Stormont House School stands as one of the very first Ofsted Outstanding schools in the country and the first to achieve that rating in Hackney, maintaining its Outstanding status across five consecutive inspections since 2005. This state community special school on Downs Park Road, Clapton, serves 120 students aged 11 to 17 with complex and inter-related special educational needs, specifically those whose combination of Communication and Interaction needs and Moderate Learning Difficulties would significantly affect their ability to learn in a mainstream secondary setting. The school's defining feature is its absolute focus on preparing pupils for the next stage of their lives, described by Ofsted as "the golden thread that connects everything the school does." Headteacher Kevin McDonnell leads a specialist provision where all students hold Education, Health and Care Plans and where the mission extends beyond addressing needs to actively identifying and nurturing strengths, interests and talents in preparation for adult life.
Stormont House operates under the guiding principle of "Achievement For All," celebrating student diversity and the unique qualities of neurodivergent learners. The school's ethos centres on addressing individual needs whilst simultaneously identifying and nurturing each student's strengths, preparing them comprehensively for adult life. This is not a one-size-fits-all provision; the school explicitly acknowledges it is designed for specific profiles of need rather than attempting to serve every type or complexity of special educational need.
The atmosphere reflects Ofsted's April 2024 finding that pupils demonstrate "exemplary behaviour in and out of classrooms." Students themselves rate the school highly, with one commenting that "school is the best thing," and another noting they felt ready "to join the real world" because the institution has built up their confidence. Almost all parents (96%) agree their child is happy at Stormont House, and the same proportion feel there is a good range of subjects and opportunities for clubs and activities.
The curriculum framework is structured around four key areas of preparing for adulthood: Careers and Employment, Independent Living, Friendships, Relationships and Community, and Good Health. This framework underpins all teaching and learning, ensuring every lesson connects to real-world application and future independence. The school serves as lead school in Hackney Teaching Schools' Alliance, sharing its best practices across the borough and beyond.
Stormont House delivers a broad curriculum covering English, Mathematics, Science, Physical Education and the Arts, ensuring pupils access a wide range of learning opportunities adapted to individual needs. Teaching methods employ repetition and reinforcement to help students retain knowledge, and all pupils work towards accredited qualifications appropriate to their capabilities.
The school employs visible learning strategies and maintains accreditation frameworks aligned with student abilities. Teachers demonstrate excellent questioning skills, and teaching is underpinned by research with a continual improvement ethos. Staff training is based on research evidence, directly impacting the quality of teaching. Multi-disciplinary teams address diverse needs, including dedicated Speech and Language Therapy services, ensuring comprehensive support for Communication and Interaction difficulties.
Academic progress is carefully tracked against individual starting points rather than national mainstream benchmarks. All pupils gain accredited qualifications, with particular success noted in subjects like sport, music and art. The focus is on meaningful achievement that supports future pathways rather than purely academic attainment measures. Ofsted's 2024 inspection highlighted that "all pupils move into life after school most successfully," testament to the effectiveness of the preparation-for-adulthood approach.
The sixth form offers a distinctive blended programme combining two days per week at a college or other provider following an accredited vocational course with three days of on-site academic and enrichment activities, including the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. This structure provides students with practical experience of further education environments whilst maintaining the specialist support of Stormont House.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
GCSE 9–7
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% of students achieving grades 9-7
Extra-curricular activities are a strong feature at Stormont House, with pupils able to participate in sports, cooking classes, residential trips and various clubs that promote social interaction and personal interests. These activities develop skills such as teamwork and resilience, extending the preparation-for-adulthood curriculum beyond the classroom.
The site on Downs Park Road provides wheelchair-accessible premises with adapted toilets and changing facilities for children and young people. The school offers both indoor and outdoor facilities, with sporting provision that allows students to pursue accredited qualifications in physical education. Music and art programmes enable creative expression, with many students achieving formal recognition in these areas.
Partnerships with external organisations including Talentino, Prospects, and local Careers Hubs provide students with exposure to employment opportunities and career pathways. Parent engagement is actively fostered through regular coffee morning workshops on topics including emotional regulation, independence skills and sensory differences, ensuring families are equipped to support their children's development.
Pupils feel safe and are kept safe, with bullying happening only occasionally and resolved quickly when it does occur. The school's approach to behaviour focuses on understanding individual needs and building positive relationships rather than punitive measures, contributing to the exemplary conduct observed across the school.
Stormont House is designed specifically for students aged 11 to 17 with complex and inter-related social and emotional, social communication or mental health needs. The curriculum is tailored for those whose combination of Communication and Interaction needs and Moderate Learning Difficulties would significantly affect their ability to learn, thrive and develop in a secondary mainstream setting.
The school employs multi-disciplinary teams to address diverse needs, with dedicated Speech and Language Therapy services integrated into the school day. Staff possess specialist expertise in working with neurodivergent learners, and the school maintains its position as a lead institution in Hackney Teaching Schools' Alliance, disseminating best practice in SEND provision.
The school is transparent that it is "not a school that works for every type or complexity of need," focusing its expertise on the specific profile of students with combined communication, interaction and moderate learning difficulties. This specialised approach ensures staff can deliver highly targeted interventions and support structures appropriate to the cohort.
Stormont House School admits students exclusively through the Education, Health and Care Plan process managed by local authorities. The school cannot accept admissions requests directly from parents or carers; instead, the Local Authority is responsible for admissions, provision and placement of children with EHC Plans, and responding to appeals.
For families living in Hackney who express a preference for Stormont House, Hackney Education will send consultation paperwork to the school, including the EHC Plan and most recent Annual Review. Families living outside Hackney must work through their home authority, which will send consultation paperwork to both the school and Hackney Education.
Pressure on places is high, particularly for secondary transfer at Year 7, resulting in limited opportunities for in-year admissions. The school serves up to 120 pupils, and with 99.3% of students holding an EHC Plan, the threshold for admission is clear. Children who have met the threshold for an EHC Plan have higher priority in the admissions process than those without.
The range of special educational needs the school is designed to meet is set out in their SEND Information Report, which also details the attainment range their curriculum is designed to meet. Prospective families are encouraged to contact the school at admissions@stormonthouse.hackney.sch.uk for initial enquiries, though formal applications must proceed through the local authority. The Hackney Education telephone number is 020 8820 7000; residents of other boroughs should contact their home Local Authority.
Access to the site is supported by Route 56 bus service and nearby train stations at Rectory Road and Hackney Downs, facilitating transport for families across the borough and beyond.
Stormont House School exemplifies what specialist SEND provision can achieve when a clear vision, expert staff and comprehensive support structures align. The school's five consecutive Outstanding Ofsted ratings since 2005 reflect not historic performance but sustained excellence, most recently confirmed in April 2024. The consistency of this achievement, combined with the school's role as lead institution in Hackney Teaching Schools' Alliance, positions it as a sector leader rather than simply a local provider.
What distinguishes Stormont House is the coherence of its approach. The preparation-for-adulthood framework is not an add-on but the organising principle for curriculum design, teaching methods, behaviour management and extra-curricular provision. Ofsted's observation that this focus is "the golden thread that connects everything the school does" captures how thoroughly embedded this philosophy has become. The practical result is that all pupils move successfully into life after school, whether into further education, employment or other appropriate pathways.
The school is transparent about what it can offer and equally clear about what it cannot. It is designed for students with a specific profile of need—complex and inter-related Communication and Interaction needs combined with Moderate Learning Difficulties—and does not attempt to serve every type or complexity of special educational need. This focused specialism allows staff to develop deep expertise and deliver highly effective interventions.
For families of students who match this profile and who live within reach of Clapton, Stormont House represents specialist provision at its strongest. The combination of exemplary behaviour, research-informed teaching, multi-disciplinary support teams, and genuine preparation for adult independence creates an environment where neurodivergent learners can thrive. The challenge is securing a place; high demand and limited capacity mean families must engage early with the EHCP process and work closely with their local authority.
Stormont House is not for every child with special educational needs, nor does it claim to be. But for those students whose needs align with its specialist focus, it offers an Outstanding education in the fullest sense of that term, preparing young people not just academically but holistically for the transition to adult life.
Stormont House School is an Outstanding school, maintaining this highest Ofsted rating across five consecutive inspections since 2005, most recently in April 2024. It is specifically designed for students aged 11 to 17 with complex Communication and Interaction needs combined with Moderate Learning Difficulties. The school's particular strength lies in its absolute focus on preparing pupils for adult life, with all students successfully moving into appropriate post-school pathways including further education and employment.
Stormont House admits students exclusively through the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process. The school cannot accept applications directly from parents. Families living in Hackney should work with Hackney Education (020 8820 7000) to express a preference for Stormont House as part of the EHCP process. Families living outside Hackney must work through their home local authority. Pressure on places is high, particularly for Year 7 entry, with limited in-year admission opportunities.
Stormont House is designed for students with complex and inter-related Communication and Interaction needs combined with Moderate Learning Difficulties, including those with mental health conditions. The curriculum is tailored for students whose combination of needs would significantly affect their ability to learn in a mainstream secondary setting. The school is transparent that it is "not a school that works for every type or complexity of need," focusing its specialist expertise on this specific profile.
Yes, Stormont House offers sixth form provision for students in Years 12 and 13 (ages 16–17). The sixth form delivers a distinctive blended programme combining two days per week at a college or other provider following an accredited vocational course with three days of on-site academic and enrichment activities, including the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. This structure provides practical experience of further education whilst maintaining specialist support.
Ofsted's April 2024 inspection found pupils demonstrate "exemplary behaviour in and out of classrooms." Students feel safe and are kept safe, with bullying happening only occasionally and resolved quickly when it does occur. The school's approach to behaviour focuses on understanding individual needs and building positive relationships. Multi-disciplinary teams, including Speech and Language Therapy services, support students' social and emotional development alongside their academic progress.
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