Vanguard School, London
Vanguard School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in London, part of Liberty Academy Trust Ltd.. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Vanguard School in detail
Vanguard School in its own words
In its own words: "Welcome to Vanguard School, part of Liberty Trust. We are a specialist school for Autistic pupils aged from 11 to 19. We provide a learning experience that enables our students to achieve the best outcomes. At Vanguard School, pupils access a curriculum that includes three domains; personal, social and academic delivered through three pathways that match pupils cognitive ability."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Vanguard School are Octavia House Schools, London (under 0.1 miles); The Park College (0.5 miles, Good); Evelina Hospital School (0.6 miles, Outstanding); and Elevated Futures Education (0.6 miles).
Octavia House Schools, LondonThe Park CollegeEvelina Hospital SchoolElevated Futures Education
The trust
Vanguard School is one of 3 schools run by Liberty Academy Trust Ltd., an academy trust.
What parents say
14 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Vanguard School (as of September 2025): 14% would recommend the school, 36% say their child is happy there and 0% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (36%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).
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 20% to a further education college.
Who goes there
56.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 23.9% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Vanguard School has an education, health and care plan (71 of 71 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Getting there
The nearest Underground station is Kennington Underground Station, about 530 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Fitzalan Street, 70 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 2185 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and theft from the person. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Lambeth (1302), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Vanguard School issued 14 suspensions, 22.2 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 · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
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
56.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
14 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Vanguard School
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Vanguard School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Vanguard School is in Lambeth; for families living there:
- Lambeth's school travel policy: Home to school transport policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 133
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 33
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 133 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 33 serious and 99 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot.
29 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 Lambeth is 142.5 (the median across 102 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
91%
Near capacity
71 pupils
78 places
7 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Lambeth council
Places available
2,111
Applications
2,198
Got 1st preference
61.4%
Got preferred school
91.2%
All secondary applications across Lambeth council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
71
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
71
Total Pupils
57
Boys
14
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
6.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£42,989
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
17.6%
Overall absence
50.8%
Persistent absence
59
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
Vanguard School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Vanguard School
What are GCSE results like at Vanguard School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Vanguard School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 9.3. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Vanguard School's Ofsted rating?
Vanguard School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Vanguard School?
No fixed boundary. When Vanguard School is oversubscribed, Lambeth allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Vanguard School?
Vanguard School has around 71 pupils on roll. 56% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Vanguard School?
17.6% of sessions were missed at Vanguard School in 2024/25. 50.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Vanguard School?
Apply through Lambeth's coordinated admissions process, naming Vanguard 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 Vanguard School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 133 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 33 serious and 99 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot. 29 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 Lambeth is 142.5 (the median across 102 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Vanguard School?
Vanguard School is at Lollard Street, Kennington, London, SE11 6QH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)