Elm Court School, London
Elm Court School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2019)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Elm Court School in detail
Elm Court School in its own words
In its own words: "We are committed to providing a safe and happy learning community built on positive relationships where everyone can thrive and are well prepared for life after Elm Court and the next stage in their education, training or employment."
From the headteacher's welcome: "We aim for all pupils to leave Elm Court well prepared for the next stage in their education, training or for moving onto employment. This applies not just in terms of formal qualifications but also through the personal development and degree of independence that they achieve."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, tennis, basketball, badminton, STEM, cooking, art, homework club and maths club.
The school runs after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Elm Court School are JUS Education (0.7 miles, Good); Turney Primary and Secondary Special School (0.8 miles, Outstanding); The Livity School (0.8 miles, Good); and Maypole School (Leigham Court) (1 mile, Good).
JUS EducationTurney Primary and Secondary Special SchoolThe Livity SchoolMaypole School (Leigham Court)
Where pupils go next
Of the 22 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 96% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 18% to a further education college.
Who goes there
53.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 7.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (48%), White British (17%) and Mixed (14%).
Almost every pupil at Elm Court School has an education, health and care plan (155 of 155 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Elm Court School has a SEN unit for other difficulties or disabilities, speech, language and communication needs, autism and moderate learning difficulties: 179 places, 179 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Herne Hill Station, about 1140 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Craignair Road, 250 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Elm Court School issued 7 suspensions, 4.6 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from February 2019, 7 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's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils and students get an education that is second to none. Everything the school does is driven by a passion for pupils' success. There is a razor-sharp focus on what is best for each pupil and on making sure that they are prepared for adulthood. These two principles run through the school like the writing on a stick of rock. As a result, pupils leave school with the skills, confidence and self-awareness they need to take their place in the world.
Pupils are proud of what they achieve. They are full of praise for the way they have been helped to overcome their personal difficulties and for the staff who support them. This is the result of a carefully designed curriculum. It is tailored to each pupil's needs and put into practice with skill, sensitivity and a steely focus on learning.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
This is a school where excellence is built into all that it does. From promoting pupils' social and emotional well-being, and helping them manage their own behaviour, to the curriculum, everything is centred on the preparation for adulthood. The promoting of pupils' achievements in subjects, good behaviour and personal skills go hand in hand.
A fundamental element of this work is the curriculum. A great deal of thought is put into what is taught and how it is taught. In English, for example, the curriculum is highly ambitious and exposes pupils to a broad range of authors and texts. Pupils read increasingly fluently as they move through the school. Work in art, and design and technology, is similarly aspiring. For example, the work of Matisse is used to help pupils develop their knowledge of artists and their skills in using different techniques. In digital media, real-life examples make learning relevant to pupils' everyday experiences.
From Ofsted's October 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 February 2019 inspection - up from Good.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
53.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Other, Speech and language, Autism +1
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Elm Court School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Elm Court School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Elm Court School is in Lambeth; for families living there:
- Lambeth's school travel policy: Home to school transport policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 62
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 62 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 52 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
12 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 Lambeth is 142.5 (the median across 102 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
87%
Available places
155 pupils
179 places
24 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Lambeth council
Places available
2,111
Applications
2,198
Got 1st preference
61.4%
Got preferred school
91.2%
All secondary applications across Lambeth council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
155
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Elm Court School has a SEN unit for other difficulties or disabilities, speech, language and communication needs, autism and moderate learning difficulties: 179 places, 179 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
155
Total Pupils
109
Boys
46
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
29
Teachers
5.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£59,553
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.0%
Overall absence
24.4%
Persistent absence
119
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
Elm Court School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Elm Court School
What are GCSE results like at Elm Court School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Elm Court School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 1.1. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Elm Court School's Ofsted rating?
Elm Court School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2019, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Elm Court School?
No fixed boundary. When Elm Court School is oversubscribed, Lambeth allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Elm Court School?
Elm Court School has around 155 pupils on roll. 54% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Elm Court School have specialist SEN provision?
Elm Court School has a SEN unit for other difficulties or disabilities, speech, language and communication needs, autism and moderate learning difficulties: 179 places, 179 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Elm Court School?
9% of sessions were missed at Elm Court School in 2024/25. 24.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Elm Court School?
Apply through Lambeth's coordinated admissions process, naming Elm Court 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 Elm Court School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 62 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 52 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 12 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 Lambeth is 142.5 (the median across 102 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Elm Court School?
Elm Court School is at Elm Park, London, SW2 2EF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)