The Autism Project - CareTrade, London
The Autism Project - CareTrade is a special school for pupils aged 18 to 25 in London. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2026, ended in a report card: 2 strong standard and 3 expected standard. Before that it was rated Good at its last graded inspection, in November 2021.
- Ofsted report card
- 2 of 5 areas strong or better
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Autism Project - CareTrade in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 12 May 2026 inspection grades The Autism Project - CareTrade on 5 areas: 2 strong standard and 3 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders have high aspirations for all of their learners."
Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Senior leaders have long been advocates for and active participants in furthering provision to meet the needs of learners with autism."
Participation and development - Strong standard. "Leaders understand very well the wider developmental needs of their learners."
Achievement - Expected standard. "During their time at The Autism Project (TAP), learners develop a wide range of new knowledge, skills and behaviours."
Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders carefully consider the curriculum content and structure of each pathway that learners follow."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should provide training for tutors that leads to consistently high-quality teaching"; "Leaders should ensure that tutors use resources that are suitable for the young adults they teach"; "Leaders should continue to increase the number of learners, who gain employment once they complete their course".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Autism Project - CareTrade are Imperial Oak School (0.2 miles, selective); Elevated Futures Education (0.6 miles); The Park College (0.6 miles, Good); and THE BRIDGE SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS SCHOOL (0.6 miles, Good).
Imperial Oak SchoolElevated Futures EducationThe Park CollegeTHE BRIDGE SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS SCHOOL
Who goes there
The Autism Project - CareTrade is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Elephant & Castle Rail Station, about 380 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
19 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Larcom Street, 50 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 2219 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and theft from the person. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Southwark (1438), as is usual near a town centre.
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 · 5 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- InclusionStrong standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- Participation and developmentStrong standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
Safeguarding standards: met
By type of provision
| Provision | Curriculum, teaching and training | Achievement | Participation and development |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provision for learners and apprentices with high needs | Expected standard | Expected standard | Strong standard |
Source: Ofsted, further education and skills inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should provide training for tutors that leads to consistently high-quality teaching.
- Leaders should ensure that tutors use resources that are suitable for the young adults they teach.
- Leaders should continue to increase the number of learners, who gain employment once they complete their course.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 12 May 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Autism Project excels at understanding each young person as an individual and creating learning experiences tailored to their specific needs and goals. The school has strong connections with employers and provides excellent real-world work placements, with most learners achieving positive employment or training outcomes when they leave. Learners genuinely enjoy their time here in a safe, inclusive environment where they develop confidence, independence and valuable job skills.
Key Strengths
- Highly personalised approach with thorough assessment of individual needs and aspirations before learners start
- Excellent progression outcomes with a high proportion of learners gaining employment, further education, training or voluntary work
- Strong inclusive culture where learners feel safe, respected and motivated in classes and work placements
- Very effective partnerships with employers including autism awareness training and tailored support strategies
- Comprehensive personal development curriculum covering topics like relationships, safety, budgeting and independent travel
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent quality of teaching - some tutors do not teach to consistently high standards
- Some learning activities chosen by tutors are not age-appropriate for young adults
- Need to increase the number of learners gaining employment after completing their course
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have created an open and positive culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified and managed.
Extracurricular Activities
Music band, gaming club, cinema visits, bowling trips, work placements in food banks and gardens, industry-standard training kitchen, employer visits, industry days, guest speakers, job club, social events for alumni
The Autism Project - CareTrade is a specialist college for young adults with autism aged 18-25 that has been rated as meeting strong standards. Leaders have high aspirations for learners and provide carefully tailored support to help them progress toward employment and independence.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Approved
Section 41
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with The Autism Project - CareTrade
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Autism Project - CareTrade from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Autism Project - CareTrade is in Southwark; for families living there:
- Southwark's school travel policy: travel assistance policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 356
- Fatal
- 3
- Serious
- 63
- Children hurt
- 16
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 356 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 3 fatal, 63 serious and 290 slight.
16 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 8 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise.
60 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 Southwark is 154.5 (the median across 122 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 Southwark council
Places available
3,431
Applications
2,489
Got 1st preference
72.1%
Got preferred school
95.9%
All secondary applications across Southwark council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
Further education and skills inspection (renewed framework)
Further education and skills inspection
Special educational needs provision
The Autism Project - CareTrade is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Source: Get Information about Schools (GIAS), Department for Education.
Questions parents ask about The Autism Project - CareTrade
What is The Autism Project - CareTrade's Ofsted rating?
The Autism Project - CareTrade's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2021, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Autism Project - CareTrade?
No fixed boundary. When The Autism Project - CareTrade is oversubscribed, Southwark allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Does The Autism Project - CareTrade have specialist SEN provision?
The Autism Project - CareTrade is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
How do I apply to The Autism Project - CareTrade?
Apply through Southwark's coordinated admissions process, naming The Autism Project - CareTrade 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 The Autism Project - CareTrade?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 356 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 3 fatal, 63 serious and 290 slight. 16 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 8 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise. 60 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 Southwark is 154.5 (the median across 122 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Autism Project - CareTrade?
The Autism Project - CareTrade is at 9 Larcom Street, London, SE17 1RT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)