Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley), Purley
Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Purley. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2011. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2022 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 31st-highest of the 78 schools in Croydon with published results, and 4,602nd of 14,452 across England. It was 96% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2011)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
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
Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) in detail
Results
In 2025, 82% of Year 6 pupils at Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) reached the expected standard in reading and 83% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 80% and 80% in Croydon and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 70% in reading and 70% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)
For September 2026 entry, 43 families put Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) as their first choice and 126 named it as one of their preferences, for 48 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) are Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 88% reading, 91% maths); Regina Coeli Catholic Primary School (0.8 miles); Purley Oaks Primary School (1 mile, Good, 73% reading, 73% maths); and Wallington Primary Academy (1.1 miles, Good, 45% reading, 45% maths).
Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)'s 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Margaret Roper Catholic Primary SchoolRegina Coeli Catholic Primary SchoolPurley Oaks Primary SchoolWallington Primary Academy
Who goes there
46.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (27%), White British (23%) and Mixed (16%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Purley Station, about 590 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Montpelier Road, 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 222 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, Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) issued 20 suspensions, 5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) are Thomas More Catholic School (0.4 miles), Harris Academy Purley (0.7 miles), The John Fisher School (1 mile) and Riddlesdown Collegiate (1.5 miles).
Thomas More Catholic SchoolHarris Academy PurleyThe John Fisher SchoolRiddlesdown Collegiate
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 5 years agoThis judgement is from November 2011, 14 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2022 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a caring school where children develop into confident, respectful young people with a strong sense of community. The school excels at teaching reading with a well-planned phonics programme and daily reading for all pupils. Strong teacher expertise, particularly in maths, combined with high behaviour expectations and a wide range of clubs and leadership opportunities means your child will be well-prepared for secondary school.
Key Strengths
- Strong phonics teaching with well-trained staff and regular leader checks ensure pupils get a solid start in reading
- Teachers have strong subject knowledge and use excellent resources to support learning, particularly in mathematics
- Effective support for pupils with special educational needs through the inclusion team and new 'Willows' provision
- Wide range of popular clubs and activities available to all pupils on a rotational basis
- Safe, well-behaved school where bullying is rare and pupils trust adults
Areas for Improvement
- Some subjects in the wider curriculum focus too much on generic skills like research and communication rather than subject-specific knowledge and key concepts
- Inconsistency in subject leaders' confidence and expertise, which means curriculum thinking sometimes lacks clear purpose
- Some pupils are not learning and remembering subject content as well as they should across certain subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with a well-trained team ensuring staff understand their responsibilities, pupils learn about online safety, and vulnerable pupils and families receive expanded in-school support.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports clubs, choir, forest school activities, play leader roles for Year 6 pupils, pupil council, eco-warriors, shining stars
Christ Church Church of England Primary School (Purley) is a good school with high expectations and a friendly, inclusive environment where pupils thrive. The school's core values of love, courage, honesty, faith and forgiveness are central to school life and have a positive impact on pupils.
At a Glance
29.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 70% to 82% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 70% to 83% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 62% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.6
Avg class size
28.0
Infant (KS1)
28.8
KS2
5
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley).
- First Class Learning PurleyAt the school · Not yet graded
- Kumon Purley Study CentreAt the school · Not yet graded
- Play Place After School Purley480m away · Not yet graded
- art-K Purley570m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) is a voluntary aided school, 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
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) 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
- 71
- Fatal
- 2
- Serious
- 15
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 71 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 15 serious and 54 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
18 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 Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)
Will you get a place at Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)'s admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley):
- The straight-line distance from your home to Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley).
- Croydon publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) for 2014 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
96%
Near capacity
402 pupils
420 places
18 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Purley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Purley
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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
71
SEN Support
13
EHC Plans
21.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
397
Total Pupils
213
Boys
184
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
18.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,953
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,688
Per pupil
£2540k
Total funding
£136k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.2%
Overall absence
13.1%
Persistent absence
374
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
Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)
Questions parents ask about Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)
What are SATs results like at Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)?
Of the pupils at Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 82% reached the expected standard in reading and 83% did so in maths.
What is Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)'s Ofsted rating?
Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)'s most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2011, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)?
No fixed boundary. When Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) is oversubscribed, Croydon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)?
Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) was close to full in 2025, at 96% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)?
Classes at Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) average 28.6 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)?
Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) has around 397 pupils on roll. 29% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)?
5.2% of sessions were missed at Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) in 2024/25. 13.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)?
Apply through Croydon's coordinated admissions process, naming Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) 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 Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs at the school: First Class Learning Purley (registered, not yet graded) and Kumon Purley Study Centre (registered, not yet graded). There are 2 more within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 71 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 15 serious and 54 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 18 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 Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)?
Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) is at Montpelier Road, Purley, Surrey, CR8 2QE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)