School Chooser

Forest School

Independent · ages 4-18MixedIndependentChurch of England1,605 pupilsSixth formLondonWaltham Forest
School Chooser ScoreNot scoredWe don't score this type of school.
Strong pass in English and maths0%England 46%
PlacesFull1,605 pupils, 1,530 places
Average A level gradeB+2024/25
Pupils on roll1,605Census January 2024

Forest School is an independent school in London for boys and girls aged 4 to 18. It has 1,605 pupils, 75 more than it has places for.

College Place, Snaresbrook, London, E17 3PY020 8520 1744Mrs Claire Tao wardenAll details

Inspection

This private school is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, not Ofsted. Its reports are at isi.net.

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

151 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE score14.7
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths0%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths0%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 12.712.720182019: 11.811.820192022: 13.813.820222023: 13.913.920232024: 13.713.720242025: 14.714.72025
Since 2018: +2.0
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018Waltham ForestEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 11151165188179157161
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 814.713.713.913.811.812.745.146.8
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths0%0%0%0%0%0%45%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths0%0%0%0%0%0%63%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score0.220.120.200.260.140.304.044.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry0%0%0%0%0%0%45%41%

Subjects

Results came out for 10 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.

Strongest subjects

Design & Technology100%grades 9 to 5, England 50%
Food Preparation & Nutrition100%grades 9 to 5, England 52%
Religious Studies100%grades 9 to 5, England 60%
Physical Education91%grades 9 to 5, England 56%
What is taught hereOffers computer science, music, classics.

The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.

Every subject against England, 2025
Art and Design53 entries
87%England 58%
100%England 60%
87%England 56%
100%England 50%
Drama25 entries
92%England 60%
91%England 56%
100%England 52%
Music13 entries
100%England 61%
Latin13 entries
92%England 82%
73%England 49%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
Art and Design5381%87%89%58%
Religious Studies5096%100%100%60%
Computer Science3158%87%94%56%
Design & Technology3067%100%100%50%
Drama2588%92%100%60%
Physical Education2152%91%100%56%
Food Preparation & Nutrition1580%100%100%52%
Music1385%100%100%61%
Latin1369%92%100%82%
Other Modern Languages1155%73%73%49%

In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.

A level and sixth-form results, 2025

122 students finished sixth-form courses.

Average A level gradeB+43.9 points per entry
A level progress-0.06Against students elsewhere with the same GCSE grades. 0 is average.
AAB or better30%with two subjects universities favour
All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018
Students122138141120282280
Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry43.8945.0043.4847.7839.1342.02
Average A level gradeB+A-B+A-BB+
Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS44.5344.3243.9847.6637.0540.26
AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects30%38%36%46%17%27%
A level progressA level value added-0.06+0.13-0.29-0.19

A level subjects

20 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.

Strongest A levels

Logic / Philosophy100%A* to B, England 46% · 10 entries
Government and Politics100%A* to B, England 55% · 22 entries
Economics98%A* to B, England 57% · 45 entries
Religious Studies90%A* to B, England 50% · 19 entries
A levels taught hereThe small number is how many students sat each one in 2025.
SubjectsMathematics56Economics45English Literature33History30Government and Politics22Chemistry22Biology19Religious Studies19Physics18Logic / Philosophy10Mathematics (Further)10Spanish7Physical Education / Sports Studies7Fine Art7Computer Science7Business Studies6Classical Civilisation5Design and Technology (Product Design)5French5Music5
Every A level subject against England, 2025
Mathematics56 entries · 38% A* or A · 100% passed
68%England 60%
Economics45 entries · 47% A* or A · 100% passed
98%England 57%
English Literature33 entries · 42% A* or A · 100% passed
79%England 52%
History30 entries · 57% A* or A · 100% passed
83%England 55%
Government and Politics22 entries · 50% A* or A · 100% passed
100%England 55%
Chemistry22 entries · 36% A* or A · 100% passed
64%England 53%
Biology19 entries · 47% A* or A · 100% passed
63%England 49%
Religious Studies19 entries · 63% A* or A · 100% passed
90%England 50%
Physics18 entries · 28% A* or A · 100% passed
72%England 51%
Logic / Philosophy10 entries · 60% A* or A · 100% passed
100%England 46%
Mathematics (Further)10 entries · 60% A* or A · 100% passed
90%England 76%
Spanish7 entries · 100% A* or A · 100% passed
100%England 59%
Physical Education / Sports Studies7 entries · 29% A* or A · 100% passed
71%England 41%
Fine Art7 entries · 100% A* or A · 100% passed
100%England 65%
Computer Science7 entries · 29% A* or A · 100% passed
86%England 46%
Business Studies6 entries · 67% A* or A · 100% passed
67%England 47%
Classical Civilisation5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 55%
Design and Technology (Product Design)5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 38%
French5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 60%
Music5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 47%

A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. None of the gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At GCSE, 2025

Average GCSE scoreBoys vs girls
13.116.7
Gap 3.6England 3.0
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Waltham Forest council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who the school teaches, from the latest school census.

Pupils on roll1,605Census January 2024
Places1,530105% full
Pupils from low-income familiesGet free school meals
Pupils getting extra support21%329 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan0%1 pupil with a plan
Boys and girls840 / 765
How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll1,6051,5901,4951,5211,4841,463
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals0%0%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support7%16%13%10%8%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans0%0%0%0%0%

What pupils do next

After sixth form

Where the 139 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training83%and stayed there for at least six months
Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers
Still in education, work or training83%90%91%
Education72%83%79%
Apprenticeship4%3%2%
Work7%4%10%
Not in education, work or training7%5%4%

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m12412 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate74 per 1,000 people19% lower than the England average
Typical house price£530,000Waltham Forest
Nearest bus stop210 mOakhurst Gardens, 8 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
St Mary's CofE Primary SchoolAcademy880 m592Outstanding 2022100Compare
Snaresbrook Primary SchoolCouncil0.6 miles461Good 202485Compare
Henry Maynard Primary SchoolCouncil0.7 miles745Good 202367Compare
The Woodside Primary AcademyAcademy0.7 miles1,188Outstanding 202382Compare
Leytonstone SchoolCouncil0.7 miles1,028Report card 202657Compare
Snaresbrook Prep SchoolIndependent0.7 miles89Not inspectedCompare
Holy Family Catholic SchoolRoman Catholic0.8 miles1,175Good 202363Compare
Whitefield SchoolAcademy0.8 miles366Good 2023Compare

Questions parents ask

Is Forest School a good school?

We don't have enough published data to score Forest School yet.

How good are Forest School's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 0% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 14.7, against 46.8 for England.

How many pupils does Forest School have?

1,605 pupils aged 4 to 18 were on the roll in January 2024. It has 1,530 places, so it is 105% full.

Does Forest School have a sixth form?

Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was B+. 20 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
College Place, Snaresbrook, London, E17 3PY
Telephone
020 8520 1744
Warden
Mrs Claire Tao
Type of school
Independent school (Other independent school, independent schools)
Phase
Independent school, ages 4-18, with sixth form
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England
Local authority
Waltham Forest
Ward
Upper Walthamstow
Constituency
Walthamstow
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 January 1922
URN
103110 · LAESTAB 3206000 · UKPRN 10015315
Formerly
Forest Preparatory School

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from