Schools by area › Islington › City of London Academy Highbury Grove
City of London Academy Highbury Grove
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Sponsored academy
8 Highbury Grove, Islington, London N5 2EQ · highburygrove.cola.org.uk · 020 7288 8900
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Apr 2022
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 45.4
- average Attainment 8 score. Islington 47, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.6
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 892
- 74% of 1,200 places
- Local authority
- Islington
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 58.9%
- First language not English
- 24.4%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 98 families put the school first and 174 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 174 | 98 | 0.6 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 170 | 89 | 0.5 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 188 | 123 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 188 | 92 | 0.5 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 232 | 130 | 0.6 | 98% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 45.4, and 44.7% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Islington it was 47, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C (30.4 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ●45.4 | 46.0 | ||
| ●44.7% | 45.4% | ||
| ●63.3% | 64.8% | ||
| ▲45.7% | 40.5% | ||
| ●4.16 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 100452)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 40.4 | +3.7 |
| Sixth form college | 1.6 | −5.4 |
| Further education | 41 | −4.7 |
| Other education | 1.6 | +0.6 |
| Apprenticeship | 0.5 | 0 |
| Employment | 2.7 | +2.2 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 8.5 | +3 |
| Activity not captured | 3.7 | +0.7 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36 students | C (30.4) | Average +0.13 | |
| 37 students | C (30.5) | Average +0.14 | |
| 17 students | Merit+ (28) | Below average -0.43 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 42 | C- (25.7) | +0.02 |
| 2022/23 | 54 | C (29.3) | — |
| 2021/22 | 38 | B- (36.2) | — |
| 2018/19 | 52 | C- (28.1) | -0.04 |
| 2017/18 | 83 | C (28.6) | +0.19 |
| 2016/17 | 62 | C- (27.6) | +0.11 |
| 2015/16 | 57 | D+ (23.8) | -0.07 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 58 | −3.8 |
| Apprenticeship | 2 | — |
| Employment | 8 | −6.7 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 16 | +2.8 |
| Activity not captured | 16 | +13.1 |
Ofsted
City of London Academy Highbury Grove was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 26 April 2022, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 26 Apr 2022
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Sixth form | Good |
Previously: Inadequate, graded inspection, Dec 2016
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 100452), which Ofsted links to this one.
Before September 2019
Dec 2016Inadequate
Leadership and management Inadequate Safeguarding Not effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 100452)
What parents said
84% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (106 replies, to 2 April 2023).
- Recommend
- 84%
- Replies
- 106
- 9% · 2 Apr 2023
based on the 83% who raised concerns
based on the 38% who had a child bullied
based on 15 parents (14%) with SEND