St Matthew Academy is an all-through mainstream school in Lewisham, London, for children and young people aged 4 to 16. In January 2026, 165 of its 1,063 pupils (15.5%) were getting SEN support and 21 (2%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 4–16
- 1,063 pupils
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Lewisham.
15.5% get SEN support
165 of 1,063 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
2% have an EHC plan
21 of 1,063 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Speech, language and communication66
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia46
- Social, emotional and mental health39
- Autism23
- Moderate learning difficulty7
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream all-through school
- Run as
- Academy (sponsored)
- Ages
- 4 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,063 (places for 1,650)
- Headteacher
- Mr James Potter (Principal)
- Part of
- St Benedict Catholic Academy Trust
- Faith
- Roman Catholic
- Free school meals
- 34% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Lewisham
- School reference (URN)
- 135264
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Lewisham council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Graded by area, March 2025
Inspected in March 2025. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationOutstanding
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Early yearsOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
St Joseph's Vale, London, SE3 0XX
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- In Toto Ed London Independent · Ages 11–16 0.5 miles
- James Wolfe Primary School and Centre for the Deaf Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.9 miles
- The John Roan School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 1.1 miles
- The Anchor SENDfriendly Centre Independent · Ages 4–19 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.1 miles
Other mainstream schools
- John Ball Primary School Primary · Ages 2–11 · SEN support 10.6%, EHC plans 4.5% 0.3 miles
- St Margaret's Lee CofE Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 14.6%, EHC plans 1.5% 0.4 miles
- All Saints' Church of England Primary School Blackheath Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 14.3%, EHC plans 2.6% 0.4 miles
Questions about St Matthew Academy
How many pupils at St Matthew Academy have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 165 of the 1,063 pupils (15.5%) were getting SEN support and 21 (2%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at St Matthew Academy?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are speech, language and communication needs (66 pupils), dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (46 pupils) and social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (39 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at St Matthew Academy?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at St Matthew Academy?
Through Lewisham council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to St Matthew Academy?
You can ask for St Matthew Academy to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does St Matthew Academy have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is James Wolfe Primary School and Centre for the Deaf, about 0.9 miles away.
Where is St Matthew Academy?
St Joseph's Vale, London, SE3 0XX, in Lewisham.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), 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.