Archbishop Tenison's CofE High School

About Archbishop Tenison's CofE High School

Archbishop Tenison's CofE High School sits in Croydon with a Progress 8 score of -0.18, which is below the local authority average of -0.04 for secondary schools. That places it 18th out of 26 similar schools in the borough, putting it in the bottom half of Croydon's state secondaries. The school's Attainment 8 score is 45.9, and 64.2% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though the figure drops to 40.8% for grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 4.14, with 54.2% of pupils entering the EBacc combination but only 20% achieving a grade 4 or above in it. These headline figures suggest a school that is broadly in line with national averages but slightly behind its local peers, particularly the top performers like Coloma Convent Girls' School and Harris Academy South Norwood.

Looking more closely at the breakdown, the school's Progress 8 scores vary significantly by subject. English shows a positive progress score of 0.09, meaning pupils here make slightly more progress than the national average in that subject. Maths, however, is a different story with a progress score of -0.45, indicating weaker progress compared with similar pupils nationally. The EBacc element of Progress 8 is close to average at -0.05, while the open element is -0.32. At A-level, the school's value-added score is 0.05, which is rated as average, and the average points per entry is 25.68, equivalent to a C- grade. The best three A-levels average out at a C- as well. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, the school was rated Good overall, with leadership and management also Good. This is a downgrade from its previous Outstanding rating in 2008, though the 2022 ungraded inspection confirmed it remains Good.

The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 545 applications for 160 places, with 110 first-preference applications and 102 first-preference offers. That's a ratio of 3.41 applications per place. With 35.8% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a relatively disadvantaged community compared with the national average. Facilities include science labs, a theatre, a sixth form centre, and a chapel, reflecting its Church of England foundation. Sports offered range from rowing to martial arts, and clubs include Model UN, DofE, and Young Enterprise. The school has a broad SEND offer, covering dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health needs. It suits families who want a faith-based secondary with a sixth form, a strong sense of community, and a realistic picture of academic performance that is solid but not exceptional.

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