Harris Academy Purley

Harris Academy Purley has made significant strides since its last inspection 11 years ago, moving from an outstanding rating to a current assessment of good overall. The school is characterized by a diverse and inclusive environment where pupils exhibit respect for each other and demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning. Although there is a broad and ambitious curriculum that is well-sequenced and reflects the needs of the pupils, some concerns remain regarding the pace of learning in certain classes. Leaders are committed to ensuring that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, receive the support they need to succeed academically and personally.

Strengths

• Strong leadership with high aspirations for pupils
• Diverse and inclusive school environment
• Broad and ambitious curriculum well-sequenced
• Good subject knowledge among teachers
• Effective safeguarding arrangements
• Strong focus on literacy and reading development
• Comprehensive personal development program
• Effective careers education and guidance

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers do not provide enough time for pupils to apply new learning
• Pace of lessons is sometimes too quick, leading to gaps in knowledge

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 Harris Academy Purley attended 92.8% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 19.2% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

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, 3.4% of pupils at Harris Academy Purley were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

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 Harris Academy Purley had 17.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 15.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

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, 9.1% of pupils at Harris Academy Purley were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

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 secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Harris Academy Purley received £8,710 and spent £8,696 for each of its 1,022 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £797,000 (£780 per pupil).

Across all 58 schools of Harris Federation, income was £8,891 and spending £8,882 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Croydon · Croydon local authority: places and applications

Harris Academy Purley is part of Harris Federation, which runs 58 schools. The nearest others:

• Harris Primary Academy Haling Park Croydon
• Harris Primary Academy Purley Way Croydon
• Harris Primary Academy Kenley Kenley
• Harris Invictus Academy Croydon Croydon
• Harris Primary Academy Croydon Croydon
• Harris Junior Academy Carshalton Carshalton
• Harris Primary Academy Benson Croydon
• Harris Professional Skills Sixth Form London
• Harris Academy Merton Mitcham
• Harris Academy South Norwood London

What is Harris Academy Purley's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Harris Academy Purley is Good, from an inspection in April 2023.

When was Harris Academy Purley last inspected by Ofsted?

Harris Academy Purley was last inspected in April 2023.

How many pupils does Harris Academy Purley have?

Harris Academy Purley has 1,013 pupils on roll.

What age range does Harris Academy Purley cover?

Harris Academy Purley for pupils aged 11 to 19.

What are Harris Academy Purley's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 52.2, and 61% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Harris Academy Purley?

Harris Academy Purley is at Kendra Hall Road, South Croydon, Surrey, CR2 6DT.