Canonbury Primary School

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 3 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Canonbury Road, London, N1 2UTOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Canonbury Primary School is a primary school in Islington for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 69 schools in Islington. It ranks 13th of 39 primary schools in Islington. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in July 2013.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 17 July 2013, report published 16 September 2013

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Outstanding

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 October 2022

Pupils love their school. Staff help pupils to achieve because they have high expectations. Pupils work hard to meet these expectations. They behave well because they want to learn. Pupils enjoy reading and learning about 'tricky words'. They value visits to the school's library, where they can borrow books to take home. Pupils are safe at school. Bullying is dealt with effectively by staff should it occur. Pupils are taught to speak to their class teacher or any adult if they have concerns. Staff put pupils' well-being first. They encourage pupils to look after their physical and mental health. Pupils have lots to look forward to here. Staff celebrate their achievements in reward assemblies each week. Every class has regular outings linked to the curriculum. There are many opportunities for pupils to take part in competitive sports. All pupils play the recorder and learn to play a brass instrument in Years 5 and 6. They celebrate events such as Black History Month. Teachers encourage pupils to share their presentations, including during assemblies.

What the school should improve

  • The school has changed its programme for the teaching of phonics. Leaders ensure that the new scheme is being introduced effectively. Nevertheless, staff and pupils are still becoming familiar with how to teach and apply the routines consistently. Leaders should ensure that the phonics programme is firmly embedded throughout the school. This will help them to assess its impact on pupils' reading development over time.
  • In a few foundation subjects, leaders do not ensure that staff check precisely what pupils have learned. This risks leading to misconceptions in pupils' understanding of these subjects. Leaders should ensure that teachers in all subjects have the expertise to check what pupils know and remember and address any gaps in pupils' learning as they arise.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

60 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths78%

78%, 16 percentage points above the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths13%

13%, 5 percentage points above the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score109

109, 3 above the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score109

109, 4 above the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score110

110, 5 above the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

441 pupils on roll, with places for 460

Eligible for free school meals47.6%

47.6%, 21.1 percentage points above the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language36.3%

36.3%, 14.7 percentage points above the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support18.6%

18.6%, 3.8 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan4.3%

4.3%, 1.7 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Canonbury Primary School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Laycock Primary School0.2 milesOfsted: Good64% met the expected standard
William Tyndale Primary School0.2 milesOfsted judgements: Good to outstanding83% met the expected standard
St Mary's CofE Primary School0.4 milesOfsted: Good53% met the expected standard
The New North Academy0.4 milesOfsted: Good47% met the expected standard
Thornhill Primary School0.5 milesOfsted: Good88% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Community school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
3 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Nursery classes
Yes
Headteacher
Mr Patrick Mildren (Acting Executive Headteacher) Tanisha Achuka-Robb (Acting Head of School)
Address
Canonbury Road, London, N1 2UT
Local authority
Islington
URN
131773

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.