The German School, Richmond
The German School is an independent school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in Richmond. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2025.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2025)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
The German School in detail
The German School in its own words
In its own words: "The DSL is part of the network of German schools abroad and as such is funded by the German Central Agency for Schools Abroad. Since its opening in September 1971, students learn successfully on the basis of the German curriculum, which has since been expanded to include the IB curriculum and components from the English system."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to The German School are Thomas's College (0.6 miles), The Old Vicarage School (0.8 miles), King's House School (1.1 miles) and St Catherine's School (1.2 miles).
Thomas's CollegeThe Old Vicarage SchoolKing's House SchoolSt Catherine's School
What parents say
261 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The German School (as of September 2025): 85% would recommend the school, 90% say their child is happy there and 57% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (92%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (57%).
Who goes there
In 2026, 119 pupils (13.9%) received SEN support and 3 (0.3%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is St Margarets Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sudbrook Lane (->n), 160 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 126 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 Richmond upon Thames (232).
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; 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
Sixth Form
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 July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The German School excels at delivering a broad, ambitious bilingual curriculum where pupils achieve highly in public examinations. Pupils develop into confident, respectful learners who behave excellently and make strong friendships. The school offers exceptional enrichment through trips, exchanges across Europe, and a wide range of clubs and activities that develop both academic and personal skills.
Key Strengths
- Excellent pupil behaviour, attendance and respect, with bullying dealt with swiftly
- Highly ambitious and broad curriculum with all pupils studying art or music throughout their education
- Outstanding support for pupils with SEND, ensuring they access curriculum as ambitious as their peers
- Wide range of high-quality extra-curricular activities and enrichment trips that broaden skills
- Strong bilingual language development with fluent German and English speaking and reading skills
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff understanding how to keep pupils safe and the school maintaining an open culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Bike riding, carol singing, German traditions including lantern-making, rowing on the river Thames, Duke of Edinburgh's Award, competitive sport, school exchange programmes across Europe, work experience
The German School is an outstanding independent school serving the German-speaking community in London with a bilingual German-English curriculum. Pupils achieve highly in public examinations and benefit from a broad, ambitious curriculum delivered across all phases from early years to sixth form.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
261 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby all-through schools
Latest from The German School
Artikel lesen
13 May 2026
Artikel lesen
21 Mar 2026
Artikel lesen
1 Mar 2026
Artikel lesen
4 Sep 2025
Artikel lesen
5 Jul 2025
Artikel lesen
7 Jun 2025
From The German School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with The German School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The German School.
- The Active ClubAt the school · Not yet graded
- Marble Hill Playcentres910m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Ferry Terminals
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 13
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 10 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
3 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 Richmond upon Thames is 27 (the median across 86 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
859 pupils
900 places
41 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Richmond
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Richmond
Across Richmond upon Thames council
Places available
2,266
Applications
2,021
Got 1st preference
62.2%
Got preferred school
93.0%
All secondary applications across Richmond upon Thames 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
119
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
14.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
859
Total Pupils
425
Boys
434
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
The German School
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The German School
What is The German School's Ofsted rating?
The German School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2025.
Does The German School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in July 2025, The German School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to The German School?
The German School has around 859 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to The German School?
The German School 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.
Does The German School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: The Active Club (registered, not yet graded). There is another within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near The German School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 10 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 3 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 Richmond upon Thames is 27 (the median across 86 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The German School?
The German School is at Douglas House, Petersham Road, Richmond, Surrey, TW10 7AH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)