SchoolScoresLakeside School
Special school · All-through, ages 2 to 19 · Mixed · Nursery class · Sixth form
Lemsford Lane, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6YN
01707 327410 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at the inspection that started on 2 October 2013.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Outstanding |
| Outcomes for pupils | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 19 July 2023: Ofsted found the school was still Outstanding.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
Results
Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25
10 pupils in this year group.
0% — 64 points below the Hertfordshire average, and 62 points below the England average.
| Measure | This school | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 0% | 64% | 62% |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | 0% | 11% | 8% |
| Met the expected standard in reading | 0% | 79% | 75% |
| Met the expected standard in writing | 0% | 73% | 72% |
| Met the expected standard in maths | 0% | 76% | 74% |
| Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | Not published | 107 | 106 |
| Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | Not published | 105 | 105 |
"Not published": No figure published.
Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Hertfordshire. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.
Pupils, staff and SEND
This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round. It caters for: Autism; Social, emotional and mental health needs; Multi-sensory impairment; Physical disability; Severe learning difficulties; Profound and multiple learning difficulties.
| Pupils | This school | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years | 31.3% | 44.3%* | 51.9% |
| With an education, health and care plan | 100.0% | 99.4%* | 99.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support | 0.0% | 0.6%* | 0.5% |
| English as an additional language | 21.4% | 13.5%* | 14.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) | 10.7% | 12.7%* | 12.8% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) | 36.7% | 34.2%* | 35.3% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.9 | 19.0 | 12.3 |
| Pupils suspended at least once | 0.9% | 7.3% | 5.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded1 pupil | 0.89% | 0.22% | 0.08% |
| Pupils per teacher | 8.5 | 5.7 | 6.6 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.3 |
| Teachers who left during the year | 7.4% | 15.3%* | 14.3%* |
Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).
Nearby special schools
- James Marks Academy 2.0 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 7 strong
- Knightsfield School 2.2 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2014), confirmed 2024 · 10% grade 5+ English and maths
- Southfield School 2.3 miles · Ofsted: Good (2012), confirmed, may be improving 2024 · 0% met expected standard (KS2)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Lakeside School's Ofsted rating?
Lakeside School was rated Outstanding by Ofsted at its inspection in 2 October 2013. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 19 July 2023, Ofsted found the school was still Outstanding.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 117680.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Results: DfE school performance tables, Key stage 2 2024/25.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.