Key Facts
| School type | Independent day school, girls 3 to 18 and boys 3 to 11 (Junior House), part of the RGS Newcastle Group of Schools |
|---|---|
| Location | Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear |
| Entry points | Main entry points are Pre-School, Reception, Year 3 and Year 5 in Junior House, Year 7 and Year 9 in Senior House, and Sixth Form at 16+; in-year places are considered across all year groups subject to availability |
| Assessment | January entrance exam (English and Maths style papers) plus a satisfactory school report; no pass/fail threshold for standard entry, though scholarship candidates are assessed separately |
| Test provider | School's own papers (English and Maths style entrance examination); no external test provider named on the school's admissions pages |
| Day fees (2026-2027) | Senior House (Years 7 to 11): £7,488 per term |
| Assessment date | Entrance examinations for Year 7 (11+) and Year 9 (13+) take place in January, for entry the following September; exact dates are published on the school's admissions pages nearer the time |
Figures correct at the time of writing — always confirm current fees and deadlines with the school directly.
Getting into Westfield School at 11+ means registering in advance, sitting the school's own entrance examination in January of Year 6, and receiving a satisfactory report from the child's current school; the exam is not run as a pass/fail hurdle, since the school describes itself as non-selective and aims to admit any child it believes can benefit from a Westfield education.
Entry to Year 7 sits alongside a parallel Year 9 (13+) intake and runs through the same January assessment window, with scholarship candidates for academic, performing arts, creative arts or PE awards sitting additional interviews or assessments on top of the standard papers.
How entry works
The senior school takes its main intake into Year 7 at 11+ and Year 9 at 13+, alongside earlier Junior House entry points at Pre-School, Reception, Year 3 and Year 5, and a Sixth Form intake at 16+. In-year places are considered at any point across the school, subject to availability, so a family need not wait for a fixed entry year if a place becomes free.
The school has not published a fixed number of places or forms of entry for Year 7 on its admissions pages, so families wanting current capacity for a specific year should contact the Admissions Officer directly.
How the 11+ assessment works
Candidates for the main Year 7 intake sit the school's 11+ entrance examination in January, for entry the following September, alongside the parallel Year 9 (13+) examination. The school also asks for a report from the child's current school as part of the decision.
Westfield states plainly that it does not operate a high-stakes entry process or a pass/fail exam for standard entry; it describes itself as proud to admit all pupils it believes can benefit from a Westfield education, and the Department for Education's own school record lists its admissions policy as non-selective.
Where a family applies for a year group outside the main 11+ or 13+ points, the school arranges a taster day, and Senior House candidates sit English and Maths papers instead of the full entrance examination.
Scholarships at 11+
Westfield's published Bursary and Scholarship Policy sets scholarship awards at up to a maximum of 25% remission of basic fees for any one pupil, awarded for the duration of a pupil's time at the school subject to maintaining the required standard of work and conduct.
To be considered, a candidate must sit the entrance examination on the date the school specifies and attend an interview or assessment. Alongside academic scholarships, the school also offers Performing Arts, Creative Arts and PE scholarship categories at 11+.
Bursaries and financial support
The Governors offer means-tested bursaries to broaden access to the school, awarded as a discount on tuition fees according to a family's financial, compassionate or other relevant circumstances. The school's policy notes bursaries may be worth up to 50% of tuition fees, though awards are individually assessed and not fixed to a published scale.
Families are directed to contact the School Bursar to discuss eligibility and the application process, since the school does not publish income thresholds or a standard award table.
Separately, the school offers a 5% sibling fee reduction for the duration of attendance, and a one-off discount through its Pupil Referral Scheme for parents who recommend the school to a new family.
Registration and the admissions process
Families begin by registering interest with the Admissions Office and paying a registration fee; the school then arranges a visit or open morning before the January entrance examination for 11+ and 13+ candidates. Once assessment and any interview are complete, the school communicates its decision and, if a place is offered, families confirm acceptance with a deposit.
The school's admissions pages set out registration, visiting, the assessment day, and fees as distinct steps, and encourage families to contact the Admissions Officer, Mrs Jane Jokelson, with questions specific to their child's year group.
- Register with the Admissions Office and pay the registration fee
- Visit the school, either at an open morning or an individual visit
- Sit the 11+ entrance examination in January (Year 7) or 13+ (Year 9)
- Provide a report from the child's current school
- Receive the school's decision and, if offered a place, pay the acceptance fee to confirm
Fees
Senior House fees, covering Years 7 to 11, are charged per term, with lunches and other extras billed separately. The school also charges a registration fee when a family applies and an acceptance fee once a place is confirmed.
Parents can pay termly, spread payments over instalments by direct debit from August, or claim a discount for paying two or more terms in advance.
Preparing for Westfield's 11+ assessment
Because Westfield sets its own English and Maths-style papers instead of following a single external syllabus, preparation is best focused on solid comprehension, composition and arithmetic skills instead of drilling one specific test format. Reading widely, practising timed written answers and keeping mental arithmetic sharp will serve a child better than rehearsing papers designed for a different school's test.
Since the school also asks for a report from the child's current school and, for standard entry, does not operate a pass/fail exam, a calm, steady run-up matters more than exam technique alone. Scholarship candidates preparing for the additional interview should be ready to talk about interests and activities outside the classroom, since the school invites candidates to bring items or information that show the breadth of what they do.
The school and the RGS Newcastle Group
Westfield has completed a merger with the Royal Grammar School Newcastle, forming the RGS Newcastle Group of Schools, but it continues to operate under its own name, on its Gosforth site, with its own admissions process and contacts. Families applying for Year 7 entry deal with Westfield's own Admissions Office as before.
Related guides
Preparing for the Westfield School 11+ with Taylor Tuition
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Westfield School selective at 11+?
- The school's own admissions pages describe it as non-selective, stating it is proud to admit all pupils it believes can benefit from a Westfield education and does not run a high-stakes, pass/fail entry process. The Department for Education's Get Information about Schools database also records the admissions policy as non-selective, though a school report and the January assessment still inform each decision.
- What does the Westfield 11+ exam involve?
- For the main Year 7 intake, candidates sit the 11+ entrance examination held in January, timed for entry the following September. Where a child applies outside the main 11+ and 13+ intake points, the school instead arranges a taster day and sets English and Maths papers for Senior House candidates.
- Can my child win a scholarship at 11+?
- Westfield's Bursary and Scholarship Policy states that scholarship awards are worth up to a maximum of 25% remission of basic fees, and that candidates must sit the entrance examination on the date the school specifies and attend an interview or assessment. The school also offers Performing Arts, Creative Arts and PE scholarships alongside academic awards.
- Does Westfield offer bursaries as well as scholarships?
- Yes. The Governors offer means-tested bursaries, awarded as a discount on tuition fees, to broaden access for eligible families facing financial, compassionate or other relevant circumstances; the school's policy document notes bursaries may be worth up to 50% of tuition fees. Families should contact the Bursar directly to discuss individual circumstances.
- Is Westfield School still open, given the RGS Newcastle Group announcement?
- Yes. Westfield has completed a merger with the Royal Grammar School Newcastle to form the RGS Newcastle Group of Schools, but it continues to operate under its own name, on its own site in Gosforth, with its own admissions process, fees and contacts unchanged in structure.
- How much does registration cost at Westfield?
- The school charges a registration fee when a family applies, and an acceptance fee once a place is offered and accepted, according to the school's published fees page.
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