Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre, London
Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2015)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre in detail
Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "A very warm welcome to Oakleigh School, where our motto 'Being the best we can be' reflects our unwavering commitment to each child's personal growth and success. These include severe autism, complex medical conditions, physical and mobility difficulties, as well as severe developmental delay."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre are Orange Tree School (0.6 miles); Oak Hill School (0.7 miles, Good); The Holmewood School (1.2 miles, selective); and Oaktree School (1.4 miles, Good).
Orange Tree SchoolOak Hill SchoolThe Holmewood SchoolOaktree School
What parents say
28 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre (as of September 2025): 93% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 67% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (67%).
Who goes there
35.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 56.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (17%), Black (17%) and Asian (15%).
In 2026, 38 pupils (21.6%) received SEN support and 138 (78.4%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is autism.
Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Oakleigh Park Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Raleigh Drive, 140 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; 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 April 2015, 11 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 Insights
From Ofsted's December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Oakleigh School creates a warm, welcoming environment where pupils flourish and feel valued. Staff have high ambitions for every child and provide exceptional support tailored to their unique communication, learning and physical needs. Parents consistently praise the school, and pupils are eager to attend because they know they'll experience a carefully designed day that helps them learn and thrive.
Key Strengths
- Highly personalised learning programmes tailored to each pupil's individual needs, communication abilities and health requirements -
- Skilled staff who build warm, close relationships with pupils and expertly support behaviour regulation and self-regulation -
- Strong emphasis on communication development using various systems and aids, with parents supported to reinforce learning at home -
- Integrated use of therapies seamlessly incorporated into daily learning -
- High expectations for all pupils, preparing them to participate in their communities through experiences like public transport travel and community trips
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and prioritise pupils' interests.
Extracurricular Activities
Bowling trips, public transport travel, stories and songs, sensory stimuli sessions, music sessions, social stories
Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre is a special school providing exceptional, nurturing education for pupils with a wide range of learning needs, including profound and multiple learning difficulties. The school has maintained the outstanding standards identified at its previous inspection.
At a Glance
35.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SpLD, Autism, SLD +1
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
28 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre is in Barnet; for families living there:
Apply to Barnet for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 37
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 37 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 33 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
11 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 Barnet is 53 (the median across 175 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
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Barnet council
Places available
4,618
Applications
3,998
Got 1st preference
72.7%
Got preferred school
93.2%
All secondary applications across Barnet council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
38
SEN Support
138
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism, 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
176
Total Pupils
109
Boys
67
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
7.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£62,619
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.5%
Overall absence
28.5%
Persistent absence
123
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre
Questions parents ask about Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre
What are SATs results like at Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre?
Of the pupils at Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre's Ofsted rating?
Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in April 2015, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre?
No fixed boundary. When Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre is oversubscribed, Barnet allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre?
Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre has around 176 pupils on roll. 36% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre have specialist SEN provision?
Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre?
8.5% of sessions were missed at Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre in 2024/25. 28.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre?
Apply through Barnet's coordinated admissions process, naming Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre 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 Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 37 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 33 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 11 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 Barnet is 53 (the median across 175 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre?
Oakleigh School & Acorn Assessment Centre is at Oakleigh Road North, Whetstone, London, N20 0DH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)