Lansdowne School is a council-run special school in Lambeth, London, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. It supports vision, hearing, speech and language and 4 other needs.
- Ages 11–18
- 163 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Council special school
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 163 (places for 170)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Linda Adams (Executive Headteacher)
- Free school meals
- 78.8% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Lambeth
- School reference (URN)
- 100654
Needs it supports
8 needs: vision, hearing and 6 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in Lambeth (14)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Lambeth (7)
Cognition and learning
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in Lambeth (6)
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Lambeth (9)
Sensory and physical
- Hearing impairment Other schools for this in Lambeth (5)
- Visual impairment Other schools for this in Lambeth (3)
- Physical disability Other schools for this in Lambeth (3)
It also lists other needs. Ask the school what these are.
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 Lambeth 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, February 2026: Expected standard in 4 of 7 areas
Inspected in February 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- Post-16Strong standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- SafeguardingMet
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, November 2021).
Contact and getting there
49 Combermere Road, London, SW9 9QD
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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
- Larkhall Primary Campus Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.5 miles
- Allen Edwards Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.5 miles
- Hill Mead Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Requires improvement 0.6 miles
By need in Lambeth: Autism (15) · SEMH (10) · Speech and language (8) · Moderate learning (7) · PMLD (6) · Hearing (6) · Severe learning (5) · Dyslexia and SpLD (5) · Vision (4) · Physical (4) · Multi-sensory (3)
Questions about Lansdowne School
How do I get a place at Lansdowne 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 Lansdowne School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Lansdowne School support?
Visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication, autism, social, emotional and mental health, physical disability and moderate learning difficulty. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Lansdowne School take?
Aged 11 to 18, boys and girls.
What is Lansdowne School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in February 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 Lansdowne School?
49 Combermere Road, London, SW9 9QD, in Lambeth.
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.