The Limes College, Sutton
The Limes College is an all-through school for pupils aged 5 to 16 in Sutton, part of Alternative Learning Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2023.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Limes College in detail
The Limes College in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "This site is designed to share with you some of the work we do; however, if you would like to know more, please come and visit. We operate an open-door policy and work with people from all agencies and areas of the community."
Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 14 April 2027 and an open day on Tuesday 20 April 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Sutton
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at The Limes College
Across Sutton, 69% of families were offered their first-choice secondary school for 2026 entry, and 96% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Sutton lodged 187 appeals against secondary school offers; 169 reached a hearing and 9 succeeded (5.3% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to The Limes College are Sutton Grammar School (0.5 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 82.6); Cheam High School (0.7 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 53.1); Overton Grange School (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.3); and Greenshaw High School (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 56.5).
Sutton Grammar SchoolCheam High SchoolOverton Grange SchoolGreenshaw High School
The trust
The Limes College is one of 7 schools run by Alternative Learning Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 30 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 50% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 50% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 13% into work.
Who goes there
62.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 53 pupils (86.9%) received SEN support and 8 (13.1%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
The Limes College has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs and social, emotional and mental health needs: 16 places, 16 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is West Sutton Rail Station, about 290 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is West Sutton, 330 metres away.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to The Limes College are Robin Hood Infants' School (under 0.1 miles), Robin Hood Junior School (0.2 miles), Manor Park Primary Academy (0.6 miles) and Westbourne Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Robin Hood Infants' SchoolRobin Hood Junior SchoolManor Park Primary AcademyWestbourne Primary School
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
62.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Speech and language, SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby all-through schools
Latest from The Limes College
Great British Summer Savings
14 Jul 2026
Important Message Update Free School Meal Vouchers
22 Jun 2026
Alternative Learning Trust (ALT) - The Limes College - Significant Change consultation - Wednesday 16th of October 2024
7 Oct 2024
Quality in Careers Standard
21 May 2024
Careers Podcast Channel is back!
29 Apr 2024
Studybugs
28 Mar 2024
From The Limes College's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with The Limes College
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Limes College.
- Let's Leap @ Homefield Preparatory School300m away · Not yet graded
- Orchard Childcare @ Homefield Prep300m away · Not yet graded
- StudyBox Sutton310m away · Not yet graded
- Sutton Out of School Club330m away · Not yet graded
- Ace Learning - Sutton High School500m away · Not yet graded
- Benhilton Kids Zone960m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Limes College from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Limes College is in Sutton; for families living there:
Apply to Sutton for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 46
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 11
- Children hurt
- 14
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 46 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 11 serious and 35 slight.
14 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 9 in a vehicle or otherwise.
8 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 Sutton is 39 (the median across 74 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
31%
Available places
61 pupils
200 places
139 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Sutton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sutton
Across Sutton council
Places available
3,505
Applications
2,870
Got 1st preference
69.5%
Got preferred school
95.7%
All secondary applications across Sutton council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
53
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Limes College has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs and social, emotional and mental health needs: 16 places, 16 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
61
Total Pupils
31
Boys
30
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
3.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£59,239
Mean salary
2026 data
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
The Limes College
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The Limes College
What is The Limes College's Ofsted rating?
The Limes College was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2015 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for The Limes College?
No fixed boundary. When The Limes College is oversubscribed, Sutton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Limes College?
The Limes College has around 61 pupils on roll. 62% are eligible for free school meals.
Does The Limes College have specialist SEN provision?
The Limes College has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs and social, emotional and mental health needs: 16 places, 16 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to The Limes College?
Apply through Sutton's coordinated admissions process, naming The Limes College 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.
Does The Limes College have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 6 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of The Limes College: Let's Leap @ Homefield Preparatory School (300m away, registered, not yet graded), Orchard Childcare @ Homefield Prep (300m away, registered, not yet graded) and StudyBox Sutton (310m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near The Limes College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 46 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 11 serious and 35 slight. 14 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 9 in a vehicle or otherwise. 8 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 Sutton is 39 (the median across 74 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Limes College?
The Limes College is at Sutton West Centre, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 2SD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)