Vale School, London
Vale School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 16 in London. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2012)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Vale School in detail
Vale School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I'm delighted to welcome you to Vale School. We are a specialist provision situated across three sites and offering provision for a wide variety of special educational needs."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Vale School are The Brook Special Primary School (1.1 miles, Outstanding); Lime Academy Hornbeam (1.4 miles, Good); West Lea School (1.4 miles, Outstanding); and Riverside School (1.6 miles, Good).
The Brook Special Primary SchoolLime Academy HornbeamWest Lea SchoolRiverside School
What parents say
17 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Vale School (as of September 2025): 82% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 10 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 70% to a further education college.
Who goes there
45.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 43.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (35%), Mixed (17%) and White British (14%).
Almost every pupil at Vale School has an education, health and care plan (128 of 130 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Vale School provides for pupils with other difficulties or disabilities, speech, language and communication needs, autism, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is White Hart Lane Rail Station, about 520 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Gillham Terrace, 120 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Vale School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Vale School issued 5 suspensions, 4.2 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; 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 September 2012, 14 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school has improved significantly.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Vale School creates a nurturing environment where every child is valued and supported to thrive. Staff are highly skilled at tailoring teaching to individual needs, with a particular strength in developing communication skills and building confidence. The school successfully combines academic learning with pastoral care, helping pupils develop emotional resilience and a genuine sense of belonging.
Key Strengths
- Pupils are valued and thrive in a compassionate, supportive environment where they are happy and achieve highly
- Ambitious, well-structured curriculum tailored to individual needs with strong emphasis on communication skills and knowledge building
- Exceptional behaviour supported by clear routines and strong relationships, creating a calm and purposeful learning environment
- High-quality personal development programme that helps pupils manage emotions, build independence and develop resilience
- Comprehensive careers education that nurtures pupils' confidence and ambitious goals for their future
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective in keeping pupils safe and supporting their wellbeing.
Extracurricular Activities
School council roles, social skills sessions, reading programmes, careers education
Vale School is a special school for pupils aged 2-16 with profound and multiple learning difficulties. Evidence suggests the school's work has improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection.
At a Glance
45.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Other, Speech and language, Autism +4
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
17 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Vale School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Vale School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Vale School is in Haringey; for families living there:
Apply to Haringey for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 130
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 15
- Children hurt
- 13
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 130 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 15 serious and 114 slight.
13 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 9 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
22 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 Haringey is 119 (the median across 97 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
108%
Over capacity
130 pupils
120 places
10 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Haringey council
Places available
2,574
Applications
2,285
Got 1st preference
76.8%
Got preferred school
96.9%
All secondary applications across Haringey council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
2
SEN Support
128
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Vale School provides for pupils with other difficulties or disabilities, speech, language and communication needs, autism, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, 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
130
Total Pupils
76
Boys
54
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
8.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£69,987
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
19.2%
Overall absence
58.4%
Persistent absence
113
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Vale School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Vale School
What are GCSE results like at Vale School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Vale School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 2.5. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Vale School's Ofsted rating?
Vale School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2012, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Vale School?
No fixed boundary. When Vale School is oversubscribed, Haringey allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Vale School?
Vale School has around 130 pupils on roll. 45% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Vale School have specialist SEN provision?
Vale School provides for pupils with other difficulties or disabilities, speech, language and communication needs, autism, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Vale School?
19.2% of sessions were missed at Vale School in 2024/25. 58.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Vale School?
Apply through Haringey's coordinated admissions process, naming Vale 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 Vale School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 130 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 15 serious and 114 slight. 13 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 9 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 22 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 Haringey is 119 (the median across 97 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Vale School?
Vale School is at Trulock Road, London, N17 0PG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)