Academy sponsor led

The Quest Academy

Mixed · ages 11–18 · with sixth formCroydon, London · South Croydon CR2 8HDTrust: The Collegiate TrustSchool website
Pupils on roll
853of 1,115 places
Free school meals
37.5%
Year 11 cohort 2025
135
Ofsted
Requires improvement, 12 March 2024Read the Ofsted report

Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Selsdon High School (URN 101807, until 1 September 2010).

What the data says

Of the 144 pupils who finished Year 11 at The Quest Academy in 2023, 47% stayed on in The Quest Academy’s own sixth form (Croydon average 48%), 38% went to a further education college and 1% started an apprenticeship.

Among the 52 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 46% went to university (Croydon 43%, England 37%), and 14% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.

Sociology is unusually popular at GCSE: 30% of the year group took it, against 4% of pupils across England.

GCSE results in 2025 were well below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 37.5 against 46.1 across England and 44.5 in Croydon, with 23% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).

Where pupils went after Year 11

Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Croydon and England.

The Quest Academy
Croydon
England
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
MeasureThe Quest AcademyCroydonEngland
Pupils in the cohort1443,906607,348
Any sustained destination89%93%92%
Stayed in education87%91%86%
— school sixth form47%48%34%
— sixth form college1%8%13%
— further education college38%34%37%
— other education0%2%2%
Apprenticeship1%1%3%
Employment1%1%3%
No sustained destination7%4%6%
Destination unknown4%2%3%

Where students went after sixth form

Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.

The Quest Academy
Croydon
England
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
MeasureThe Quest AcademyCroydonEngland
Students in the cohort523,304541,441
Any sustained destination73%76%79%
University (higher education)46%43%37%
— most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students14%15%19%
Further education2%7%5%
Apprenticeship4%3%7%
Employment21%21%28%
No sustained destination17%18%16%

GCSE results 2025

MeasureThe Quest AcademyCroydonEngland
Attainment 8 (average points per pupil)37.544.546.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths23%42%45%
Grade 4 or above in English and maths40%62%65%
Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects58%52%41%
EBacc average point score3.253.994.09
Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort47%41%28%
Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils34.637.134.9
Attainment 8 — other pupils40.249.550.4
Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2)
English as an additional language35%27%19%

Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.

Subjects taken at GCSE

Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEnglandGrades 7–9EnglandGrades 4–9
English Language13499%89%12%20%54%
Mathematics13499%88%4%22%45%
English Literature13298%86%13%21%65%
Combined Science11686%65%1%9%31%
Religious Studies8966%31%17%32%66%
Geography8966%41%6%25%34%
Business Studies7556%18%7%20%48%
Sociology4130%4%5%21%37%
History4130%41%20%26%41%
French4030%18%10%29%25%
Spanish3425%19%12%27%35%
Citizenship Studies2015%3%15%19%65%
Computer Science1914%13%5%30%37%
Chemistry1612%23%19%47%94%
Physics1612%23%19%46%94%
Biology1612%23%19%45%88%
Physical Education1410%11%0%24%43%
Art and Design129%7%25%24%92%
Drama118%7%0%27%18%
Polish64%1%83%84%100%
Music54%5%33%
Portuguese43%0%50%
Modern Greek21%0%33%
Turkish21%0%71%
Arabic21%1%47%
Italian11%0%53%
Urdu11%1%42%

Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Sports Studies1534%
Hospitality / Catering Studies1534%
Computer Appreciation / Introduction1330%

A levels and other level 3 courses

MeasureThe Quest AcademyCroydonEngland
Students at the end of 16–18 study103
— of whom A level students441,437261,341
Average A level gradeC-CB-
Average points per A level entry28.0630.9335.00
Average grade, best 3 A levelsCCB-
AAB or better with two facilitating subjects4%9%18%
Average grade, applied general courses
Average grade, T levels

A level subjects

Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Psychology1739%23%
Business Studies1330%13%
Economics1330%13%
Mathematics1330%31%
Politics1023%6%
English Literature1023%11%
Biology818%20%
Chemistry716%17%
Sociology716%13%
Geography10%

Applied, technical and other level 3 courses

SubjectQualificationEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Computer Architecture / SystemsBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*1739%
Film / Video / Television ProductionBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*1636%
Business StudiesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*1432%
Applied SciencesOCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 31023%
Sports StudiesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*920%
Business StudiesBTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D)
Computer Architecture / SystemsBTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D)

Other secondary schools in Croydon

Coombe Wood School

Free schools · sixth form · 1,162 pupils

91% stayed in education · Attainment 8 52.6

Harris Academy Purley

Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 1,013 pupils

92% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.8

Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.