Castle Hill Academy
65%
Capacity
275
Pupils
2.6x
Demand
About Castle Hill Academy
Castle Hill Academy, a state primary in Croydon, stands out for its academic performance. In the most recent Key Stage 2 results, 77% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the Croydon local authority average of 66%. This places the school in the top 25% nationally for this measure and 19th out of 77 primaries in the borough. The school is heavily oversubscribed, with 52 applications for just 20 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, and 19 of those offers went to first-preference families. This level of demand suggests local parents recognise the school's strong results, particularly given that 63.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a figure well above the national average.
The school's Ofsted rating has improved significantly. In its most recent graded inspection, it received a Good overall, with Good marks across all categories including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. This is a notable turnaround from its previous graded inspection in 2016, when it was rated Inadequate. The most recent ungraded inspection in 2025 confirmed that standards have been maintained. In terms of specific outcomes, 87% of pupils met the expected standard in reading and 80% in maths, while 43% achieved the higher standard in reading and 30% in maths. The average reading score was 109 and the average maths score was 107, both comfortably above the national average of 100. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive, with 99% of respondents saying they would recommend the school.
The school offers a range of facilities including a sports hall, playing fields, art studios, music rooms and an ICT suite. Clubs include eco club, choir, film club, chess and drama, while sports on offer are rounders, cross country, football and athletics. The school has a strong focus on SEND support, with provisions for specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, physical disabilities, autistic spectrum disorder and other difficulties. 38% of parents who responded to the Parent View survey said their child receives SEND support, and 97% of those agreed or strongly agreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need. With a nursery provision and an age range of 3 to 11, Castle Hill Academy is a good fit for families seeking a well-regarded local primary that delivers strong academic outcomes despite serving a high-needs community.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 3 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Dunley Drive, Croydon, Croydon, CR0 0RJ |
| Headteacher | Chun Lok |
| Local Authority | Croydon |
| Number of Pupils | 275 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 63.6% |
| School Capacity | 275 / 420 (65% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
9 Jul 2025Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (9 Jul 2025): Standards maintained
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 5 Jan 2020. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (77%)
2094th of 13,686
Nationally
461st of 1,592
In London
19th of 77
In Croydon
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
77%
Expected Standard
13%
Higher Standard
'22/23
78%
'23/24
77%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
Ofsted Parent View
94 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
5Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
9Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed20
52
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
19 families put this school as their 1st choice (37% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:50 – 15:10
Breakfast club
07:30-08:40
After-school care
15:10-17:30
Source: castlehillacademy.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White British30.5%
- Mixed17.4%
- Asian9.6%
- White (other)5.8%
- Black1.1%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than half of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
5
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
5
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Castle Hill Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Dunley Drive, Croydon
Croydon, CR0 0RJ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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