Ark Walworth Academy is a mainstream secondary school in Southwark, London, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. In January 2026, 156 of its 973 pupils (16%) were getting SEN support and 25 (2.6%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–18
- 973 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Southwark.
16% get SEN support
156 of 973 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
2.6% have an EHC plan
25 of 973 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Speech, language and communication46
- Autism37
- Social, emotional and mental health35
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia21
- Moderate learning difficulty15
- Visual impairment5
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 secondary school
- Run as
- Academy (sponsored)
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 973 (places for 1,200)
- Headteacher
- Ms Jessica West (Principal)
- Part of
- Ark Schools
- Free school meals
- 70.6% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Southwark
- School reference (URN)
- 135315
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 Southwark 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
Rated Good, October 2014; school remains Good (November 2023)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in October 2014. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formGood
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, November 2023).
Contact and getting there
Shorncliffe Road, London, SE1 5UJ
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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
- Tuke School Special school · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.5 miles
- Spa School, Bermondsey Special school · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted: Good 0.5 miles
- Kintore Way Nursery School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–4 · Ofsted: Outstanding 0.5 miles
- Robert Browning Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted report card (2025) 0.6 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Oasis Academy Surrey Square Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 17.6%, EHC plans 6.8% 0.2 miles
- Michael Faraday School Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 24.9%, EHC plans 2.1% 0.4 miles
- South Bank University Academy Secondary · Ages 11–19 · SEN support 11.4%, EHC plans 3.7% 0.4 miles
All mainstream schools in Southwark SEND schools in Southwark
Questions about Ark Walworth Academy
How many pupils at Ark Walworth Academy have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 156 of the 973 pupils (16%) were getting SEN support and 25 (2.6%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Ark Walworth Academy?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are speech, language and communication needs (46 pupils), autism (37 pupils) and social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (35 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Ark Walworth 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 Ark Walworth Academy?
Through Southwark 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 Ark Walworth Academy?
You can ask for Ark Walworth 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 Ark Walworth 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 Kintore Way Nursery School, about 0.5 miles away.
Where is Ark Walworth Academy?
Shorncliffe Road, London, SE1 5UJ, in Southwark.
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.