Shirley High School Performing Arts College Review 2026: Performing arts specialism with a structured school day and a growing sixth form

This is a Croydon secondary with a clear identity: a comprehensive intake, a performing arts specialism, and a timetable that makes expectations hard to miss. The school day starts at 08.30, with a defined lesson structure and a daily tutor-time programme that mixes registration, pastoral routines, assemblies, and current affairs discussion.

Leadership continuity is another anchor. Mr Tyrone Myton has been Principal since September 2019, a period that coincides with the school’s most recent improvement phase and the current operating model.

Families do not pay tuition fees because this is a state-funded school. Costs are more likely to come from uniform, trips, and optional enrichment, rather than core provision.

The tone here is purposeful and structured. A strong daily rhythm is visible in how the day is sequenced, with registration at 08.30 and a mid-morning slot that blends assembly, tutor time, personal development, and interventions. That cadence matters for families because it shapes how calmly students move through the day and how consistently adults can reinforce routines.

Performing arts is not treated as an optional extra. Dance, drama, and music are positioned as part of the school’s identity, with curriculum pathways that reach GCSE and continue into post-16 options. Alongside timetabled learning, the school describes enrichment routes that include instrumental tuition (including drums, guitar, piano or keyboard, and singing), LAMDA Speech and Drama, and dance lessons.

Pastoral systems are designed to be visible rather than hidden. Tutor time is explicitly framed as a daily point of contact, with the form tutor as the first call for students, and a weekly schedule that includes assemblies, celebration, reminders of expectations, and opportunities for discussion.

One aspect that may appeal to families seeking more support around behaviour and reintegration is the School House specialist provision referenced in official documentation and school materials. It is described as a structured setting with its own routines, meals arrangements, and expectations, designed to support students while keeping them connected to the wider school.

At GCSE level, the headline indicators point to a school that is currently below the England average on the measures available here. The Progress 8 score is -0.51, which indicates students make less progress than peers nationally from similar starting points.

In the FindMySchool ranking based on official data, the school is ranked 3,263rd in England and 31st in Croydon for GCSE outcomes, a position that sits below England average overall (71st percentile).

Attainment 8 is recorded as 38. The average EBacc points score is 3.21, and 7.4% of students achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc subjects measure shown.

At A-level, the sixth form outcomes indicate that 2% of grades were A*, 12% were A, and 31% were A* to B. Compared with the England averages provided alongside the dataset, the A* to B figure is below the England benchmark (England average A* to B: 47.2%), and the combined A* to A figure (14%) is below the England average A* to A (23.6%).

In the FindMySchool ranking based on official data, the sixth form is ranked 2,060th in England and 19th in Croydon for A-level outcomes, which sits below England average overall (about the 78th percentile).

For parents comparing local options, a practical way to interpret these numbers is to separate intent from outcomes. The school’s curriculum and daily structures are clearly planned; the results picture suggests that families should ask detailed questions about how the school targets progress in core subjects, how intervention is organised, and what happens for students who arrive behind in literacy. The FindMySchool Local Hub comparison view can help families place these outcomes alongside nearby Croydon schools before committing to a shortlist.

Curriculum design is described as broad and sequenced, with subject content planned carefully so that new learning builds on prior knowledge. The performing arts specialism runs alongside a standard academic curriculum rather than replacing it. Spanish has been introduced so pupils can study two modern foreign languages, which aligns with the aim of increasing participation in the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects.

Reading is positioned as a whole-school priority through the establishment of a library and regular reading routines. The school also uses structured online reading challenges and reading during form time as part of its literacy approach.

Support for students with special educational needs and disabilities is described as plan-led, with individual strategies intended to help teachers adapt lessons and to trigger additional support if a student begins to fall behind.

The school’s best case for families is clearest when it connects teaching practice to consistent routines. A timetable that is predictable, combined with subject-specific sequencing, can be a strong fit for students who respond well to clarity, frequent checks for understanding, and structured intervention.

Because the school has a sixth form, many families will be thinking about two decision points: progression into Year 12, and destinations after Year 13.

For the 2023/24 leaver cohort 57% progressed to university, 21% entered employment, 3% started apprenticeships, and 1% moved into further education.

Oxbridge data is not available for this school, and the school’s own communications reference Russell Group and Oxbridge progression without publishing a verifiable count. The most accurate takeaway for families is that university progression is a significant route, but not the only one. The employment figure suggests the sixth form is also serving students who move directly into the labour market after Year 13, which makes careers education and work experience quality particularly important.

The school states that it meets the Baker Clause requirements, which is relevant for students considering technical routes, apprenticeships, and training providers.

Year 7 entry and demand

Demand is a significant feature. there were 479 applications for 166 offers for the Year 7 entry route, which equates to 2.89 applications per place and an oversubscribed status.

Distance also matters for families who rely on proximity. In 2024, the last distance offered was 2.479 miles. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place.

For September 2026 entry, Croydon’s coordinated admissions timeline sets the application window from 01 September 2025 to 31 October 2025, with National Offer Day on 02 March 2026 and an acceptance deadline of 16 March 2026.

Parents who are unsure how their address compares should use the FindMySchool Map Search to measure from the school gate and sanity-check the relationship to the last distance offered, while keeping in mind the annual variation caveat above.

Open events and the school’s admissions rhythm

For the September 2026 intake cycle, Croydon’s prospectus lists an open evening in early October and open morning tours in the week commencing 06 October. These dates have already passed, but the pattern is informative: open events typically run in September and October ahead of the late-October application deadline.

Performing arts scholarship route

The school runs a performing arts scholarship process alongside the local authority application route. For September 2026 entry, the school’s published deadline for the performing arts scholarship application form is Monday 06 October 2025, with workshops scheduled for Saturday 11 October 2025.

Families considering this route should treat it as an additional process rather than a substitute for the standard coordinated application. The practical implication is calendar management: missing the scholarship deadline can close off that pathway even if the main application was completed correctly.

Sixth form entry

The school advertises sixth form admissions for September 2026 and has publicised a sixth form open evening on Thursday 15 January 2026 (17.00 to 19.00).

If you are considering joining at Year 12, ask two concrete questions early: which subjects are running for your cohort, and what entry requirements apply for each course. The school publishes a broad offer including A-level subjects alongside vocational pathways, but entry thresholds and availability can vary year to year.

Tutor time is a core pastoral engine, not a quick register. It is positioned as daily time for pastoral development, collective worship elements, and structured engagement with wider themes such as British values and current affairs.

Pastoral support also appears in the range of roles and student leadership responsibilities described, including mental health ambassadors, anti-bullying ambassadors, and prefect training. That matters because peer roles can strengthen reporting routes and help students feel that the school listens, provided staff oversight is consistent.

The 2022 inspection confirms safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Extracurricular is presented as a mix of sport, creative arts, academic clubs, and practical activities, with sessions typically running 15.30 to 16.30 after school.

For families who want named examples rather than generic lists, the published programme for 2025/26 includes Art Drop in Club (Years 7 to 13), STEM Club (Years 7 to 10), Boxing (Years 7 to 11), Chess Club (Years 7 to 9), Gardening and Food Club (Years 7 to 9), and Guitar or Ukelele Club (Years 7 to 9). Team sports feature heavily, including multiple basketball sessions across the week and football and netball options for specific year groups.

The performing arts pathway adds further specificity. The school describes curriculum and enrichment that includes GCSE Dance, GCSE Drama, and GCSE Music, alongside clubs such as Dance Club and Drama Club, plus opportunities connected to musical theatre and music technology through a dedicated Music Computer Suite. The school also describes whole-school productions hosted twice a year, with routes into backstage and technical roles as well as performance.

A separate dimension of enrichment is “cultural capital week”, referenced as a recurring highlight, with visits linked to curriculum themes such as a museum visit connected to First World War study and courts linked to justice themes. The value here is straightforward: it gives students real-world anchors for classroom learning, and it may particularly suit students who learn best when abstract concepts are tied to place and experience.

The school day begins at 08.30. Key Stages 3 finish at 15.10, and Key Stages 4 and 5 finish at 15.20. Extracurricular activities are listed in the school timetable framework as running 15.30 to 16.30.

For transport, local authority information lists bus routes serving the area, including 130, 119, 194, 198, 367, and 466.

Wraparound childcare is not typically a feature of secondary schools in the way it is for primaries. Families who need supervision before 08.30 or after 16.30 should check what is currently available through clubs, supervised study, or targeted intervention programmes rather than assuming a standard after-school care model.

• Distance-based allocation can be tight in some years. In 2024, the last distance offered was 2.479 miles. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place. Families should verify their position each year rather than relying on past cut-offs.

• Progress measures suggest some students may need strong support in core areas. With a Progress 8 score of -0.51, families should ask how literacy catch-up is targeted, how intervention is matched to need, and how quickly students can close gaps once identified.

• Enrichment participation is an area to probe. A wide menu of clubs exists, but not every student will automatically take advantage of it. Parents of quieter students may want to ask how staff encourage take-up and how clubs are promoted to Year 7 and Year 8 cohorts.

• The performing arts scholarship has its own deadlines. For the September 2026 intake, the scholarship deadline (06 October 2025) and workshop timing (11 October 2025) mean families need to plan early and treat this as a parallel process to local authority admissions.

Shirley High School Performing Arts College is a structured Croydon comprehensive with a clear performing arts identity and a sixth form that provides local continuity to age 18 or 19. It will suit families who value a defined school day, visible routines, and creative pathways alongside the standard curriculum, particularly where dance, drama, and music are genuine interests rather than occasional hobbies. The main decision point is fit: families should weigh the school’s organisation and enrichment breadth against the current outcomes picture, and ask direct questions about progress in English and mathematics and how intervention is targeted.