The Write Time, London
The Write Time is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 18 in London. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2023. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2026 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Write Time in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Write Time are Serenity School, Old Palace Croydon (0.3 miles); Carew Academy (0.7 miles); Bright Minds Creative Academy (0.7 miles, Inadequate); and The Link School (0.8 miles, Outstanding).
Serenity School, Old Palace CroydonCarew AcademyBright Minds Creative AcademyThe Link School
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at The Write Time has an education, health and care plan (59 of 59 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Wandle Park Tram Stop, about 290 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Vicarage Rd / Wandle Park Tram Stop, 140 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 1066 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Croydon (488), as is usual near a town centre.
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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 6 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
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 April 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Write Time creates a welcoming, safe learning environment where pupils feel they belong. Staff are well-trained and know their pupils exceptionally well, with a strong commitment to personal growth. The school has invested in high-quality specialist facilities and outdoor spaces, and maintains robust systems to ensure pupil wellbeing and safety.
Key Strengths
- Proprietor and leaders have high expectations focused on pupils' learning and wellbeing
- Strong team ethos with committed staff who know their pupils well
- Effective safeguarding systems with timely follow-up of concerns and robust record-keeping
- Well-maintained, spacious premises with specialist facilities including therapy rooms
- Comprehensive health and safety procedures with regular checks and risk assessments
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - leaders provide targeted support to pupils with appropriate record-keeping, work with external agencies, and staff understand their responsibilities to keep pupils safe.
The Write Time is an independent special school for pupils aged 11-18 with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school is likely to meet all relevant independent school standards if its proposed expansion is implemented.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with The Write Time
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 85
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 16
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 85 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 16 serious and 69 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.
10 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 Croydon is 54.5 (the median across 156 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
66%
Available places
59 pupils
90 places
31 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Croydon council
Places available
4,025
Applications
4,184
Got 1st preference
71.2%
Got preferred school
95.3%
All secondary applications across Croydon council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
59
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Write Time is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
59
Total Pupils
45
Boys
14
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
The Write Time
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The Write Time
What are GCSE results like at The Write Time?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for The Write Time can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is The Write Time's Ofsted rating?
The Write Time's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2026, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2023, it was rated Good.
Does The Write Time meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in September 2023, The Write Time met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to The Write Time?
The Write Time has around 59 pupils on roll.
Does The Write Time have specialist SEN provision?
The Write Time is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to The Write Time?
The Write Time 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.
How many road collisions happen near The Write Time?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 85 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 16 serious and 69 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 10 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 Croydon is 54.5 (the median across 156 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Write Time?
The Write Time is at Warrington Road, Opposite Ludford Close, London, CR0 4BH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)