Vanguard School, London
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Vanguard School excels at creating a safe, caring community where pupils with autism feel genuinely valued and belong. The school offers an ambitious curriculum comparable to mainstream education, combined with excellent support for developing life skills - pupils benefit from work experience with local theatres and employers, and most sixth-form students successfully transition to further education or employment.
Key Strengths
- Ambitious curriculum designed to match mainstream breadth with formal qualifications like GCSE and BTEC -
- Effective teaching in most subjects resulting in good pupil engagement and achievement -
- Strong focus on reading development with multiple opportunities throughout the school day -
- Excellent sixth-form guidance with most students progressing to education, employment or training -
- Positive relationships between staff and pupils, creating a safe and supportive culture
Areas for Improvement
- Some subjects lack detailed curriculum plans about what pupils should learn and in what order -
- Leaders need to better communicate their vision and progress to staff and parents to build shared understanding -
- Some staff feel behaviour management needs further development
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff being vigilant and supervising pupils closely while maintaining positive relationships.
Extracurricular Activities
Basketball, drumming, work experience with local theatres and employers, student executive team
Vanguard School is a special school for pupils aged 11-19 with autism spectrum disorder that has made significant improvements following a period of leadership disruption. The school now provides a caring, supportive environment where pupils work hard and show positive attitudes to learning.
At a Glance
55.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
14 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
0.0
Avg class size
0
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
91%
Near capacity
71 pupils
78 capacity
7 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for London
Admissions Demand - Lambeth
Places available
2,421
Applications
2,225
Got 1st preference
64.1%
Got preferred school
92.4%
Secondary admissions across Lambeth (2025/26)
Inspection History(2)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
Pupil Absence2024/25
17.56706%
Overall absence
50.84746%
Persistent absence
59
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Vanguard School
Archbishop Sumner Church of England Primary School
Walnut Tree Walk Primary School
Vauxhall Primary School
Keyworth Primary School
St Jude's Church of England Primary School
Crampton Primary
Henry Fawcett Primary School
St George's Cathedral Catholic Primary School
St Anne's Catholic Primary School
St Mark's Church of England Primary School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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