City of London Academy Highbury Grove, London

In its own words: "A warm welcome to City of London Academy Highbury Grove. At Highbury Grove we are relentless in our pursuit of excellence because we know the difference it can make to the lives of our young people, their families and community."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Our sixth form has been recognised by Ofsted as a place where ‘students achieve well and successfully go on to chosen university courses and apprenticeships.’ Our consistent focus on learning throughout the school and our constant academic drive enable students to achieve incredible results."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include STEM and Duke of Edinburgh.

Coming up: an open evening on Wednesday 11 November 2026 and an open evening on Monday 16 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at City of London Academy Highbury Grove averaged an Attainment 8 score of 44, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50.3 in Islington and 47 across England.

39% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 52% in Islington and 47% in England.

That is down from 45.4 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.09: pupils made about average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 40.1, against 50.2 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and History.

For September 2026 entry, 98 families put City of London Academy Highbury Grove as their first choice and 425 named it as one of their preferences, for 174 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to City of London Academy Highbury Grove are Highbury Fields School (0.3 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 56.2); St Mary Magdalene Academy (0.5 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 58.4); Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 52.2); and City of London Academy Islington (0.9 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 46.1).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than City of London Academy Highbury Grove.

City of London Academy Highbury Grove is one of 12 schools run by City of London Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 47.4 in 2024/25.

Of the 188 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 85% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 41% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 50 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 58% went on to university or other higher education, 2% to apprenticeships and 8% into work. 24% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

58.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Canonbury Rail Station, about 410 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).

14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Aberdeen Park, 80 metres away.

In 2024/25, City of London Academy Highbury Grove issued 537 suspensions, 53.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.

The primary schools closest to City of London Academy Highbury Grove are Drayton Park Primary School (0.4 miles), Canonbury Primary School (0.4 miles), Laycock Primary School (0.5 miles) and St Joan of Arc RC Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.