The Elms Academy, London

Good
Secondary
Academy sponsor led
Mixed
Christian
Ages 1118

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~946m)Possible (~1.4km)Unlikely (~1.8km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Amy Welch
Pupils:865 / 875 capacity
LA:Lambeth
Phone:02078194700
Address:Elms Road, Clapham, London, SW4 9ET
Trust:UNITED LEARNING TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2004

Ofsted Rating

Good

Overall

URN:134815
UKPRN:10016236
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Clapham and Brixton Hill
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

The Elms Academy creates a caring, aspirational school community where pupils achieve extremely well and are well-prepared for their next stage of education. Teachers have expert subject knowledge, check understanding carefully, and provide tailored support so all pupils - including those with SEND or reading difficulties - make excellent progress. Behaviour is exceptional and the school works closely with parents to ensure high attendance and strong family partnerships.

Key Strengths

  • Exceptional behaviour and attendance, with pupils being polite, confident and proud of their community
  • Ambitious curriculum with expert teachers who check understanding well and support pupils to achieve highly
  • Very effective support for pupils with SEND and those who find reading challenging, resulting in rapid improvement
  • High-quality pastoral support and extremely positive relationships between staff and pupils
  • Thoughtful personal development programme including careers guidance, university trips, and mock interviews for sixth form students

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with clear policies and an open, positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.

Extracurricular Activities

Sports teams, board game club, skating club, karaoke competitions, master chef competitions, cheerleading competitions, school outings, external speaker visits, mock interviews, university trips, work-based opportunities

The Elms Academy is a secondary school in London where pupils receive an exceptional education based on values of integrity, ambition and determination. Evidence from this inspection suggests the school's work has improved significantly across all areas since being judged good in 2020.

At a Glance

53.2%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

101 responses
Would recommend87%
Child is happy85%
Well taught89%
Good progress98%
Feels safe93%
Well behaved89%
Bullying dealt with23%
Kept informed90%
Handles concerns70%
Wider development90%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Class Sizes

16.5

Avg class size

41

Total classes

4 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Tube / Metro / Tram

Clapham Common
511m · 8 min walk
Clapham Common Underground Station
523m · 8 min walk
Clapham South Underground Station
605m · 10 min walk

Bus Stops

Elms Road / Windmill On The Common (Stop C)
169m · 3 min walk
Clapham Common (Stop Z)
379m · 6 min walk
Long Road / Clapham Common (Stop M)
417m · 7 min walk
Lynette Avenue (Stop SF)
443m · 7 min walk
Rookery Road (Stop N)
481m · 8 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

99%

Near capacity

865 pupils

875 capacity

10 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - London

Medium pressure
New homes approved:104,823
Projected new pupils:18,868

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for London

Admissions Demand - Lambeth

Low demand0.92x oversubscription

Places available

2,421

Applications

2,225

Got 1st preference

64.1%

Got preferred school

92.4%

Secondary admissions across Lambeth (2025/26)

Inspection History(110)

Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

6.66476%

Overall absence

17.97235%

Persistent absence

651

Enrolments

Authorised3.74281%
Unauthorised2.92194%
Persistent (10%+)17.97235%
Severe (50%+)3.22581%

Absence trend

5.71276%
18/19
5.37581%
20/21
6.95877%
21/22
8.0265%
22/23
7.53939%
23/24
6.66476%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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