Purley Oaks Primary School
About Purley Oaks Primary School
Purley Oaks Primary School is a large state primary in Croydon, running very close to its full capacity of 660 pupils with 651 on roll. The school serves a community with a notably high level of disadvantage: 32% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average for primary schools. Demand for places is extremely strong. For entry in 2025/26, the school received 210 applications for just 72 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.92 applicants per place. Of those, 58 were first-preference applications, and 58 first-preference offers were made, meaning every family who put Purley Oaks first secured a spot. The school is non-denominational, with no religious character, and offers nursery provision for children from age three. Richard Griffin is the headteacher.
Key Details
The full report on this school
What 91 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
26 Feb 2025Latest monitoring visit (26 Feb 2025): Standards maintained
Source: Ofsted, 10 Oct 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
6Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
10Sports
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.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:15
Breakfast club
07:30-08:55
After-school care
15:00-18:30
Source: purleyoaks.croydon.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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