The start of the wrong crowd? - help!!

[Narwhalelife]

DD is 14, in grammar school (relevant as expectations from the school are rightly high of her). She lives with me full time see’s her dad about once a week. We separated 2.5 years ago. We are both in new relationships.

She had a bit of tough time with the separation but seems ok now. She was quite shy and a bookworm, never really going out with friends until she got back in contact with an old primary school friend who goes to a different secondary. They hit it off and I was thrilled for her, sleepovers, parties, shopping dates she really perked up and seemed really happy.

This friend goes to a mixed school and has a big group of friends my DD is now very much in the fold of, all was going well, but she wants to be out with them more and more, grades slightly dipping at school, staying out later than I want her to (half an hour to an hour max - always some dramatic excuse).

DD is my only child, so no idea when to know she may be in with the wrong crowd or if she is, how and what do I do?

Don't stress out yet. You have no proof that this is the wrong crowd or natural teenage social life taking priority.
I say this as someone who was very academic in primary school and properly rebelled in secondary at a similar age. In year nine they were ready to expel me but I managed to make turn it around and get alright grades, go to uni etc.
There are good things about getting it out your system early. At least she's not doing this in her GCSEs or a levels. Also the parents I know who are most worried about their teens have ones who never go out and don't have any friends. She has found a social group and isn't seeming to be going off the wheels yet! If she was isolated and friendless, her grades might have dropped anyway due to depression.

The warning signs are if she stops telling you where she is going, appears under the influence or if her friends seem to be changing her personality. Obviously every teen struggles with their identity but if she starts pretending she's not academic or lying then id start to worry.

@Justfeckoffwiththeovulating thank you for replying. I will keep an eye on her and just see how it goes. It’s just crazy how much they change and ‘grow up’ in a space of a few weeks. Hoping it’s all positive for her

When you say grades slipping, what do you mean? Is it actually that until now she's never actually had to try as naturally bright, but as you get into GCSE years then you have to do a bit of work. I'm sure she'll adjust.
What do her teachers say at PT evening?
Agree with other posters that a social life is a good thing, especially after the last few years.
I don't have teens yet so this is just a reflection on my memories of being a teenager but do trust your child to have a variety of friends with different values but still hold her own values right (they may not be identical to yours, however). Because the thing I found hardest about this stage and caused most conflict was that my parents thought everyone was influencing me and appeared to have no trust in me to make good decisions. Eg I had quite a few friends who dabbled in drugs but I never did - it wasn't for me. But they just didn't believe that. It actually still bothers me now when I remember it.
So show her you trust her but keep a close eye on her engagement with school.

Get the group back to your house? Sleep overs, let them do a BBQ, show an interest in the group. DS had a shed load of out of school weird and wonderful friends. Some fabulous some terrible. He doesn't live here anymore but they still come here to visit us! And even the worst of them is improving their life. A terrible kid who was permanently excluded is now a fine artist and engaged to a teacher!