The Garden School, London
The Garden School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 18 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Garden School in detail
The Garden School in its own words
In its own words: "We believe that every child should be recognised and respected as unique and special. We place each child's individual needs and goals at the centre of our work. It is this ethos that underpins our bespoke child-centred curriculum specially developed to create optimal opportunities to nurture communication, learning, and independence, in a safe and inclusive environment."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include dance and drama.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Garden School are Side By Side School (0.8 miles, Outstanding); Stormont House School (0.8 miles, Outstanding); Samuel Rhodes MLD School (0.9 miles, Outstanding); and The Courtyard Islington (1.3 miles, Good).
Side By Side SchoolStormont House SchoolSamuel Rhodes MLD SchoolThe Courtyard Islington
What parents say
25 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Garden School (as of September 2025): 76% would recommend the school, 80% say their child is happy there and 60% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child does well at the school (92%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (60%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 12 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
67.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 36.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (42%), Mixed (19%) and Asian (15%).
Almost every pupil at The Garden School has an education, health and care plan (204 of 204 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
The Garden School has a SEN unit for autism and severe learning difficulties: 204 places, 204 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Dalston Kingsland Station, about 680 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Matthias Road, 280 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
The Garden School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from June 2014, 12 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
Early Years
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Garden School excels at building trusting relationships with pupils and creating a calm, settled atmosphere where pupils feel happy and safe. The school provides rich enrichment experiences including work with professional performers and regular community outings that help pupils develop their interests and apply learning to real-life situations. Staff work closely with families through regular workshops and personalised support, helping parents understand how to support their child's learning at home.
Key Strengths
- Strong positive relationships between staff and pupils, creating a calm and safe learning environment
- Improved phonics teaching with systematic approach and secure staff knowledge
- Wide range of enrichment experiences including work with professional actors, musicians, dancers, and weekly forest school visits
- Effective personalised behaviour support working with specialist teams and therapists
- Strong partnership with parents through regular workshops and coffee mornings
Areas for Improvement
- Some subjects lack clearly defined essential knowledge, so pupils do not build learning cumulatively and securely
- Variable effectiveness of teachers' checks on learning - sometimes gaps in understanding are not identified and addressed
- Need to support staff to use assessment more consistently so that precise next steps are set for each pupil
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Forest school visits, adventure playground visits, work with professional actors/musicians/dancers, theatre group visits, bike rides, visits to local markets/museums/galleries, work experience placements at local cafes and businesses
The Garden School is a special school for pupils with autism spectrum disorder, rated Good across all key areas. The school has high expectations for all pupils and is working effectively to strengthen its curriculum and establish clear pathways for pupils' futures.
At a Glance
67.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Autism, SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
25 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with The Garden School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Garden School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Garden School is in Hackney; for families living there:
Apply to Hackney for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 146
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 25
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 146 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 25 serious and 121 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
21 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 Hackney is 169 (the median across 105 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
102%
Over capacity
204 pupils
200 places
4 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 Hackney council
Places available
2,489
Applications
2,029
Got 1st preference
74.6%
Got preferred school
95.8%
All secondary applications across Hackney council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(9)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
204
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Garden School has a SEN unit for autism and severe learning difficulties: 204 places, 204 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
204
Total Pupils
161
Boys
43
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
26
Teachers
7.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£56,549
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.2%
Overall absence
23.5%
Persistent absence
166
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
The Garden School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The Garden School
What are SATs results like at The Garden School?
Of the pupils at The Garden School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is The Garden School's Ofsted rating?
The Garden School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for The Garden School?
No fixed boundary. When The Garden School is oversubscribed, Hackney allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Garden School?
The Garden School has around 204 pupils on roll. 68% are eligible for free school meals.
Does The Garden School have specialist SEN provision?
The Garden School has a SEN unit for autism and severe learning difficulties: 204 places, 204 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at The Garden School?
9.2% of sessions were missed at The Garden School in 2024/25. 23.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Garden School?
Apply through Hackney's coordinated admissions process, naming The Garden 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 The Garden School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 146 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 25 serious and 121 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 21 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 Hackney is 169 (the median across 105 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Garden School?
The Garden School is at Wordsworth Road, London, N16 8BZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)