Grafton Primary School, London
Grafton Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in London. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 537th-highest of the 959 schools in London with published results, and 5,071st of 14,452 across England. It was 98% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Islington (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Grafton Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 88% of Year 6 pupils at Grafton Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 75% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 80% and 78% in Islington and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 79% in reading and 75% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Grafton Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 43 families put Grafton Primary School as their first choice and 141 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Grafton Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Grafton Primary School are Pakeman Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 74% reading, 86% maths); St Mark's CofE Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 86% reading, 79% maths); Pooles Park Primary School (0.5 miles); and Yerbury Primary School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 86% reading, 78% maths).
Grafton Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.
Pakeman Primary SchoolSt Mark's CofE Primary SchoolPooles Park Primary SchoolYerbury Primary School
Who goes there
44.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 63.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (38%), Mixed (19%) and White British (9%).
Getting there
The nearest Underground station is Arsenal Underground Station, about 780 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Seven Sisters Road / Nags Head, 80 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Grafton Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Grafton Primary School are Arts and Media School Islington (0.6 miles); Lift Beacon High (0.6 miles); City of London Academy, Highgate Hill (0.8 miles); and Highbury Fields School (0.9 miles).
Arts and Media School IslingtonLift Beacon HighCity of London Academy, Highgate HillHighbury Fields School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Grafton is a welcoming school where children thrive both academically and personally. The school prioritises reading from the earliest years, with well-trained staff delivering phonics and matched books so children become confident readers. Pupils benefit from an enriched curriculum that goes beyond the basics, with particular strengths in art, and all children - including those with additional needs - are supported to achieve their best.
Key Strengths
- Excellent behaviour and attitudes - pupils are polite, respectful and resolve disputes quickly
- Strong reading programme - phonics is well-taught from Reception with regular progress checks and books matched to pupils' level
- Ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum with important knowledge clearly identified in each subject
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND - swift identification and well-trained staff ensure they access the full curriculum
- Outstanding personal development including focus on physical and emotional health, diverse cultures and student leadership
Areas for Improvement
- A small number of subjects are at an earlier stage of implementation - pupils need more regular opportunities to practise and apply key knowledge to help them remember and build on previous learning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong systems in place and an open, positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
School council, visits to Paris and Devon, artwork displayed at National Gallery and Fifth Plinth Project, International Women's Day, News Wise project
Grafton Primary School is a good primary school in Holloway, London, where pupils demonstrate excellent behaviour and strong personal development. The school has undergone significant leadership and staffing changes while maintaining a broad, ambitious curriculum.
At a Glance
44.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 79% to 88% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 75% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 82% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
22.2
Avg class size
28.0
KS2
17
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Grafton Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Grafton Primary School.
- Best Grade After School Club160m away · Not yet graded
- Yerbury Extended School Services870m away · Not yet graded
- Pro Touch Tufnell Park Primary900m away · Not yet graded
- Miken Childcare950m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Grafton Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Islington. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Wednesday 2 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Thursday 22 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Grafton Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Grafton Primary School is in Islington; for families living there:
Apply to Islington for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 313
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 50
- Children hurt
- 12
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 313 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 50 serious and 263 slight.
12 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise.
48 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Islington is 143 (the median across 70 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Grafton Primary School
Will you get a place at Grafton Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Grafton Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Grafton Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Grafton Primary School.
- Islington publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Grafton Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Grafton Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Islington got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
98%
Near capacity
410 pupils
420 places
10 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Islington council
Places available
1,760
Applications
1,683
Got 1st preference
79.4%
Got preferred school
95.8%
All primary applications across Islington council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
86
SEN Support
21
EHC Plans
24.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
435
Total Pupils
232
Boys
203
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
25
Teachers
17.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£57,696
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,102
Per pupil
£3337k
Total funding
£298k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.9%
Overall absence
18.0%
Persistent absence
377
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Questions parents ask about Grafton Primary School
What are SATs results like at Grafton Primary School?
Of the pupils at Grafton Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 88% reached the expected standard in reading and 75% did so in maths.
What is Grafton Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Grafton Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2008 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Grafton Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Grafton Primary School is oversubscribed, Islington allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Grafton Primary School?
Grafton Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Grafton Primary School?
Classes at Grafton Primary School average 22.2 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Grafton Primary School?
Grafton Primary School has around 435 pupils on roll. 44% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Grafton Primary School?
5.9% of sessions were missed at Grafton Primary School in 2024/25. 18% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Grafton Primary School?
Apply through Islington's coordinated admissions process, naming Grafton Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Grafton Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 4 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Grafton Primary School: Best Grade After School Club (160m away, registered, not yet graded), Yerbury Extended School Services (870m away, registered, not yet graded) and Pro Touch Tufnell Park Primary (900m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are Grafton Primary School's term dates?
Grafton Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Islington. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Wednesday 2 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Thursday 22 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near Grafton Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 313 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 50 serious and 263 slight. 12 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise. 48 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Islington is 143 (the median across 70 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Grafton Primary School?
Grafton Primary School is at Eburne Road, Holloway, London, N7 6AR.
Sources: Islington term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)