Voluntary controlled school · Merton

Rutlish School

11–19Ages
1,471Pupils
SecondaryPhase
BoysPupils
Sixth formAges 16–18
102679URN

Watery Lane, Merton Park, London, SW20 9AD · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Sep 2024 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.9per place

close to Merton median (2.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Merton

757 applications for 260 places · 4th of 9 in Merton

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

56.1of 90

Merton 55.8 England 46.0

3rd of 9 in Merton

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 24 September 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education	Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
Sixth form provision	Outstanding

Inspection history

24 September 2024
Graded inspection, no overall grade
27 April 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Outstanding (Concerns)

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.9applications per place, Year 7

close to Merton median (2.8) 0.7 above England median (2.2)

757 applications · 260 places offered · 195 named it first

2026 2.9; Merton median median 2.8
2025 2.9; Merton median median 2.9
2024 2.8; Merton median median 2.8
2023 2.8; Merton median median 2.8
2022 3.1; Merton median median 2.9
2021 3.0; Merton median median 3.0
2020 3.0; Merton median median 3.0
2019 3.3; Merton median median 3.3
2018 3.7; Merton median median 3.3
2017 2.8; Merton median median 3.1
2016 3.0; Merton median median 3.1
2015 2.7; Merton median median 2.7
2014 2.6; Merton median median 2.9

This school
Merton median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	260	757	2.9	195	0.75
Sep 2025	260	752	2.9	250	0.96
Sep 2024	257	731	2.8	239	0.93
Sep 2023	259	734	2.8	218	0.84
Sep 2022	260	798	3.1	260	1.00
Sep 2021	262	788	3.0	215	0.82
Sep 2020	257	762	3.0	230	0.89
Sep 2019	253	841	3.3	275	1.09
Sep 2018	238	885	3.7	291	1.22
Sep 2017	237	673	2.8	204	0.86
Sep 2016	237	698	3.0	204	0.86
Sep 2015	242	650	2.7	177	0.73
Sep 2014	232	601	2.6	161	0.69

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

229 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)56.13rd of 9 in Merton

Merton 55.8 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths64%4th of 9 in Merton

Merton 61% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths79%

Merton 79% England 66%

This school
Merton median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.68

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	229	56.1	64%	79%	–
2024/25	233	60.5	67%	85%	–
2023/24	229	55.2	62%	81%	+0.68
2022/23	231	58.8	64%	84%	+0.91

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Rutlish SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.9applications per place 56.1Attainment 8
Ursuline High School Wimbledon
1.3 km · Merton

Good2021

4.1applications per place 63.2Attainment 8
Wimbledon College
1.5 km · Merton

Remains Good2023

4.4applications per place 56.0Attainment 8
Harris Academy Wimbledon
1.5 km · Merton

Outstanding2023

4.9applications per place 55.8Attainment 8
Raynes Park High School
2.2 km · Merton

Standards maintained2024

2.4applications per place 43.0Attainment 8
Ricards Lodge High School
2.3 km · Merton

Remains Outstanding2023

2.8applications per place 57.8Attainment 8
Harris Academy Morden
2.7 km · Merton

Remains Outstanding2024

2.8applications per place 50.9Attainment 8
Glenthorne High School
3.1 km · Sutton

2026

7.9applications per place 63.6Attainment 8
Coombe Boys' School
3.1 km · Kingston upon Thames

Remains Good2023

3.4applications per place 53.2Attainment 8

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Voluntary controlled school
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 102679 · 315/4500
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,500 pupils · 1,471 on roll
Free school meals: 24.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: Resourced provision
Address: Watery Lane, Merton Park, London, SW20 9AD
Local authority: Merton

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources