Samuel Rhodes MLD School is a council-run special school in Islington, London, for children and young people aged 11 to 19. It supports moderate learning.
- Ages 11–19
- 130 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Council special school
- Ages
- 11 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 130 (places for 140)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Cerys Normanton (Headteacher)
- Free school meals
- 72.8% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Islington
- School reference (URN)
- 100469
Needs it supports
1 need: moderate learning
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Cognition and learning
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in Islington (1)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Islington council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Report card, May 2026: Strong standard in 6 of 7 areas
Inspected in May 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
- AchievementStrong standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingExceptional
- Post-16Strong standard
- Leadership and governanceStrong standard
- SafeguardingMet
Since then: School remains Outstanding (ungraded inspection, May 2022).
Contact and getting there
11 Highbury New Park, London, N5 2EG
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- The Courtyard Islington Special school · Ages 13–19 · Ofsted: Good 0.5 miles
- Laycock Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.5 miles
- New River College Secondary Alternative provision · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 0.7 miles
By need in Islington: Autism (4) · PMLD (3) · Speech and language (2) · Moderate learning (2)
Questions about Samuel Rhodes MLD School
How do I get a place at Samuel Rhodes MLD School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Samuel Rhodes MLD School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Samuel Rhodes MLD School support?
Moderate learning difficulty. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Samuel Rhodes MLD School take?
Aged 11 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Samuel Rhodes MLD School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in May 2026 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is Samuel Rhodes MLD School?
11 Highbury New Park, London, N5 2EG, in Islington.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.