The Garden School

Special school · All-through, ages 4 to 18 · Mixed · Sixth form

Wordsworth Road, London, N16 8BZ

020 7254 8096 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedNo overall gradeInspected 3 December 2024
Pupils204Room for 200 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 143 in 2019, 149 in 2021, 158 in 2022, 182 in 2023, 193 in 2024, 199 in 2025, 204 in 2026. Across England, special state school pupil numbers were up 39% from 2019 to 2025.
Free school meals68%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

At the inspection that started on 3 December 2024, Ofsted graded each area separately. It stopped giving an overall grade in September 2024.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
Early yearsGood
Sixth formGood
SafeguardingEffective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

25 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025.

StatementThis schoolEngland
My child is happy at this school 80% 89%
My child feels safe at this school 72% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 76% 84%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 11 parents whose child had been bullied 27% 51%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 22 parents who had raised a concern 64% 76%
My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 25 parents of children with SEND 84% 68%
I would recommend this school to another parent 76%said yes 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 13%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

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Results

Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25

12 pupils in this year group.

0% — 76 points below the Hackney average, and 62 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolHackneyEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 76% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 17% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading 0% 83% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing 0% 82% 72%
Met the expected standard in maths 0% 82% 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 106 105

"Not published": No figure published.

Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% England 2022/23: 60%England 2023/24: 61%England 2024/25: 62% This school 2022/23: 0%This school 2023/24: 0%This school 2024/25: 0% This school England 62% 2022/23 0% 2023/24 0% 2024/25 0%

Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

10 pupils in this year group.

100% — 8 points above the Hackney average, and 8 points above the England average.

MeasureThis schoolHackneyEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 100% 92% 92%
School sixth form 0% 53% 34%
Sixth form college 0% 10% 13%
Further education college 0% 26% 37%
Apprenticeship 0% 1% 3%
Work 0% 1% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
81%100%

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. 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 Hackney. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

Admissions dates and schools in Hackney

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; Severe learning difficulties.

PupilsThis schoolHackneyEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 60.6% 63.1%* 51.9%
With an education, health and care plan 100.0% 100.0%* 99.5%
Receiving special educational needs support 0.0% 0.0%* 0.5%
English as an additional language 37.2% 34.6%* 14.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed) 9.2% 9.9%* 12.8%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 23.5% 30.0%* 35.3%
Suspensions per 100 pupils 0.0 3.2 12.3
Pupils suspended at least once 0.0% 2.4% 5.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.00% 0.08%
Pupils per teacher 7.9 6.3 6.6
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 1.5 2.0 2.3
Teachers who left during the year 30.4% 14.9%* 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

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is The Garden School's Ofsted rating?

At its inspection in 3 December 2024, Ofsted graded each area separately; it stopped giving an overall grade in September 2024.

Would parents recommend The Garden School?

76% of the 25 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025 said they would recommend The Garden School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.