Dysart School, Surbiton
Dysart School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 19 in Surbiton, part of Orchard Hill College Academy Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2012)
Data last updated 1 Nov 2026
Dysart School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Dysart School are Woodstock House School (1 mile, Requires improvement); Berrylands School (1.1 miles); Bedelsford School (1.3 miles, Outstanding); and Linden Bridge School (1.8 miles, Good).
Woodstock House SchoolBerrylands SchoolBedelsford SchoolLinden Bridge School
The trust
Dysart School is one of 13 schools run by Orchard Hill College Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 6 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 83% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
39.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 36.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (27%), Asian (22%) and Mixed (22%).
Almost every pupil at Dysart School has an education, health and care plan (199 of 199 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Dysart School provides for pupils with autism and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Surbiton Rail Station, about 740 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Browns Road, 90 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Dysart School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Dysart School issued 1 suspension, 0.6 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; 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 · 3 years agoThis judgement is from January 2012, 14 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
This is a caring and nurturing school. In the morning, pupils are greeted by enthusiastic school staff who are genuinely happy to see them. Pupils are happy here.
The school understands the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders are ambitious for pupils' achievement. The school draws upon the strong knowledge and expertise of staff to provide effective support for pupils with SEND. Frequently, pupils achieve and surpass the outcomes set out in their education, health and care plans (EHC plans).
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school places high importance on pupils' early reading and communication. Leaders assess pupils' knowledge of phonics, language and communication when they join the school. All teaching staff are trained to teach phonics. They check systematically the letters, sounds and words pupils know. Teaching and reading books are matched according to the phonics pupils know. Pupils who are nonverbal are taught to communicate in other ways. This includes using symbols and a range of resources and devices. Pupils have opportunities to read and enjoy stories at school. Story time is an engaging, exciting time of the day, and all pupils are supported to take part.
The school is highly ambitious for all pupils. The school organises different curriculum pathways tailored to pupils' needs which leads to appropriate and ambitious end points. This includes in the sixth form where students achieve accredited functional skills qualifications. The school's curriculum pathways include a broad range of subjects in line with the national curriculum and early years foundation stage. The school thinks carefully about the most important knowledge and skills that they want pupils to learn. Content is broken down into small steps so that pupils build knowledge cumulatively over time.
From Ofsted's March 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its January 2012 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
39.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Autism, SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Dysart School
Nurseries
The nearest nurseries and pre-schools to Dysart School, with their latest published grades:
- Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Surbiton - Day nursery, 0.1 milesOfsted, 16 August 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Child's Play Nursery School Ltd - Day nursery, 0.2 milesOfsted, 14 February 2020: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
- Bright Horizons Surbiton Day Nursery and Preschool - Day nursery, 0.2 milesOfsted, 3 April 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Bright Horizons Surbiton Ewell Road Day Nursery and Preschool - Day nursery, 0.2 milesOfsted, 19 March 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Aspire Day Nursery Ltd - Day nursery, 0.3 milesOfsted report card, 9 July 2026: Strong standard in 1 area, Expected standard in 5 areas; safeguarding standards met
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Dysart School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Dysart School is in Kingston upon Thames; for families living there:
Apply to Kingston upon Thames for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 65
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 65 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 57 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
17 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 Kingston upon Thames is 41 (the median across 65 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight are DfT estimates (severity adjustment). Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
111%
Over capacity
199 pupils
180 places
19 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Across Kingston upon Thames council
Places available
2,116
Applications
1,895
Got 1st preference
69.3%
Got preferred school
95.8%
All secondary applications across Kingston upon Thames council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
199
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Dysart School provides for pupils with autism and severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
199
Total Pupils
141
Boys
58
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
33
Teachers
6.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,669
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.0%
Overall absence
31.1%
Persistent absence
148
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Dysart School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Dysart School
What are SATs results like at Dysart School?
Of the pupils at Dysart School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Dysart School's Ofsted rating?
Dysart School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2024, was ungraded. At its last graded inspection, in January 2012, it was rated Outstanding.
How many pupils go to Dysart School?
Dysart School has around 199 pupils on roll. 40% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Dysart School have specialist SEN provision?
Dysart School provides for pupils with autism and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Dysart School?
10% of sessions were missed at Dysart School in 2024/25. 31.1% of pupils were persistently absent.
How many road collisions happen near Dysart School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 65 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 57 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 17 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 Kingston upon Thames is 41 (the median across 65 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Dysart School?
Dysart School is at 190 Ewell Road, Surbiton, Surrey, KT6 6HL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)