Audley Primary School, Caterham Review 2026: High Standards, Strong Play Culture, Competitive Reception Entry

Purposeful classrooms and a strong whole school culture are central here, with a clear emphasis on pupils knowing what success looks like and taking pride in getting there. Audley is a one form entry state primary in Whyteleafe, Caterham, with an intake of 30 pupils in Reception each year.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (26 and 27 March 2024) confirmed the school remains Good; it also indicated that evidence suggests it could be Outstanding at a graded inspection.

On performance, the 2024 key stage 2 outcomes are notably high. 91% met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, versus an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 40% achieved greater depth, compared with an England average of 8%. The school is ranked 906th in England and 1st in the Caterham area for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), placing it well above England average (top 10%).

The tone is ambitious and orderly. High expectations are not framed as optional, they are part of the daily language of school, alongside a strong emphasis on rights, responsibilities, and pupils stepping up as role models. Ofsted describes warm, respectful relationships between pupils and adults, with exemplary behaviour and pupils taking pride in meeting staff expectations.

Leadership is stable and clearly presented. Mrs M Rebello is the headteacher; the school’s governing body records her appointment date as 01 September 2017. The school’s stated vision foregrounds safety, healthy routines, and a restorative approach to relationships and behaviour, with an explicit aim of developing resilient, independent learners who take responsibility for their actions.

Pastoral culture is strengthened through structured pupil leadership. The 2024 inspection highlights Year 6 buddies supporting younger pupils with mathematics and reading, as well as play leaders organising activities at lunchtime. Lunchtimes are described as engaging, supported by a wide range of activities and equipment to prompt creative play.

A distinctive strand is play and rights education. The school states it holds a Platinum OPAL Award (April 2022) and frames this as being within the top 5% of schools nationally for play provision. It also states it is a Gold Rights Respecting School (July 2023), with RRSA ambassadors supporting whole school learning about children’s rights.

Audley’s 2024 key stage 2 outcomes are strong across the core measures.

• Expected standard (reading, writing and mathematics combined): 91% (England average: 62%).

• Higher standard (greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics): 40% (England average: 8%).

• Scaled scores: Reading 109; Mathematics 110; GPS 108.

• FindMySchool ranking: Ranked 906th in England and 1st in the Caterham area for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), which equates to well above England average (top 10%).

The implication for families is twofold. First, pupils who are already secure at key stage 1 tend to have the runway to push further, including a comparatively high proportion reaching the higher standard. Second, the performance profile suggests consistent implementation, not a one off spike.

Parents comparing local schools can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view results side by side using the Comparison Tool, particularly helpful when neighbouring schools serve slightly different intakes but share the same secondary options.

Curriculum thinking appears deliberate rather than generic. The school states its curriculum is bespoke, designed with pupil voice, while remaining aligned to National Curriculum skill and knowledge expectations.

The latest inspection supports a highly structured approach to learning. Leaders are described as having prioritised staff training to strengthen subject knowledge and equip staff with effective teaching strategies. Teaching is characterised by close adherence to planning, frequent revisiting of key content, and time for practice before moving on, which helps build fluency and confidence.

Two examples illustrate how this translates into daily classroom practice:

• Vocabulary and elaboration: vocabulary development is described as a key focus across the school; pupils are given dedicated time to elaborate and extend what they have been taught, with teachers using precise checks to spot and address misconceptions quickly.

• Reading as a priority: early reading and phonics are positioned as non negotiable, with books matched to the sounds pupils know and swift support for anyone at risk of falling behind, alongside a broader reading culture across subjects.

For pupils with SEND, the inspection describes teaching being adapted skilfully so that pupils are well supported academically and socially and achieve in line with peers.

Audley does not publish a detailed list of destination secondary schools in its public materials. For most families, the practical reality is that Year 6 choices are shaped by Surrey’s coordinated secondary admissions, including a mix of community, academy, and selective pathways depending on the child and the family’s preferences.

What Audley can control is transition readiness. The school’s emphasis on structured learning routines, strong reading fluency, and pupil responsibility tends to support a smooth move into Year 7 expectations. The leadership model, with older pupils supporting younger ones, also builds confidence and independence, which often matters as much as raw attainment during the first term at secondary.

Families who want to map realistic options should start early, look closely at admissions criteria, and factor travel time into day to day logistics. Where distance based criteria apply, FindMySchoolMap Search can help families understand how their home location relates to priority areas for different schools.

Reception entry is competitive. In the most recent admissions dataset provided, there were 205 applications for 30 offers, which equates to 6.83 applications per place, and the route is recorded as oversubscribed. The proportion of first preference demand relative to first preference offers is also elevated (1.67), reinforcing that many families are targeting the school as a top choice.

Surrey County Council is the admissions authority. Audley’s admissions information states that where a criterion is oversubscribed, priority is given by straight line distance from the pupil’s home address point (as set by Ordnance Survey) to the nearest school gate used by pupils. With no published last distance offered figure available here, families should treat proximity as important but focus equally on understanding the full criteria order, especially if relying on a move to secure priority.

For September 2026 Reception entry in Surrey, the standard timeline is as follows:

• Applications open from 3 November 2025

• On time application deadline: 15 January 2026

• National offer day: 16 April 2026 (Surrey confirms offers are issued on the evening of this date)

• Reply deadline: 30 April 2026

School visits matter at primary stage. Audley’s prospective parent information indicates tours typically run in autumn ahead of September entry, with bookings opening from September in the year before entry.

Safeguarding arrangements were judged effective in the 2024 inspection. Beyond formal safeguarding, the pastoral picture is rooted in consistent routines and high expectations that pupils understand. The inspection describes pupils being empowered as leaders, with clear responsibilities such as play leadership and buddying, which can strengthen belonging and reduce low level behaviour issues by giving pupils purposeful roles.

Attendance is described as high, with the school providing support to pupils and families who face challenges with attendance. This matters because strong academic outcomes at key stage 2 are rarely separable from consistent attendance and clear learning habits, especially in a school where curriculum sequencing and practice time are presented as central to progress.

Extracurricular life is practical and structured, with a mix of staff led and provider led clubs, and a clear expectation that pupils can access activities across year groups. The school publishes a clubs timetable that includes, for example:

• Computer Coding (Jam Coding) for Year 1 to Year 6

• Lego building club for Year 1 and Year 2

• Spanish Club (Kidslingo) for Year 1 and Year 2

• Athletix club (Athletix Kidz) for Reception to Year 5

• Violin lessons through Surrey Arts for key stage 2

The 2024 inspection also points to a wider development offer that goes beyond clubs, including trips that complement curriculum plans and whole class violin performances, suggesting that music is not limited to individual peripatetic lessons.

For families, the implication is that enrichment is not treated as optional garnish. It is used to widen experience, build confidence, and give pupils new contexts to apply what they learn in class, particularly important in a one form entry setting where the breadth of opportunity needs active planning to avoid feeling narrow.

The school day is clearly laid out. Doors open at 08:30, with registration at 08:35 for key stage 2 and 08:40 for Reception and key stage 1; the school day ends at 15:00, and the school week totals 32.5 hours.

Wraparound care is available through an on site provider, Just Like Home, operating term time only. Published hours are 07:00 to 08:30 and 15:00 to 17:30, Monday to Friday.

For lunches, the school publishes a paid meal price of £3.10 from September 2025 (with universal infant free school meals applying in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 as set out on the site).

On transport, Caterham station is a commonly used rail hub for the area, useful for families combining school runs with onward travel. Most families will still treat walking and short local drives as the default, particularly given peak time congestion around primary drop off and pick up.

• Competition for places. Reception entry demand is high relative to the number of offers, and oversubscription means criteria and distance measurement details matter in practice, not just in theory.

• High expectations suit many children, but not all. The culture is ambitious and structured; pupils are expected to work hard and take pride in meeting standards. Children who thrive on clear routines tend to do well, while those who need a looser, slower pace may find the environment demanding.

• Wraparound is provider run. Before and after school care is available, but it operates separately from the main school. Families should check booking processes, availability, and how arrangements work during busy periods.

• No published Year 6 destination list. Families seeking certainty about secondary transfer patterns will need to do extra legwork early, using Surrey admissions materials and open events, rather than relying on a published list from the school.

Audley Primary School, Caterham is a strong choice for families who want a highly structured, ambitious primary where behaviour, pupil leadership, and reading fluency are treated as central priorities. The 2024 inspection picture, combined with very strong 2024 key stage 2 outcomes, suggests consistency rather than a short term uplift.

Who it suits: children who respond well to high expectations, clear routines, and a culture where effort and responsibility are explicitly taught and recognised. The limiting factor for many families is admission, not what happens after entry.