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Archbishop Tenison's Church of England High School, Croydon and Ark Blake Academy

The published facts for both schools, each with its source. Where a school or the government has not published something, the cell says so. We do not name a winner.

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What differs

  • The two schools are 0.8 miles apart in a straight line.

Facts side by side

FactArchbishop Tenison's Church of England High School, Croydon
Ark Blake Academy
The basics
TypeState-funded: Voluntary aided school

DfE register

State-funded: Free school

DfE register

Ages11 to 18

DfE register

11 to 18

DfE register

GenderMixed

DfE register

Mixed

DfE register

Pupils833

DfE register

759

DfE register

Religious characterChurch of England

DfE register

Not published
BoroughCroydon

DfE register

Croydon

DfE register

BoardingNo

DfE register

No

DfE register

Admissions policyNon-selective

DfE register

Non-selective

DfE register

Admissions for 2027
Next deadline to apply or register31 October 2026 (closes in 17 days)

school or council page

31 October 2026 (closes in 17 days)

school or council page

Applications and places, last round92 first preferences for 138 places

DfE, September 2026 entry

115 first preferences for 158 places

DfE, September 2026 entry

Furthest distance offered, last round (changes every year)Not published5.7 miles (Year 7, 2026)

Croydon council, 2026

Cost
Published day feesNo tuition fees (state-funded)No tuition fees (state-funded)
Inspection
Latest inspectionOfsted report card (April 2026): Expected standard in 6 areas, Needs attention in 1 area. No overall grade: Ofsted no longer gives one

Ofsted

Ofsted: Good (inspected February 2023)

Ofsted

Results
GCSE: Attainment 845.3 (2024/25)

DfE

45.6 (2024/25)

DfE

GCSE: grade 5+ in English and maths39% (2024/25)

DfE

51% (2024/25)

DfE

A level: average gradeC (2024/25)

DfE

Not published
A level: points per entry30.1 (2024/25)

DfE

Not published
Where leavers went
Stayed in education or work after GCSEs95% (left 2022/23)

DfE

Not published
Stayed in education or work after 16 to 1881% (left 2022/23)

DfE

Not published
Pupils
Eligible for free school meals37.2%

DfE register

50.4%

DfE register

English as an additional language17.3%

school census 2024/25

33.9%

school census 2024/25

Pupils with special educational needs getting extra help in school (SEN support, without an Education, Health and Care plan)
What do these mean?

Special educational needs (SEN) support is help a school gives from its own resources to a child who needs more help with learning than most children of the same age: for example extra teaching, work in a small group, or a teaching assistant. There is no legal plan.

An Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) is a legal document written by the council for a child who needs more support than a school can usually give from its own resources. It says what help the child must get, and the council must make sure it is provided.

A pupil is counted in one group or the other, not both. Both figures are a share of all pupils at the school, counted by the Department for Education in the January school census (January 2025, academic year 2024/25).

To compare schools, look at the same two figures for other schools. Each is a share of that school's own pupils, so schools of different sizes can be set side by side. A higher figure is not better or worse: it says how many pupils get this help, not how good the help is.

19.4%

Department for Education school census, January 2025

13.6%

Department for Education school census, January 2025

Pupils with an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP: a legal plan for children with higher needs)3.8%

Department for Education school census, January 2025

1.4%

Department for Education school census, January 2025

Pupils per teacher15.5

DfE workforce census

16.4

DfE workforce census

Overall absence9.9%

DfE, 2024/25

8.5%

DfE, 2024/25

DfE register: Get Information About Schools, daily extract as at 7 October 2026. Other sources are named in each cell; every figure links to its source on the school's own page.

Shaded cells differ between the two schools. A blank is not a weakness: it means the figure has not been published, or does not apply to that type of school. Fees and results are not comparable between state and independent schools.

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