School 21 Catchment Area
School 21 is a free s special school in Stratford, Newham , serving pupils aged 4-18, with 1098 pupils, and a capacity of 1200 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
4-18
Age range
1,098
Pupils
1,200
Capacity
92%
Fill rate
Requires improvement
Ofsted 2023
School 21 Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for School 21?
School 21 is a special school in Stratford, Newham, and it does not use a standard catchment area. Newham allocates places through each child's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) rather than home-to-school distance, so placement depends on assessed need rather than a geographic boundary.
Admission to School 21 follows a different process from mainstream schools. Newham assesses each child's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) to determine appropriate placement. Catchment area does not apply in the same way as mainstream admissions.
For more information on how Newham assesses EHCP placements and which schools are named, contact the council's SEND team directly. The council must publish its Local Offer explaining available provision.
Find Newham catchment area documents →School 21: 1200 places, 92% filled: nearing capacity
School 21 has a published admission number of 1200 places. 1098 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 92%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 1200, Newham's admissions team applies distance-based tiebreakers. Families within the school's historical catchment boundary are well placed, but a boundary check with the council is recommended before applying.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 47% of pupils at School 21 are eligible for free school meals, above the national average of around 24%. This reflects the school's role in a higher-deprivation area of Stratford.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
School 21: School Information
- Full address
- Pitchford Street, Stratford, E15 4RZ
- Local authority
- Newham
- School type
- Free schools
- Phase of education
- Special
- Age range
- 4-18 years
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 47% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 138196
Nearest special schools by distance
These are the special schools closest to School 21 by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: School 21
What is the catchment area for School 21? ▾
School 21 is a special school in Stratford, Newham, and it does not use a standard catchment area. Newham allocates places through each child's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) rather than home-to-school distance, so placement depends on assessed need rather than a geographic boundary.
Is School 21 oversubscribed? ▾
School 21 is operating close to its capacity of 1200 places (92% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for School 21? ▾
Admission to School 21 is managed by Newham. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does School 21 cover? ▾
School 21 is a special school in Stratford, Newham, serving pupils aged 4-18. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for School 21? ▾
School 21 was rated Requires improvement by Ofsted in 2023. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.