A newer name on a long-standing Hillingdon site, this is a secondary school that has consciously rebuilt its culture, systems, and expectations since becoming co-educational in 2017 and moving into a new building in early 2018.
The latest Ofsted inspection (17 to 18 May 2022) judged the school Good overall, with Good grades across quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form.
A clear organisational feature is the four-house structure, with Hawking, Pankhurst, Turing, and Yousafzai used as an everyday anchor for belonging and participation.
For parents comparing outcomes across Hillingdon, published results and FindMySchool rankings point to a school where the biggest priority is sustained improvement at GCSE and sixth form level, alongside building a consistent attendance culture and strong routines for learning. (Rankings and metrics in this review are drawn from the provided dataset, as required by the review standard.)
Oak Wood’s identity is strongly shaped by the speed of change over the last decade. It moved from a boys’ school to a mixed intake in September 2017, then into a new building in January 2018. The current headteacher, Daniel Cowling, has been in post since April 2020, and the 2022 inspection notes significant staffing change since then.
The most helpful way to understand the atmosphere is through the combination of expectations and structure. External review evidence describes pupils as polite, friendly, and confident; it also highlights a calm, orderly feel in lessons, with low-level disruption described as uncommon. That matters because for many local families, “good behaviour” is not about strictness for its own sake, it is about lessons that can proceed at pace, students who feel safe asking questions, and teachers who can teach rather than constantly reset the room.
The house system reinforces this culture in a very practical way. The four houses are explicitly presented as part of daily identity, alongside form group and year group. House names are tied to public figures and values stories, including Hawking (Blue), Pankhurst (Yellow), Turing (Red), and Yousafzai (Green). For students, that kind of structure can make participation easier. It creates natural channels for leadership roles, inter-house competition, and recognition that does not depend only on academic outcomes.
There is also an intentional emphasis on broadening experience. The school has built a “Promises” strand that is positioned as a guarantee of access to cultural experiences and enrichment, such as theatre, museums, and galleries. In practice, this kind of programme can be most valuable for families who want the school to do more than deliver timetabled lessons, particularly if home circumstances make it harder to access trips and activities independently.
This is a secondary school with sixth form, so the headline performance picture comes from GCSE and A-level measures, together with progress indicators and the FindMySchool ranking positions.
Oak Wood’s FindMySchool GCSE ranking is 3,033rd in England and 20th in Hillingdon for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This places the school below England average, within the bottom 40% of ranked schools in England on this measure.
Looking at the underlying dataset metrics:
Attainment 8 is 38.5.
Progress 8 is -0.24, which indicates pupils make less progress than similar pupils nationally, on average.
EBACC strength is currently a pressure point in the data, with 9.1% achieving grade 5 or above in EBACC.
For parents, the implication is straightforward. This is not a school where headline outcomes alone should drive the shortlist. Instead, it is one where families should weigh the broader offer, safeguarding, culture, and improvement trajectory against performance data, and use visits and direct questions to understand how consistently learning is secured across subjects and year groups.
At A-level, the FindMySchool ranking is 2,308th in England and 17th in Hillingdon for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This again sits below England average on the ranking distribution.
The dataset grade breakdown shows:
A*: 2.46%
A: 6.9%
B: 13.79%
A to B combined*: 23.15%
For comparison ’s England benchmarks, the England average for A* to B is 47.2%, and for A* to A is 23.6%. (These benchmark figures are part of the input dataset and are used as such.)
The practical takeaway is that sixth form students should expect a school that has clear entry requirements by subject and a structured transition process, but where achieving top grades requires strong prior attainment and, typically, consistent independent study habits.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
A-Level A*-B
23.15%
% of students achieving grades A*-B
GCSE 9–7
—
% of students achieving grades 9-7
The 2022 inspection evidence points to an ambitious curriculum that is designed so pupils learn essential knowledge in a logical sequence, with planned opportunities to revisit prior learning. That sort of curriculum design is an important marker for parents because it signals that the school is thinking in terms of cumulative knowledge and long-term outcomes, not just term-by-term coverage.
Two curriculum features stand out as particularly parent-relevant.
First, the school is actively strengthening literacy, especially for students who arrive with weaker reading. The formal review evidence describes a reading programme taught by trained staff for pupils at an early stage of reading, and it also notes structured opportunities to read, including library lessons in Years 7 and 8. For families, the implication is that students who need to rebuild confidence in reading are less likely to be left to “catch up” through generic homework. The support is framed as timetabled and intentional.
Second, teaching routines appear to be built around recall and lesson starts that reconnect pupils to prior learning. The important nuance is that the same evidence also flags inconsistency, with some teachers moving on too quickly when pupils have not recalled what is needed. For parents, this becomes a useful question for a school tour: how does the school ensure that strong classroom routines are consistent across departments, not just concentrated in particular subjects?
At sixth form level, the academic expectations are explicit. The entry requirements document sets subject thresholds that are often demanding, particularly in sciences and maths. Examples include A-level Maths requiring grade 7 or above in GCSE Maths; A-level Physics requiring grade 7 or above in GCSE Maths and strong science grades; and Further Maths being considered for students with grade 9 at GCSE, subject to discretion. This clarity helps families plan realistically, especially for students who are considering changing direction post-GCSE.
For an 11 to 18 school, parents tend to care about two “destination stories”: what happens after Year 11 for those staying on, and what happens after Year 13 for those leaving.
For the 2023/24 leaver cohort (cohort size 54), the dataset shows:
41% progressed to university
9% started apprenticeships
22% entered employment
Further education is listed as 0% in the same cohort year
This points to a mixed destination profile, with a meaningful proportion taking non-university routes. For many families this is positive, provided careers guidance is concrete and students are supported to secure high-quality options rather than drifting into employment by default.
The 2022 inspection evidence describes careers advice and guidance as appropriate from Year 7 through sixth form, supporting pupils for their next stage of education, training, or employment. In practical terms, parents should expect careers to be part of the wider personal development approach, not only a Year 11 and Year 13 add-on.
External review evidence also notes that sixth form applications have been increasing year on year. That can matter for the student experience because a growing sixth form tends to support broader subject choice, a more stable social environment, and improved viability of smaller courses, although the precise subject range should be checked directly.
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Oak Wood School is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. Admission is therefore shaped by published arrangements and local authority coordinated processes.
The school’s published admission number for Year 7 is 240 pupils.
If the school is oversubscribed, priority is set out in a clear order, beginning with pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, then looked after and previously looked after children, followed by siblings, children of staff, and then distance from home to school measured in a straight line under the local authority measurement system. The policy also states that random allocation is used as a tie-break where distance is identical, with independent verification.
For families, the implication is that proximity can matter significantly. If Oak Wood is a preferred option, it is sensible to use FindMySchool’s Map Search tool to understand how your address compares with the local pattern of demand, and to avoid relying on informal assumptions about “being nearby”.
Hillingdon’s coordinated admissions guidance for starting secondary school in September 2026 states:
The on-time application deadline was Friday 31 October 2025
National offer day is Monday 2 March 2026
The school’s admissions arrangements reinforce that parents should apply through the common application form for the local authority where they pay council tax, and that late applications are handled through waiting list processes.
The published admissions arrangements state that an open evening is held in the autumn each year, with details shared via primary schools or the local authority, and that successful applicants are invited to an induction in July ahead of the September start.
Sixth form entry is open to both internal and external applicants, with interviews noted as a key part of the process and offers issued subject to GCSE results.
Two practical dates are explicitly published for the 2026 entry cycle:
Deadline for internal and external applicants: Friday 6 February 2026
A transition day is advertised for Wednesday 24 June (in the same sixth form applications material).
Entry requirements are subject-specific and clearly laid out, which helps families plan realistically and reduces the risk of students selecting courses that are misaligned with GCSE performance.
Applications
590
Total received
Places Offered
235
Subscription Rate
2.5x
Apps per place
Safeguarding is a baseline issue for every parent. The 2022 inspection confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective and described a strong culture of safeguarding, with regular team review and appropriate staff training.
Beyond safeguarding, the most useful indicators of day-to-day wellbeing are how the school handles behaviour, attendance, and access to support when students struggle. The 2022 evidence describes calm classrooms and pupils knowing they can speak to staff about inappropriate behaviour, but it also notes that some pupils do not always choose to report issues. For families, that suggests a pastoral model that is in place and functional, while still requiring work on student confidence in reporting, and possibly on ensuring that systems feel consistently responsive.
Attendance is flagged as a continuing improvement priority. The 2022 report notes high persistent absence and positions it as an area where leaders should refine early intervention. That matters because even strong teaching cannot compensate for repeated absence, particularly at GCSE and in sixth form. Parents considering Oak Wood should ask what the attendance escalation pathway looks like, how quickly the school contacts home, and what support is available for students with anxiety, medical needs, or other barriers to attendance.
The school also signposts external wellbeing support resources through its website, including Place2Be information for families. Additionally, earlier inspection history references effective counselling and support for pupils’ emotional and mental health, which provides context on the direction of travel over time.
The enrichment offer is unusually easy to evidence because the school publishes a detailed clubs and activities timetable for Spring Term 2026, split by key stage.
The club list includes both mainstream and distinctly “Oak Wood” options, which is often a sign of a staff body that is willing to put personal interests into the school experience. Examples include:
Dungeons and Dragons Club
Warhammer Club
STEM Club
Eco Club
Band Club
Debating Club (noted as running Week A)
VEO en Español (Week B)
For many students, the implication is social as much as educational. Clubs like tabletop games, debating, or a language extension group can be a route to friendship for students who do not naturally connect through sport, and they help create a more stable sense of belonging during Years 7 to 9.
The timetable also shows practical support structures: a Breakfast Club is listed daily from 7:45am to 8:15am (pre-booked), and a Homework Club runs after school, with the Learning Resource Centre available daily. These details matter for working families and for students who benefit from a supervised study space rather than doing all homework at home.
Sport is presented as a visible part of school identity, with teams competing in football, basketball, rugby, cricket, hockey, and netball, alongside borough competitions in athletics, gymnastics, dance, and table tennis. The school also notes participation in the Emerging Schools rugby tournament for Years 7 to 10, designed around competitive small-sided matches.
A specific achievement is also cited: the Year 11 basketball team qualified to represent the borough in the London Youth Games and is stated to have retained the title for the last two years. This is a useful signal for families whose child is motivated by competitive sport, while still leaving space for sport as participation rather than elite pathway.
The school’s “Promises and Beacons Programme” is framed as a character-building journey, moving from Bronze to Silver to Gold stages across key stages, aligned to five pillars: Participation, Leadership, Community, Service, and Excellence. Combined with the inspection evidence describing a “promises” programme intended to broaden experience, this reads as a coherent enrichment strategy rather than a loose set of clubs.
The site context is a strength. The headteacher’s message describes a large open site with extensive playing fields, and a three-storey main building opened in early 2018, with a high-specification sixth form area and a multi-purpose sports hall nearby.
The published school calendar indicates an 8:28am start for the return to school dates in the 2025 to 2026 year, which is a helpful proxy for the morning routine. For wraparound support, the published clubs timetable shows a pre-booked Breakfast Club from 7:45am to 8:15am, and after-school activities listed up to 4:00pm.
For lunch and break, catering is managed in-house under “Oak Diner”, with menus and dietary provision described on the school site. Transport arrangements will vary by family; the school signposts families to journey planning and local transport resources via its parents’ pages.
GCSE and sixth form outcomes are a key improvement priority. The FindMySchool rankings place Oak Wood below England average at both GCSE and A-level, and the dataset’s Progress 8 figure of -0.24 indicates below-average progress from prior attainment. Families should ask how the school is addressing consistency across departments and how intervention is targeted.
Attendance remains a pressure point. Official review evidence highlights persistent absence as an area requiring further improvement, and this can directly affect outcomes. Ask what the attendance support and escalation model looks like, especially for students with anxiety or health needs.
Sixth form entry is structured and subject thresholds can be demanding. The published entry requirements show higher grade expectations in several A-level subjects, particularly maths and sciences. That clarity is helpful, but it can narrow options for students whose GCSE outcomes are uneven.
Oversubscription is plausible, and distance is a deciding factor. The admissions arrangements use distance as the final priority category after looked after children, siblings, and staff children, with random allocation as a tie-break for identical distances. For families near the margins, it is sensible to plan contingencies and to model options early.
Oak Wood School offers a structured, values-led 11 to 18 experience on a well-resourced site, with a house system that supports belonging and a clearly evidenced enrichment timetable that goes beyond the usual headline clubs. The latest inspection judgement is Good, and safeguarding culture is described as strong.
Who it suits: families who want a local mixed comprehensive with clear routines, visible enrichment (including non-sport options such as debating and tabletop gaming), and a sixth form with explicit entry thresholds and a defined transition pathway. The main trade-off is that published outcomes and rankings indicate a school still working to lift academic performance and attendance consistency to match its broader offer.
The school was graded Good overall at its most recent Ofsted inspection (May 2022), with Good grades across all key areas including sixth form provision. It is a school with clear routines, structured enrichment, and a stated focus on broadening experience, alongside an ongoing need to raise outcomes and attendance consistency.
Applications are coordinated by Hillingdon. For the September 2026 secondary transfer cycle, the published deadline for on-time applications was Friday 31 October 2025, with offers released on Monday 2 March 2026. The school’s own admissions arrangements explain that parents should apply through the local authority common application route.
The published admissions arrangements prioritise pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, then looked after and previously looked after children, siblings, children of staff, and then distance from home to school measured in a straight line using the local authority system. Random allocation is used as a tie-break when distances are identical.
Entry requirements are subject-specific and include higher GCSE grade thresholds for several A-level courses. For example, A-level Maths requires grade 7 or above in GCSE Maths, while sciences and Further Maths have higher thresholds and additional conditions. The sixth form materials also describe interviews and conditional offers dependent on GCSE results.
The sixth form application materials state a deadline of Friday 6 February 2026 for internal and external applicants, with a transition day promoted for Wednesday 24 June (as part of the same sixth form entry cycle materials).
Get in touch with the school directly
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