Riddlesdown Collegiate

School overview

Riddlesdown Collegiate is a secondary school serving Purley, Croydon, classified by the DfE as a converter academy. It has 2,067 pupils aged 11 to 19 on roll. At its most recent graded inspection, Ofsted rated Riddlesdown Collegiate 'Outstanding'. In the most recent GCSE results, pupils achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 50.7, above the national average of 46. Results have held broadly steady on the previous year. On our composite score, which combines the DfE attainment measures above, this places it in the top 26% of secondary schools nationally.

55% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in both English and maths, above the national average of about 45%. 76% achieved a standard pass (grade 4+) in English and maths. Competition for places is real here - 60% of first-choice applicants were offered a Year 7 place for September 2026 (480 first choices for 299 places). The council's own allocation figures show the last child offered a place for 2026 lived 1.33 miles away in a straight line — that distance is not a fixed catchment and moves each year. After Year 11, 96% of its leavers went on to education, an apprenticeship or work that they stayed in for at least two terms. Overall pupil absence was 8.0%. There are about 18.2 pupils per teacher. 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.