Academy sponsor led · Croydon

The Quest Academy

11–18Ages
853Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
136203URN

Farnborough Avenue, South Croydon, CR2 8HD · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2024 Previous framework

Requires improvement

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.1per place

0.7 below Croydon median (2.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Croydon

214 applications for 104 places · 21st of 22 in Croydon

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

40.5of 90

Croydon 46.5 England 46.0

20th of 23 in Croydon

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Requires improvement · 12 March 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education		Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes	Good
Personal development	Good
Leadership and management		Requires improvement
Sixth form provision	Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.1applications per place, Year 7

0.7 below Croydon median (2.8) close to England median (2.2)

214 applications · 104 places offered · 66 named it first

2026 2.1; Croydon median median 2.8
2025 2.1; Croydon median median 2.9
2024 2.4; Croydon median median 2.9
2023 2.5; Croydon median median 2.8
2022 2.7; Croydon median median 2.7
2021 2.3; Croydon median median 2.8
2020 2.3; Croydon median median 2.5
2019 2.4; Croydon median median 2.6
2018 2.1; Croydon median median 2.4
2017 2.4; Croydon median median 3.0
2016 2.3; Croydon median median 2.7
2015 1.9; Croydon median median 3.0
2014 2.6; Croydon median median 3.7

More applications per place than the Croydon median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
Croydon median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	104	214	2.1	66	0.63
Sep 2025	147	303	2.1	86	0.59
Sep 2024	172	409	2.4	112	0.65
Sep 2023	174	439	2.5	99	0.57
Sep 2022	186	497	2.7	119	0.64
Sep 2021	186	425	2.3	75	0.40
Sep 2020	176	404	2.3	85	0.48
Sep 2019	180	433	2.4	97	0.54
Sep 2018	178	377	2.1	94	0.53
Sep 2017	142	335	2.4	67	0.47
Sep 2016	168	383	2.3	80	0.48
Sep 2015	176	333	1.9	105	0.60
Sep 2014	120	317	2.6	66	0.55

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

161 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)40.520th of 23 in Croydon

Croydon 46.5 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths35%20th of 23 in Croydon

Croydon 46% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths59%

Croydon 62% England 66%

This school
Croydon median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.35

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	161	40.5	35%	59%	–
2024/25	135	37.5	23%	40%	–
2023/24	161	43.8	44%	62%	−0.35
2022/23	144	41.5	43%	59%	−0.56

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

The Quest AcademyThis school
This school

Requires improvement2024

2.1applications per place 40.5Attainment 8
Coloma Convent Girls' School
2.1 km · Croydon

2026

2.6applications per place 56.8Attainment 8
Shirley High School Performing Arts College
2.1 km · Croydon

Good2022

2.7applications per place 38.5Attainment 8
Coombe Wood School
2.2 km · Croydon

Good2023

7.1applications per place 53.9Attainment 8
Archbishop Tenison's CofE High School
3.0 km · Croydon

2026

3.0applications per place 43.5Attainment 8
Oasis Academy Shirley Park
3.7 km · Croydon

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.7applications per place 40.6Attainment 8
Orchard Park High School
3.7 km · Croydon

Remains Good · improving2024

4.1applications per place 50.5Attainment 8
Riddlesdown Collegiate
3.9 km · Croydon

Outstanding2023

4.4applications per place 55.3Attainment 8
Meridian High School
3.9 km · Croydon

Good2023

1.3applications per place 29.7Attainment 8

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 136203 · 306/6910
Trust: The Collegiate Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,115 pupils · 853 on roll
Free school meals: 37.5% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 September 2010
Replaced: Selsdon High School (URN 101807)
Address: Farnborough Avenue, South Croydon, CR2 8HD
Local authority: Croydon

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources