SCHOOL PROFILE

Cherry Garden School

Not applicable Community special school URN 100881
Open
Pupils 8,834,192 Latest school census
Capacity 113 Published school capacity
Capacity used 99.1% Pupils as a share of capacity
Age range 2 – 11 Statutory age range
OFSTED

Latest ungraded inspection

18 December 2024
Latest published outcome Standards maintained
SCHOOL DETAILS

About this school

School type Community special school
Phase Not applicable
Gender Mixed
Religious character Does not apply
Local authority Southwark
Trust Not applicable
Census date 15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE

School community

Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.

2025/26
Total pupils 112 110 full-time · 2 part-time
Female pupils 48 42.9% of pupils
Male pupils 64 57.1% of pupils

Free school meals

Pupils eligible for free school meals.

59.8%
35.0 pts above England
School 59.8%
Southwark 35.7%
London 26.3%
England 24.8%

English as an additional language

Pupils whose first language is not English.

28.6%
8.3 pts above England
School 28.6%
Southwark 27.8%
London 39.2%
England 20.3%

Young carers

Pupils recorded as young carers.

0.0%
1.0 pts below England
School 0.0%
Southwark 0.3%
London 0.5%
England 1.0%

Ethnicity

Largest recorded pupil groups.

African
41.1%
46
White British
14.3%
16
Any other Mixed background
6.3%
7
Any other White background
6.3%
7
Any other ethnic group
5.4%
6
Caribbean
5.4%
6
Council, regional and national comparisons are pupil-weighted using published school census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS

Special educational needs

Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.

2025/26
Pupils with SEN 100.0% 112 of 112 pupils
79.2 pts above England England: 20.8%
School 100.0%
Southwark 22.5%
London 19.8%
England 20.8%
SEN support 0.0% 0 pupils
England 14.8% 14.8 pts below
EHC plans 100.0% 112 pupils
England 6.0% 94.0 pts above
PRIMARY NEEDS

Most common identified needs

Pupils
Severe learning difficulty 45
Autistic spectrum disorder 26
Profound & multiple learning difficulty 25
Speech, language & communication 10
Physical disability 3

SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Key stage 2 outcomes

Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.

2024/25
EXPECTED STANDARD

Reading, writing & maths

0.0% 60.4 pts below England
School 0.0%
Southwark 65.8%
London 67.9%
England 60.4%
EXPECTED STANDARD

Reading

0.0%

73.8 pts below England

School 0.0%
Southwark 76.4%
London 78.2%
England 73.8%
EXPECTED STANDARD

Writing

0.0%

70.3 pts below England

School 0.0%
Southwark 74.3%
London 75.1%
England 70.3%
EXPECTED STANDARD

Maths

0.0%

72.0 pts below England

School 0.0%
Southwark 75.0%
London 77.7%
England 72.0%
School results show the percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard. Council, regional and national comparisons are averages of published school-level percentages and are not pupil-weighted official attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE

Attendance profile

Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.

2024/25
ABSENCE RATE

Overall absence

17.39%

Percentage of possible sessions missed.

11.17 pts higher than England
School 17.39%
Southwark 6.56%
London 6.38%
England 6.22%
ABSENCE RATE

Persistent absence

56.98%

Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.

41.16 pts higher than England
School 56.98%
Southwark 18.21%
London 17.60%
England 15.82%
ABSENCE RATE

Severe absence

9.30%

Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.

7.50 pts higher than England
School 9.30%
Southwark 2.04%
London 1.67%
England 1.80%
Council, regional and national comparisons are averages of published school-level percentages rather than pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

School context

Comparison with open not applicable schools.

CAPACITY

Capacity utilisation

99.1% 19.3 pts above England
Cherry Garden School
99.1%
Southwark
83.6%
London
75.9%
England
79.8%
Benchmarks use open schools in the same phase. Capacity utilisation is calculated from published pupil and capacity figures.
Sources: Department for Education · Get Information about Schools · Ofsted monthly management information