Royal Free Hospital Children's School, London
Royal Free Hospital Children's School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 16 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2019)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Royal Free Hospital Children's School in detail
Royal Free Hospital Children's School in its own words
In its own words: ""My daughter was recently in the Royal Free children's ward and I just wanted to say thank you for your support. I think the school is phenomenal and you pitch the support just right. My daughter was getting very depressed at the isolation that comes with being on a hospital ward for days."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Royal Free Hospital Children's School are Gloucester House, The Tavistock Children's Day Unit (0.4 miles, Good); Swiss Cottage School - Development & Research Centre (0.9 miles, Outstanding); Harmood School (1 mile, Good); and The Harington Scheme Ltd (1.5 miles).
Gloucester House, The Tavistock Children's Day UnitSwiss Cottage School - Development & Research CentreHarmood SchoolThe Harington Scheme Ltd
Where pupils go next
Of the 12 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 50% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 25% to a further education college.
Who goes there
29.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 8 pupils (16.7%) received SEN support and 29 (60.4%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hampstead Heath Rail Station, about 220 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Royal Free Hospital, 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 778 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and shoplifting. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Camden (1254).
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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from October 2019, 7 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
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Some aspects are not as strong as at the last graded inspection.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school excels at helping pupils who have had difficult experiences with education to fall back in love with learning. Staff create a genuinely caring environment where each child is celebrated for who they are, and pupils develop the confidence and resilience to move forward in their lives. The school's combination of academic support, therapies like equine and art therapy, and strong careers guidance means pupils leave with real prospects and ongoing support.
Key Strengths
- Pupils feel safe, valued and proud to attend - even those who previously refused school now thrive
- Exemplary pupil behaviour throughout the school with strong positive relationships between staff and students
- Excellent personal development and careers support helping pupils prepare for adulthood and future opportunities
- Strong reading support with pupils learning to read with accuracy and fluency
- Effective integration between school and hospital, normalising the hospital experience for pupils
Areas for Improvement
- Curriculum is not yet sufficiently developed - pupils sometimes do not learn ideas in a logical order
- Inconsistent curriculum delivery means pupils do not progress through subjects as well as they should
- Need to ensure all subject curriculums are fully implemented as intended
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Equine therapy, art therapy, drama therapy
Royal Free Hospital Children's School is a special school that serves pupils with medical and mental health needs across three different provisions. The school has experienced recent changes including a new headteacher and relocation, and while pupils are happy and behaviour is exemplary, the curriculum is currently under review and not yet fully developed.
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 Royal Free Hospital Children's School
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Royal Free Hospital Children's School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Royal Free Hospital Children's School is in Camden; for families living there:
Apply to Camden for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 105
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 17
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 105 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 17 serious and 88 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.
24 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 Camden is 130 (the median across 102 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 Camden council
Places available
1,577
Applications
1,261
Got 1st preference
73.7%
Got preferred school
93.3%
All secondary applications across Camden council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
Ungraded inspection: Some aspects are not as strong as at the last graded inspection.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
8
SEN Support
29
EHC Plans
77.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
48
Total Pupils
16
Boys
32
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
9.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,555
Mean salary
2015 data
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Royal Free Hospital Children's School
Questions parents ask about Royal Free Hospital Children's School
What is Royal Free Hospital Children's School's Ofsted rating?
Royal Free Hospital Children's School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2019, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Royal Free Hospital Children's School?
No fixed boundary. When Royal Free Hospital Children's School is oversubscribed, Camden allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Royal Free Hospital Children's School?
Royal Free Hospital Children's School has around 48 pupils on roll. 29% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Royal Free Hospital Children's School?
Apply through Camden's coordinated admissions process, naming Royal Free Hospital Children's 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 Royal Free Hospital Children's School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 105 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 17 serious and 88 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 24 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 Camden is 130 (the median across 102 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Royal Free Hospital Children's School?
Royal Free Hospital Children's School is at Floor 6 - 6 West B, Pond Street, London, NW3 2QG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)