Skinners' Academy, London

Ofsted's report card from its 14 April 2026 inspection grades Skinners' Academy on 7 areas: 7 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Across most subjects and year groups, pupils make sound progress from their starting points."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Over time, pupils' overall attendance has typically been close to national averages."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders keep a very close eye on both the curriculum and teaching."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders foster an inclusive culture across the school."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders and those responsible for governance have high aspirations for all pupils to `be the best they can be'."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "School leaders have strengthened provision this year for personal development and wellbeing."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Through their close review of students' experiences, leaders have a clear understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue their work on the curriculum so that in all subjects, teachers know precisely what key subject-specific knowledge pupils need to master"; "Leaders should continue their work in developing teaching expertise, so that teachers consistently adapt their teaching to meet the needs of both pupils who need extra help and those who could deepen their knowledge and understanding to achieve even higher grades"; "Leaders should continue their work to reduce persistent absence and maintain improvements over time"; "Leaders should increase and broaden sixth-form students' participation in wider opportunities beyond the academic curriculum".

From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Skinners' Academy, a co-educational academy in the north of Hackney. The Academy began life as the Skinners' Company's School for Girls in Stamford Hill in 1890. The girls' school closed in 2010, relocating to a new site in Woodberry Grove and reopening as a co-educational school, with the sixth form opening shortly afterwards in 2014."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include drama, debating and Duke of Edinburgh.

Coming up: an open evening on Thursday 12 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Skinners' Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 50.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 52.3 in Hackney and 47 across England.

53% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 57% in Hackney and 47% in England.

That is up from 46.4 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.16: 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 47.2, against 57.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.4 points.

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

For September 2026 entry, 98 families put Skinners' Academy as their first choice and 280 named it as one of their preferences, for 119 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 Skinners' Academy are All Saints Catholic High School (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.1); Lubavitch House School (Senior Girls) (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.2); Park View School (1 mile, Good, Attainment 8 42.1); and Yesodey Hatorah Senior Girls School (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 55.8).

Skinners' Academy's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Skinners' Academy is one of 6 schools run by Skinners' Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 181 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 89% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 40% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 86 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 79% went on to university or other higher education, 1% to apprenticeships and 8% into work. 14% 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 59.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Black (32%), other ethnic groups (13%) and Asian (11%).

Skinners' Academy had 20 teachers in 2026, one for every 49 pupils: fewer teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest tram or metro stop is Manor House Station, about 330 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).

15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Woodberry Grove (N4), 150 metres away.

In 2024/25, Skinners' Academy issued 155 suspensions, 15.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 6 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Skinners' Academy are Woodberry Down Community Primary School (under 0.1 miles), St Mary's Priory Catholic Junior School (0.5 miles), St Mary's Priory Catholic Infant School (0.5 miles) and Holmleigh Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.