Harris Academy Purley
89%
Capacity
1,022
Pupils
3.3x
Demand
About Harris Academy Purley
Harris Academy Purley sits within Croydon’s secondary school landscape as a solidly performing state option, ranking 8th out of 22 schools of its type in the borough. That places it ahead of the median but behind the three top-performing peers in the local authority: Coloma Convent Girls’ School, Harris Academy South Norwood, and St Mary’s Catholic High School. The school is a mixed, non-denominational secondary with a sixth form, led by headteacher Tim Allman, and it operates under the Harris Federation umbrella. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Good across all five categories — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. That’s a step down from its previous Outstanding rating in 2011, but the school remains a popular choice: for 2025/26 entry, it received 587 applications for 180 places, with 115 first-preference offers made from 126 first-preference applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.26.
Academically, Harris Academy Purley delivers results that sit comfortably above the Croydon average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.23 is rated ‘Above average’ and compares favourably with the local authority average of -0.04, meaning pupils here make stronger progress than their peers across the borough. The Attainment 8 score of 47 reflects a solid set of GCSE outcomes, with 70.1% of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and 52.9% reaching grade 5 or above. Progress in maths is notably strong at 0.61, while English progress sits at 0.33. The EBacc entry rate is 51.1%, though only 16.1% of pupils achieve the full EBacc at grade 5 or above. At A-level, the picture is more mixed: the sixth form’s value-added score of -0.34 is rated ‘Below average’, with an average points per entry of 25.35, equivalent to a C- grade. The school’s Progress 8 ranking places it 8th in Croydon, 274th in London, and 1003rd nationally out of 3141 schools.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, theatre, sixth form centre, and dedicated science labs, with sports such as rugby, swimming, and athletics on offer. Clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model UN, and Young Enterprise, giving pupils plenty of enrichment opportunities. SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 39.3% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. It’s a good fit for families in Croydon seeking a well-subscribed state secondary with strong GCSE progress, particularly in maths, and a wide extracurricular offer — though those prioritising sixth-form outcomes may want to compare A-level value-added figures with nearby alternatives.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Kendra Hall Road, South Croydon, Croydon, CR2 6DT |
| Headteacher | Tim Allman |
| Local Authority | Croydon |
| Number of Pupils | 1,022 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 39.3% |
| School Capacity | 1,022 / 1,150 (89% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
28 Feb 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 26 Apr 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.23)
1003rd of 3,141
Nationally
274th of 487
In London
8th 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)
'21/22
29.5
'22/23
24.9
'23/24
25.4
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2354%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 177 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)54%
- FE college35%
- Sixth form college5%
- Apprenticeship2%
- Not sustained2%
- Employment1%
97% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2376%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 141 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
15%
Russell Group
18%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)76%
- Employment11%
- Not sustained5%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Further education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Mathematics27
- Sociology19
- Economics15
- Psychology15
- Biology14
- Media/Film/Tv Studies14
- Business Studies:Single13
- Computer Studies / Computing12
- English Literature11
- Art and Design (Photography)10
- Chemistry8
- Geography8
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
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed180
587
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
126 families put this school as their 1st choice (21% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
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.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian29.1%
- Mixed14.2%
- White British10.5%
- White (other)8.5%
- Black2.8%
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.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half 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.
18
Total schools
13
Oversubscribed
13
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 Harris Academy Purley
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
Kendra Hall Road, South Croydon
Croydon, CR2 6DT
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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