Paxton Academy Sports And Science
Paxton Academy Sports And Science is a free schools in Croydon for pupils aged 2 to 11. It has 281 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Paxton Academy Sports And Science is Good, from an inspection in January 2023. In 2025, 87% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. It has plenty of spare room: 62% of its places were unfilled in 2024/25, more than at most primary schools. Suspensions are common here, with 4.4 in every 100 pupils suspended at least once in 2024/25 (nationally, 1.1).
Ofsted inspection: January 2023. KS2 results: 2025.
| Type | Primary / Free schools |
| Age Range | 2-11 |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Address | 843 London Road Thornton Heath CR7 6AW |
| Phone | 02086832308 |
| Reference Number | 140967 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 281 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 53.02%
Girls: 46.98% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 42.5% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 54.8% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 22.3 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 24.8 |
| Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher | 25.3 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 | 25 | 54 |
| 2 | 23 | 20 | 43 |
| 3 | 10 | 14 | 24 |
| 4 | 13 | 16 | 29 |
| 5 | 14 | 13 | 27 |
| 6 | 14 | 7 | 21 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Caribbean | 22.8% |
| White, Other | 14.6% |
| Indian | 14.2% |
| African | 11.4% |
| Mixed, Other | 8.5% |
| Pakistani | 6.4% |
| White, British | 3.9% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 3.2% |
| Asian, Other | 2.8% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.4% |
| White & Asian | 0.7% |
| Unclassified | 0.4% |
Paxton Academy Sports and Science has made significant improvements since its previous inspection, moving from an inadequate rating to a good overall effectiveness. The school is now characterized by strong leadership and management, praised for their outstanding contributions in fostering a positive learning environment and high expectations for all students. Pupils are reportedly happy and engaged, benefitting from a well-structured curriculum that promotes both academic and personal development, including strong support for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| > Quality of education | Good |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Good |
| > Personal Development | Good |
| > Leadership & Management | Outstanding |
| > Early Years Provision | Good |
| Last Report Date | 06 Dec 2022 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 06 Dec 2022 | School inspection: |
| 05 May 2021 | Monitoring visit |
| 27 Jan 2021 | Monitoring visit |
| 08 Dec 2020 | Monitoring visit |
| 26 Nov 2019 | School inspection: |
| 10 May 2017 | Full inspection: |
Strengths
- Pupils are happy and enjoy learning.
- Leaders have established high expectations for all pupils.
- The curriculum is ambitious, broad, and well-sequenced.
- Reading is a clear strength, with a strong emphasis on fluency and comprehension.
- Pupils with SEND receive effective support.
- The school promotes personal development and prepares pupils for life in modern Britain.
Areas for Improvement
- Pupils' knowledge in some recently improved subjects is not fully secure.
Ofsted Parent View
The latest published parent view scores are from 2022. Ofsted only publish scores if there have been more than 10 responses to the survey.
| Strongly Agree | Agree | Disagree | Strongly Disagree | Don't Know | Total Responses | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. My child is happy at this school. | 42 | 26 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 78 |
| 2. My child feels safe at this school. | 45 | 26 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 78 |
| 3. The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved. | 27 | 32 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 78 |
| 4. My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively. | 44 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 6 |
| 5. The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year. | 22 | 37 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 78 |
| 6. When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly. | 15 | 21 | 21 | 15 | 4 | 2 |
| 7. My child has SEND, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed. | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 11 |
| 8. The school has high expectations for my child. | 19 | 41 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 78 |
| 9. My child does well at this school. | 34 | 27 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 78 |
| 10. The school lets me know how my child is doing. | 24 | 34 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 78 |
| 11. There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school. | 31 | 34 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 78 |
| 12. My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school. | 35 | 34 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 78 |
| 13. The school supports my child’s wider personal development. | 23 | 30 | 18 | 1 | 6 | 78 |
| 14. I would recommend this school to another parent. | 58 | 20 |
How many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 87% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 13% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Average Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
| Subject | School | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 109 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | 105 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Progress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 2 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Writing | 3.3 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | 3.3 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
How many students meet the standards
Sample
UnlockAverage Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
Sample
UnlockProgress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
Sample
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See how Paxton Academy Sports And Science ranks locally and nationally. Percentile rankings against every other school, historic result charts, admissions data and post-GCSE destinations are all included.
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Unlock for £9.99Reception admissions, 2026 entry
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| 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 | 39 | 3 |
| Third Preference | 24 | 1 |
| From another Local Authority | 7 | 2 |
Previous years
Sample
UnlockPlaces and pupil numbers
In 2024–25 Paxton Academy Sports And Science had 239 pupils for 630 places. 391 places (62.1%) were unfilled.
Pupils and places
Reception intake in the “North West Primary” planning area
Croydon counted 1,171 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 1,107 in 2029–30, down 5%.
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Places | 630 | 630 | 630 | 630 | 630 | 630 | 630 | 630 | 630 | 630 |
| Pupils | 68 | 116 | 189 | 181 | 181 | 193 | 181 | 188 | 217 | 239 |
| Unfilled | 89.2% | 81.6% | 70.0% | 71.3% | 71.3% | 69.4% | 71.3% | 70.2% | 65.6% | 62.1% |
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 Paxton Academy Sports And Science attended 93.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 26.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 6.3% | 4.2% | 3.7% | 3.1% | 3.5% | 3.1% | 4.8% | 3.5% | 3.5% |
| Unauthorised absence | 1.9% | 0.9% | 2.0% | 1.6% | 2.2% | 1.7% | 3.1% | 3.3% | 3.2% |
| Severely absent pupils | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1.7% | 0.6% | 5.1% | 1.2% | 2.9% | 3.1% | 3.2% |
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, 4.4% of pupils at Paxton Academy Sports And Science were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.6 | 3.7 | 0.5 | 6.1 | 27.2 | 13.4 | 3.2 | 13.7 | 11.3 |
| Permanent exclusions | 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 Paxton Academy Sports And Science had 19.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.2% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 8.7 | 8.8 | 10.6 | 9.4 | 9.3 | 10.5 | 12.3 | 11.1 | 13.0 | 13.8 | 12.1 | 11.4 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 31.1% | 0.0% | 31.7% | 36.5% | 26.2% | 40.4% | 18.5% | 31.4% | 18.8% | 44.9% | 6.4% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | – | 63.6% | 33.3% | 33.3% | 66.7% | – | 69.2% | 84.6% | 72.7% | 57.1% | 73.3% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | – | 3.0 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 8.6 | – | 5.1 | 9.1 | 10.6 | 4.2 | 6.6 | – |
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, 14.6% of pupils at Paxton Academy Sports And Science were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).
Pupils by main type of need
| SEN support | EHC plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Speech, language and communication needs | 19 | 3 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 5 | 3 |
| No specialist assessment of need | 5 | 0 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 5 | 0 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 3 | 1 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 2 | 1 |
| Hearing impairment | 1 | 0 |
| Other difficulty or disability | 1 | 0 |
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 2024–25 Paxton Academy Sports And Science received £11,430 and spent £10,384 for each of its 269 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,220,000 (£4,545 per pupil).
Across all 8 schools of Wandle Learning Trust, income was £11,907 and spending £10,640 per pupil.
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | -£238,000 | -£301,000 | £313,000 | £626,000 | £743,000 | £1,220,000 |
| per pupil | -£1,317 | -£1,544 | £1,683 | £3,297 | £3,505 | £4,545 |
| In-year balance | £128,000 | -£99,000 | £150,000 | £371,000 | £193,000 | £281,000 |
| per pupil | £710 | -£505 | £806 | £1,953 | £909 | £1,047 |
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.
| Name | Distance |
|
Winterbourne Junior Girls' School
Winterbourne Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR7 7QT |
0.32 miles |
|
Winterbourne Nursery and Infants' School
Winterbourne Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR7 7QT |
0.32 miles |
|
Winterbourne Boys' Academy
Winterbourne Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR7 7QT |
0.32 miles |
|
Gonville Academy
Gonville Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR7 6DL |
0.32 miles |
|
Ecclesbourne Primary School
Attlee Close, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR7 7FA |
0.58 miles |
|
West Thornton Primary School
Rosecourt Road, Croydon, CR0 3BS |
0.58 miles |
|
Elmwood Junior School
Lodge Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 2PL |
0.7 miles |
|
Elmwood Infant School
Lodge Road, Lodge Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 2PL |
0.7 miles |
|
Chestnut Park Primary School
49 St James Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 2UR |
0.85 miles |
|
Thornton Heath Nursery School
51 Pridham Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 8RS |
0.87 miles |
|
St James the Great RC Primary and Nursery School
St. James The Great School, Windsor Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR7 8HJ |
0.89 miles |
|
Harris Primary Academy Croydon
Thomson Crescent, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 3JT |
0.92 miles |
|
Beulah Infants' School
Furze Road, Thornton Heath, London, Surrey, CR7 8NJ |
0.94 miles |
|
William Morris Primary School
Recreation Way, Mitcham, Surrey, CR4 1PJ |
0.95 miles |
|
Beulah Junior School
Beulah Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR7 8JF |
0.95 miles |
|
Whitehorse Manor Infant School
Whitehorse Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR7 8SB |
1 miles |
|
Whitehorse Manor Junior School
Whitehorse Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR7 8SB |
1 miles |
|
Harris Primary Academy Merton
Abbotts Road, Mitcham, Surrey, CR4 1JW |
1.05 miles |
|
The Crescent Primary School
The Crescent, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 2HN |
1.07 miles |
|
Selhurst Nursery School and Children's Centre
23 Dagnall Park, London, SE25 5PL |
1.11 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Bensham Manor School
Ecclesbourne Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR7 7BN |
0.55 miles |
|
The Archbishop Lanfranc Academy
Mitcham Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR9 3AS |
0.72 miles |
|
Harris Academy Merton
Wide Way, Mitcham, Surrey, CR4 1BP |
0.98 miles |
|
BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology
60 The Crescent, Selhurst, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 2HN |
1.01 miles |
|
Aya College (Educational Provision)
Holly Lodge, 16 Edith Road, London, London, SE25 5PQ |
1.04 miles |
|
Harris Invictus Academy Croydon
88 London Road, Croydon, CR0 2TB |
1.1 miles |
|
Norbury High School for Girls
Kensington Avenue, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR7 8BT |
1.13 miles |
|
St Mary's Catholic High School
Woburn Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR9 2EE |
1.21 miles |
|
Supreme Education AP
CSEP, 32-34 Sydenham Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 2EF |
1.33 miles |
|
Beckmead College
Tennison Road, London, SE25 5RR |
1.48 miles |
|
Woodmansterne School
Woodmansterne Road, Streatham, London, SW16 5UQ |
1.53 miles |
|
Al-Khair School
109-117 Cherry Orchard Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 6BE |
1.53 miles |
|
Al-Khair Secondary Girls
109-117 Cherry Orchard, Surrey, CR0 6BE |
1.54 miles |
|
Serenity School, Old Palace Croydon
Old Palace School, Old Palace Road, CROYDON, CR0 1AX |
1.58 miles |
|
Harris Academy Beulah Hill
Spurgeon Road, London, SE19 3UG |
1.58 miles |
|
Harris Professional Skills Sixth Form
11 Oliver Grove, London, SE25 6EJ |
1.6 miles |
|
Ark Blake Academy
6 Morland Road, Croydon, CR0 6NA |
1.63 miles |
|
The Write Time
Warrington Road, Opposite Ludford Close, Croydon, London, CR0 4BH |
1.66 miles |
|
Croydon College
Fairfield Campus, College Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR9 1DX |
1.67 miles |
|
Chaffinch Brook School
32 Morland Road, Croydon, CR0 6NA |
1.69 miles |
All schools in Croydon · Croydon local authority: places and applications
Paxton Academy Sports And Science is part of Wandle Learning Trust, which runs 11 schools. The nearest others:
- Kensington Avenue Primary School Thornton Heath
- Norbury High School for Girls Thornton Heath
- Ravenstone Primary School London
- Fircroft Primary School London
- Chestnut Grove Academy London
- Swaffield School London
- Chesterton Primary School London
- Thomson House School London
- Hellingly Community Primary School Hailsham
- Grovelands Community Primary School Hailsham
What is Paxton Academy Sports And Science's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for Paxton Academy Sports And Science is Good, from an inspection in January 2023.
When was Paxton Academy Sports And Science last inspected by Ofsted?
Paxton Academy Sports And Science was last inspected in January 2023.
How many pupils does Paxton Academy Sports And Science have?
Paxton Academy Sports And Science has 281 pupils on roll.
What age range does Paxton Academy Sports And Science cover?
Paxton Academy Sports And Science for pupils aged 2 to 11.
What are Paxton Academy Sports And Science's SATs (KS2) results?
In 2025, 87% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Where is Paxton Academy Sports And Science?
Paxton Academy Sports And Science is at 843 London Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 6AW.