The Hamlet School, London
The Hamlet School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Hamlet School in detail
The Hamlet School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "We hope that it will provide you with an understanding of the role of our school and how hard the staff and children work to ensure that all children reach their potential. Visiting the school is, however, by far the best way to appreciate our strengths."
The school runs after-school care.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Hamlet School are Beatrice Tate School (0.8 miles, Outstanding); Onelab College (1 mile); Phoenix School (1.1 miles, Outstanding); and Phoenix Autism Trust (1.1 miles, Good).
Beatrice Tate SchoolOnelab CollegePhoenix SchoolPhoenix Autism Trust
Who goes there
40.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 61.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (66%), Black (12%) and White British (8%).
Almost every pupil at The Hamlet School has an education, health and care plan (93 of 93 in 2026). The most common need among them is a profound and multiple learning difficulty.
The Hamlet School provides for pupils with visual impairment, hearing impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Limehouse, about 180 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lowell Street, 170 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Hamlet School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
The Hamlet School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from March 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Stephen Hawking School excels at creating a joyful, supportive environment where pupils with complex needs thrive. The school offers a broad curriculum covering art, music, humanities and core subjects, all tailored to each child's abilities and needs. Pupils benefit from access to therapists, health staff, exciting trips and activities that celebrate diversity and prepare them well for their future.
Key Strengths
- Pupils are joyful and engaged, with excellent behaviour and strong relationships between staff and pupils
- Ambitious, pupil-centred curriculum tailored to individual needs with communication and language at its heart
- Rich provision for personal development including arts, sports, culture, trips and residential experiences
- Coordinated team of therapists and health staff working with teachers to support pupil progress
- High attendance and rigorous support to minimise absences despite many pupils having complex health needs
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff showing detailed understanding of each pupil's complex needs and vulnerabilities.
Extracurricular Activities
Art, music, humanities subjects, physiotherapy programmes, hydrotherapy, trampoline exercises, bicycles and tricycles, disability sports activities, partnerships with national orchestras, trips to Young V&A Museum, visits to local waterways and green spaces, residential trips to outdoor centres
Stephen Hawking School is a special school for pupils aged 2-11 with complex needs that has maintained outstanding standards. Pupils are happy, engaged and benefit from a carefully tailored curriculum supported by therapists and health professionals.
At a Glance
40.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Vision, Hearing, Multi-sensory +3
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
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 Hamlet School
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Hamlet School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Hamlet School is in Tower Hamlets; for families living there:
Apply to Tower Hamlets for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 229
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 38
- Children hurt
- 11
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 229 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 38 serious and 190 slight.
11 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise.
35 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 Tower Hamlets is 231 (the median across 115 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
89%
Available places
93 pupils
104 places
11 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Tower Hamlets council
Places available
3,059
Applications
2,716
Got 1st preference
79.1%
Got preferred school
96.6%
All secondary applications across Tower Hamlets council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
93
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Hamlet School provides for pupils with visual impairment, hearing impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
93
Total Pupils
53
Boys
40
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
5.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£66,327
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
20.5%
Overall absence
65.4%
Persistent absence
78
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Questions parents ask about The Hamlet School
What are SATs results like at The Hamlet School?
Of the pupils at The Hamlet 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 Hamlet School's Ofsted rating?
The Hamlet School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for The Hamlet School?
No fixed boundary. When The Hamlet School is oversubscribed, Tower Hamlets allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Hamlet School?
The Hamlet School has around 93 pupils on roll. 41% are eligible for free school meals.
Does The Hamlet School have specialist SEN provision?
The Hamlet School provides for pupils with visual impairment, hearing impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at The Hamlet School?
20.5% of sessions were missed at The Hamlet School in 2024/25. 65.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Hamlet School?
Apply through Tower Hamlets's coordinated admissions process, naming The Hamlet 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 Hamlet School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 229 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 38 serious and 190 slight. 11 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise. 35 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 Tower Hamlets is 231 (the median across 115 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Hamlet School?
The Hamlet School is at Brunton Place, London, E14 7LL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)