Pond Meadow School, Guildford
Pond Meadow School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in Guildford, part of Pond Meadow Academy Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Pond Meadow School in detail
Pond Meadow School in its own words
In its own words: "Our vision and direction have been agreed by the entire school community and keep everyone focused on what we are trying to achieve for all our pupils. High aspirations for every child/young person are at the heart of Pond Meadow's vision, values and curriculum. The education we provide is learner driven, meaningful and strongly focuses on preparing pupils for life."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Pond Meadow Academy Trust, an outstanding special school where we are proud to teach children and young people in the way they learn best. At Pond Meadow, we have high expectations and ambition for every pupil."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Pond Meadow School are Castle Garden School (1.7 miles); Freemantles School (2.6 miles, Outstanding); Bramley Oak Academy (3.8 miles, Good); and Gosden House School (3.9 miles, Outstanding).
Castle Garden SchoolFreemantles SchoolBramley Oak AcademyGosden House School
The trust
Pond Meadow School is run by its own single-school academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 7 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
38.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 11.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (62%), Asian (17%) and Mixed (7%).
Almost every pupil at Pond Meadow School has an education, health and care plan (168 of 168 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Pond Meadow School provides for pupils with autism and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is London Road (Guildford) Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Pond Meadow School (adjacent), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Pond Meadow School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 165 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Surrey (76), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Pond Meadow 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); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from February 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its February 2014 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
About
Pond Meadow School is a small special school with academy status located in Guildford, Surrey, England for pupils aged 2 – 19.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
38.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Autism, SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Pond Meadow School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Pond Meadow School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Pond Meadow School is in Surrey; for families living there:
- Surrey's school travel policy: Travel Assistance Policy for under 16s
- How to apply: Apply online for under 16 travel help
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 11
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 8 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
6 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 Surrey is 13 (the median across 521 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
84%
Available places
168 pupils
200 places
32 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Guildford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Guildford
Across Surrey council
Places available
12,569
Applications
11,986
Got 1st preference
81.3%
Got preferred school
96.2%
All secondary applications across Surrey council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
168
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pond Meadow School provides for pupils with autism and severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
168
Total Pupils
119
Boys
49
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
7.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,477
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.9%
Overall absence
28.0%
Persistent absence
132
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
Pond Meadow School
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Pond Meadow School
What are SATs results like at Pond Meadow School?
Of the pupils at Pond Meadow School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Pond Meadow School's Ofsted rating?
Pond Meadow School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Pond Meadow School?
No fixed boundary. When Pond Meadow School is oversubscribed, Surrey allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Pond Meadow School?
Pond Meadow School has around 168 pupils on roll. 38% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Pond Meadow School have specialist SEN provision?
Pond Meadow School provides for pupils with autism and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Pond Meadow School?
9.9% of sessions were missed at Pond Meadow School in 2024/25. 28% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Pond Meadow School?
Apply through Surrey's coordinated admissions process, naming Pond Meadow 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 Pond Meadow School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 8 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 6 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 Surrey is 13 (the median across 521 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Pond Meadow School?
Pond Meadow School is at Larch Avenue, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 1DR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)