Imperial Oak School, London

Special
Other independent special school
Mixed
Ages 411

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Chizzy Chukwukere
Pupils:21 / 40 capacity
LA:Southwark
Phone:02045414408
Address:134a New Kent Road, Southwark, London, SE1 6TU
Admissions:Selective
Status:open
Opened:20 September 2023

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 3 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Needs Attention
Behaviour
Needs Attention
Personal Development
Expected Standard
Leadership
Needs Attention
Inspected 4 June 2026View full report
URN:149904
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Peckham
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Imperial Oak School is a warm, welcoming place where pupils with complex needs thrive. Staff build strong relationships with pupils, personalising learning to their interests and helping them develop independence and life skills. The school is ambitious for all pupils and provides thoughtful sensory spaces and experiences to prepare them for adulthood.

Key Strengths

  • Safeguarding standards are met with an open culture where safety is everyone's responsibility
  • Inclusive school with effective support systems for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils
  • Strong pastoral care and well-sequenced, ambitious curriculum design
  • Nurturing environment where pupils feel happy and safe
  • Good staff support and collaborative working culture

Areas for Improvement

  • Assessment of pupils' prior knowledge in reading, writing and maths is not precise enough, leading to some pupils not progressing as well as they should
  • Inconsistencies in teaching quality and curriculum delivery due to rapid staff growth and some staff lacking subject knowledge
  • Attendance oversight is not robust enough, though improvement work is underway
  • Behaviour tracking records sometimes lack detail, affecting consistency in behaviour management
  • Leadership systems for monitoring pupils' needs are still developing and not fully embedded

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met effectively - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and managed, and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Music, art, assemblies, community visits to local playgrounds, water play, cooking, climbing activities

Imperial Oak School is a nurturing special school that serves pupils with complex needs including SEND. The school has strong safeguarding practices and a caring culture, but needs to improve consistency in teaching quality, assessment accuracy, and attendance monitoring as it has grown rapidly.

At a Glance

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

0.0

Avg class size

0

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Elephant & Castle Rail Station (Entrance)
334m · 5 min walk

Tube / Metro / Tram

Elephant & Castle Station
484m · 8 min walk
Elephant & Castle Underground Station
495m · 8 min walk

Bus Stops

Rodney Place (Stop BA)
76m · 1 min walk
Bricklayers Arms / New Kent Rd (Stop BS)
230m · 4 min walk
Elephant Park (->W)
234m · 4 min walk
Larcom Street Newington (Stop RU)
268m · 4 min walk
Elephant & Castle / New Kent Road (Stop J)
318m · 5 min walk
Can you get into this school?
Enter your postcode to find out

Commute Calculator

Find out if this school is reachable from your home - before you apply

Sign up free to see your commute to this school

What are my chances?

Enter your postcode to estimate your probability of getting a place.

Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

53%

Available places

21 pupils

40 capacity

19 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - London

Medium pressure
New homes approved:104,823
Projected new pupils:18,868

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for London

Admissions Demand - Southwark

Low demand0.74x oversubscription

Places available

3,440

Applications

2,545

Got 1st preference

71.7%

Got preferred school

95.0%

Secondary admissions across Southwark (2025/26)

Inspection History(4)

4 June 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
10 February 2026
12 September 2024

House Prices

Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost

Sign up free to see house prices near this school

SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

Sign up free to see special needs support at this school

Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

Sign up free to see who goes to this school

Reviews

No reviews yet - be the first to leave one.

Leave a Review

You need to be signed in to leave a review.

Linked Schools

Schools linked by geographic proximity

Nearby Schools

Do you work at this school?

Claim your profile free to get a verified badge, update your contact details, and see how many parents are viewing your page.