Heron Academy
| Type | Special School / Academy special sponsor led |
| Age Range | 11-19 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Heron Road Herne Hill London SE24 0HZ |
| Phone | 02073265898 |
| Reference Number | 149331 |
Heron Academy is a special school for pupils with education, health and care plans, many with multiple learning needs, in an area of above-average deprivation and with a high proportion of disadvantaged pupils. Inspected in May 2026, it remains part of London South East Academies Trust and has been through significant change since converting to academy status in 2023. Safeguarding standards are met, inclusion and post-16 provision are graded strong standard, and the other areas — achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, leadership and governance, personal development and wellbeing — are all expected standard. The school is highly inclusive, with warm relationships, high expectations and strong support for wellbeing. Pupils feel safe, benefit from a carefully designed curriculum, and are well prepared for adulthood through work experience, careers guidance and community activities. Post-16 students thrive and are very well prepared for further study. Leaders know the school well and use pupil premium funding thoughtfully. Areas for further work include a small number of inconsistencies in how teaching develops pupils' learning, ensuring sanctions are applied consistently for behaviour not linked to pupils' needs, embedding quality assurance of staff professional learning, and continuing to refine welfare and learning partnerships with external professionals such as social care. Overall, this is a confident, inclusive school providing a good standard of education and care, with no urgent improvement needed.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 86 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 58.14%
Girls: 41.86% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 60% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 29.1% |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 14 | 8 | 22 |
| 8 | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| 9 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
| 10 | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| 11 | 5 | 4 | 9 |
| 12 | 6 | 4 | 10 |
| 13 | 6 | 4 | 10 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| African | 46.5% |
| White, British | 12.8% |
| Caribbean | 10.5% |
| White, Other | 8.1% |
| Asian, Other | 8.1% |
| Unclassified | 2.3% |
| White & Asian | 1.2% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.2% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Expected standard |
| > Leadership & Governance | Expected standard |
| > Personal Development & Wellbeing | Expected standard |
| > Achievement | Expected standard |
| > Attendance & Behaviour | Expected standard |
| > Curriculum & Teaching | Expected standard |
| > Inclusion | Strong standard |
| > Post-16 Provision | Strong standard |
| Last Report Date | 12 May 2026 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 12 May 2026 | School inspection |
Strengths
- Highly inclusive culture where every pupil is known, valued and supported
- High expectations for all pupils with wellbeing placed at the centre
- Strong post-16 provision with ambitious, tailored programmes and excellent student progress
- Effective use of pupil premium funding to remove barriers for disadvantaged pupils
- Pupils feel safe, attend regularly and build warm, trusting relationships with staff
- Carefully designed curriculum with clear pathways and practical, real-life learning
- Wide range of enrichment, careers and community experiences, including work experience and Duke of Edinburgh
- Strong leadership, governance and trust support with a clear improvement vision
- Effective safeguarding culture with concerns actively identified and managed
- Pupils with SEND are well supported and make progress from their starting points
- Positive behaviour, rare bullying, and calm, respectful staff responses
- Personal development and wellbeing are well supported through adapted PSHE and pastoral care
Areas for Improvement
- Small inconsistencies remain in how well teaching develops pupils' learning
- Sanctions are not always applied consistently for behaviour not related to pupils' needs
- Leaders need to continue refining approaches to pupils' learning and welfare, including partnership working with external professionals such as social care
- Quality assurance of staff professional learning is not yet fully embedded
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