Cherry Garden School, London
Cherry Garden School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2015)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Cherry Garden School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Cherry Garden School are Tuke School (0.6 miles, Outstanding); Haymerle School (0.6 miles, Good); Spa School Camberwell (0.7 miles, Good); and Treasure House (London) CIC (0.8 miles, Good).
Tuke SchoolHaymerle SchoolSpa School CamberwellTreasure House (London) CIC
What parents say
19 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Cherry Garden School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school supports their child's wider development (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
59.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 28.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (50%), White British (14%) and Mixed (13%).
Almost every pupil at Cherry Garden School has an education, health and care plan (112 of 112 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
Cherry Garden School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Peckham Rye Station, about 310 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Harris Academy / Peckham, 180 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Cherry Garden School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
Cherry Garden School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from June 2015, 11 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
Cherry Garden School excels at meeting the individual needs of every pupil with severe and complex learning difficulties. Teachers are skilled at adapting their teaching and use flexible approaches to help all pupils communicate, read, and become independent learners. The school's strong relationships with families and their end-of-term celebrations show genuine care for each child's wellbeing and achievements.
Key Strengths
- Carefully designed curriculum with three flexible pathways adapted to meet each pupil's specific developmental needs -
- Expert teaching of phonics and commitment to making every pupil a reader, using pictures and sign language where appropriate -
- Excellent relationships with pupils and families that create a foundation for impeccable behaviour and successful learning -
- High-quality care and support where staff know pupils and families extremely well and promote independence -
- Outreach work with local schools and contribution to the local authority's provision for pupils with special educational needs
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff and leadership creating an open, positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Visits to local library, swimming pool, end-of-term shows
Cherry Garden School is a special school for pupils aged 2-11 with severe and complex learning difficulties that provides the highest quality of care and education. The school has maintained outstanding standards with effective action taken since the previous inspection.
At a Glance
59.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SpLD, Vision, Hearing +6
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
19 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Cherry Garden School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Cherry Garden School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Cherry Garden School is in Southwark; for families living there:
- Southwark's school travel policy: travel assistance policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 239
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 50
- Children hurt
- 24
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 239 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 50 serious and 188 slight.
24 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 10 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 11 in a vehicle or otherwise.
54 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 Southwark is 154.5 (the median across 122 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
99%
Near capacity
112 pupils
113 places
1 spare place
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Southwark council
Places available
3,431
Applications
2,489
Got 1st preference
72.1%
Got preferred school
95.9%
All secondary applications across Southwark council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
112
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Cherry Garden School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
112
Total Pupils
64
Boys
48
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
24
Teachers
4.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£60,045
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
17.4%
Overall absence
57.0%
Persistent absence
86
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Cherry Garden School
Questions parents ask about Cherry Garden School
What are SATs results like at Cherry Garden School?
Of the pupils at Cherry Garden School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Cherry Garden School's Ofsted rating?
Cherry Garden School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2015, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Cherry Garden School?
No fixed boundary. When Cherry Garden School is oversubscribed, Southwark allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Cherry Garden School?
Cherry Garden School has around 112 pupils on roll. 60% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Cherry Garden School have specialist SEN provision?
Cherry Garden School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Cherry Garden School?
17.4% of sessions were missed at Cherry Garden School in 2024/25. 57% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Cherry Garden School?
Apply through Southwark's coordinated admissions process, naming Cherry Garden School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Cherry Garden School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 239 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 50 serious and 188 slight. 24 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 10 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 11 in a vehicle or otherwise. 54 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 Southwark is 154.5 (the median across 122 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Cherry Garden School?
Cherry Garden School is at 41 Bellenden Road, London, SE15 5BB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)