Walthamstow School for Girls, London
Walthamstow School for Girls is a secondary school for girls aged 11 to 16 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 53rd-highest of the 266 schools in London with published results, and 334th of 3,298 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.3 first-choice applications for every place. It was 99% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2018)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
- Progress (2024)
- Above average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Waltham Forest (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Walthamstow School for Girls in detail
Walthamstow School for Girls in its own words
In its own words: "I am delighted to be able to introduce myself to you as the Headteacher of Walthamstow School for Girls. It is a real privilege to lead such a fantastic, high-achieving school which also has a wonderful ethos, valuing every young woman and striving to 'bring out the gift' in each of your daughters."
From the headteacher's welcome: "It's been a busy and productive half-term, both in and out of school. Recent visits to Boulogne and the Imperial War Museum have brought learning to life, enabling students to deepen their understanding of language, history and culture."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include debating and Duke of Edinburgh.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2026, pupils at Walthamstow School for Girls averaged an Attainment 8 score of 57.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.7 in Waltham Forest and 47 across England.
66% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 48% in Waltham Forest and 47% in England.
That is down from 60 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.43: pupils made above 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 51.3, against 60.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.8 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Art and Design.
Getting a place at Walthamstow School for Girls
For September 2026 entry, 231 families put Walthamstow School for Girls as their first choice and 550 named it as one of their preferences, for 173 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 69 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Walthamstow School for Girls
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Walthamstow School for Girls are Holy Family Catholic School (0.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.1); Frederick Bremer School (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.7); Kelmscott School (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 37.5); and Walthamstow Academy (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 52.9).
Walthamstow School for Girls's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Holy Family Catholic SchoolFrederick Bremer SchoolKelmscott SchoolWalthamstow Academy
What parents say
132 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Walthamstow School for Girls (as of September 2025): 92% would recommend the school, 88% say their child is happy there and 55% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school has high expectations for their child (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (55%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 179 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 98% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 15% to a further education college.
Getting there
The nearest Underground station is Walthamstow Central Underground Station, about 460 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Church Hill Road (E17) (->w), 160 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Walthamstow School for Girls issued 53 suspensions, 6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Walthamstow School for Girls are Emmanuel Community School (0.2 miles), Our Lady and St George's Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles), Henry Maynard Primary School (0.4 miles) and St Mary's CofE Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Emmanuel Community SchoolOur Lady and St George's Catholic Primary SchoolHenry Maynard Primary SchoolSt Mary's CofE Primary School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from June 2018, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Walthamstow School for Girls creates an exceptional learning environment where pupils develop as confident, ambitious learners. The school's motto 'neglect not the gift that is in thee' shapes a culture where all pupils, including those with SEND, thrive academically and personally. With strong pastoral support, outstanding behaviour, and countless opportunities to develop talents through the arts and leadership roles, your daughter will be well-prepared for life beyond school.
Key Strengths
- Ambitious curriculum with careful structure that helps pupils build knowledge over time
- Teachers with strong subject knowledge who skilfully adapt teaching to meet all pupils' needs, including those with SEND
- Exceptional pupil behaviour with impressive communication skills and wonderful attitudes to learning
- Extensive opportunities for pupil leadership, cultural enrichment, and extracurricular activities
- Very strong careers programme providing high-quality information and experiences
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
student senior leadership team, diversity ambassadors, reader leaders, steel drum band, performances, events, competitions, educational visits, diversity days, fundraising events, assemblies
Walthamstow School for Girls has maintained its outstanding standards since the previous inspection in 2018. Pupils receive an exceptional education with high academic outcomes and strong personal development.
About
Walthamstow School for Girls is a single sex girls' secondary school situated in Walthamstow, London. It currently educates 900 girls between the ages of 11–16.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
25.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
132 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has declined from 0.79 to 0.43 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has declined from 59.0 to 57.9 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has declined from 71% to 66% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 57.9 | 65.6% |
| Disadvantaged(45) | - | 51.3 | 53.3% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(135) | - | 60.1 | 69.6% |
| Girls(180) | - | 57.9 | 65.6% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(22) | - | 55.5 | 54.5% |
| Non mobile(173) | - | 58.4 | 67.1% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 4 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 179 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
0
Permanent exclusions
0.00%
Exclusion rate
53
Suspensions
5.96%
Suspension rate
36 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 890 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Latest from Walthamstow School for Girls
2026 GCSE Results success!
20 Aug 2026
GCSE Art Exhibition
10 Jun 2026
WSfG College Roadshow
3 Dec 2025
WSfG Presentation Evening 2025
3 Dec 2025
Eat or Heat Christmas collection
3 Dec 2025
Maths Week at WSfG
3 Dec 2025
From Walthamstow School for Girls's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Walthamstow School for Girls
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Walthamstow School for Girls from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Walthamstow School for Girls is in Waltham Forest; for families living there:
Apply to Waltham Forest for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 113
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 17
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 113 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 17 serious and 95 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
18 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Waltham Forest is 66 (the median across 87 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Walthamstow School for Girls
Will you get a place at Walthamstow School for Girls? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Walthamstow School for Girls's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Walthamstow School for Girls:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Walthamstow School for Girls.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Waltham Forest, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Walthamstow School for Girls for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Waltham Forest got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
99%
Near capacity
894 pupils
900 places
6 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Waltham Forest council
Places available
3,090
Applications
2,724
Got 1st preference
79.5%
Got preferred school
96.3%
All secondary applications across Waltham Forest council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
102
SEN Support
43
EHC Plans
16.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
895
Total Pupils
0
Boys
895
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
64
Teachers
14.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£60,410
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,765
Per pupil
£7356k
Total funding
£250k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.2%
Overall absence
16.6%
Persistent absence
910
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Walthamstow School for Girls
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Walthamstow School for Girls
What are GCSE results like at Walthamstow School for Girls?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Walthamstow School for Girls achieved an Attainment 8 score of 57.9. 66% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Walthamstow School for Girls's Ofsted rating?
Walthamstow School for Girls's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2018, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Walthamstow School for Girls?
No fixed boundary. When Walthamstow School for Girls is oversubscribed, Waltham Forest allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Walthamstow School for Girls?
Walthamstow School for Girls was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Walthamstow School for Girls?
Classes at Walthamstow School for Girls average 24.1 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Walthamstow School for Girls?
Walthamstow School for Girls has around 895 pupils on roll. 26% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Walthamstow School for Girls?
6.2% of sessions were missed at Walthamstow School for Girls in 2024/25. 16.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Walthamstow School for Girls?
Apply through Waltham Forest's coordinated admissions process, naming Walthamstow School for Girls on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Walthamstow School for Girls?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 113 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 17 serious and 95 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 18 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Waltham Forest is 66 (the median across 87 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Walthamstow School for Girls?
Walthamstow School for Girls is at Church Hill, Walthamstow, London, E17 9RZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)