Castle Hill Academy, Croydon
Castle Hill Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Croydon, part of The Platanos Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 29th-highest of the 34 schools in Croydon with published results, and 11,035th of 14,452 across England. It was 59% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Croydon (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Castle Hill Academy in detail
Results
In 2025, 68% of Year 6 pupils at Castle Hill Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 68% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 80% and 80% in Croydon and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 87% in reading and 80% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Castle Hill Academy
For September 2026 entry, 24 families put Castle Hill Academy as their first choice and 67 named it as one of their preferences, for 24 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Castle Hill Academy are Good Shepherd Catholic Primary and Nursery School (0.2 miles, Good, 71% reading, 65% maths); Applegarth Academy (0.3 miles, Good, 90% reading, 93% maths); Tudor Academy (0.5 miles, Good, 80% reading, 85% maths); and Forestdale Primary School (1 mile, Good, 84% reading, 78% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Castle Hill Academy.
Good Shepherd Catholic Primary and Nursery SchoolApplegarth AcademyTudor AcademyForestdale Primary School
The trust
Castle Hill Academy is one of 3 schools run by The Platanos Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
94 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Castle Hill Academy (as of September 2025): 99% would recommend the school, 99% say their child is happy there and 80% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (80%).
Who goes there
66.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 56 pupils (21.3%) received SEN support and 54 (20.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is autism.
Castle Hill Academy has a SEN unit for autism: 35 places, 35 pupils on roll.
Staffing
Castle Hill Academy had 18 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Fieldway Tram Stop, about 580 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Coppins (->e), 160 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Castle Hill Academy stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 170 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Croydon (488).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Castle Hill Academy issued 7 suspensions, 2.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Castle Hill Academy are The Quest Academy (1.4 miles) and Meridian High School (1.7 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from November 2019, 6 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Castle Hill Academy creates a caring, inclusive environment where every pupil is valued and celebrated. The school excels at teaching reading and building a broad curriculum from nursery onwards, with excellent support for children with additional needs. Staff are well-trained and committed, and pupils benefit from a rich range of experiences including trips, visitors, clubs, and responsibilities that prepare them for life beyond school.
Key Strengths
- Broad, ambitious curriculum starting from early years with strong phonics teaching and a focus on reading - pupils develop a love of learning
- Highly inclusive school with excellent support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities
- Strong behaviour expectations consistently met by pupils, creating a calm and purposeful environment
- Excellent pastoral care and family support, with improved attendance rates
- Comprehensive personal development programme preparing pupils well for life in modern Britain
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers need better skills to check whether pupils truly understand their learning - some pupils develop misconceptions and move on before they are ready
- Published test outcomes do not fully reflect the quality of education because not all pupils sit national tests at the end of Year 6
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with clear policies and an open culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Animal therapy sessions, school council, anti-bullying ambassadors, student librarians, maths ambassadors, clubs, trips, visitor meetings
Castle Hill Academy is a primary school that has maintained its good standards since the previous inspection. Pupils are proud and happy to attend, benefiting from a broad curriculum, strong relationships, and an inclusive environment where everyone is welcomed.
At a Glance
66.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
94 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 87% to 68% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 80% to 68% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 77% to 58% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
14.8
Avg class size
18.0
Infant (KS1)
18.0
KS2
12
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Castle Hill Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Castle Hill Academy.
- AFCroydon Afterschool Club300m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Castle Hill Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Croydon's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Castle Hill Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Castle Hill Academy is in Croydon; for families living there:
Apply to Croydon for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 22
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 8 serious and 13 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
6 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Croydon is 54.5 (the median across 156 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Castle Hill Academy
Will you get a place at Castle Hill Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Castle Hill Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Castle Hill Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Castle Hill Academy.
- Croydon publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Castle Hill Academy that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Castle Hill Academy for 2018 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Croydon got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
59%
Available places
247 pupils
420 places
173 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Croydon
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Croydon
Across Croydon council
Places available
4,828
Applications
4,082
Got 1st preference
89.6%
Got preferred school
99.2%
All primary applications across Croydon council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
56
SEN Support
54
EHC Plans
41.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Castle Hill Academy has a SEN unit for autism: 35 places, 35 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
263
Total Pupils
158
Boys
105
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
14.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,725
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,203
Per pupil
£2128k
Total funding
£238k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.2%
Overall absence
21.2%
Persistent absence
222
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Castle Hill Academy
Questions parents ask about Castle Hill Academy
What are SATs results like at Castle Hill Academy?
Of the pupils at Castle Hill Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 68% reached the expected standard in reading and 68% did so in maths.
What is Castle Hill Academy's Ofsted rating?
Castle Hill Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Castle Hill Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Castle Hill Academy is oversubscribed, Croydon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Castle Hill Academy?
Castle Hill Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 59% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Castle Hill Academy?
Classes at Castle Hill Academy average 14.8 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Castle Hill Academy?
Castle Hill Academy has around 263 pupils on roll. 67% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Castle Hill Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Castle Hill Academy has a SEN unit for autism: 35 places, 35 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Castle Hill Academy?
7.2% of sessions were missed at Castle Hill Academy in 2024/25. 21.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Castle Hill Academy?
Apply through Croydon's coordinated admissions process, naming Castle Hill Academy on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Castle Hill Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Castle Hill Academy: AFCroydon Afterschool Club (300m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Castle Hill Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 8 serious and 13 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 6 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Croydon is 54.5 (the median across 156 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Castle Hill Academy?
Castle Hill Academy is at Dunley Drive, New Addington, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 0RJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)