A small roll changes the feel of a secondary school. Here, it shapes everything from relationships to routines. With around 100 students and capacity for 130, year groups are compact, which can suit families who want staff to know students quickly and to spot issues early.
This is an independent Muslim secondary for boys, registered for ages 10 to 16, although the most recent inspection notes that the students on roll were aged 11 to 16 at that point in time. The school sits in Waltham Forest and serves families who want a mainstream GCSE pathway with an Islamic ethos running through daily expectations and school culture.
On outcomes, the school’s GCSE profile in the FindMySchool dataset is clear: it ranks 831st in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and 4th locally in Waltham Forest. This places it above England average, within the top 25% of secondary schools in England.
The small size is not just a statistic, it is a cultural feature. Students describe settling quickly because friendship groups form fast and older and younger pupils mix more naturally than in larger settings. In a small school, staff visibility tends to be higher, and expectations can be reinforced consistently across the day, especially around uniform, punctuality, and conduct.
Faith is integral rather than bolt-on. The school frames itself as an Islamic boys’ secondary, and its published co-curricular offer includes a Qur’an Club and Tahfeedh al Qur’an / Hifz, which signals a structured spiritual programme rather than occasional assemblies. That matters for family fit. For households seeking a setting where Islamic practice and mainstream schooling are designed to work together, the proposition is straightforward. For families who want a faith-aware environment but prefer religion to sit more lightly within the timetable, this may feel more directive.
Leadership is also clearly signposted in public documents. The headteacher is Shakil Ahmed, and inspection documentation also records his role as headteacher. A smaller school amplifies leadership tone quickly, for good or ill, because systems and habits tend to travel through a tighter staff team.
The strongest way to understand this school’s performance is through relative position and a small set of comparable indicators.
Ranked 831st in England and 4th in Waltham Forest for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This sits above England average, placing the school comfortably within the top 25% of secondary schools in England.
Attainment 8 score: 58.8
EBacc average point score: 5.55 (England average: 4.08)
Percentage achieving grades 5 or above in the EBacc: 21.1%
The practical implication for families is that the school appears to be delivering a reasonably strong GCSE profile for its size, with a notably higher EBacc average point score than the dataset’s England figure. That said, small cohorts can make percentages more volatile year to year, so parents should read any single-year percentage as a snapshot rather than a permanent guarantee.
If you are comparing local options, the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool are useful for placing this ranking and these indicators alongside nearby schools in Waltham Forest without relying on anecdotes.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
GCSE 9–7
—
% of students achieving grades 9-7
This is a mainstream secondary, so the core question is how it balances breadth with the realities of a smaller staff body. The most recent inspection describes a broad and balanced curriculum through Years 7 to 9, with students continuing subjects such as art and physical education alongside GCSE choices, and with GCSE study including subjects such as Arabic, business studies, and computer science. That is a distinctive curriculum footprint. Arabic and Islamic sciences sit alongside a recognisably mainstream GCSE spine.
The school website’s curriculum structure reinforces that blend. GCSE and secondary curriculum pages highlight subject areas including Arabic, business studies, citizenship, computer science, English language and literature, geography, mathematics, physical education, and double award science. Citizenship is treated as a serious strand, framed as part of personal, social, health and economic education and delivered with an explicit intent to develop active participation in society.
The small-school implication is practical: if a student benefits from close monitoring, frequent recap, and teachers who know their typical standard of work, the structure can be advantageous. Conversely, families should ask how specialist teaching is covered across subjects, how staff training is supported, and what happens if a key teacher is absent, because smaller teams have fewer internal back-up options.
The school does not have a sixth form with the age range ending at 16. That makes post-16 planning a major family consideration.
In practical terms, students will be choosing among local sixth forms and colleges across Waltham Forest and neighbouring boroughs, including both academic A-level pathways and mixed vocational routes. What matters is how early the school begins guidance, how it supports GCSE option choices with post-16 goals in mind, and how it helps families navigate applications and interviews.
Parents should ask directly about typical destinations and any formal links with particular sixth forms or colleges. If the school publishes destination names or numbers in future, those are the most reliable indicators. Where numbers are not published, the best proxy is the quality of careers guidance, structured application support, and the consistency of GCSE preparation.
Admissions appear to run directly through the school rather than through local authority coordinated secondary transfer.
A key practical feature is that the school operates an application portal, and it flags a change in systems for applicants who started before September 2023. Families should expect a process that can include assessment and an interview. The school’s application documentation indicates that applicants may be required to sit an admissions test and attend an interview, and it also sets out a £40 application administration fee linked to processing, tests, and interview.
Open events look to be part of the pattern. An “Open Evening 2024” notice is dated 3 July, with pupil-led guided tours referenced. For 2026 entry, it is reasonable to expect open evenings to run in a similar summer window, but families should check the school’s current announcements for the specific date and booking approach.
Because the dataset does not provide local demand figures (applications per place, oversubscription ratio, or last distance offered), parents should treat entry competitiveness as an open question and clarify availability early, especially if applying for a specific year group rather than the main intake.
A practical tip: families can use FindMySchool’s Saved Schools feature to keep a shortlist and track which open events, assessments, and document deadlines apply to each option.
In a small secondary, pastoral care often works best when expectations are simple, repeatable, and consistently enforced. The most recent inspection describes a calm and orderly environment supported by a respectful culture, with pupils reporting that they can approach staff with concerns. Safeguarding is also recorded as effective in the latest report.
The school’s safeguarding documentation and associated governance materials suggest a structured compliance approach, including named safeguarding roles and policy review cycles. For families, the key “fit” question is how the school manages lower-level issues day to day: peer conflict, online safety, attendance punctuality, and parental communication. Small schools can handle these extremely well when systems are disciplined, but they can also become inconsistent if processes rely too heavily on a few individuals. During a visit or interview, ask how concerns are logged, escalated, and closed.
Co-curricular breadth is often where small schools must be most selective. The advantage is that activities can be tightly aligned to ethos and student needs rather than being a long list with limited take-up.
The school’s published activities include a Debate Club and Qur’an Club, and it also references a Digital Ambassador’s Programme in its news archive. These are meaningful signals. Debate supports structured speaking, reasoning, and confidence, which tends to transfer directly into GCSE English and humanities, as well as into interview readiness for post-16 pathways. Qur’an and Tahfeedh provision signals a sustained spiritual curriculum that can also support discipline and routine for students who thrive on clear daily structure.
The latest inspection also notes educational outings such as museums and art galleries, and weekly physical education delivered at a nearby leisure centre. The implication is that the school supplements on-site space with local facilities, which is a pragmatic approach in urban London. Parents who prioritise extensive on-site sport should ask how often off-site provision runs, how travel and supervision work, and what the winter timetable looks like.
This is an independent school, so fees are a core part of decision-making.
The school’s published prospectus information for 2025/26 states an annual school fee of £3,390.25. Fee payment is presented as flexible, with options including a single payment, termly instalments, or monthly instalments, but families should confirm the current payment schedule and what happens if circumstances change mid-year.
The accessible material reviewed does not clearly set out means-tested bursaries or scholarship awards for fee reduction in 2025/26. Parents who need affordability support should ask directly whether assistance is available, what the eligibility approach is, and how decisions are made.
Also budget for extras. Application documentation indicates a £40 administration fee with the application, and it flags that public examination fees are not included in school fees.
Fees data coming soon.
The school’s directions information states it is within walking distance of Leyton Midland Road and a short walk from Leyton Underground Station (Central line). For many families, that makes public transport realistic, but parents should still confirm the student travel expectations for each year group and whether the school encourages particular routes.
Current start and finish times are not clearly published in the accessible pages reviewed here. A student booklet excerpt indicates an expectation that students should be in school by 8.05am, but families should confirm the formal start time and Friday finish arrangements directly with the school. As a secondary school, wraparound care is less typical than in primary settings, and details should be checked rather than assumed.
The school publishes calendar downloads for 2025/26. Parents should use these to cross-check inset days and term structures against any other schools on their shortlist.
Small cohort dynamics: A roll of just over 100 students can be a real advantage for belonging and supervision, but it can also mean limited friendship “reset” options if a student falls out with peers. Families should consider whether their child thrives in tight-knit groups or needs a broader social pool.
Post-16 transition is a major milestone: With education ending at 16, the move to sixth form or college is unavoidable. Ask how early the school begins planning, which providers students typically choose, and what support exists for applications and interviews.
Curriculum breadth versus specialist depth: A broad set of subjects is described, including Arabic, business studies, and computer science at GCSE, but smaller schools sometimes have fewer opportunities for deep subject-specialist development. Clarify who teaches each GCSE subject and how the school maintains subject expertise.
Faith integration: The Islamic ethos is central, with Qur’an and Tahfeedh provision publicly presented. This will strongly suit some families and be less suitable for others. The best approach is to ask specific questions about expectations, routines, and how the school supports students at different stages of religious confidence.
Lantern of Knowledge Secondary School is best understood as a small, structured boys’ secondary where faith and mainstream GCSE study are designed to reinforce each other. The FindMySchool dataset places it within the top 25% of secondary schools in England for GCSE outcomes, and it performs strongly locally in Waltham Forest.
It suits families who want a clear Islamic ethos, close pastoral visibility, and a curriculum that includes Arabic and Islamic sciences alongside a mainstream GCSE route. The main decision points are affordability, the breadth and resilience of a small-staff curriculum model, and how confident you are about the post-16 transition pathway.
The school performs above England average in the FindMySchool GCSE ranking framework, sitting within the top 25% of secondary schools in England and ranking 4th locally in Waltham Forest. The latest inspection rated the school Good, with safeguarding recorded as effective.
The published fee information for the 2025/26 academic year states an annual school fee of £3,390.25. Public examination fees are not included in school fees, so families should plan for additional costs linked to GCSEs.
Applications are made directly to the school, using its admissions portal. The published application documentation indicates that applicants may be required to sit an admissions test and attend an interview, and it references a £40 application administration fee.
The school has previously advertised a summer open evening dated 3 July (in 2024). Open events often follow similar seasonal patterns, so families considering 2026 entry should look for announcements in late spring and early summer and confirm whether booking is required.
The curriculum information highlights a mainstream secondary and GCSE pathway including English, mathematics, science, geography, and computing, with Arabic and Islamic sciences forming a distinctive element of the offer. Students also continue elements such as art and physical education alongside GCSE study.
Get in touch with the school directly
Disclaimer
Information on this page is compiled, analysed, and processed from publicly available sources including the Department for Education (DfE), Ofsted, the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, and official school websites.
Our rankings, metrics, and assessments are derived from this data using our own methodologies and represent our independent analysis rather than official standings.
While we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee that all information is current, complete, or error-free. Data may change without notice, and schools and/or local authorities should be contacted directly to verify any details before making decisions.
FindMySchool does not endorse any particular school, and rankings reflect specific metrics rather than overall quality.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, we accept no liability for any loss or damage arising from reliance on information provided. If you believe any information is inaccurate, please contact us.
