Al Risalah Secondary School, London
Al Risalah Secondary School is an independent school for girls aged 11 to 16 in London. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Al Risalah Secondary School in detail
Results
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Al Risalah Secondary School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Al Risalah Secondary School are Al Risalah Boys' School (under 0.1 miles, Good); Finton House School (0.6 miles); Eveline Day School (0.7 miles); and Hornsby House School (0.9 miles).
Al Risalah Boys' SchoolFinton House SchoolEveline Day SchoolHornsby House School
What parents say
23 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Al Risalah Secondary School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that the school supports their child's wider development (87%).
Who goes there
In 2026, 0 pupils (0%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Tooting Bec Station, about 430 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lynwood Road (SW17), 50 metres away.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Ofsted also found the school was not keeping to the terms of its registration (for example its age range or pupil numbers).
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Al Risalah creates a warm, nurturing environment where girls feel they belong and develop strong relationships with staff and peers. Teachers have excellent subject knowledge and use clever techniques like booster classes to help pupils succeed - particularly evident in the exceptionally high GCSE results. The school goes beyond academics to develop well-rounded young people through leadership roles, charity work, cultural learning and enrichment trips like visits to the Supreme Court.
Key Strengths
- Exceptionally high GCSE outcomes and strong academic preparation for pupils' next steps
- Well-balanced and broad curriculum including Arabic, art, computer studies and core subjects
- Strong sense of belonging and community with polite, respectful pupils who achieve very well
- Effective additional support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities
- Pupils develop leadership and teamwork skills through active roles in school
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistencies in curriculum delivery in a few foundation subjects due to staffing difficulties, causing gaps in pupils' knowledge
- Staff do not always maximise opportunities to develop children's language and communication skills in the Nursery, which slows progress
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Football, basketball, cake decorating, Arabic club, themed weeks, educational trips, charity work and fundraising events, work experience in Year 10
Al Risalah Secondary School is a girls' independent school with a Muslim ethos that provides education for pupils aged 3 to 16. The school maintains a good overall effectiveness rating with strong academic outcomes and a nurturing community environment.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
23 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Al Risalah Secondary School
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 301
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 45
- Children hurt
- 13
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 301 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 45 serious and 256 slight.
13 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 9 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
53 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 Wandsworth is 99 (the median across 113 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
51%
Available places
113 pupils
220 places
107 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Wandsworth council
Places available
2,095
Applications
2,164
Got 1st preference
60.4%
Got preferred school
90.2%
All secondary applications across Wandsworth council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
0.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
113
Total Pupils
0
Boys
113
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Al Risalah Secondary School
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Al Risalah Secondary School
What are GCSE results like at Al Risalah Secondary School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Al Risalah Secondary School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is Al Risalah Secondary School's Ofsted rating?
Al Risalah Secondary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2025.
Does Al Risalah Secondary School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in February 2025, Al Risalah Secondary School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Al Risalah Secondary School?
Al Risalah Secondary School has around 113 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Al Risalah Secondary School?
Al Risalah Secondary School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Al Risalah Secondary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 301 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 45 serious and 256 slight. 13 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 9 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 53 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 Wandsworth is 99 (the median across 113 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Al Risalah Secondary School?
Al Risalah Secondary School is at 145 Upper Tooting Road, London, SW17 7TJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)