The Hollyfield School and Sixth Form Centre Review 2026: A high-expectations comprehensive with a confident sixth form

For families weighing a non-selective secondary in Surbiton, this school sits in an interesting place in the local mix. It is a large, mixed 11 to 18 academy within Every Child, Every Day Academy Trust, and it has a strong reputation for a well-structured day, clear expectations, and a sixth form that offers genuine stretch for students who want it.

Academically, the headline is consistency rather than extremes. GCSE outcomes sit above England average by the key progress measure, and the school’s FindMySchool GCSE ranking places it comfortably within the top quarter of schools in England. At A-level, results are more in line with the middle of the England distribution, which is often what you see in sixth forms that cater for a broad range of pathways.

Parents who like a purposeful culture will find a lot to like. The trade-off is the obvious one: this is a popular local option, so admission tends to hinge on distance, and families should treat open events and deadlines as time critical.

The school’s own language around personal development is unusually concrete. The GO BIG values, Good communication, Organisation, Bouncebackability, Initiative and Gratitude, are presented not as marketing but as behavioural and learning habits that staff want students to practise daily.

That matters because it hints at how the place runs. Expectations are framed as routines, consistency, punctuality, and students learning to manage themselves. In practice, this typically suits students who respond well to clarity and who benefit from adults being explicit about what “ready to learn” looks like.

There is also a strong sense that the school is not trying to be one thing. It positions itself as ambitious and creative, with a broad co-curricular menu and visible emphasis on wellbeing support alongside academic routines.

Leadership is stable and visible. Amy Jackson is named as headteacher on school materials, and her profile as an ex-officio governor notes she joined the school in May 2020.

On GCSE measures, the picture is firmly positive. The school’s average Attainment 8 score is 52.7 and Progress 8 is 0.29, indicating students, on average, make above-average progress from their starting points. The EBacc average point score is 4.83, and 27.5% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc suite.

The FindMySchool GCSE ranking places the school 1,017th in England and 2nd locally (Surbiton) for GCSE outcomes, which translates to being above England average and comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England. This is a proprietary FindMySchool ranking based on official data.

At sixth form, outcomes look steadier and closer to the England middle. The A-level grade profile shows 4.89% of entries at A*, 13.33% at A, 28.89% at B, and 47.11% at A* to B. The FindMySchool A-level ranking places the sixth form 1,344th in England and 1st locally (Surbiton) for A-level outcomes, which aligns with solid performance in line with the middle 35% of sixth forms in England (25th to 60th percentile). This is a proprietary FindMySchool ranking based on official data.

The practical implication for parents is straightforward. At GCSE, the school appears to add value well. At A-level, outcomes suggest a sixth form that works effectively for students who are organised and consistent, and for those who benefit from strong teaching routines rather than a narrow super-selective intake.

Teaching is presented, both in external review and in the school’s published messaging, as structured and sequenced. That tends to show up as staff revisiting prior knowledge regularly, checking understanding frequently, and addressing misconceptions quickly, which is precisely the kind of classroom craft that supports strong Progress 8.

There is also an explicit commitment to helping students find and use their “independent voice”, including through curriculum content that expects students to apply knowledge in discussion and writing, for example when English lessons connect literature to historical ideas around justice and society.

For students with additional needs, the important point is that the school has a specially resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs with capacity for up to 20 pupils, and the wider approach is described as staff knowing needs well and adapting teaching so pupils can access the same ambitious curriculum.

The sixth form narrative is grounded in both aspiration and breadth. The school states that around 40% of sixth formers progress to Russell Group universities, and it explicitly names a pipeline that includes Oxford and Cambridge as well as London and other highly competitive destinations (examples given include Imperial and King’s).

Oxbridge is not presented as the only story, but it is not absent either. The school’s 2024 destinations update highlights two Oxford offers, with named students and degree courses, and it notes five Oxford places over the past three years.

The implication for families is useful. Students with high academic ceilings can see that serious applications are supported. At the same time, there is clear attention to the wider spread of outcomes, including degree apprenticeships and vocational routes, which can matter just as much for students whose strengths are practical, commercial, or creative.

Year 7 entry

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Admission is coordinated through the local authority, Kingston upon Thames, with places allocated via published oversubscription criteria when the school is full.

For September 2026 entry, the school’s published admission number is 180 for Year 7. Distance is used as the tie-breaker once higher priority categories are allocated, and the measurement point is specified as the main steps at the front of Albury House.

Families should treat the usual Kingston timeline as the planning baseline. For September 2026 entry, Kingston’s secondary admissions guidance lists applications opening on 01 September 2025, the on-time deadline as 31 October 2025, and national offer day as 02 March 2026.

Open events are published annually and may shift slightly year to year. For the September 2026 intake, Kingston’s guide listed school open mornings across early October 2025. If you are looking beyond that cycle, expect open events to cluster around September and October, and confirm the current schedule directly with the school before making travel plans.

A practical tip for families relying on distance: use FindMySchool’s Map Search to measure from your front door to the school gate, then compare this with historic allocation patterns where available. Distance trends vary year to year.

Sixth form entry (Year 12)

Sixth form admissions are handled via a separate policy. For September 2026 entry, the school proposes 120 sixth form places. Applications are accepted from 01 July of Year 10, with a closing date of 15 January, and existing Hollyfield students have priority over external applicants. The policy also notes that a minimum of 12 places will be offered to external applicants, and that oversubscribed courses may be allocated by GCSE points score.

For students considering joining at 16, the key question is not only “can I get a place?” but “can I get my preferred combination of subjects?” The school is clear that it cannot guarantee a student’s preferred courses if demand is high.

Pastoral systems in schools of this size often succeed or fail on consistency. Here, the public picture is a school that invests in clear routines and in adult availability, with explicit emphasis on mental health support and students knowing there is always an adult to speak to.

The house system is positioned as a key part of belonging and transition, particularly from Year 6 into Year 7. Students are placed into Eagle, Falcon, or Osprey, with heads of house named on the school’s information.

For parents, the best way to test “fit” is to ask specific questions at open events: how tutor time is used, how behaviour is reset after incidents, how homework expectations scale from Year 7 to Year 11, and what targeted support looks like for students who are struggling quietly rather than visibly.

Co-curricular life is unusually well itemised, and importantly, the school states that clubs are free of charge. Students also receive achievement points for attendance, which signals that enrichment is not treated as optional wallpaper but as part of a broader incentives structure.

The general clubs timetable includes distinctive options that go well beyond the default list. Examples include Anime Club, Problem Solving Club, Warhammer Club, Eco Club, Film Making Club, Doctor Who Club, and a lunchtime Chess Club.

STEM is also visible as a named strand. There is a STEM Club targeted at Years 9 and 10, plus a Computing Club for younger years, and the sixth form provision includes a Maths Clinic. The practical implication is that students who enjoy structured challenge can find peers quickly, particularly if they enjoy puzzles, coding, or applied problem-solving.

Music provision is clearly organised around ensembles and contemporary pathways. The music timetable lists Rock School alongside groups such as Hollyfield Singers, Ukulele All-Stars, Senior Choir, a Chamber Choir by audition, a Swing Band, and an Orchestra.

Sport is broad and timetabled throughout the week, including basketball, indoor cricket training, futsal, dodgeball, volleyball, badminton, netball, cheerleading, and football. Some off-site football training is listed with a small charge, which is worth knowing for budgeting.

The school day timings are clearly published. From September 2024, morning tutor time runs 08:30 to 08:55, six lessons span the day with break and lunch, and afternoon tutor time finishes at 15:05.

For travel, the school describes itself as around five minutes’ walk from Surbiton station, with fast rail links into London Waterloo. Always sanity-check walking routes and timing at the point you would realistically commute, since congestion, weather, and route choice matter.

Wraparound care is not typically a feature of secondary schools in the same way as primaries, but families who need early supervision for younger siblings, or who rely on after-school clubs for collection flexibility, should review the club schedule and confirm any supervision arrangements directly with the school.

• Competition for places. Year 7 is allocated via published criteria with distance as the key tie-breaker once priority categories are satisfied. If you are not very local, treat admission as uncertain and build a realistic shortlist.

• A purposeful culture suits some students better than others. The focus on organisation, routines, and high expectations tends to help students who like clarity. Students who find strict routines stressful may need careful transition planning and early pastoral conversations.

• Sixth form subject availability can be a constraint. The sixth form policy notes that some courses may be oversubscribed and allocated by GCSE points score, and that preferred courses cannot be guaranteed. Students should keep a Plan B subject combination ready.

• Check the details of specialist support early. The school has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs, but placement and day-to-day adjustments vary by student profile. Families should ask precise questions about timetabling, interventions, and staff capacity.

This is a well-organised, ambitious comprehensive with a sixth form that aims high while still supporting a broad spread of destinations. GCSE outcomes, especially the progress picture, suggest students generally do well from their starting points, and the school’s enrichment offer has real specificity rather than generic claims.

Best suited to students who respond well to clear routines, want a busy co-curricular life, and may benefit from a structured push in Years 10 and 11, then a sixth form that is comfortable talking about Russell Group routes, Oxbridge, and degree apprenticeships without treating any single pathway as the only definition of success.