Tram House School

Inspection of Tram House School Tram House School 520 Garratt Lane, London SW17 0NY

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Sixth-form provision Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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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?

Tram House is an exceptional, calm and caring place to learn. Pupils and the students in the sixth form are greeted warmly every morning by staff. They enjoy arriving at school and they attend well. They make excellent progress towards their personal targets and achieve many external qualifications. Staff have very high expectations of what pupils and students can do and what they could achieve in the future.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils receive the help they need to participate in learning. Skilled staff ensure that pupils consistently follow the school’s rules and routines. Pupils’ behaviour does not usually interrupt other pupils’ learning. Their interactions with each other are kind and considerate. Pupils know staff are there to help them whenever they need it. They appreciate this greatly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from many opportunities to help them to be prepared for life after they leave Tram House. Pupils learn how to travel independently using public transport. They visit local parks, shops, places of worship, sports facilities, and the local swimming pool to enrich their lives. Students in the sixth form participate in experiences of work in school and with local businesses. They enjoy this and it helps them to look towards the future with great ambition.

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better?

Leaders at all levels and staff share the clear and ambitious vision for the school. They ensure that pupils continue to flourish and achieve very well academically and socially. The school sequences the curriculum exceptionally well to meet each pupil’s unique needs. Every pupil follows a personalised programme, carefully tailored to their specific requirements. Staff incorporate actions from pupils’ education, health, and care (EHC) plans into their lessons.

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better?

Staff check pupils’ learning carefully. They know exactly what each pupil needs to learn and do next. Activities are carefully designed to ensure that pupils get many opportunities to reach appropriate targets. Teachers use their expert subject knowledge and understanding of pupils’ needs to ensure that they choose the best ways to deliver curriculum content. This approach ensures that pupils, including students in the sixth form, receive a high-quality education. Irrespective of their starting points or individual needs, pupils and students achieve well.

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better?

An essential part of the school’s curriculum is ensuring that pupils develop effective communication and reading skills. Staff model spoken language clearly. They provide strong support through carefully designed effective early reading and phonics programmes. This helps pupils to communicate well, whether through speech, symbols, or communication devices. Pupils across the school have plenty of opportunities to practise and develop their communication skills. This includes access to appropriate books and reading material throughout the day. As a result, they become more independent at expressing themselves. 1 to 3 July 2025 Pupils are highly motivated and enjoy learning. Pupils learn to follow routines and take turns. At times when pupils need some additional support, staff act appropriately, report incidents quickly and support pupils well to manage their behaviour. Pupils enjoy the friendships they make. Playtimes are full of activity, with

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better?

pupils socialising happily with their peers. This includes preparing food for each other in the school café.

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better?

The school builds strong relationships with parents and carers and carefully monitors pupils’ attendance. This ensures that pupils attend school regularly. The school places a great emphasis on the importance of pupils’ wider personal development. Pupils and sixth-form students are offered a suitable careers programme that matches their needs and aspirations. This gives them sufficient information about their next steps and destinations. Pupils enjoy a wide range of opportunities to develop their life experiences outside of school. For example, sixth-form students use local facilities such as the rugby club, shops, and the cafe to ensure that they learn key life skills in a realistic environment.

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better?

The school prepares pupils exceptionally well for life in modern Britain. Personal, social and health education lessons are engaging and relevant. Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to keep themselves healthy and how to stay safe online. Pupils have a secure understanding of equality. They also understand what makes a relationship positive and the meaning of consent. This gives pupils excellent opportunities to develop personally and prepare for life beyond school.

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better?

Governors and trustees share the school’s high expectations for pupils. The proprietor holds the school to account effectively. This includes ensuring that the school is compliant with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. Staff are very positive and proud to work at the school. They value the different training opportunities that they receive. Staff value the support they receive for their well-being and workload.

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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. 1 to 3 July 2025

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School details

Unique reference number 145164 DfE registration number 212/6003

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School details

Inspection number 10375111 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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sixth form

Headteachers Corey Bulmer and Jordana Smallwood

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sixth form

Email address tramhouseschool@beyondautism.org.uk

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sixth form

Dates of previous inspection 17 to 19 May 2022 1 to 3 July 2025

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Information about this school

 Tram House is an independent special school.  All pupils have an EHC plan. Pupils have a diagnosis of autism and a wide range of associated needs.  Pupils are placed at the school by a wide range of local authorities.  The school has accommodation that it uses for sixth-form provision at 140 Woking Close, Roehampton, London, SW15 5LD. The sixth form is taught by staff from Tram House.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school had its last standard inspection in May 2022 when it was judged to be good and all independent school standards were met.  The proprietor is Beyond Autism, a national charity that is overseen by a board of trustees. There is a chief executive officer. The governance of the school is overseen by a local governing body.

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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

 Inspectors met with the interim heads of school and other senior staff. An inspector also held meetings with the chair of trustees on the telephone, the chief executive officer, and the chair of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English (including phonics), science, personal, social and health education and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with lead teachers and senior leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons and spoke to teachers, therapists, supporting adults and pupils about their learning. Inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with leaders with responsibility for safeguarding and behaviour. They reviewed a range of safeguarding documentation, including pre-employment checks on staff, risk assessments and case studies.  Inspectors considered the views of parents, staff, pupils, and other agencies to

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Information about this inspection

help evaluate the school’s safeguarding arrangements.  Inspectors considered a range of evidence to evaluate compliance with the independent school standards. 1 to 3 July 2025  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View and the online surveys for pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Phil Garnham, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Colenso Ofsted Inspector 1 to 3 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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