The Quest Academy

The Quest Academy

Address: Farnborough Avenue, South Croydon, Surrey, CR2 8HD Unique reference number (URN): 136203

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders maintain a clear focus on the importance of regular school attendance. Leaders actively encourage pupils to attend school by recognising and rewarding their commitment to being in school. This supports pupils in coming to school prepared, ready to behave, learn and succeed. The school’s systems for tracking attendance are effective. Leaders and staff work closely with families and external agencies to overcome any barriers to being in school. Consequently, most pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), attend well. Leaders maintain a sharp focus on pupils who are persistently absent, especially those with SEND. As a result, absence has declined notably.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have recently reviewed their oversight of behaviour, thereby sharpening practice and processes. They have introduced a new behaviour policy. While it is too early to measure its full impact, lessons are typically calm and orderly. Teachers follow the agreed approaches, which helps to minimise any low-level disruption. Most pupils are respectful and cooperate with staff and each other. When pupils do not meet expectations, teachers take appropriate action swiftly. During social times, pupils interact well with one another. Leaders have reduced bullying and discrimination incidents, which continue to decline over time, effectively. Leaders have also reduced the number of suspensions markedly.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a secure understanding of the school's curriculum and the quality of teaching. They use information, including pupils' outcomes in national tests, to review what is working well and identify where improvement is needed.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is broad, well sequenced and logically structured so that pupils acquire the required knowledge and make connections to prior learning. Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They typically use agreed routines and structures to organise lessons and explain key concepts clearly. This helps pupils to develop their understanding and acquire subject-specific vocabulary. Occasionally, teachers do not draw sufficiently on what pupils already know to provide appropriate challenge. At times, teachers do not adapt learning with the precision needed to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Where staff meet pupils' needs effectively, they know pupils well and use a range of approaches to support their learning. Teachers generally use agreed strategies to check pupils’ understanding. When these strategies are effective, teachers respond appropriately and address any gaps in learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders prioritise the identification, development and improvement of the basic skills pupils need to access the full curriculum. They provide targeted support for pupils who need to strengthen their reading, writing, handwriting and mathematics skills. This additional support helps pupils close gaps in their understanding more quickly.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established systems to identify pupils' needs. For example, they work with feeder primary schools to gather information about pupils arriving in Year 7. The school uses this information effectively to understand and meet pupils' needs. For example, ‘pupil passports’ detail the support each pupil requires, ensuring that staff are fully informed. Leaders ensure that staff receive training to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This has been a priority for staff who are new to the school. Aspects of this work remain in the early stages of development, and staff continue to develop their expertise.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders support disadvantaged pupils and those known to social care well. They work effectively with families, the local authority and other external agencies to reduce barriers to pupils' success. As a result, these pupils achieve well. Leaders carefully target additional funding to maximise its impact on pupils. This has contributed to improvements in attendance and the achievement of disadvantaged pupils over time.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and the trust ensure that any alternative provision meets pupils' needs and provides the support and guidance they require.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The school has experienced several recent leadership changes and appointed a number of new staff. Leaders have a generally accurate understanding of their school and are taking appropriate actions to enhance its provision. For example, following a decline in national examination outcomes in 2025, leaders have taken decisive action to strengthen teaching and pupils' achievement. The impact of leaders' work is evident in aspects of the school's work, such as behaviour, attendance, safeguarding and the sixth form.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those responsible for governance know the school well. They maintain effective oversight of the school's work and hold the school accountable by actively challenging its progress. The trust ensures that safeguarding requirements are robust and that it fulfils its statutory duties.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have implemented systems and structures that make staff workload manageable by improving efficiency and supporting day-to-day operations.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The trust supports leaders well through collaboration with specialist professional networks and expert professional development. Professional learning is a strength of the school. Leaders provide staff with tailored professional development opportunities. Some staff take part in research-based activities to improve their practice. Staff appreciate the broad range of programmes and activities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are eager and committed to working with the local community to improve the life chances of their pupils. The school collaborates with the trust, other schools and organisations effectively. Although the school continues to work with parents and carers, a small minority remain dissatisfied with aspects of its work. The school is committed to improving its work with all stakeholders.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school has a well-considered personal development programme that helps prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. The personal, social, health and economic education curriculum and relationships curriculum build pupils' knowledge over time. The curriculum gradually addresses key topics such as consent and healthy relationships. Pupils learn the importance of the fundamental British values, and they are aware of safe and unsafe practices, both online and offline. However, there is some variance in pupils' understanding and what they remember from what they have been taught. Younger pupils typically recall topics such as human rights, democracy and living in the wider world with confidence. They demonstrate an understanding of equality legislation and how everyone has the right to be treated equally, regardless of difference. In contrast, older pupils have less developed knowledge and notable gaps because the school has not implemented the curriculum as

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders thoughtfully consider pupils’ backgrounds and have carefully designed and implemented a universal offer of enrichment activities. This supports pupils' development of a wide range of skills, talents and interests and broadens their perspectives. For example, the enrichment activities help pupils' social and communication skills to improve and strengthen their attendance. Pupils value these experiences and the opportunity to positively impact school life through leadership roles such as 'student presidents', 'form representatives' and 'anti-bullying ambassadors'. The school offers various sports clubs and ‘academy days’ that feature trips and excursions that help to prepare pupils for the future. They also participate in educational visits to museums and historical sites.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The careers provision is a strength of the programme. The school ensures that pupils access meaningful, high-quality employer interactions. Staff organise work placements and tailor them mainly to pupils' interests, offering real-world experience.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The support for addressing individual pupil pastoral needs is effective. Leaders identify and track pupils and ensure that staff provide timely and appropriate support to help pupils manage their emotions, behaviours and wellbeing.

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Post-16 provision Expected standard

Students are proud members of the small but inclusive sixth form, which offers a variety of academic and vocational subjects. Leaders know the strengths of the provision and where further improvement is needed. For example, attendance in the sixth form is below the school's average, and leaders are extending similar measures of rigour applied to younger pupils to address this.

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Post-16 provision Expected standard

Although students’ attainment in national examinations has remained below average over time, they learn well across subjects relative to their starting points. Leaders have achieved mixed results in the GCSE mathematics resit provision and are working to improve outcomes. Teachers design and implement learning experiences tailored to students' needs effectively. Teachers increasingly identify and address gaps in students' knowledge effectively.

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Needs attention

Leaders have thoughtfully redesigned students' wider opportunities and strengthened the focus on preparing them for their future. This includes further developing the sixth form's personal, social, health and economic education to address gaps in students' knowledge. Students develop their leadership skills by supporting younger pupils in a variety of activities and managing events through leadership roles, such as the 'student president'. Students also assist in local primary schools.

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Needs attention

Leaders have introduced a comprehensive induction programme that helps students transition from Year 11 to Year 12. This includes team-building and planning for post-18 goals. Students are well prepared for their future through accurate guidance on university applications and apprenticeships.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils' attainment in English and mathematics national examinations has typically been in line with national expectations. However, pupils who left this school in 2025 did not achieve as well as they should. These pupils' results in national examinations were considerably below the national average. Achievement also varies over time across other curriculum subjects and groups of pupils. Disadvantaged pupils achieve consistently well, whereas the progress for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities from their starting points is more variable.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils currently in the school are beginning to benefit from leaders' focus on the quality of the curriculum and teaching. However, over time, some pupils have developed gaps and misconceptions in their learning that have not been sufficiently addressed. Leaders provide additional support in core areas such as reading, writing and mathematics to help pupils close these gaps.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils feel that they belong and are included in the school's community. Pupils are courteous and respectful. They feel safe at school. Bullying incidents are rare. Pupils are confident in raising concerns about bullying and other issues and know these are addressed promptly. Pupils recognise the importance of learning and enjoy coming to school, as reflected in their attendance. Pupils behave well because of the well-structured systems and positive relationships with staff and their peers. Pupils who need pastoral support receive effective help and guidance to promote their wellbeing.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils learn a well-considered and coherent curriculum. The curriculum has been recently revised in response to below-average achievement in national examinations in some subject areas. Pupils are acquiring more knowledge and understanding because of the well- structured learning and increasingly effective and consistent teaching approaches. These approaches are helping to reduce pupils' barriers and improve their learning and achievement. Disadvantaged pupils achieve well over time, and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities typically learn well from their starting points.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Students are proud to be part of an inclusive sixth form. They contribute positively to the development of younger pupils. Students engage with a blend of academic and vocational subjects and learn through approaches that meet their needs. Typically, students achieve well.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils experience a carefully designed, broad personal development programme. They participate in enrichment activities, such as cultural activities and extra-curricular clubs, that broaden their horizons and extend their experiences. Pupils and students proudly take on leadership roles to contribute to the life of their school and support each other. These opportunities enable pupils to learn, gain new experiences and strengthen their social and communication skills.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to develop staff expertise so that there is greater consistency and quality in the delivery of the curriculum and adaptations to learning across all subject areas, so that all pupils, including those in the sixth form, acquire deeper knowledge and consistently achieve well, as reflected in national examinations. Leaders should ensure teachers consistently deliver the planned personal, social, health and economic curriculum across the whole school, regularly assess pupils’ understanding and address any gaps in knowledge so that pupils are better prepared for their next steps.

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About this inspection

The school is part of The Collegiate Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Soumick Dey, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Vernon Rapley.

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About this inspection

The chair of the local committee for this school is Naomi Aubeeluck.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

The inspection took place on 9 and 10 September 2026.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the principal, deputy principals, assistant principals, staff and pupils. Inspectors also spoke to a trustee, the CEO and the chief learning officer from the trust.

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About this inspection

The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved

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Team inspectors:

Paul Metcalf, Ofsted Inspector Janet Hallett, Ofsted Inspector Nathan Cole, Ofsted Inspector Mel Bignold, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 9 September 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

National average: 1,063 technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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What does this mean?

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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What does this mean?

Since the previous inspection, the head of school left in July 2025. The principal, who had been spending most of his time across other schools within the trust as executive principal, resumed full-time leadership of the school from September 2025. At the same time, an additional deputy principal was seconded to the school from another school within the trust. The school has had several new members of staff since September 2026.

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What does this mean?

The school currently uses 2 alternative provisions.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school. National average: 14.0%

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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English and maths GCSE

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2023/24 (final) 43.5% 45.9% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 43.1% 45.3% Close to average

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Attainment 8

A measure of pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2023/24 (final) 43.8 45.9 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 41.5 46.3 Close to average

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Progress 8

How much progress pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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national average

2021/22 (final) -0.25 -0.03 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2024/25 (final) 18.8% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 20.7% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 32.2% 25.2% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2024/25 (final) 34.6 34.9 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 37.3 34.6 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 35.7 35.0 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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national average

2023/24 (final) -0.77 -0.57 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) -0.82 -0.57 Close to average

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national average

2021/22 (final) -0.69 -0.55 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

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A-level average point score

The average points that students achieved per A-level entry.

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A-level value added

A score showing students’ progress between the end of key stage 4 and the end of their academic qualification studies.

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national average

2024/25 (final) -0.2 0.0 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (revised) -0.1 0.0 Close to average

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 9.4% 8.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 9.9% 8.9% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 10.2% 9.0% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 29.2% 26.5% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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