Landon School Harmondsworth

Inspection of Landon School Harmondsworth Aviation House, Harmondsworth Lane, Harmondsworth Village, West Drayton UB7 0LQ

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils have experienced difficulties accessing education before attending Landon. Here, they settle quickly in this caring, calm and happy school. The school’s name means ‘long hill’. Staff work together brilliantly to help each pupil manage all parts of their educational journey and build the resilience they need to manage the ‘long hills’ and tricky times. Individualised support makes a significant and considerable difference to pupils’ lives. As a result, pupils are very well prepared for their next steps, including life after Landon.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school prioritises wider enrichment activities that will support families outside of school to manage everyday life experiences. For example, the school’s in-house ‘shop’ provides a valuable opportunity to help pupils’ development. Pupils bring their wallets to help them choose and buy their snack items each day. Pupils particularly enjoy that the till is a real one, like those they see in the supermarkets outside school. This helps them to tolerate new sounds and to use their money. Pupils also use their communication systems, such as visuals, to request items from the shop and to answer questions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum and associated activities are designed to keep pupils’ safety and well-being in mind. For example, they support pupils to learn about finance and keeping their money and personal belongings safe.

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better?

Those responsible for leadership and governance have constructed an offer that is highly effective at supporting its pupils. The quality and precision of leaders’ work have a significant impact on achievement, behaviour and wider development. Leaders have ensured the school fully meets the independent school standards. The work of the school not only starts pupils on their journey to be part of society, and life in modern Britain, but it also supports families to be part of their children’s journeys too.

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better?

Pupils follow one of the school’s three curriculum ‘pathways’. These are ambitious and aligned well to pupils’ needs and interests. Whatever the pathway, the school ensures that therapists, teachers and support staff all work together to provide pupils with what they need to reach the goals and targets, set out in their education, health and care (EHC) plan and personalised learning plan (PLP).

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better?

The school is highly inclusive, and staff know pupils and their families well. The coherently designed and sequenced curriculum skilfully identifies what each pupil needs and when. It is focused on preparing pupils for future learning by teaching them to communicate. This includes the use of pictures and symbols to build awareness and enable requests. Checking each pupil’s progress through the curriculum, and their PLP, is also carefully woven through. This is shared with professionals and parents to make sure pupils achieve success. 8 to 10 July 2025 Staff are highly skilled at supporting pupils as they learn and play. They respond to ongoing needs extremely well, using their expertise to precisely develop pupils’ different areas of learning. For example, staff intervene at just the right time to support pupils’ communication; they know when to step aside and allow for independence. Communication methods are used seamlessly to ensure that pupils’

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better?

voices are heard, and their ideas are considered.

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better?

The school’s reading programme is used expertly to support pupils on their journey to becoming communicators, readers and writers. At whatever stage they are at, pupils get the chance to listen, interact with, and get involved with different stories and texts. The school adapts these texts skilfully to ensure that everyone can take part. Daily opportunities to recap and revisit prior learning, including through stories, rhymes and key texts, help to build pupils’ understanding of vocabulary.

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better?

Staff know exactly how to support pupils to manage their feelings and emotions. They help each pupil to relate to others in an appropriate way. For instance, pupils make and sustain friendships, while others learn how to play alongside their peers. Play and learning activities are used effectively to develop pupils’ social skills. For example, pupils enjoy swimming activities and chances to solve problems in a range of real-life situations. Regular observations and discussions around pupils’ behaviour and emotions enable staff to adjust their support appropriately. This helps pupils to calm down, relax and get back on track when needed.

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better?

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They appreciate the support they get to manage their workload and well-being. The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 8 to 10 July 2025

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School details

Unique reference number 150995 DfE registration number 312/6008

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School details

Inspection number 10395734 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £67,000 to £77,000

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 8 to 10 July 2025

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Information about this school

 The school is a specialised independent day school located in Harmondsworth. It caters for pupils aged five to 11 with special educational needs/and or disabilities (SEND). The school opened in December 2024. This was the school’s first standard inspection.  The school is registered for up to 50 pupils. There are currently 23 pupils on roll from Years 1 to 4.  All pupils have an EHC plan. All pupils have a diagnosis of autism and have severe learning needs. They are placed at the school by their local authority.  The school offers provision from 8.45am to 2.45pm. This includes lunch.  There is a sole proprietor, Landon Education Ltd.  The school currently makes no use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about this inspection

The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, head of operations and members of staff. They also met with the proprietor.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: communication and language (including early reading), mathematics, and personal, social and health education. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with leaders, discussed the curriculum and visited learning sessions in the provision.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors looked at a range of documents, including leaders’ priorities for improvement.  The views of pupils, parents and staff were gathered through discussions as well as their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys. 8 to 10 July 2025

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Inspection team

Samantha Ingram, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Nick Hitchen Ofsted Inspector 8 to 10 July 2025 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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