Archbishop Tenison's CofE High School, Croydon

Ofsted's report card from its 14 April 2026 inspection grades Archbishop Tenison's CofE High School on 7 areas: 6 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils acquire knowledge and skills across a range of subjects and broadly make suitable progress from their starting points."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have developed a broad and ambitious curriculum."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have effective systems in place to swiftly identify the needs of all pupils."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders at all levels know the school's context well and promote a culture of high expectations and inclusion."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have provided all pupils with a coherent programme of activities to support their wider development."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of what is working well and which areas to target for improvement."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "In all year groups, there are some pupils who do not attend school regularly enough."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders must raise pupils' attendance more rapidly, particularly for those are persistently or severely absent, by acting swiftly and effectively to tackle the most important barriers"; "Leaders should sharpen the monitoring and evaluation of their actions to improve key aspects of the school, ensuring that what they do has as much impact as possible, including further developing teaching so that pupils achieve more highly"; "Leaders should extend the school's programme of personal development and increase the range of wider opportunities available to older pupils and students, including opportunities for enrichment and leadership development, so that pupils can further develop their interests and aspirations".

In 2026, pupils at Archbishop Tenison's CofE High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 43.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.4 in Croydon and 47 across England.

37% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 46% in Croydon and 47% in England.

That is down from 45.3 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.18: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 36.3, against 46.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and History.

For September 2026 entry, 92 families put Archbishop Tenison's CofE High School as their first choice and 417 named it as one of their preferences, for 138 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Archbishop Tenison's CofE High School are Coombe Wood School (0.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 53.9); Harris Federation Post 16 (0.7 miles); Ark Blake Academy (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.5); and St Mary's Catholic High School (1 mile, Good, Attainment 8 46.7).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Archbishop Tenison's CofE High School.

Of the 120 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 93% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 32% to a further education college.

Of the 42 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 74% went on to university or other higher education, 2% to apprenticeships and 7% into work. 9% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

37.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

Archbishop Tenison's CofE High School had 59 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest tram or metro stop is Lloyd Park Tram Stop, about 580 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).

3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Selborne Road, 290 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 768 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Croydon (488), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Archbishop Tenison's CofE High School issued 83 suspensions, 10.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Archbishop Tenison's CofE High School are Park Hill Junior School (0.3 miles), Park Hill Infant School (0.3 miles), Ark Oval Primary Academy (0.7 miles) and Heathfield Academy (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.