South Norwood Primary

At a glance

Type

Academy sponsor led (state-funded)

Phase

Primary

Ages

4 to 11

Gender

Mixed

Pupils

356 census January 2026

Capacity

420

Head

Mr James Looker

Trust

THE PIONEER ACADEMY

Address

34 Crowther Road, South Norwood, London, SE25 5QP

Borough

Croydon

Telephone

02086542983

DfE reference (URN)

146543

Website

thepioneeracademy.co.uk

Source: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools · daily extract as at 7 October 2026 · last checked 9 October 2026

Report an error

Key dates for 2027 entry

Reception (4+)

1. Application deadlineFriday 15 January 2027Open

   National closing date for Reception applications: Friday 15 January 2027. Apply through your home borough's coordinated scheme, not directly to the school.

   Source: GOV.UK · checked 9 Oct 2026

2. National offer dayFriday 16 April 2027Upcoming

   Primary National Offer Day: Friday 16 April 2027. Offers are released by your home borough.

   Source: GOV.UK · checked 9 Oct 2026

3. Accept your offerDate not statedDate not stated

   Accept the offer by the deadline given in your offer letter; your home borough sets the date.

   Source: GOV.UK · checked 9 Oct 2026

Add to calendar (.ics)

A status ("Closes in 12 days") is shown only for a closing date we have checked, worked out from today's date, 11 October 2026. Other dates are printed as the school published them, with its own wording beside them. Dates given only as "early January" are shown as approximate and never counted down. Always confirm with the school or council.

Report an error

Admissions

You apply through the council where you live, not to the school, naming up to six schools in order on one form. Every applicant on time hears on the same national offer day.

43 first-preference applications and 165 applications naming it at any preference for 56 places offered (September 2026 entry, DfE)

These are counts of applications and offers on national offer day. They are not a chance of getting in: places are allocated by the school's published admissions criteria, such as siblings, distance or faith.

Source: Department for Education, Secondary and primary school applications and offers · entry years up to 2026/27 · last checked 9 October 2026

Croydon: Reception offers, September 2026 entry

Across the borough, 89.6% of applicants were offered their first preference and 99.2% were offered one of their preferences (4,082 applications). These are borough-wide figures, not a forecast for any school or child.

Source: Department for Education, Secondary and primary schools applications and offers 2026 · entry years 2014/15 to 2026/27 (release published 18 June 2026) · last checked 9 October 2026

Report an error

Inspection

Source: Ofsted, Management information - state-funded schools - latest inspections as at 31 August 2026 · latest inspections as at 31 August 2026 · last checked 9 October 2026

Report an error

Results

Key stage 2 (end of primary), 2024/25

• % meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths2022/23: 47% · 2023/24: 52%
  63%This school68%Croydon62%England, state-funded
• % achieving the higher standard in reading, writing and maths2022/23: 4% · 2023/24: 0%
  5%This school10%Croydon8%England, state-funded
• Average scaled score in reading2022/23: 102 · 2023/24: 102
  103This school106Croydon106England, state-funded
• Average scaled score in maths2022/23: 101 · 2023/24: 101
  102This school106Croydon105England, state-funded

Source: Department for Education, Compare school and college performance · 2024/25 · last checked 9 October 2026 · academic year 2024/25 · 38 pupils in the cohort

Report an error

Pupils and context

Eligible for free school meals

39% January 2026

English as an additional language

52.8%

Receiving SEN support

11.7%

With an Education, Health and Care Plan

7.4%

Girls / boys

47% / 53%

Source: Department for Education, Compare school and college performance · 2024/25 · last checked 9 October 2026 · school census 2024/25

Attendance and staffing

Overall absence

6.7% 2024/25

Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)

16.7%

Pupils per teacher

17.8 2025/26

Source: Department for Education, Absence rates by school level · 2024/25 · last checked 9 October 2026

Places

Places

420

Pupils on roll

332

Source: Department for Education, Capacity - school / Sixth form capacity - school · 2024/25 · last checked 9 October 2026 · position at 1 May, 2024/25

Report an error

Nearby schools

Schools covering the same ages within about a mile, by straight-line distance (not walking or travel time).

Report an error

Compare with similar schools

Side-by-side comparisons with the nearest schools of the same type. Sourced facts only; no winner is declared.

• South Norwood Primary and St Mark's Church of England Primary Academy0.3 miles apart
• South Norwood Primary and Heavers Farm Primary School0.4 miles apart
• South Norwood Primary and Oasis Academy Ryelands0.4 miles apart
• South Norwood Primary and St Thomas Becket Catholic Primary School0.4 miles apart

Report an error