The Link School is a not applicable school in Croydon, serving pupils aged 4 to 19. The school is a academy special converter and operates as a mixed school. It follows a not applicable admissions policy. It does not have a designated religious character, which may suit families looking for a non-faith school. The school also offers a sixth form, allowing students to continue into post-16 education on site.
The Link School currently has around 157 pupils on roll, which is about 106% of its capacity. The gender split is relatively balanced, with approximately 68.2% boys and 31.8% girls. Around 41.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which gives an indication of the socio-economic mix. The student population reflects a mixed community across different backgrounds and needs.
Overall absence at the school is 12.6%. Persistent absence is recorded at 32.4%. The school also includes resourced provision, supporting 147 pupils.
The majority of pupils are from a white british background (51.6%).
Safeguarding was judged to be effective, which is a key consideration for many parents.
| Address: | 138 Croydon Road, Croydon, CR0 4PG |
| Website: | http://www.thelinkschool.co.uk/ |
| Telephone: | 02086885239 |
| School Type: | Academy special converter |
| Education phase: | Not applicable |
| Local authority: | Sutton |
| Headteacher / Principal: | Mrs Sandy Turner |
| Religious character: | Does not apply |
| Admissions policy: | Not applicable |
| Unique reference: | 144851 |
Ofsted inspection date: 24/06/2025
Safeguarding is effective
| Age Range: | 4 - 19 |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| School Capacity: | 148 |
| Number of Pupils: | 157 |
| Number of Boys: | 107 |
| Number of Girls: | 50 |
| School | England state-funded schools: | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall absence: | 12.6% | 4% |
| Persistent absence: | 32.4% | 8.2% |
| White British | 51.60% | 81 |
| Other Asian | 6.40% | 10 |
| Other Mixed | 6.40% | 10 |
| Other White | 5.70% | 9 |
| African | 5.10% | 8 |
| Pakistani | 3.80% | 6 |
| Other (any other ethnic group) | 3.80% | 6 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 3.80% | 6 |
| Other Black | 2.50% | 4 |
| Indian | 2.50% | 4 |
| Unclassified | 2.50% | 4 |
| White and Asian | 1.90% | 3 |
| Chinese | 1.90% | 3 |
| Irish | 0.60% | 1 |
| Caribbean | 0.60% | 1 |
| White and Black African | 0.60% | 1 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.00% | 0 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 0.00% | 0 |
| Irish Traveller (Traveller of Irish heritage) | 0.00% | 0 |
Progress scores show how pupils performed compared with pupils nationally who had similar prior attainment. Scores above 0 are better than average; below 0 are worse than average.
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer Nursery School Spencer Road , Mitcham Junction CR4 4JP | 3out of 4 | 3,159 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High View Primary School The Chase , SM6 8JT | 3out of 4 | 664 yd | Foundation school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Beddington Park Academy Mallinson Road , CR0 4UL | 4out of 4 | 687 yd | Academy sponsor led | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Beddington Park Primary School Derry Road , Beddington Lane CR0 4UA | - not rated | 687 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Beddington Park Primary School Mallinson Road , Beddington Lane CR0 4UL | - not rated | 687 yd | Academy converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Waddon Infant School Purley Way , CR0 4RG | - not rated | 1,063 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highview High School The Chase , SM6 8JT | - not rated | 664 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Wilson's School Mollison Drive , SM6 9JW | 4out of 4 | 1,103 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Boys | More About School |
| Wilson's School Mollison Drive , SM6 9JW | - not rated | 1,103 yd | Voluntary aided school | Not Applicable | Boys | More About School |
| St Andrew's CofE School Warrington Road , CR0 4BH | - not rated | 1,451 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Wallington County Grammar School Croydon Road , SM6 7PH | - not rated | 1,548 yd | Foundation school | Not Applicable | Boys | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Croydon College Fairfield Campus , College Road CR9 1DX | - not rated | 2,576 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Carshalton College Nightingale Road , SM5 2EJ | - not rated | 2,783 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Link School 138 Croydon Road , Beddington CR0 4PG | - not rated | 0 yd | Academy special converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Link Primary School 138 Croydon Road , Beddington CR0 4PG | - not rated | 0 yd | Non-maintained special school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Link Secondary School 82-86 Croydon Road , Beddington CR0 4PD | - not rated | 337 yd | Academy special converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Link Secondary School 82-86 Croydon Road , Beddington CR0 4PD | - not rated | 337 yd | Non-maintained special school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Carew Academy 33 Headley Avenue , SM6 8NQ | 4out of 4 | 554 yd | Free schools special | No | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.