Opened in January 2020, Vanguard School is an outward facing school, with inclusion and community engagement at its core. Our specialist secondary school is designed to support students who are able to complete GCSEs and A Levels to thrive and achieve their aspirations.

We take enormous care to give our pupils the support they need to learn well and to develop their confidence and independence. Small classes, committed and experienced specialist teachers, and a wonderful learning environment all make our school an exceptional place to be.  We are encouraging and supportive, and always celebrate achievement. We also ask pupils to work hard, and help them to enjoy the success that this brings.  

Our pupils receive an ambitious, highly-personalised education at Vanguard School. We are specialists in autism, and our aim is for your child to lead a successful, fulfilling life in society. Our doors are open to all our families and we want them to feel as much a part of our school community as their children.

We hope our website is helpful, and you can get to know more about our wonderful school community – which we call ‘The Vanguard Family’.

School facts

• Autism specialists
• Students aged 11-19 years
• 78 places, with a phased intake
• Brand new purpose-built school opened in January 2020
• Secondary school and sixth form shadowing the national curriculum
• One-to-one support offered
• Calm, nurturing environment
• Clear and open communication with parents and families

What makes us different?

At Vanguard, we have built a new kind of school. A school which focusses on young people’s futures and puts skills for life and employment at the heart of the curriculum.

A need for improved special education needs provision in the borough of Lambeth and neighbouring Greater London was identified and the call for a new specialist school to meet this need was spearheaded by local parents. Vanguard School helps reduce out-of-borough and independent placements, which reduces education costs for the Lambeth authority. This has the added benefit that children who attend the school are educated and build connections in their local community.

Designed by Pozzoni Architecture, the specialist autism school occupies an urban plot in Lambeth, close to modern residential developments and a variety of local amenities. As well as high-quality learning facilities, the two-storey, 2,500m2 building also contains 14 classrooms, a soft play area, a sensory room, a library and two therapy rooms.