Coombe Wood School
103%
Capacity
1,136
Pupils
8.4x
Demand
About Coombe Wood School
Coombe Wood School is a mixed, non-denominational secondary school in Croydon, London, with a sixth form. In the local authority, it ranks 4th out of 22 schools of its type by Progress 8 score, placing it in the top 25% nationally. The three top-performing peers in Croydon are Coloma Convent Girls' School, Harris Academy South Norwood, and St Mary's Catholic High School. Headteacher Nicole Williams leads a school that is significantly oversubscribed: for 175 places in 2025/26, there were 1,479 total applications, with 430 first-preference applications and 139 first-preference offers. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 8.45, reflecting strong local demand. The school has a capacity of 1,100 but currently houses 1,136 pupils, and 27.3% of students are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average and suggests a genuinely comprehensive intake.
Academically, Coombe Wood performs well above the Croydon average. Its Progress 8 score of +0.38 is classified as 'Above average', compared with the local authority average of -0.04. Attainment 8 sits at 50.6, and 74.7% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, dropping to 56.9% at grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 4.43, with 32.8% of pupils entering the EBacc combination. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2023, the school was rated Good across all categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision all scored 2. The sixth form is smaller, with 40 pupils, and its value-added score of -0.59 is rated 'Below average', with a best three A-level grade of D+ and an average points per entry of 26.12 (equivalent to a C-). This suggests the sixth form is less strong than the main school, so families should weigh that if post-16 options are a priority.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, science labs, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer include gymnastics, rowing, cricket, and dance, while clubs range from art and orchestra to Model UN and gardening. SEND provisions are extensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social and emotional mental health, speech and language needs, visual impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. This makes it a strong option for families whose children need targeted support within a mainstream setting. Given its strong Progress 8 outcomes and high oversubscription, Coombe Wood is a good fit for families in Croydon seeking a well-regarded comprehensive with a genuinely mixed intake and solid academic results, though those prioritising sixth-form outcomes may want to explore alternatives.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | 30 Melville Avenue, South Croydon, Croydon, CR2 7HY |
| Headteacher | Nicole Williams |
| Local Authority | Croydon |
| Number of Pupils | 1,136 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 27.3% |
| School Capacity | 1,136 / 1,100 (103% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
17 Jan 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 1 Mar 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.38)
667th of 3,141
Nationally
208th of 487
In London
4th of 22
In Croydon
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'22/23
28.0
'23/24
26.1
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Mathematics24
- Biology22
- Economics14
- Chemistry13
- Physics11
- Psychology11
- Physical Education / Sports Studies8
- English Literature7
- History7
- Art and Design6
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed175
1,479
Extremely High Demand
Very competitive - significantly more applications than places
430 families put this school as their 1st choice (29% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- Mixed23.0%
- White British22.4%
- Asian19.2%
- White (other)10.7%
- Black2.0%
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
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given 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.
8
Total schools
6
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 Coombe Wood School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
30 Melville Avenue, South Croydon
Croydon, CR2 7HY
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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