Waterside School, London
Waterside School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2023.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Waterside School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Waterside School are The Anchor Sendfriendly Centre (0.6 miles); Willow Dene School (1 mile, Outstanding); ADO River Valley School (1.1 miles, Good); and Charlton Park Academy (1.6 miles, Good).
The Anchor Sendfriendly CentreWillow Dene SchoolADO River Valley SchoolCharlton Park Academy
Who goes there
77.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 2.2% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (64%), Mixed (18%) and Black (16%).
Almost every pupil at Waterside School has an education, health and care plan (44 of 45 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Waterside School provides for pupils with autism and social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Plumstead Rail Station, about 400 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Robert Street / Plumstead (->e), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Waterside School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 918 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Greenwich (458), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Waterside School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its May 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
77.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Autism, SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 45% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 45% to 27% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 18% to 36% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Waterside School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Waterside School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Waterside School is in Greenwich; for families living there:
Apply to Greenwich for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 59
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 59 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 4 serious and 54 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
12 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 Greenwich is 52 (the median across 108 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
94%
Near capacity
45 pupils
48 places
3 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Greenwich council
Places available
2,893
Applications
3,054
Got 1st preference
60.2%
Got preferred school
88.2%
All secondary applications across Greenwich council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
1
SEN Support
44
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Waterside School provides for pupils with autism and social, emotional and mental health needs.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
45
Total Pupils
38
Boys
7
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
3.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£68,563
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
14.1%
Overall absence
54.5%
Persistent absence
44
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Questions parents ask about Waterside School
What are SATs results like at Waterside School?
Of the pupils at Waterside School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 45% reached the expected standard in reading and 27% did so in maths.
What is Waterside School's Ofsted rating?
Waterside School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2012 it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Waterside School?
No fixed boundary. When Waterside School is oversubscribed, Greenwich allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Waterside School?
Waterside School has around 45 pupils on roll. 78% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Waterside School have specialist SEN provision?
Waterside School provides for pupils with autism and social, emotional and mental health needs.
What is attendance like at Waterside School?
14.1% of sessions were missed at Waterside School in 2024/25. 54.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Waterside School?
Apply through Greenwich's coordinated admissions process, naming Waterside 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 Waterside School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 59 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 4 serious and 54 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 12 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 Greenwich is 52 (the median across 108 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Waterside School?
Waterside School is at Robert Street, London, SE18 7NB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)