North West London Independent Special School, London
North West London Independent Special School is a special school for pupils aged 7 to 19 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2025.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
North West London Independent Special School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to North West London Independent Special School are Ormiston Queensmill Academy (0.3 miles, Good); Cambridge School (0.4 miles, Good); Jack Tizard School (0.6 miles, Outstanding); and Q+ Queensmill College (0.6 miles, Good).
Ormiston Queensmill AcademyCambridge SchoolJack Tizard SchoolQ+ Queensmill College
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at North West London Independent Special School has an education, health and care plan (56 of 56 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is East Acton Station, about 650 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hemlock Road East Acton, 80 metres away.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school excels at transforming pupils who arrive feeling socially isolated into confident, independent young adults. Through seamless teamwork between teachers, therapists and pastoral staff, pupils receive tailored support that addresses their emotional needs first, then builds strong academic progress. The school's motto - 'we never give up, we never exclude' - is lived through comprehensive careers guidance, real work experience, and leadership opportunities that genuinely prepare students for their futures.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional therapeutic and pastoral support that helps pupils engage positively with learning and develop strong self-esteem
- Rich, ambitious curriculum with strong progression through regular review of targets and bespoke next steps
- Outstanding sixth-form provision with bespoke timetables, high-quality careers guidance, and work experience leading to GCSE, A-level, functional skills and vocational qualifications
- Highly effective approach to behaviour and attendance, with pupils developing healthy relationships and positive attitudes over time
- Excellent personal development programme including leadership opportunities, culture week, enrichment trips, and peer mentorship
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with frequent checks on health, safety and welfare of pupils and full compliance with equality legislation.
Extracurricular Activities
School council, student president role, peer mentorship course, culture week, enrichment trips, work experience placements in sporting/construction/hospitality sectors, café business run by sixth-form students, business pitching to proprietor, visitor workshops
North West London Independent Special School is an outstanding special school that serves pupils aged 7-19 with neurodiversity and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. The school has improved from Good to Outstanding, with leaders, staff and therapeutic teams working seamlessly to help pupils thrive and become confident, independent young adults.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with North West London Independent Special School
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 155
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 25
- Children hurt
- 12
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 155 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 25 serious and 130 slight.
12 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.
30 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 Ealing is 61 (the median across 115 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
81%
Available places
56 pupils
69 places
13 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Ealing council
Places available
3,740
Applications
3,627
Got 1st preference
73.0%
Got preferred school
93.7%
All secondary applications across Ealing council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
Independent School standard inspection
Met all the independent school standards.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
56
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
North West London Independent Special School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
56
Total Pupils
52
Boys
4
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
North West London Independent Special School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about North West London Independent Special School
What are GCSE results like at North West London Independent Special School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for North West London Independent Special School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is North West London Independent Special School's Ofsted rating?
North West London Independent Special School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2025.
Does North West London Independent Special School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in February 2025, North West London Independent Special School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to North West London Independent Special School?
North West London Independent Special School has around 56 pupils on roll.
Does North West London Independent Special School have specialist SEN provision?
North West London Independent Special School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to North West London Independent Special School?
North West London Independent Special School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near North West London Independent Special School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 155 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 25 serious and 130 slight. 12 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 30 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 Ealing is 61 (the median across 115 schools, same distance and years).
Where is North West London Independent Special School?
North West London Independent Special School is at 85 Old Oak Common Lane, East Acton, London, Middlesex, W3 7DD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)