City of London Academy Islington, London

From the headteacher's welcome: "Our students consistently achieve examination results at GCSE and A Level that are higher than the national attainment and progress averages as a result of excellent teaching and a culture of high aspirations. Many of our students progress to our sixth form and the majority later secure places at university, including prestigious Russell Group institutions."

In 2026, pupils at City of London Academy Islington averaged an Attainment 8 score of 46.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50.3 in Islington and 47 across England.

46% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 52% in Islington and 47% in England.

That is up from 40.8 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.13: pupils made above 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 44.2, against 50.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 6.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Religious Studies and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 106 families put City of London Academy Islington as their first choice and 461 named it as one of their preferences, for 136 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 20 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to City of London Academy Islington are Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School (0.7 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 55); Waterside Academy (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.5); Central Foundation Boys' School (0.9 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 55.5); and St Mary Magdalene Academy (0.9 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 58.4).

City of London Academy Islington's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

City of London Academy Islington 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.

68 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about City of London Academy Islington (as of September 2025): 62% would recommend the school, 63% say their child is happy there and 29% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school has high expectations for their child (78%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (29%).

Of the 155 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 84% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 51% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 53 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 70% went on to university or other higher education, 8% to apprenticeships and 11% into work. 28% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

63.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 46.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (26%), Black (21%) and Mixed (18%).

In 2026, 86 pupils (10.1%) received SEN support and 50 (5.9%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Essex Road Rail Station, about 510 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Packington Street / Cruden St (->e), 100 metres away.

In 2024/25, City of London Academy Islington issued 888 suspensions, 99.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to City of London Academy Islington are Hanover Primary School (0.2 miles), St Mary's CofE Primary School (0.3 miles), St John Evangelist Catholic Primary School (0.3 miles) and Thomas Fairchild Community School (0.3 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.