Park Hill Infant School
Park Hill Infant School is a community school in Croydon for pupils aged 5 to 7. It has 270 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Park Hill Infant School is Outstanding, from an inspection in December 2023. Places are in short supply, with 42 of the 129 families who named it as their first choice for a Reception place in September 2026 missing out.
Ofsted inspection: December 2023.
| Type | Primary / Community school |
| Age Range | 5-7 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Stanhope Road Croydon Surrey CR0 5NS |
| Reference Number | 101779 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 270 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 52.22%
Girls: 47.78% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 21.5% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 48.5% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 30 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 30 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50 | 40 | 90 |
| 2 | 44 | 46 | 90 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Indian | 36.3% |
| White, British | 10.4% |
| African | 10.4% |
| White, Other | 8.1% |
| Mixed, Other | 5.6% |
| White & Asian | 4.8% |
| Caribbean | 4.8% |
| Pakistani | 4.8% |
| Asian, Other | 4.4% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 3% |
| White & Black (African) | 3% |
| Unclassified | 1.5% |
Park Hill Infant School has received an outstanding rating in all areas, reflecting a high standard of education and care for its students. The school fosters a positive learning environment where pupils are enthusiastic and exhibit exceptional behavior. They engage actively in their learning and demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, which are encouraged by a responsive and skilled staff team. The school prides itself on a well-structured curriculum that not only meets but often exceeds national expectations, particularly in teaching phonics and early reading.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Outstanding |
| > Quality of education | Outstanding |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Outstanding |
| > Personal Development | Outstanding |
| > Leadership & Management | Outstanding |
| > Early Years Provision | Outstanding |
| Last Report Date | 08 Nov 2023 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 08 Nov 2023 | School inspection: |
| 12 May 2010 | Full inspection: |
| 02 Jul 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 25 Feb 2003 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Outstanding quality of education across all domains.
- Exceptional behavior and positive attitudes among pupils.
- Strong mutual respect between pupils and adults.
- Highly effective teaching of phonics and early reading.
- Ambitious curriculum that caters to all pupils, including those with SEND.
- Wide range of extracurricular opportunities promoting personal development.
- Strong systems to manage attendance effectively.
Reception admissions, 2026 entry
Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment
| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Second Preference | 71 | 3 |
| Third Preference | 48 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 3 | 0 |
Previous years
Sample
UnlockPlaces and pupil numbers
In 2024–25 Park Hill Infant School had 269 pupils for 270 places. 1 places (0.4%) were unfilled.
Pupils and places
Reception intake in the “Central Croydon Primary” planning area
Croydon counted 617 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 628 in 2029–30, up 2%.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Places | 216 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 |
| Pupils | 258 | 298 | 269 | 267 | 270 | 269 | 265 | 267 | 266 | 266 | 263 | 269 | 268 | 270 | 269 |
| Unfilled | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 1.1% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 1.9% | 1.1% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 2.6% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 0.0% | 0.4% |
Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.
In 2024–25 pupils at Park Hill Infant School attended 95.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.4% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 2.3% | 2.6% | 3.1% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 1.6% | 4.9% | 3.3% | 2.7% | 3.3% |
| Unauthorised absence | 1.1% | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 1.3% | 0.9% |
| Severely absent pupils | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.
In 2024–25, 1.1% of pupils at Park Hill Infant School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 4.1 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.
In 2025–26 Park Hill Infant School had 20.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 14.6 | 18.2 | 13.3 | 13.0 | 12.7 | 12.0 | 15.8 | 15.1 | 15.3 | 12.7 | 14.8 | 13.3 | 13.7 | 14.2 | 16.0 | 15.4 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 16.7% | 4.1% | 8.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 20.5% | 9.3% | 0.0% | 7.0% | 11.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% | 9.5% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 30.8% | 40.0% | 38.5% | 53.8% | 60.0% | 42.9% | 42.9% | 30.8% | 35.7% | – | 80.0% | 68.8% | 50.0% | 73.3% | 57.1% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 0.7 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 2.5 | – | 3.6 | 4.7 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 2.3 | – |
Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.
In 2025–26, 20.0% of pupils at Park Hill Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).
Pupils by main type of need
| SEN support | EHC plan | |
|---|---|---|
| No specialist assessment of need | 21 | 0 |
| Speech, language and communication needs | 15 | 6 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 14 | 1 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 3 | 3 |
| Other difficulty or disability | 1 | 0 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 0 | 1 |
Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.
In 2025–26 Park Hill Infant School received £7,627 and spent £7,666 for each of its 270 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £95,000 (£353 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £85,000 | £98,000 | £125,000 | £100,000 | £97,000 | £133,000 | £106,000 | £95,000 |
| per pupil | £319 | £374 | £468 | £374 | £358 | £494 | £395 | £353 |
| In-year balance | £7,000 | £13,000 | £27,000 | -£25,000 | -£3,000 | £36,000 | -£27,000 | -£11,000 |
| per pupil | £25 | £50 | £101 | -£94 | -£11 | £135 | -£100 | -£39 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).
| Name | Distance |
|
Park Hill Junior School
Stanhope Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 5NS |
0.03 miles |
|
Aspire Learning
Coombe Cliff, Coombe Road, Croydon, CR0 5SP |
0.27 miles |
|
Ark Oval Primary Academy
98 Cherry Orchard Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 6BA |
0.49 miles |
|
Heathfield Academy
7 Aberdeen Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 1EQ |
0.54 miles |
|
Elmhurst School Ltd
|
0.58 miles |
|
Tunstall Nursery School
Tunstall Road, Croydon, CR0 6TY |
0.58 miles |
|
St Mary's Catholic Infant School
Bedford Park, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 2AQ |
0.65 miles |
|
St. Mary's Catholic Junior School
Sydenham Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 2EW |
0.68 miles |
|
Howard Primary School
Dering Place, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 1DT |
0.69 miles |
|
Krishna Avanti Primary School
Southbridge Place, Croydon, CR0 4HA |
0.72 miles |
|
Al-Khair School Preparatory School
36 Pitlake, Croydon, CR0 3RA |
0.86 miles |
|
Harris Primary Academy Haling Park
50-58 Haling Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR2 6HS |
0.88 miles |
|
The Minster Junior School
Warrington Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 4BH |
0.9 miles |
|
The Minster Nursery and Infants Church of England Academy
Warrington Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 4BH |
0.9 miles |
|
St Peter's Primary School
Normanton Road, South Croydon, Surrey, CR2 7AR |
0.92 miles |
|
John Wood School & Nursery
Dartnell Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 6JA |
1 miles |
|
Chestnut Park Primary School
49 St James Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 2UR |
1.14 miles |
|
Aerodrome Primary Academy
Goodwin Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 4EJ |
1.14 miles |
|
Woodside Primary School
Morland Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 6NF |
1.15 miles |
|
Broadmead Primary School
366 Sydenham Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 2EA |
1.17 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Archbishop Tenison's CofE High School
Selborne Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 5JQ |
0.33 miles |
|
Croydon College
Fairfield Campus, College Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR9 1DX |
0.35 miles |
|
Croydon Metropolitan College
30-32 South End, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 1DN |
0.53 miles |
|
Al-Khair Secondary Girls
109-117 Cherry Orchard, Surrey, CR0 6BE |
0.58 miles |
|
Al-Khair School
109-117 Cherry Orchard Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 6BE |
0.59 miles |
|
Serenity School, Old Palace Croydon
Old Palace School, Old Palace Road, CROYDON, CR0 1AX |
0.67 miles |
|
Supreme Education AP
CSEP, 32-34 Sydenham Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 2EF |
0.68 miles |
|
Ark Blake Academy
6 Morland Road, Croydon, CR0 6NA |
0.75 miles |
|
Maypole School - Melville
8 Melville Avenue, South Croydon, CR2 7HY |
0.76 miles |
|
St Mary's Catholic High School
Woburn Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR9 2EE |
0.77 miles |
|
Coombe Wood School
30 Melville Avenue, South Croydon, CR2 7HY |
0.8 miles |
|
Rutherford School
1a Melville Avenue, South Croydon, Surrey, CR2 7HZ |
0.84 miles |
|
Chaffinch Brook School
32 Morland Road, Croydon, CR0 6NA |
0.87 miles |
|
Oak Bridge School
Coombe Road, Croydon, CR0 5RD |
0.91 miles |
|
Harris Invictus Academy Croydon
88 London Road, Croydon, CR0 2TB |
0.91 miles |
|
Whitgift School
|
0.93 miles |
|
The Write Time
Warrington Road, Opposite Ludford Close, Croydon, London, CR0 4BH |
0.96 miles |
|
St Giles School
Pampisford Road, Pampisford School, South Croydon, Surrey, CR2 6DF |
1.27 miles |
|
Trinity School
|
1.29 miles |
|
Royal Russell School
Coombe Lane, Croydon, CR9 5BX |
1.37 miles |
All schools in Croydon · Croydon local authority: places and applications
What is Park Hill Infant School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for Park Hill Infant School is Outstanding, from an inspection in December 2023.
When was Park Hill Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?
Park Hill Infant School was last inspected in December 2023.
How many pupils does Park Hill Infant School have?
Park Hill Infant School has 270 pupils on roll.
What age range does Park Hill Infant School cover?
Park Hill Infant School for pupils aged 5 to 7.
Where is Park Hill Infant School?
Park Hill Infant School is at Stanhope Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 5NS.