Priory School, London
Priory School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in London. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Priory School in detail
Priory School in its own words
In its own words: "We are very proud of our mission statement and core values, which are a true reflection of our School - shared every day with students, staff, families and our community. At Priory School, we offer a learning environment which is underpinned by our core values of respect , courage , happiness , ambition and pride ."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Priory School are Maypole School (Leigham Court) (1.5 miles, Good); Woodside Park School (1.6 miles, selective); The Livity School (1.7 miles, Good); and Beckmead College (1.7 miles, Good).
Maypole School (Leigham Court)Woodside Park SchoolThe Livity SchoolBeckmead College
Where pupils go next
Of the 21 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 95% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
50.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 44.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (36%), Asian (27%) and Mixed (13%).
Almost every pupil at Priory School has an education, health and care plan (140 of 140 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Priory School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Gipsy Hill Station, about 870 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Crystal Terrace, 90 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Priory School issued 4 suspensions, 2.9 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Priory School excels at creating a calm, supportive environment where pupils feel safe and happy. The school's outstanding behaviour and strong relationships between staff and pupils mean your child will be well cared for. With a tailored curriculum, practical life skills lessons and work experience opportunities, the school genuinely prepares young people for independence and future success.
Key Strengths
- Outstanding behaviour with pupils supporting each other kindly and maintaining positive relationships with staff
- Ambitious, carefully designed curriculum tailored to meet each pupil's specific needs with five different learning pathways
- Effective strategies to help pupils feel calm and manage anxieties, leading to purposeful classrooms and fewer incidents
- Strong personal development programme including work experience, Duke of Edinburgh's Award, student council and careers guidance
- Significant improvement in attendance over the last two years through effective partnership with parents and transport providers
Areas for Improvement
- Some aspects of the new phonics and reading approach are not yet fully embedded, so pupils are not developing confidence and enthusiasm for reading as well as they could be
- New sixth-form curriculum approaches are still being refined and not consistently implemented, meaning some students' outcomes do not match the school's increased ambitions
- Staff training needed to ensure the new sixth-form curriculum is delivered consistently across all lessons
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Duke of Edinburgh's Award, student council, work experience placements, educational visits, cookery lessons
Priory School is a special school for pupils with complex needs and autism that provides a carefully designed curriculum to support diverse learners. The school maintains high standards of behaviour and is committed to preparing pupils for their future lives in the wider world.
At a Glance
50.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SpLD, Autism, MLD +2
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Priory School
Parent newsletter July 2026
16 Jul 2026
Parent newsletter May 2026
20 May 2026
Parent newsletter April 2026
27 Mar 2026
Parent newsletter February 2026
10 Feb 2026
Parent newsletter December 2025
19 Dec 2025
Parent newsletter October 2025
3 Nov 2025
From Priory School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Priory School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Priory School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Priory 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
- 55
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 16
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 55 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 16 serious and 39 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
15 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
101%
Over capacity
140 pupils
139 places
1 pupil over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Croydon council
Places available
4,025
Applications
4,184
Got 1st preference
71.2%
Got preferred school
95.3%
All secondary applications across Croydon council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
140
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Priory School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
140
Total Pupils
99
Boys
41
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
6.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£60,340
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.9%
Overall absence
28.4%
Persistent absence
81
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Priory School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Priory School
What is Priory School's Ofsted rating?
Priory School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024.
What is the catchment area for Priory School?
No fixed boundary. When Priory School is oversubscribed, Croydon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Priory School?
Priory School has around 140 pupils on roll. 51% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Priory School have specialist SEN provision?
Priory School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Priory School?
8.9% of sessions were missed at Priory School in 2024/25. 28.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Priory School?
Apply through Croydon's coordinated admissions process, naming Priory School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Priory School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 55 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 16 serious and 39 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 15 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 Priory School?
Priory School is at Hermitage Road, Upper Norwood, London, SE19 3QN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)