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Paxton Academy Sports And Science, Thornton Heath

Good
Primary
Free schools
Mixed
Ages 2–11

Paxton Academy Sports And Science is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Thornton Heath, part of Wandle Learning Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2022. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 11 schools in Thornton Heath with published results, and 1,534th of 14,452 across England. It was 38% full in 2025.

SATs results
Above England average
Ofsted
Good (2022)
Demand
Every first choice offered
Attendance
Below England average
New inspections, open days and news, by email.

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

Paxton Academy Sports And Science in detail

Results

In 2025, 90% of Year 6 pupils at Paxton Academy Sports And Science reached the expected standard in reading and 90% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 80% and 80% in Croydon and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 73% in reading and 73% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

Getting a place at Paxton Academy Sports And Science

For September 2026 entry, 53 families put Paxton Academy Sports And Science as their first choice and 156 named it as one of their preferences, for 58 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 Paxton Academy Sports And Science

Compared with nearby schools

The nearest other state primary schools to Paxton Academy Sports And Science are Winterbourne Junior Girls' School (0.3 miles, Good, 91% reading, 96% maths); Winterbourne Nursery and Infants' School (0.3 miles, Good); Winterbourne Boys' Academy (0.3 miles, Good, 89% reading, 86% maths); and Gonville Academy (0.3 miles, Good, 88% reading, 88% maths).

Paxton Academy Sports And Science's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.

Winterbourne Junior Girls' SchoolWinterbourne Nursery and Infants' SchoolWinterbourne Boys' AcademyGonville Academy

The trust

Paxton Academy Sports And Science is one of 11 schools run by Wandle Learning Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 78% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

All 11 schools in Wandle Learning Trust

Who goes there

43.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 54.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Black (36%), Asian (26%) and Mixed (14%).

In 2026, 41 pupils (14.6%) received SEN support and 8 (2.8%) 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.

Staffing

Paxton Academy Sports And Science had 15 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

Getting there

The nearest railway station is Thornton Heath Rail Station, about 1110 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).

14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Colliers Water Lane, 60 metres away.

The area around the school

In August 2026, police recorded 806 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Croydon (488), as is usual near a town centre.

Suspensions and exclusions

In 2024/25, Paxton Academy Sports And Science issued 31 suspensions, 11.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

Secondary schools nearby

The secondary schools closest to Paxton Academy Sports And Science are The Archbishop Lanfranc Academy (0.7 miles) and Harris Academy Merton (1 mile).

The Archbishop Lanfranc AcademyHarris Academy Merton

Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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 GIAS
Head:Headteacher Theresa Moses
Pupils:281
LA:Croydon
Phone:02086832308
Address:843 London Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 6AW
Trust:WANDLE LEARNING TRUST (11 schools)
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2014

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 4 years ago
Good

Overall

Good

Quality of Education

Good

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Outstanding

Leadership & Management

Good

Early Years

Inspected 6 December 2022View full report
URN:140967
UKPRN:10046967
Constituency:Croydon West
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

Ofsted rated this school Good at its December 2022 inspection.

Rated Outstanding for

Leadership & management.

Rated Good for

Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Early years.

At a Glance

43.1%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2024/25

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+17ppMaths+17ppWriting-5pp

Reading has improved from 73% to 90% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 73% to 90% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 92% to 87% (2024 to 2025).

Class Sizes

22.3

Avg class size

24.8

Infant (KS1)

25.3

KS2

12

Total classes

2025/26 academic year

How Does This School Compare?

Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools

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Keep up with Paxton Academy Sports And Science

Before and after school care

Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Paxton Academy Sports And Science.

  • KG Doodles @ West Thornton Primary School (Rosecourt)950m away · Not yet graded

Term dates

Paxton Academy Sports And Science is a free 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

Bus Stops

Colliers Water Lane (Stop S)
61m · 1 min walk
Thornton Heath Pond / Fairlands Avenue (Stop L)
141m · 2 min walk
Brigstock Road / London Road (Stop P)
155m · 3 min walk
Thornton Heath Pond (Stop H)
191m · 3 min walk
Thornton Heath Bus Garage (Stop Z1)
221m · 4 min walk

Free school transport

Check free transport to Paxton Academy Sports And Science from your postcode →

You apply to the council where you live. Paxton Academy Sports And Science 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
240
Fatal
0
Serious
25
Children hurt
12

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 240 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 25 serious and 215 slight.

12 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.

42 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.

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Commute and house prices

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Your chances of a place at Paxton Academy Sports And Science

Will you get a place at Paxton Academy Sports And Science? Get the admissions report

Your home postcode, set against Paxton Academy Sports And Science's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.

What the report includes for Paxton Academy Sports And Science:

  • The straight-line distance from your home to Paxton Academy Sports And Science.
  • Croydon publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Paxton Academy Sports And Science that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
  • Applications, first choices and offers at Paxton Academy Sports And Science 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

38%

Available places

239 pupils

630 places

391 spare places in 2025

2025, DfE school capacity data

Area Demand Pressure - Thornton Heath

Low pressure
New homes approved:1,067
Projected new pupils:267

Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Thornton Heath

Across Croydon council

Low demand council-wide0.85 applications per place

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)

6 December 2022
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementOutstanding
Early YearsGood
5 May 2021
27 January 2021

SEND & SEN Provision

SEN Overview

41

SEN Support

8

EHC Plans

17.4%

of Total Pupils

2026 academic year

Provision & Specialist Facilities

No specialist provision recorded

Pupils by Need Type

Speech, Language & Communication22
Autistic Spectrum Disorder8
Specific Learning Difficulty5
Moderate Learning Difficulty4
Social, Emotional & Mental Health3
Hearing Impairment1
Other1
EHC Plan
SEN Support

Pupil Demographics

Ethnicity

White British
3.9%
Asian
25.9%
Black
36.3%
Mixed
13.8%
Other
5.0%
Unclassified
0.4%

2026 academic year

Key Indicators

Free School Meals43.1%
English as Additional Language54.4%

281

Total Pupils

149

Boys

132

Girls

2026 academic year

Workforce

15

Teachers

18.7:1

Pupil-teacher ratio

£55,912

Mean salary

2026 data

School Funding

£6,626

Per pupil

£1898k

Total funding

£195k

Pupil premium

Deprivation£267,994
EAL funding£54,567
Lump sum£161,124

2025-26 financial year allocations

Pupil Absence
2024/25

6.7%

Overall absence

26.1%

Persistent absence

218

Enrolments

Authorised3.5%
Unauthorised3.2%
Persistent (10%+)26.1%
Severe (50%+)3.2%

Absence trend

4.7%
18/19
5.7%
20/21
4.8%
21/22
7.9%
22/23
6.8%
23/24
6.7%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

Secondary Schools Nearby

Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to

Questions parents ask about Paxton Academy Sports And Science

What are SATs results like at Paxton Academy Sports And Science?

Of the pupils at Paxton Academy Sports And Science who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 90% reached the expected standard in reading and 90% did so in maths.

What is Paxton Academy Sports And Science's Ofsted rating?

Paxton Academy Sports And Science was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in December 2022. At its previous graded inspection in 2019 it was rated Inadequate.

What is the catchment area for Paxton Academy Sports And Science?

No fixed boundary. When Paxton Academy Sports And Science is oversubscribed, Croydon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.

Is it hard to get a place at Paxton Academy Sports And Science?

Paxton Academy Sports And Science was not full in 2025: it ran at 38% of its 630 places.

How big are the classes at Paxton Academy Sports And Science?

Classes at Paxton Academy Sports And Science average 22.3 pupils (2025/26).

How many pupils go to Paxton Academy Sports And Science?

Paxton Academy Sports And Science has around 281 pupils on roll. 43% are eligible for free school meals.

What is attendance like at Paxton Academy Sports And Science?

6.7% of sessions were missed at Paxton Academy Sports And Science in 2024/25. 26.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).

How do I apply to Paxton Academy Sports And Science?

Apply through Croydon's coordinated admissions process, naming Paxton Academy Sports And Science 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 Paxton Academy Sports And Science have a breakfast club or after-school club?

Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Paxton Academy Sports And Science: KG Doodles @ West Thornton Primary School (Rosecourt) (950m 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 Paxton Academy Sports And Science?

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 240 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 25 serious and 215 slight. 12 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 42 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 Paxton Academy Sports And Science?

Paxton Academy Sports And Science is at 843 London Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 6AW.

Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)

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