Urban Mission School, LONDON
Urban Mission School is an independent school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in London. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Urban Mission School in detail
Urban Mission School in its own words
In its own words: "We’re not your average school. The first thing you’ll notice, is that UMS is much smaller than most schools. So, it’s easy to find your way around and get to know the other students and staff. Our classes are small so you child will not be competing with lots of other pupils for attention."
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am delighted to welcome you to Urban Mission School and to share with you the opportunities we offer. We are a warm, supportive, and inclusive community welcoming pupils of all backgrounds and abilities."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Urban Mission School are Heath House Preparatory School (1.1 miles); Education-My Life Matters (1.1 miles, Good); Blackheath Prep (1.4 miles, selective); and St Dunstan's College (1.5 miles, selective).
Heath House Preparatory SchoolEducation-My Life MattersBlackheath PrepSt Dunstan's College
Who goes there
In 2026, 4 pupils (28.6%) received SEN support and 10 (71.4%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Lewisham Station, about 140 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).
19 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lewisham Station / Loampit Vale, 60 metres away.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year 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 July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Urban Mission excels at creating a welcoming, caring environment where every pupil feels safe and supported. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and teach in ways pupils can understand, helping them build confidence and independence. The school is ambitious for pupils' futures, preparing them well for their next steps through quality guidance, work experience, and teaching practical life skills like budgeting.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on literacy and mathematics with well-supported reading programme and library facilities
- Teachers have secure subject knowledge and effectively check pupils' understanding
- Excellent pastoral care with clear behaviour expectations and calm, orderly environment
- Comprehensive personal development including healthy relationships, online safety, and visits to different places of worship
- Staff well-trained and supported with good parent-school communication
Areas for Improvement
- Some curriculum areas lack clearly identified detailed knowledge and vocabulary, particularly for older pupils in Years 10 and 11
- Limited frequency of extra-curricular activities and opportunities to develop pupils' talents and interests beyond the curriculum
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with pupils knowing who to go to with concerns and confident they will be listened to.
Extracurricular Activities
Theme park outings, gallery visits, museum visits, swimming, golf
Urban Mission School is a good independent school that caters for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, aged 11 to 16. The school provides a welcoming environment where pupils develop personal skills alongside academic qualifications to prepare them for their future.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Urban Mission School
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 234
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 41
- Children hurt
- 16
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 234 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 41 serious and 192 slight.
16 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 10 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.
45 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 Lewisham is 75 (the median across 98 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
78%
Available places
14 pupils
18 places
4 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - LONDON
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for LONDON
Across Lewisham council
Places available
2,238
Applications
2,828
Got 1st preference
63.5%
Got preferred school
91.4%
All secondary applications across Lewisham council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
4
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
14
Total Pupils
8
Boys
6
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Urban Mission School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Urban Mission School
What is Urban Mission School's Ofsted rating?
Urban Mission School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2025.
Does Urban Mission School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in July 2025, Urban Mission School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Urban Mission School?
Urban Mission School has around 14 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Urban Mission School?
Urban Mission 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.
How many road collisions happen near Urban Mission School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 234 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 41 serious and 192 slight. 16 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 10 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 45 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 Lewisham is 75 (the median across 98 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Urban Mission School?
Urban Mission School is at 1 Cornmill Lane, Elmira Street, LONDON, SE13 7FY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)