Highshore School, London
Highshore School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in London. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Highshore School in detail
Highshore School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Highshore is a complex mixed needs special secondary (age range 11 - 19) school situated in Camberwell, in the London Borough of Southwark. We have 161 pupils on roll. Every pupil has an EHCP. As the Headteacher, I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to you."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include multi-sports, dance and drama.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Highshore School are PhoenixPlace (under 0.1 miles, Good); The Park College (0.5 miles, Good); Spa School Camberwell (0.7 miles, Good); and Maudsley and Bethlem Hospital School (0.7 miles).
PhoenixPlaceThe Park CollegeSpa School CamberwellMaudsley and Bethlem Hospital School
Where pupils go next
Of the 18 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
68.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 20.2% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Highshore School has an education, health and care plan (163 of 163 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Highshore School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest Underground station is Oval Underground Station, about 850 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Vassall Road (SE5), 100 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Highshore School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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 · 4 years agoThis judgement is from February 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its February 2013 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
68.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SpLD, Vision, Other +8
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Highshore School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Highshore School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Highshore 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
- 164
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 33
- Children hurt
- 10
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 164 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 33 serious and 130 slight.
10 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 8 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
34 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
107%
Over capacity
163 pupils
152 places
11 pupils over capacity
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
163
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Highshore School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, 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
163
Total Pupils
98
Boys
65
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
25
Teachers
6.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£62,368
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
13.4%
Overall absence
37.7%
Persistent absence
106
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
Highshore School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Highshore School
What is Highshore School's Ofsted rating?
Highshore School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Highshore School?
No fixed boundary. When Highshore School is oversubscribed, Southwark allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Highshore School?
Highshore School has around 163 pupils on roll. 69% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Highshore School have specialist SEN provision?
Highshore School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Highshore School?
13.4% of sessions were missed at Highshore School in 2024/25. 37.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Highshore School?
Apply through Southwark's coordinated admissions process, naming Highshore 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 Highshore School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 164 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 33 serious and 130 slight. 10 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 8 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 34 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 Highshore School?
Highshore School is at 135 Farmers Road, Camberwell, London, SE5 0TW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)