Richard Cloudesley School, London
Richard Cloudesley School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Richard Cloudesley School in detail
Richard Cloudesley School in its own words
In its own words: "Richard Cloudesley School is a highly specialist school for children and young people aged 2-19 with complex physical, sensory, medical and learning need. We operate across two campuses: Golden Lane for early years and primary pupils, and Tudor Rose for secondary and sixth form. Both sites are warm, inclusive and designed to meet the diverse needs of our pupils."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Richard Cloudesley School are The Bridge Integrated Learning Space (0.5 miles, Outstanding); Samuel Rhodes MLD School (0.9 miles, Outstanding); The Courtyard Islington (0.9 miles, Good); and Frank Barnes School for Deaf Children (1.2 miles, Outstanding).
The Bridge Integrated Learning SpaceSamuel Rhodes MLD SchoolThe Courtyard IslingtonFrank Barnes School for Deaf Children
Who goes there
42.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 44% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (29%), White British (17%) and Mixed (13%).
Almost every pupil at Richard Cloudesley School has an education, health and care plan (106 of 109 in 2026). The most common need among them is a profound and multiple learning difficulty.
Richard Cloudesley School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Essex Road Rail Station, about 540 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Packington Street / Cruden St (->e), 100 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Richard Cloudesley School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from November 2014, 11 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 November 2014 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
42.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Speech and language, Autism, Multi-sensory +3
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Richard Cloudesley School
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Richard Cloudesley School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Richard Cloudesley School is in Islington; for families living there:
Apply to Islington for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 141
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 22
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 141 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 22 serious and 119 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
18 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 Islington is 143 (the median across 70 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
105%
Over capacity
109 pupils
104 places
5 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Islington council
Places available
1,480
Applications
1,593
Got 1st preference
66.2%
Got preferred school
94.5%
All secondary applications across Islington council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
3
SEN Support
106
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Richard Cloudesley School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, 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
109
Total Pupils
71
Boys
38
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
4.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£68,791
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
14.2%
Overall absence
56.0%
Persistent absence
75
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
Richard Cloudesley School
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Richard Cloudesley School
What is Richard Cloudesley School's Ofsted rating?
Richard Cloudesley School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Richard Cloudesley School?
No fixed boundary. When Richard Cloudesley School is oversubscribed, Islington allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Richard Cloudesley School?
Richard Cloudesley School has around 109 pupils on roll. 42% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Richard Cloudesley School have specialist SEN provision?
Richard Cloudesley School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Richard Cloudesley School?
14.2% of sessions were missed at Richard Cloudesley School in 2024/25. 56% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Richard Cloudesley School?
Apply through Islington's coordinated admissions process, naming Richard Cloudesley 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 Richard Cloudesley School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 141 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 22 serious and 119 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 18 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 Islington is 143 (the median across 70 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Richard Cloudesley School?
Richard Cloudesley School is at Tudor Rose Building, 1 Prebend Street, London, N1 8RE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)