Thornton Heath Nursery School, Thornton Heath
Thornton Heath Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 4 in Thornton Heath. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2023.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Thornton Heath Nursery School in detail
Thornton Heath Nursery School in its own words
In its own words: "At Thornton Heath Nursery School we develop British Values through our everyday practice. We promote:"
The school runs after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 51% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (29%), Mixed (28%) and Asian (20%).
In 2026, 17 pupils (17.7%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Thornton Heath Station, about 370 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Nursery Road, 120 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Thornton Heath Nursery School 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 753 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.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
0.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby nursery schools
Latest from Thornton Heath Nursery School
Little Hands, Big Minds: Ladybird Class Explores ‘Eat Up, Gemma’
2 Oct 2026
More Pizza Please!
2 Oct 2026
Humpty Dumpty Makes Delicious Pasta!
25 Sep 2026
Supporting Macmillan
25 Sep 2026
Marvellous Me, Marvellous Friends!
18 Sep 2026
Welcome back
11 Sep 2026
From Thornton Heath Nursery School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Thornton Heath Nursery School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Thornton Heath Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Thornton Heath Nursery 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
- 222
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 28
- Children hurt
- 13
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 222 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 28 serious and 193 slight.
13 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 11 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
46 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
Area Demand Pressure - Thornton Heath
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Thornton Heath
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)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
17
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
17.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
96
Total Pupils
56
Boys
40
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
1
Teachers
96.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Thornton Heath Nursery School
What is Thornton Heath Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Thornton Heath Nursery School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2023.
What is the catchment area for Thornton Heath Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Thornton Heath Nursery School is oversubscribed, Croydon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Thornton Heath Nursery School?
Thornton Heath Nursery School has around 96 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Thornton Heath Nursery School?
Apply through Croydon's coordinated admissions process, naming Thornton Heath Nursery 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 Thornton Heath Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 222 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 28 serious and 193 slight. 13 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 11 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 46 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 Thornton Heath Nursery School?
Thornton Heath Nursery School is at 51 Pridham Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR7 8RS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)