Applegarth Academy

About Applegarth Academy

Applegarth Academy is a mixed state primary in Croydon that currently educates 422 pupils against a capacity of 481, leaving a small amount of headroom but not much. The school serves a community with a notably high proportion of disadvantaged pupils: 47.9% of children are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average for primary schools, which typically sits around 23-24%. Demand for places is strong. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 99 applications for just 40 places, with exactly 40 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.48. That means nearly two and a half families applied for every available spot, a clear signal that local parents see real value here. The school is led by headteacher Cherene Joseph and has no religious character. It also offers nursery provision, making it a natural choice for families looking for continuity from early years right through to Year 6.

Academically, Applegarth punches well above its weight. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 85% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared to a Croydon local authority average of just 66%. That places the school 3rd out of 77 primaries in the borough, putting it in the top 4% locally and the top 6% nationally. Results are strong across individual subjects: 90% hit the expected standard in maths, 87% in reading and 88% in writing. At the higher standard, 13% achieved in all three areas, with maths and reading both seeing higher-than-average scores of 106 and 107 respectively. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in 2021, rated overall effectiveness as Good, with Outstanding marks for early years provision and for behaviour and attitudes. Leadership and management, quality of education, and personal development were all rated Good, and the previous 2015 inspection also awarded Good overall.

The school is well equipped for a primary of its size, with facilities including a library, music rooms, art studios, a sports hall and playing fields. Sports on offer include netball, rounders, swimming and football, and there are clubs for gardening, choir and eco activities. SEND provision is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. This breadth suggests the school is well set up to support a wide range of additional needs. For families in Croydon, particularly those with children from nursery age upwards, Applegarth offers strong academic outcomes in a genuinely inclusive setting. The high oversubscription rate means it’s worth applying early and putting it first on your list.

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