The Quest AcademyShirley High School Performing Arts College
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side.
Summary of the comparison
The Quest Academy and Shirley High School Performing Arts College are secondary schools.
The Quest Academy scores 41 out of 100 (grade D, below average) and Shirley High School Performing Arts College scores 49 out of 100 (grade D, below average). Shirley High School Performing Arts College is ahead on our composite score.
The Quest Academy was judged Requires improvement and Shirley High School Performing Arts College was judged Good.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 37.5 for The Quest Academy and 37.7 for Shirley High School Performing Arts College.
GCSE Attainment 8 has fallen at The Quest Academy (43.5 in 2021-22, 37.5 in 2024-25) and has fallen at Shirley High School Performing Arts College (47.7 in 2021-22, 37.7 in 2024-25).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | South CroydonThe Quest Academy | CroydonShirley High School Performing Arts College | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | D41/100 | D49/100Stronger figure | |
| Local ranking | 22nd of 23 in Croydon | 18th of 23 in Croydon Stronger figure | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Requires improvement | Ofsted: GoodStronger figure | |
| School type | Academy sponsor led | Academy converter | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-18 | 11-19 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 903 | 785 | |
| Capacity | 1,115 | 1,105 | |
| Location | South Croydon, CR2 8HD | Croydon, CR0 5EF | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 37.5 | 37.7 Stronger figure | 46.0 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 23.0% | 23.3% Stronger figure | 45.4% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 40.0% | 49.2% Stronger figure | 64.8% |
| Entering EBacc | 57.8% Stronger figure | 31.7% | 40.5% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.25 Stronger figure | 3.20 | 4.09 |
| Cohort | 135 | 120 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | 44 | 48 | |
| A-level average points | 28.1 Stronger figure | 26.2 | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | C- | C- | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | 29.1 Stronger figure | 26.1 | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | 3.8% | 3.8% | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 903 | 785 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 48.9% | 53.0% | |
| English as an additional language | 26.8% | 30.6% | |
| SEN support | 15.3% | 24.6% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 1.8% | 2.5% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 9.4% Stronger figure | 11.0% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 28.6% Stronger figure | 35.2% | 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.
The Quest Academy
Shirley High School Performing Arts College
Full profiles: The Quest Academy · Shirley High School Performing Arts College