Red Gates School, South Croydon
Red Gates School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in South Croydon. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in September 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2017)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Red Gates School in detail
Red Gates School in its own words
In its own words: "Red Gates School believes all children have the right to the best education experience that enables their individual potential to be fully recognised and achieved. Our needs-led, child centred inclusive philosophy underpins the working of the school as a community."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Red Gates School are Addington Valley Academy (1 mile, Good); Oak Bridge School (1.4 miles); Maypole School - Melville (1.6 miles); and Rutherford School (1.6 miles, Good).
Addington Valley AcademyOak Bridge SchoolMaypole School - MelvilleRutherford School
What parents say
11 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Red Gates School (as of September 2025): 82% would recommend the school, 91% say their child is happy there and 0% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (91%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).
Who goes there
53.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 38.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (42%), Mixed (21%) and Asian (13%).
Almost every pupil at Red Gates School has an education, health and care plan (160 of 160 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Red Gates School provides for pupils with autism and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Gravel Hill Tram Stop, about 280 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lomond Gardens, 240 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 105 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Croydon (488).
Suspensions and exclusions
Red Gates School 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); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from October 2017, 9 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's September 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Red Gates School excels at helping every pupil become the best version of themselves by celebrating individuality and diversity in a thriving, cohesive community. The school delivers a broad, ambitious curriculum tailored to each child's needs, with excellent support for reading and communication. Pupils feel safe, enjoy coming to school, and benefit from a strong personal development programme including clubs, visits and outdoor activities like gardening and horse riding.
Key Strengths
- Ambitious, carefully tailored curriculum with three different learning pathways that prepare pupils exceptionally well for the next stage of their education
- Excellent phonics programme and strong emphasis on communication using talking, signs, photos and symbols to ensure all pupils' voices are heard
- Outstanding behaviour support with staff knowing pupils very well and using effective strategies to help them manage behaviour and focus on learning
- Comprehensive personal development programme with a wide range of clubs and activities matched to pupils' interests
- Expert use of assessment to check curriculum impact and quickly identify gaps in learning to provide targeted extra help
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong procedures in place and an open, positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Clubs matched to pupils' interests, gardening, horse riding, community events and local festivals, educational visits, school therapy dog interactions, singing carols at shopping centre
Red Gates School is a special school for pupils aged 4-11 with severe learning difficulties, many with autism diagnoses. The school has been rated Outstanding across all areas including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision.
At a Glance
53.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Autism, SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
11 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 Red Gates School
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Red Gates School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Red Gates School is in Croydon; for families living there:
Apply to Croydon for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 27
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 27 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 17 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt.
9 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 Croydon is 54.5 (the median across 156 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
100%
Full
160 pupils
160 places
No spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - South Croydon
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for South Croydon
Across Croydon council
Places available
4,025
Applications
4,184
Got 1st preference
71.2%
Got preferred school
95.3%
All secondary applications across Croydon council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
160
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Red Gates 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
160
Total Pupils
114
Boys
46
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
24
Teachers
6.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,741
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.2%
Overall absence
28.3%
Persistent absence
138
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Questions parents ask about Red Gates School
What are SATs results like at Red Gates School?
Of the pupils at Red Gates School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Red Gates School's Ofsted rating?
Red Gates School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2017, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Red Gates School?
No fixed boundary. When Red Gates School is oversubscribed, Croydon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Red Gates School?
Red Gates School has around 160 pupils on roll. 53% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Red Gates School have specialist SEN provision?
Red Gates School provides for pupils with autism and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Red Gates School?
9.2% of sessions were missed at Red Gates School in 2024/25. 28.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Red Gates School?
Apply through Croydon's coordinated admissions process, naming Red Gates 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 Red Gates School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 27 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 17 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt. 9 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 Croydon is 54.5 (the median across 156 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Red Gates School?
Red Gates School is at Farnborough Avenue, South Croydon, Surrey, CR2 8HD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)