Schools by area › Croydon › Coombe Wood School
Coombe Wood School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Free school
30 Melville Avenue, South Croydon CR2 7HY · cws-croydon.co.uk · 020 8289 4745
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Jan 2023
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 52.6
- average Attainment 8 score. Croydon 44.5, England 46
- Last distance offered
- 1.10 mi
- 1.78 km · Year 7, September 2026 entry · Croydon Council
- Demand for places
- 1.8
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,162
- 62 over 1,100 places · 106%
- Local authority
- Croydon
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 31.2%
- First language not English
- 25.4%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, the last place offered on distance went to a home 1.10 mi (1.78 km) from the school; in September 2025 it was 0.90 mi (1.45 km). Source: Croydon Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 321 families put the school first and 174 places were offered; 45% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 174 | 321 | 1.8▲ | 45% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 175 | 430 | 2.5▲ | 32% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 168 | 394 | 2.3▲ | 37% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 172 | 562 | 3.3▲ | 28% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 170 | 673 | 4▲ | 23% |
Last distance offered
| Year 7 | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 1.10 mi1.78 km | |
| September 2025 | 0.90 mi1.45 km | |
| September 2024 | 0.89 mi1.44 km | |
| September 2023 | 0.65 mi1.04 km | |
| September 2022 | 0.51 mi0.82 km | |
The furthest distance at which a place was offered under the distance criterion.
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 52.6, and 55.4% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Croydon it was 44.5, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C (31.1 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▲52.6 | 46.0 | ||
| ▲55.4% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲74.0% | 64.8% | ||
| ▲87.6% | 40.5% | ||
| ▲4.94 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 47.1 | −6 |
| Sixth form college | 6.3 | +3.5 |
| Further education | 38.5 | +4.4 |
| Apprenticeship | 1.7 | −1.1 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 3.4 | +1.2 |
| Activity not captured | 2.9 | −0.5 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 92 students | C (31.1) | Average -0.07 | |
| 92 students | C (31.1) | Average -0.08 | |
| 28 students | Dist- (31.2) | Below average -0.48 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 40 | C- (26.1) | -0.59 |
| 2022/23 | 44 | C- (28) | — |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 60.9 | +0.2 |
| Further education | 1.6 | −3.3 |
| Employment | 20.3 | +2.3 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 9.4 | +6.1 |
| Activity not captured | 7.8 | −3.7 |
Ofsted
Coombe Wood School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 17 January 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 17 Jan 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Sixth form | Good |
What parents said
69% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (115 replies, to 1 January 2024).
- Recommend
- 69%
- Replies
- 115
- 11% · 1 Jan 2024
based on the 77% who raised concerns
based on the 45% who had a child bullied
based on 30 parents (26%) with SEND