Serenity School Eltham, London
Serenity School Eltham is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 18 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2025.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2025)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Serenity School Eltham in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Serenity School Eltham are King's Oak School (0.7 miles, Good); Social Arts for Education (0.7 miles, Good); Wize Up (1 mile, Good); and Drumbeat School and ASD Service (1.9 miles, Good).
King's Oak SchoolSocial Arts for EducationWize UpDrumbeat School and ASD Service
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Serenity School Eltham has an education, health and care plan (143 of 143 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Mottingham Rail Station, about 440 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Royal Blackheath Golf Club (->s), 220 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 243 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 Greenwich (458).
Sources: 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 · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Serenity School excels at supporting pupils who have previously found education challenging. Staff work together seamlessly to provide the right support at the right time, helping pupils build confidence and achieve well. The school has a warm, welcoming environment with strong routines and a positive reward system that helps pupils develop resilience and independence skills for their future.
Key Strengths
- Excellent broad and balanced curriculum with careful sequencing of knowledge and skills
- High-quality reading programme with robust phonics teaching tailored to pupil needs
- Strong pastoral system prioritising personal and social development, including life skills and emotional regulation
- Careful progress checks ensuring staff understand pupils' educational abilities and emotional needs
- Outstanding programme for careers education from early years through college and apprenticeship planning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Daily mile, movement breaks, tutor time, workshops on safe and healthy relationships, trips to local observatory and River Thames police visit, residential overnight camps, sporting events with other schools
Serenity School Eltham is an outstanding independent special school for pupils with autism and social, emotional and mental health needs. Pupils are happy and benefit from excellent support, strong routines, and a well-organised curriculum that helps them achieve well.
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 Serenity School Eltham
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 11
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 0
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, 2 serious and 9 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 Greenwich is 52 (the median across 108 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
95%
Near capacity
143 pupils
150 places
7 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Greenwich council
Places available
2,893
Applications
3,054
Got 1st preference
60.2%
Got preferred school
88.2%
All secondary applications across Greenwich council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
Independent School standard inspection
Met all the independent school standards.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
143
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Serenity School Eltham is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
143
Total Pupils
112
Boys
31
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Serenity School Eltham
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Serenity School Eltham
What is Serenity School Eltham's Ofsted rating?
Serenity School Eltham was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2025.
Does Serenity School Eltham meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in June 2025, Serenity School Eltham met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Serenity School Eltham?
Serenity School Eltham has around 143 pupils on roll.
Does Serenity School Eltham have specialist SEN provision?
Serenity School Eltham is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Serenity School Eltham?
Serenity School Eltham is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Serenity School Eltham?
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, 2 serious and 9 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Greenwich is 52 (the median across 108 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Serenity School Eltham?
Serenity School Eltham is at 70 Court Road, London, London, SE9 5NP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)