Schools in Croydon

100 schools with published admissions figures

The newest figures for each school. "1st prefs per place" is how many families put the school first, for each place it gave out. It measures demand, not whether a child would get a place. A dash means the figure is not available.

How the 2026 round went in Croydon

Primary

Offered their first choice 89.6%
Of families applying for a primary place for September 2026. Against 85.0% in 2016.
Offered one of their three 98.2%
Families offered any of the schools they named.
Families who applied 4,082
Applications received for a primary place. A family naming three schools counts once.

For September 2026, 89.6% of families applying for a primary place here were offered their first choice, and 98.2% were offered one of the three schools they named.

That is 4.7 points higher than in 2016, when it was 85.0%.

The council's primary schools between them had 4,828 places for 4,082 applications. That is a total for the whole council and says nothing about any one school in it.

Secondary

Offered their first choice 71.2%
Of families applying for a secondary place for September 2026. Against 67.1% in 2016.
Offered one of their three 91.0%
Families offered any of the schools they named.
Families who applied 4,184
Applications received for a secondary place. A family naming three schools counts once.

For September 2026, 71.2% of families applying for a secondary place here were offered their first choice, and 91.0% were offered one of the three schools they named.

That is 4.1 points higher than in 2016, when it was 67.1%.

The council's secondary schools between them had 4,025 places for 4,184 applications, which is 159 fewer places than applications. That is a total for the whole council and says nothing about any one school in it.

Source: Department for Education, applications and offers. The same round across England.

If a family is refused a place

In 2026, families in Croydon lodged 112 appeals about a school place.

66 of them were heard by a panel and 3 succeeded, which is about 5 in every 100 heard.

The other 46 did not reach a panel. Most appeals that do not are withdrawn because a place comes up first.

This is a record of decisions already made. A panel hears one case at a time and decides it on what that family sets out, so these figures do not indicate what would happen in any particular appeal.

Source: Department for Education, admission appeals in England, reporting year 2026. Counts every school in this council area. The share that succeeded is taken over appeals heard by a panel, not over appeals lodged.

Secondary

School	1st prefs per place	Demand since	Latest Ofsted
Archbishop Tenison's CofE High School Croydon	0.67	-	Expected standard Ofsted report card (current framework)
Ark Blake Academy Croydon	0.73	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Coloma Convent Girls' School Croydon	0.78	-	Expected standard Ofsted report card (current framework)
Coombe Wood School South Croydon	1.84	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Harris Academy Beulah Hill London	0.65	-	none held
Harris Academy Purley South Croydon	0.61	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Harris Academy South Norwood London	0.57	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Harris City Academy Crystal Palace London	0.84	-	Not judged Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Harris Invictus Academy Croydon Croydon	0.96	-	School remains Outstanding Ofsted ungraded inspection
Meridian High School Croydon	0.75	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Norbury High School for Girls Thornton Heath	0.79	-	School remains Good Ofsted ungraded inspection
Oasis Academy Arena London	0.55	-	Expected standard Ofsted report card (current framework)
Oasis Academy Coulsdon Croydon	1.08	-	School remains Good Ofsted ungraded inspection
Oasis Academy Shirley Park Croydon	0.71	-	Not judged Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Orchard Park High School Croydon	0.96	-	School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next Ofsted ungraded inspection
Riddlesdown Collegiate Purley	1.61	-	Outstanding Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Shirley High School Performing Arts College Croydon	0.59	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
St Joseph's College London	0.58	-	Standards maintained Ofsted ungraded inspection
St Mary's Catholic High School Croydon	0.42	-	Expected standard Ofsted report card (current framework)
The Archbishop Lanfranc Academy Croydon	0.70	-	Not judged Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
The Quest Academy South Croydon	0.63	-	Requires improvement Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Thomas More Catholic School Purley	0.47	-	Standards maintained Ofsted ungraded inspection
Woodcote High School Coulsdon	0.66	-	School remains Good Ofsted ungraded inspection

Elsewhere

Most sought-after schools in Croydon by first preferences per place
Schools in CR0 (38)
Schools in CR2 (13)
Schools in CR3 (10)
Schools in CR5 (9)
Schools in CR7 (11)
Schools in CR8 (9)
Schools in CR9 (4)
Schools in SE19 (9)
Schools in SE25 (9)
Schools in SW16 (12)
What data we hold