Harris Academy Purley

School overview

Harris Academy Purley is a secondary school serving Croydon, classified by the DfE as a sponsor-led academy. It has 1,022 pupils aged 11 to 19 on roll. At its most recent graded inspection, Ofsted rated Harris Academy Purley 'Good'. The school's average Attainment 8 score in the latest GCSE results was 46.8 — broadly in line with the national average (national average: 46). Performance is little changed year on year. On our composite score, which combines the DfE attainment measures above, this places it in the top 44% of secondary schools nationally.

50% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in both English and maths, above the national average of about 45%. 66% achieved a standard pass (grade 4+) in English and maths. 95% of the families who made Harris Academy Purley their first choice were offered a Year 7 place for September 2026, even though the school made at least as many offers as it had first choices - the rest withdrew, moved or fell outside a priority group. After Year 11, 95% of its leavers went on to education, an apprenticeship or work that they stayed in for at least two terms. Overall pupil absence was 7.3%. There are about 26.6 pupils per teacher. The school serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage: about 43% of pupils have been eligible for free school meals in the last six years, compared with roughly 24% nationally — useful context when reading the results above. When comparing schools, it is still worth visiting in person to see whether the atmosphere and approach suit your child. This overview is generated automatically from the latest published DfE performance tables and Ofsted data; figures are rounded, and you can check the originals via the official links above.