Harris Invictus Academy Croydon, Croydon

From the headteacher's welcome: "Harris Invictus Academy is a vibrant, happy and successful school at the heart of the community. We know that our young people have incredible strengths and talents which we nurture. We encourage them to flourish and grow into excellent ambassadors for the Academy and for our community."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, hockey, basketball, badminton, dance, drama, choir, chess and cooking.

On phones, the school says: "Just as importantly, a phone free school day supports students' wellbeing and safety ."

In 2026, pupils at Harris Invictus Academy Croydon averaged an Attainment 8 score of 46.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.4 in Croydon and 47 across England.

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

That is up from 45 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.1: pupils made about 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 41.3, against 50.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.8 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Spanish.

For September 2026 entry, 171 families put Harris Invictus Academy Croydon as their first choice and 505 named it as one of their preferences, for 178 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 19 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Harris Invictus Academy Croydon are St Mary's Catholic High School (0.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46.7); Harris Federation Post 16 (0.5 miles); Ark Blake Academy (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.5); and BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.5).

Harris Invictus Academy Croydon's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.

Harris Invictus Academy Croydon is one of 59 schools run by Harris Federation, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 50.5 in 2024/25.

Of the 165 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 94% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 30% to a further education college and 1% into work.

Of the 70 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 63% went on to university or other higher education, 1% to apprenticeships and 14% into work. 9% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

49.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 46.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Black (31%), Asian (30%) and Mixed (12%).

In 2026, 145 pupils (15.1%) received SEN support and 28 (2.9%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.

The nearest tram or metro stop is West Croydon Tram Stop, about 200 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).

21 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Montague Road, 70 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Harris Invictus Academy Croydon stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 1302 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, Harris Invictus Academy Croydon issued 62 suspensions, 6.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Harris Invictus Academy Croydon are Chestnut Park Primary School (0.3 miles), St Mary's Catholic Infant School (0.4 miles), St. Mary's Catholic Junior School (0.4 miles) and Elmwood Junior School (0.4 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.