The Arnewood School, New Milton

Ofsted's report card from its 17 March 2026 inspection grades The Arnewood School on 7 areas: 6 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils' attendance is broadly in line with the national average."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have introduced a well-sequenced curriculum."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders identify pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have accurately identified the areas of strength and areas to improve."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have developed a comprehensive personal development curriculum."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "The inclusive culture of the sixth form supports students to progress through their studies to ambitious end points."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Over time, pupils have not achieved as well as they should in national tests."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that high-quality assessment is embedded across the curriculum to ensure all pupils' gaps in understanding are closed quickly, enabling them to achieve well"; "Leaders should continue to embed a culture that is highly conducive to learning so pupils to develop high levels of self-discipline to help them become effective independent learners".

From the headteacher's welcome: "Strong relationships are at the heart of everything we do at The Arnewood School. It is a truly wonderful place to grow, learn and belong - rooted in the heart of the New Forest community it has proudly served since 1970. Children thrive when they feel safe, seen and believed in. That is where our ambition begins."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, athletics, choir, orchestra, chess and Duke of Edinburgh.

Coming up: an admissions event on Tuesday 27 April 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at The Arnewood School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.6 in Hampshire and 47 across England.

31% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Hampshire and 47% in England.

That is up from 37.6 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.84: pupils made well below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 36.4, against 42.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 5.7 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Art and Design and History.

For September 2026 entry, 96 families put The Arnewood School as their first choice and 153 named it as one of their preferences, for 103 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Arnewood School are Highcliffe School (2.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.1); The Grange School (4.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 39.8); and Priestlands School (4.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 51.3).

The Arnewood School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.

The Arnewood School is one of 31 schools run by Bourne Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 46.4 in 2024/25.

95 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Arnewood School (as of April 2026): 82% would recommend the school, 81% say their child is happy there and 61% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (83%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (61%).

Of the 161 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 80% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 47% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 5% into work.

Of the 55 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 46% went on to university or other higher education, 2% to apprenticeships and 31% into work. 12% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

In 2026, 86 pupils (10.3%) received SEN support and 49 (5.8%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is New Milton Rail Station, about 710 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).

12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Milton Mead (e-bound), 210 metres away.

In 2024/25, The Arnewood School issued 186 suspensions, 20.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Arnewood School are New Milton Junior School (0.2 miles), New Milton Infant School (0.3 miles), Ashley Junior School (1 mile) and Ashley Infant School (1.3 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.