St Nicholas School Catchment Area
St Nicholas School is a community special not applicable school in Purley, Croydon , serving pupils aged 4-11, with 274 pupils, and a capacity of 265 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.
4-11
Age range
274
Pupils
265
Capacity
103%
Fill rate
Requires improvement
Ofsted 2024
St Nicholas School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for St Nicholas School?
The catchment area for St Nicholas School is the geographic zone Croydon uses to prioritise admissions when this not applicable school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Croydon publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
The catchment area for St Nicholas School is set by Croydon and reviewed annually. Children living within the catchment boundary receive priority consideration when applications exceed the number of available places.
Not getting a place? Learn how to appeal a school place →
Want the cut-off distance before you apply? Get an alert when Croydon publishes the 2027 St Nicholas School numbers →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Croydon before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Croydon catchment area documents →St Nicholas School: at or above its 265 place limit
St Nicholas School has a published admission number of 265 places. 274 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 103%. The school is at or above its published limit of 265 places. Croydon allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. The last-distance figure is likely to remain tight if demand holds at this level.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 41.6% of pupils at St Nicholas School are eligible for free school meals, above the national average of around 24%. This reflects the school's role in a higher-deprivation area of Purley.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Croydon publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Croydon Council school admissions (official) →
St Nicholas School: School Information
- Full address
- Reedham Drive, Purley, CR8 4DS
- Local authority
- Croydon
- School type
- Community special school
- Phase of education
- Not applicable
- Age range
- 4-11 years
- Free school meals
- 41.6% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 101854
Other Not applicable Schools in Purley
If St Nicholas School is oversubscribed, these not applicable schools in Purley are the next closest alternatives.
Nearest not applicable schools by distance
These are the not applicable schools closest to St Nicholas School by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: St Nicholas School
What is the catchment area for St Nicholas School? ▾
The catchment area for St Nicholas School is the geographic zone Croydon uses to prioritise admissions when this not applicable school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Croydon publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is St Nicholas School oversubscribed? ▾
Yes, St Nicholas School currently has 274 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 265 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.
What is the admissions policy for St Nicholas School? ▾
Admission to St Nicholas School is managed by Croydon. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does St Nicholas School cover? ▾
St Nicholas School is a not applicable school in Purley, Croydon, serving pupils aged 4-11. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for St Nicholas School? ▾
St Nicholas School was rated Requires improvement by Ofsted in 2024. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.