Lift Richmond Park is a mainstream secondary school in Richmond upon Thames, London, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. In January 2026, 157 of its 1,046 pupils (15%) were getting SEN support and 36 (3.4%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–18
- 1,046 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Richmond upon Thames.
15% get SEN support
157 of 1,046 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
3.4% have an EHC plan
36 of 1,046 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
About the same as the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health81
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia46
- Speech, language and communication20
- Autism17
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
- 1,046 (places for 1,100)
- Headteacher
- Mr James Whelan (Principal)
- Part of
- Lift Schools
- Free school meals
- 31.5% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Richmond upon Thames
- School reference (URN)
- 136208
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 Richmond upon Thames 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, December 2017; school remains Good (December 2022)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in December 2017. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, December 2022).
Contact and getting there
Park Avenue, London, SW14 8RG
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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
- Roehampton Gate School Independent · Ages 7–19 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.3 miles
- The Alton School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.7 miles
- Granard Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.2 miles
- Burlington House School Independent · Ages 7–21 2.0 miles
Other mainstream schools
- East Sheen Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 11.8%, EHC plans 3.2% 0.2 miles
- St Mary Magdalen's Catholic Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 15.1%, EHC plans 4.6% 0.4 miles
- Thomson House School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 8.2%, EHC plans 1.6% 0.5 miles
All mainstream schools in Richmond upon Thames SEND schools in Richmond upon Thames
Questions about Lift Richmond Park
How many pupils at Lift Richmond Park have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 157 of the 1,046 pupils (15%) were getting SEN support and 36 (3.4%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Lift Richmond Park?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (81 pupils), dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (46 pupils) and speech, language and communication needs (20 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Lift Richmond Park?
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 Lift Richmond Park?
Through Richmond upon Thames 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 Lift Richmond Park?
You can ask for Lift Richmond Park 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 Lift Richmond Park 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 The Alton School, about 0.7 miles away.
Where is Lift Richmond Park?
Park Avenue, London, SW14 8RG, in Richmond upon Thames.
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.