Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School, Purley
Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Purley. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 15th-highest of the 78 schools in Croydon with published results, and 1,757th of 14,452 across England. It was 89% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Croydon (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School in detail
Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School is committed to the safeguarding of our children and to providing a safe environment for them."
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care, from £7.50 per session.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 88% of Year 6 pupils at Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 91% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 80% and 80% in Croydon and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (93% in reading, 90% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 31 families put Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School as their first choice and 104 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 5 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School are Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley) (0.4 miles, Good, 82% reading, 83% maths); Wallington Primary Academy (0.7 miles, Good, 45% reading, 45% maths); Regina Coeli Catholic Primary School (0.9 miles); and St Elphege's RC Junior School (0.9 miles).
Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 2 of them.
Christ Church CofE Primary School (Purley)Wallington Primary AcademyRegina Coeli Catholic Primary SchoolSt Elphege's RC Junior School
Who goes there
14.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 13 pupils (6.1%) received SEN support and 13 (6.1%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Purley Station, about 810 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).
1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is Gilliam Grove, 360 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 251 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, Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School issued 6 suspensions, 2.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School are Thomas More Catholic School (under 0.1 miles), The John Fisher School (0.6 miles), Harris Academy Purley (0.8 miles) and Wallington High School for Girls (1.3 miles).
Thomas More Catholic SchoolThe John Fisher SchoolHarris Academy PurleyWallington High School for Girls
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 · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its July 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes, Early years.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
14.2%
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 declined from 93% to 88% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 91% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 83% to 73% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.3
Avg class size
29.7
Infant (KS1)
30.8
KS2
7
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School.
- Play Place After School Purley590m away · Not yet graded
- First Class Learning Purley690m away · Not yet graded
- Kumon Purley Study Centre690m away · Not yet graded
- art-K Purley690m away · Not yet graded
- Munchkin Sports John Fisher School Holiday Camp960m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School 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 Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School 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
- 26
- Fatal
- 2
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 26 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 6 serious and 18 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
7 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 Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School
Will you get a place at Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School.
- Croydon publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
89%
Available places
214 pupils
240 places
26 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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
13
SEN Support
13
EHC Plans
12.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
212
Total Pupils
103
Boys
109
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
21.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,567
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,873
Per pupil
£1368k
Total funding
£52k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.7%
Overall absence
10.7%
Persistent absence
197
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
Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School
Questions parents ask about Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School
What are SATs results like at Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School?
Of the pupils at Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 88% reached the expected standard in reading and 91% did so in maths.
What is Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2023.
What is the catchment area for Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School is oversubscribed, Croydon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School?
Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 89% of its 240 places.
How big are the classes at Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School?
Classes at Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School average 30.3 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School?
Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School has around 212 pupils on roll. 14% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School?
4.7% of sessions were missed at Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School in 2024/25. 10.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School?
Apply through Croydon's coordinated admissions process, naming Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School 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 Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 5 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School: Play Place After School Purley (590m away, registered, not yet graded), First Class Learning Purley (690m away, registered, not yet graded) and Kumon Purley Study Centre (690m 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 Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 26 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 6 serious and 18 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 7 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 Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School?
Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School is at Russell Hill Road, Purley, Surrey, CR8 2XP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)