School profile

The Quest Academy

Secondary · Academy sponsor led · South Croydon, CR2 8HD

Requires improvement

Map showing The Quest Academy

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,563 of 3,312

Worse than 77% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#2,039 of 2,536

Worse than 80% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

The Quest Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 12 Mar 2024

Ofsted rating
Requires improvement
Quality of education
Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Requires improvement
Sixth form provision
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy sponsor led
Ages11 to 18
Pupils853
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Andy Crofts
TrustTHE COLLEGIATE TRUST
Local authorityCroydon
Opened01 Sept 2010
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 136203.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolCroydonEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.40.5, worse than England, worse than Croydon4646.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.59%, worse than England, worse than Croydon64.3%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.35.4%, worse than England, worse than Croydon46.1%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.7.5%, worse than England, worse than Croydon13.1%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths49.1%, worse than England, worse than Croydon59.6%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4161--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolCroydonEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.28.06, worse than England, worse than Croydon30.9335
Average A-level gradeC---
Average points, best three A-levels29.1, worse than England, similar to Croydon30.9935.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC--
AAB or better3.8%, worse than England, worse than Croydon8.9%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.18, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study68--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Merit+--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census. School places come from the DfE capacity survey and do not include nursery, so unfilled places compare them with pupils outside nursery.

MeasureThis school
Pupils853
Girls415
Boys438
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.36.8%
First language not English23.9%
School places2024/251,117
Unfilled places23.6%
Sixth form places2024/25215
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.135
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.31
Average class size22

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
31.5%
African
18.4%
Other White
8.4%
Caribbean
7.7%
Other mixed
5.7%
White and Black Caribbean
5.5%
Other Asian
5%
Other Black
3.4%
Pakistani
2.9%
White and Black African
2.7%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher14.5
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.10.1
Teachers (FTE)58.91
Teaching assistants (FTE)14.23
Support staff (FTE)36.37
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2559.1
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2542
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/258
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/259.1

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.104
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.214
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.66
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.66
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)4

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolCroydonEngland
Overall absence7.8%, similar to England, similar to Croydon7.5%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.22.6%, similar to England, similar to Croydon22.2%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.4.4%, worse than England, worse than Croydon2.6%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate20.9%
Pupils with one or more suspensions10.3%
Permanent exclusion rate0.3%
Permanent exclusions3

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.89.4%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.88.2%
Further education44.1%
School sixth form42.2%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.6.8%
Sixth form college1.2%
Apprenticeship0.6%
Employment0.6%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.90%
Higher education72.9%
Employment12.9%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.7.1%
Further education4.3%
Apprenticeship0%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near The Quest Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miPrimaryQuest Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.4 miPrimarySelsdon Primary and Nursery SchoolFoundation school
Good
0.5 miPrimaryForestdale Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.7 miPrimaryCourtwood Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.8 miPrimaryGreenvale Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miNot applicableRoyal Russell SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
0.8 miNot applicableCroydon High SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
1.1 miPrimaryApplegarth AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.2 miPrimaryGood Shepherd Catholic Primary and Nursery SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.3 miSecondaryColoma Convent Girls' SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about The Quest Academy

What is The Quest Academy's Ofsted rating?

The Quest Academy is rated Requires improvement by Ofsted, last inspected on 12 Mar 2024.

How does The Quest Academy rank in England?

The Quest Academy ranks 2,563 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 77% of schools) and 2,039 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 80% of schools).

What are The Quest Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 35.4% of pupils at The Quest Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 40.5 (England 46.2).

What are The Quest Academy's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at The Quest Academy was C-, and 3.8% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into The Quest Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Quest Academy made 104 offers from 214 applications (2.1 per offer), and 66 of 66 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Quest Academy?

The Quest Academy has 853 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of The Quest Academy?

The Quest Academy had 1,117 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Quest Academy have a sixth form?

Yes, The Quest Academy has a sixth form with 215 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at The Quest Academy?

At The Quest Academy, the average class had 22 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 14.5 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Quest Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Quest Academy missed 7.8% of sessions (England 8%), and 22.6% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.