London Borough Of Richmond Upon Thames Council

What London Borough Of Richmond Upon Thames Council does

London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames Council is referenced here as the institutional home of Clarendon School, a state-funded special school operating across four sites within the borough. Clarendon provides education for pupils aged 4–16 with Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD), many of whom have additional complex needs including autism. The school comprises a Primary Centre (Buckingham Road, Hampton), Secondary Centre (Egerton Road, Twickenham), Gateway Centre (Percy Road, Twickenham), and the newer Riverside Centre, with capacity for around 140 pupils in classes typically of 10–13 (8 in the youngest reception/Yr1 class). Curriculum coverage includes the adapted National Curriculum, Early Years Foundation Stage, Communication, Life Skills, PSHE, and Physical Development, delivered alongside specialist programs such as Forest School, NEST sensory training, total communication approach, RDA horse-riding at Park Lane Stables, KD Yoga dance, and Creative Arts partnerships.

The school's technology stack is limited and nondistinctive: G Suite for Education underpins learning management, parent communication, and information delivery, with e-safety workshops delivered by the Kingston and Richmond ICT and E-Safety Adviser. There are no proprietary platforms, APIs, AI/ML features, or mobile applications. Communications channels comprise the school website, e-newsletters, open mornings, virtual tours, and whole-school events, used primarily for prospective-parent engagement rather than demand generation in a commercial sense.

The business model is a single-revenue public-sector institution. The school is funded by the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames (via the Local Authority's Special Needs panel placement process), with no tuition fees and no commercial pricing. Pupil placements are determined by the panel based on statement of special educational needs, the Code of Practice, parental preference, and Headteacher/governor views. Clarendon operates as part of The Auriga Academy Trust, which provides governance, central HR/finance/policy functions, and shared services. A formal consultation closed in October 2025 on a proposed merger with Coombe Academy Trust, with over 3,000 stakeholders consulted — a material structural restructuring that is currently under feedback review. The school holds an Outstanding OFSTED rating (January 2019) and is governed by an Executive Headteacher with dedicated Heads of Centre for each division.

Name

London Borough Of Richmond Upon Thames Council

Legal name

Clarendon School

Website

https://clarendon.richmond.sch.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Clarendon School is a publicly funded special school in the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames, serving pupils aged 4–16 with Moderate Learning Difficulties and complex needs including autism, across Primary, Secondary, Gateway, and Riverside centres, operating under The Auriga Academy Trust.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability) (EDAJAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH)

Keywords

• Special education
• Specialist schooling
• Learning difficulties support
• Autism provision
• Inclusive education

Headquarters

HQ city

Hampton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government-funded education: As a publicly funded special school, Clarendon School receives funding from the local authority to provide education for pupils aged 4-16 with moderate learning difficulties and additional complex needs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Clarendon School is a publicly funded special school operating within the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames, providing education for pupils aged 4–16 with moderate learning difficulties (MLD) and additional complex needs including autism. The school delivers a broad, personalised and inclusive curriculum across its Primary, Secondary, Gateway and Riverside centres, supported by specialist programmes such as Forest School, NEST, Life Skills and a Communication Curriculum.

Product overview

Clarendon School is a special school for pupils aged 4-16 with Moderate Learning Difficulties and additional complex needs including autism. The school operates across four centres: Primary Centre, Secondary Centre, Gateway Centre, and Riverside Centre. It provides a broad and balanced curriculum comprising core educational services alongside specialized programmes including Forest School, Communication Curriculum, Life Skills Programme, NEST Programme for sensory support, Horse Riding, and Yoga Dance Workshops. The school follows the Early Years Foundation Stage and adapted National Curriculum, with a focus on communication, life skills, PSHE, and physical development as core curriculum areas alongside English and maths.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Clarendon Primary Centre: Primary division of Clarendon School serving younger pupils (aged 4 to 11) with Moderate Learning Difficulties and additional complex needs including autism. Located at Buckingham Road, Hampton, Middlesex.
• Clarendon Secondary Centre
• The Gateway Centre

Products and services

• Clarendon Primary Centre Primary phase provision for pupils with moderate learning difficulties and complex needs, including autism, delivered with a low staff-to-pupil ratio and personalised curriculum.
• Clarendon Secondary Centre Secondary phase provision for older pupils with moderate learning difficulties and complex needs, continuing the personalised curriculum approach from Key Stage 3 through Key Stage 4.
• The Gateway Centre Specialist centre supporting pupils with autism and associated complex needs as part of the wider Clarendon School offer.
• Riverside Centre Additional site used as part of Clarendon School's specialist provision within the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames.
• Forest School Programme Outdoor learning programme offered to Clarendon pupils to support personal, social and emotional development.
• NEST Programme Specialist intervention offered within Clarendon School's provision for pupils with additional needs.
• Life Skills Programme Curriculum programme designed to develop independence and everyday living skills for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.
• Communication Curriculum Specialist communication-focused curriculum supporting pupils with autism and complex communication needs.
• Horse Riding Programme Equine-assisted learning activity delivered as part of Clarendon School's enrichment provision.
• KD Yoga Dance Workshop Sensory and movement workshop offered as part of the school's enrichment and therapeutic activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Parents and carers hold the school in high regard and value the improvements they see in their children's level of confidence and overall academic performance

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Auriga Academy TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClarendon School is part of The Auriga Academy Trust, a multi-academy trust. The trust provides governance, policies (including HR, finance, data protection, health and safety, staff and pupil policies), and central support services. The trust is currently developing Trust-wide policies.
• Park Lane StablesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClarendon Primary has a long-term relationship with Park Lane Stables and their RDA trained team. Small groups of 6 children attend weekly for half terms to learn horse riding and care.
• Aesop's TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAesop's Theatre performs productions at the school, with children participating in character-related workshops. The Hare and the Tortoise production was presented in May 2024.
• Singing HandsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSinging Hands provides signing performances and the school participates in Christmas concerts with them.
• CLPE (Centre for Literacy in Primary Poetry)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school participates in the CLPE Poetry Competition (Centre for Literacy in Primary Poetry Award). Moon Class won the competition in 2021 and 2022.
• KD YogaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKD Yoga provides yoga dance workshops to students during Art Week and other activities.
• Author Rachel LawstonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthor visits to the school to engage students with literature and creative writing.
• NEST (Nurturing Environments Specialist Training)coreTechnology or IntegrationNEST is a training programme designed to help staff understand and support pupils with sensory processing and communication difficulties. The Primary Centre is undertaking this training with all teaching and support staff.
• ICT and E-Safety Adviser for Kingston and Richmond BoroughsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPeter Cowley, ICT and E-Safety Adviser, conducted parent and carer workshops on e-safety.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Auriga Academy Trust (parent trust): Auriga Academy Trust is the multi-academy trust that governs Clarendon and other member schools. Comparable as a broader education trust operating SEND provisions and centralising support services — relevant to merger and governance trajectory.
• The National Autistic Society (NAS) Schools: NAS operates a network of schools and services across the UK for autistic pupils and those with related SEND. Comparable as a broad incumbent providing specialist SEND education to overlapping pupil profiles, including those with autism and complex needs.

Direct peers

• Maple Hayes Hall School: Maple Hayes Hall is a UK independent special school in Staffordshire for pupils with specific learning difficulties including dyslexia. Comparable as a small specialist K–12 school focused on a defined SEND cohort with a differentiated curriculum.
• TreeHouse School (Ambitious about Autism): TreeHouse School is a London-based special school for pupils with autism and complex needs, operated by the Ambitious about Autism charity. It is directly comparable as a non-maintained special school serving pupils with autism and related complex needs in the Greater London area.
• St. Piers School (Young Epilepsy): St. Piers is a residential and day special school in Surrey for pupils aged 5–19 with epilepsy, autism, and other complex needs. Comparable as a UK special school for pupils with moderate-to-severe learning difficulties and complex co-occurring needs.
• Brookfields School (Walsall): Brookfields is a UK special school for pupils with severe and complex learning difficulties. Comparable as a publicly funded SEND school serving pupils with MLD/MLD-plus needs within a multi-academy trust structure.
• Ridgeway School (Plymouth): Ridgeway is a UK all-through special school for pupils aged 2–19 with severe, profound, and complex learning difficulties. Comparable as a publicly funded special school operating across age ranges with a similarly broad specialist curriculum.
• The Aurora-Orchard School: Aurora-Orchard is a UK special school for pupils with autism and complex needs, operated within the Orchard Hill College Academy Trust. Comparable as a SEND-focused multi-site academy school group serving pupils with similar complex-needs profiles.

Regional players

• Linden Lodge School: Linden Lodge is a London Borough of Wandsworth special school for pupils with sensory and complex needs, including visual impairment. Comparable as a publicly funded London special school providing differentiated SEND provision under a multi-centre model.
• Coombe Academy Trust: Coombe Academy Trust is a Kingston-based multi-academy trust involved in the proposed merger with Clarendon's parent trust. Comparable as a regional UK academy trust with overlapping governance and SEND provision interests in South-West London.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/london-borough-of-richmond-upon-thames-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about London Borough Of Richmond Upon Thames Council