils are expected to learn how to keep themselves safe, supported by staff training and multi-agency working where needed.

Bullying is described as extremely rare, and pupils are clear about how concerns are raised and addressed. This is the kind of baseline that matters to parents more than any single initiative because it indicates clarity in routines, staff visibility, and consistent follow-through.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (15 and 16 March 2022) confirmed the school remains Good and judged safeguarding arrangements to be effective.

Enrichment at Norbury High is strongest when you look at what is named and timetabled, rather than relying on general claims. Music is a clear pillar. The clubs timetable lists Show Choir, Celeste (by invitation), and a Keyboard Chamber Orchestra, with rehearsals sitting inside the school day at lunchtime as well as after school.

Performing arts has a similarly visible footprint. Musical Theatre Club appears in the timetable, which aligns with inspection evidence that pupils value performance opportunities and cultural participation.

Sport and activity are organised in a way that gives both breadth and routine. The timetable includes Dance with Step Into Dance, ASRA Run Club, badminton, basketball, football, and netball, with sessions typically running 15.25 to 16.25. This matters for families planning travel and childcare because the school day can extend well beyond the final bell if a student is committed to a club.

There is also a quieter enrichment and support layer that can be just as important. Homework Club runs in the library until 16.15, and there are targeted supports such as EAL Homework Support and SEN Homework Support. For some pupils, these are the difference between a manageable evening routine and a stressful one.

A final point worth noting is inclusion in student-led identity and community spaces. Marble Club (LGBTQ+) appears as a named option, alongside Eco-schools committee activity. The practical implication is that pupils with different interests and identities can find structured, supervised spaces in the week, not only ad hoc friendship groups.

The published school day begins with registration and assembly at 08.35, with lessons running through to 15.25, plus a Period 7 slot from 15.25 to 16.15. Not every pupil will have Period 7 every day, but it is an important feature of the timetable for clubs, interventions, and extended learning.

Transport is helped by local bus connectivity. Croydon’s directory lists bus routes 50, 250, 109, and 255 as links serving the school.

• Admissions timing and realism. For September 2026 entry, the Croydon application deadline (31 October 2025) has already passed, with National Offer Day on 2 March 2026 and acceptances due by 16 March 2026. For September 2027 entry, open events tend to sit in September with applications due at the end of October, but families should verify dates early each year.

• Curriculum development in arts and EBacc access. Curriculum ambition is strongest where subject sequencing is explicit. The school has identified that key stage 3 arts content needs review to ensure pupils study a wider range of styles and historical periods, and it is also working to increase EBacc subject take-up so more pupils can access traditional academic routes post-16.

• A longer day can be a benefit or a pressure. The timetable can run to 16.15, and many clubs start at 15.25. For some pupils this is ideal structure and support; for others, especially those with long commutes, it can be tiring.

• Single-sex context. A girls-only setting suits many families and students, especially those who want a focused environment with leadership opportunities for girls built into school culture. Others will prefer co-education, particularly if siblings are in mixed schools or a student strongly prefers it.

Norbury High School for Girls is a solid, mainstream Croydon secondary with an established sixth form, a clearly structured day, and an enrichment offer that is unusually easy to evidence because the clubs are named and scheduled. Academic outcomes sit broadly in the middle band nationally, with above-average progress indicators at GCSE and a sixth form profile that is best suited to students who want a mix of academic and applied pathways.

Who it suits: families seeking a girls-only 11 to 19 academy with a calm culture, a visible enrichment layer, and a sixth form that supports multiple routes beyond Year 11. The main challenge is aligning admissions timing and home-to-school logistics with the longer day.