St. Mary's Catholic Junior School, Croydon
St. Mary's Catholic Junior School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Croydon, part of Sancta Familia Catholic Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in September 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 9th-highest of the 34 schools in Croydon with published results, and 3,885th of 14,452 across England. It was 91% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
- Capacity
- 91% full
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St. Mary's Catholic Junior School in detail
Results
In 2025, 81% of Year 6 pupils at St. Mary's Catholic Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 87% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 80% and 80% in Croydon and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 77% in reading and 85% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St. Mary's Catholic Junior School
Across Croydon, 90% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Croydon lodged 57 appeals against primary school offers; 27 reached a hearing and 1 succeeded (3.7% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St. Mary's Catholic Junior School are St Mary's Catholic Infant School (under 0.1 miles, Good); Ark Oval Primary Academy (0.3 miles, Good, 81% reading, 71% maths); Chestnut Park Primary School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 57% reading, 60% maths); and Broadmead Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 73% reading, 66% maths).
St. Mary's Catholic Junior School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
St Mary's Catholic Infant SchoolArk Oval Primary AcademyChestnut Park Primary SchoolBroadmead Primary School
The trust
St. Mary's Catholic Junior School is one of 9 schools run by Sancta Familia Catholic Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
67.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (49%), Asian (26%) and Mixed (9%).
In 2026, 36 pupils (16.7%) received SEN support and 5 (2.3%) 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 East Croydon Rail Station, about 410 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lansdowne Road (->e), 250 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 1298 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.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St. Mary's Catholic Junior School issued 7 suspensions, 3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St. Mary's Catholic Junior School are St Mary's Catholic High School (0.1 miles), Harris Federation Post 16 (0.4 miles), Harris Invictus Academy Croydon (0.4 miles) and Ark Blake Academy (0.5 miles).
St Mary's Catholic High SchoolHarris Federation Post 16Harris Invictus Academy CroydonArk Blake Academy
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 agoThis judgement is from July 2018, 8 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
Ofsted rated this school Good at its July 2018 inspection - up from Inadequate.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
22.7%
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 77% to 81% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 87% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 85% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.3
Avg class size
27.3
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St. Mary's Catholic Junior School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St. Mary's Catholic Junior School.
- Wizkids Club (West Croydon)860m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
St. Mary's Catholic Junior School is an academy, 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
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St. Mary's Catholic Junior School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St. Mary's Catholic Junior 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
- 180
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 28
- Children hurt
- 13
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 180 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 28 serious and 152 slight.
13 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 11 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
30 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
91%
Near capacity
222 pupils
243 places
21 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Croydon
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Croydon
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.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
36
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
19.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
216
Total Pupils
82
Boys
134
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
18.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£45,973
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,203
Per pupil
£1609k
Total funding
£98k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.7%
Overall absence
8.8%
Persistent absence
240
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
Questions parents ask about St. Mary's Catholic Junior School
What are SATs results like at St. Mary's Catholic Junior School?
Of the pupils at St. Mary's Catholic Junior School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 81% reached the expected standard in reading and 87% did so in maths.
What is St. Mary's Catholic Junior School's Ofsted rating?
St. Mary's Catholic Junior School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St. Mary's Catholic Junior School?
No fixed boundary. When St. Mary's Catholic Junior 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 St. Mary's Catholic Junior School?
St. Mary's Catholic Junior School was not full in 2025: it ran at 91% of its 243 places.
How big are the classes at St. Mary's Catholic Junior School?
Classes at St. Mary's Catholic Junior School average 27.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St. Mary's Catholic Junior School?
St. Mary's Catholic Junior School has around 216 pupils on roll. 23% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St. Mary's Catholic Junior School?
3.7% of sessions were missed at St. Mary's Catholic Junior School in 2024/25. 8.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St. Mary's Catholic Junior School?
Apply through Croydon's coordinated admissions process, naming St. Mary's Catholic Junior 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.
Does St. Mary's Catholic Junior School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St. Mary's Catholic Junior School: Wizkids Club (West Croydon) (860m 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 St. Mary's Catholic Junior School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 180 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 28 serious and 152 slight. 13 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 11 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 30 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 St. Mary's Catholic Junior School?
St. Mary's Catholic Junior School is at Sydenham Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 2EW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)