Classpot

Harris Academy Purley

Croydon, CR2 6DTSecondaryAges 11–19MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Feb 2023
Progress 8
+0.23
Above average
−20+2
Competition
0.7×
Not oversubscribed
126 1st-choice / 180 places
Ranking
#1,003
of 3,141 nationally

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.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 19 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressKendra Hall Road, South Croydon, Croydon, CR2 6DT
HeadteacherTim Allman
Local AuthorityCroydon
Number of Pupils1,022
Free School Meals (FSM)39.3%
School Capacity1,022 / 1,150 (89% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

28 Feb 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Good

Source: Ofsted, 26 Apr 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

11
Swimming PoolSports HallMusic RoomsDining HallICT SuiteLibraryScience LabsGymnasiumTheatreChapelSixth Form Centre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

17

Sports

BadmintonSwimmingRugbyAthleticsDanceBasketball

Clubs & Activities

Science ClubEco ClubChoirDramaYoung EnterpriseNewspaperOrchestraBook ClubGardeningDuke of EdinburghModel United Nations

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingLearning Difficulty

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Harris Academy Purley

Harris Academy Purley has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.