Side by side
Charles Darwin School and Meridian High School
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.
What differs
- Charles Darwin School has 1,305 pupils; Meridian High School has 535.
- The two schools are 2.4 miles apart in a straight line.
Facts side by side
| Fact | Charles Darwin School | Meridian High School |
|---|---|---|
| The basics | ||
| Type | State-funded: Academy converter DfE register | State-funded: Academy sponsor led DfE register |
| Ages | 11 to 18 DfE register | 11 to 18 DfE register |
| Gender | Mixed DfE register | Mixed DfE register |
| Pupils | 1,305 DfE register | 535 DfE register |
| Borough | Bromley DfE register | Croydon DfE register |
| Boarding | No DfE register | No DfE register |
| Admissions policy | Non-selective DfE register | Not published |
| Admissions for 2027 | ||
| Next deadline to apply or register | 31 October 2026 (closes in 21 days) school or council page | 31 October 2026 (closes in 21 days) school or council page |
| Applications and places, last round | 193 first preferences for 234 places DfE, September 2026 entry | 85 first preferences for 113 places DfE, September 2026 entry |
| Cost | ||
| Published day fees | No tuition fees (state-funded) | No tuition fees (state-funded) |
| Inspection | ||
| Latest inspection | Ofsted graded inspection, 15 June 2023: Good at that inspection Ofsted | Ofsted graded inspection, 24 January 2023: Good at that inspection Ofsted |
| Results | ||
| GCSE: Attainment 8 | 38.9 (2024/25) DfE | 34.2 (2024/25) DfE |
| GCSE: grade 5+ in English and maths | 24% (2024/25) DfE | 30% (2024/25) DfE |
| A level: average grade | C (2024/25) DfE | Not published |
| A level: points per entry | 29.5 (2024/25) DfE | Not published |
| Where leavers went | ||
| Stayed in education or work after GCSEs | 93% (left 2022/23) DfE | 89% (left 2022/23) DfE |
| Stayed in education or work after 16 to 18 | 86% (left 2022/23) DfE | Not published |
| Pupils | ||
| Eligible for free school meals | 23.5% DfE register | 64.9% DfE register |
| English as an additional language | 2.2% school census 2024/25 | 10.1% school census 2024/25 |
| Receiving SEN support | 19.1% school census 2024/25 | 29.8% school census 2024/25 |
| Pupils per teacher | 16.3 DfE workforce census | 16.7 DfE workforce census |
| Overall absence | 10.4% DfE, 2024/25 | 9.7% DfE, 2024/25 |
DfE register: Get Information About Schools, daily extract as at 2026-10-07. 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.