Ofsted: Outstanding

The Link School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMrs Sandy Turner

corporate_fareORCHARD HILL COLLEGE ACADEMY TRUST

location_onCroydon, CR0 4PG

language Visit Website phone 2086885239

verified

Ofsted

Outstanding

Inspected 2025

groups

Students

146

trending_up

Attainment 8

1.9

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GCSE Rank

#21 in Sutton

#4,466 of 4,663 nationally

summarize

The Link School is a Academy special converter school in Croydon, serving ages 4-19. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted — the highest possible grade.

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School Summary

The Link School is an academy special converter in Croydon, Sutton, admitting pupils aged 4-19. It is part of ORCHARD HILL COLLEGE ACADEMY TRUST. The school has approximately 157 pupils on roll, of whom 46% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 1.9, placing the school #21 in Sutton and #4,466 of 4,663 nationally. 0.00% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2025. The school's current overall rating is Outstanding. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Outstanding, personal development Outstanding, and leadership and management Good.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 5.5:1. There is 1 teaching vacancy.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.6 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

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Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

1.9

Grade 5+ E&M

0.00%

Entering EBacc0.00%

EBacc APS0.1

2024

Progress 8 Score

-1.64

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

1.8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0.00%

EBacc APS0.05

2023

Progress 8 Score

-1.58

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

2.9

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0%

EBacc APS0.08

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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

100%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)100%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)0%

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Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 64%

Reading0% LA 74%

Writing0% LA 69%

Maths0% LA 74%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 64%England 61%

Reading0% LA 76% · Eng 74%

Writing0% LA 71% · Eng 72%

Maths0% LA 75% · Eng 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 63%England 60%

Reading0% LA 73% · Eng 73%

Writing0% LA 71% · Eng 71%

Maths0% LA 73% · Eng 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

-9.1

Read

LA 0.1

-12.8 to -5.4

-7.6

Write

LA 0.0

-11.1 to -4.0

-8.5

Maths

LA 0.9

-12.0 to -5.0

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 68%England 65%

Reading0% LA 75% · Eng 73%

Writing0% LA 79% · Eng 78%

Maths0% LA 80% · Eng 79%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

LA 0.9

Write

LA 0.4

Maths

LA 1.4

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 67%

Reading0% LA 76%

Writing0% LA 76%

Maths0% LA 75%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

-7.9

Read

LA 0.2

-12.1 to -3.7

-8.7

Write

LA -0.4

-12.7 to -4.7

-10

Maths

LA 0.5

-13.8 to -6.2

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

24 June 2025

Inspection Report

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27 November 2019

Inspection Report

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06 July 2017

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2025-06-24

S5 Inspection EIF

Not Judged

info

Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Good

Behaviour

Outstanding

Development

Outstanding

Leadership

Good

2014-06-05

S5 Inspection EIF

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

2009-03-18

None EIF

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

0.0%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.0%(0 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 157 pupils. During this period, there were 0 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.0%, which is below the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	157	0	0.0%	7.3%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	157	2	1.3%	7.8%
2023/24 (Summer term)	151	4	2.6%	7.4%
2023/24 (Spring term)	152	0	0.0%	7.1%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	150	0	0.0%	8.2%
2022/23 (Summer term)	149	0	0.0%	6.6%
2022/23 (Spring term)	146	0	0.0%	6.4%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	147	1	0.7%	5.9%
2021/22 (Summer term)	60	0	0.0%	4.7%
2021/22 (Spring term)	60	1	1.7%	4.9%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	59	0	0.0%	4.4%
2020/21 (Summer term)	58	0	0.0%	3.6%
2020/21 (Spring term)	59	0	0.0%	1.0%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	55	1	1.8%	3.9%
2019/20 (Summer term)	56	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	56	0	0.0%	3.2%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	56	0	0.0%	4.2%
2018/19 (Summer term)	54	0	0.0%	3.1%
2018/19 (Spring term)	53	0	0.0%	3.8%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	52	0	0.0%	3.8%
2017/18 (Summer term)	51	0	0.0%	3.4%
2017/18 (Spring term)	51	0	0.0%	3.0%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	50	0	0.0%	3.7%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 93 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 39 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 7 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 5 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 5 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 3 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 3 pupils

Physical Disability 1 pupils

The Link School

School Summary

Academic Performance

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Funding & Staffing

Staffing

Teacher Turnover