Harris Academy PurleyRiddlesdown Collegiate
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side.
Summary of the comparison
Harris Academy Purley and Riddlesdown Collegiate are secondary schools.
Harris Academy Purley scores 61 out of 100 (grade C, average) and Riddlesdown Collegiate scores 70 out of 100 (grade B, strong). Riddlesdown Collegiate is ahead on our composite score.
Harris Academy Purley was judged Good and Riddlesdown Collegiate was judged Outstanding.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 52.2 for Harris Academy Purley and 55.3 for Riddlesdown Collegiate.
GCSE Attainment 8 has risen at Harris Academy Purley (45.6 in 2021-22, 52.2 in 2025-26) and has held broadly level at Riddlesdown Collegiate (56.1 in 2021-22, 55.3 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | South CroydonHarris Academy Purley | PurleyRiddlesdown Collegiate | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | C61/100 | B70/100Stronger figure | |
| Local ranking | 8th of 23 in Croydon | 2nd of 23 in Croydon Stronger figure | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Good | Ofsted: OutstandingStronger figure | |
| School type | Academy sponsor led | Academy converter | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-19 | 11-19 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,013 | 2,074 | |
| Capacity | 1,150 | 2,040 | |
| Location | South Croydon, CR2 6DT | Purley, CR8 1EX | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 52.2 | 55.3 Stronger figure | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 60.5% | 63.1% Stronger figure | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 72.9% | 80.3% Stronger figure | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 177 | 325 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | 43 | 195 | |
| A-level average points | 29.3 | 37.9 Stronger figure | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | C | B- | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | 30.3 | 37.1 Stronger figure | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | 6.5% | 17.4% Stronger figure | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,022 | 2,067 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 43.4% | 18.9% | |
| English as an additional language | 40.1% | 8.4% | |
| SEN support | 10.9% | 12.1% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 1.6% | 3.0% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 7.2% Stronger figure | 7.4% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 19.2% Stronger figure | 19.8% | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
A-level average points
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
Harris Academy Purley
Riddlesdown Collegiate
Full profiles: Harris Academy Purley · Riddlesdown Collegiate