Harris Primary Academy Purley Way
About Harris Primary Academy Purley Way
Harris Primary Academy Purley Way is a state primary school in Croydon, and it stands out even in a borough with plenty of strong options. Of the 88 primary schools in the local authority, it ranks 9th overall, placing it comfortably in the top 10. Its nearest Outstanding-rated neighbour is Heathfield Academy, 1.3 km away, which tops the local leaderboard with a ranking score of 90. St John's CofE Primary School and Applegarth Academy also sit above it in the local rankings, but Harris Primary Academy Purley Way holds its own with a ranking score of 81. The school is run by headteacher Oscar Sanders and caters to 547 pupils aged 4 to 11, with capacity for 630. It has no religious character and is heavily oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, 182 families applied for 68 places, and 51 of those were first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.68.
Key Details
The full report on this school
What 240 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 Apr 2025Latest monitoring visit (24 Apr 2025): Standards maintained
Source: Ofsted, 17 Sept 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
9Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About Harris Primary Academy Purley Way
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