City of London Academy Highbury Grove
8 Highbury Grove, Islington, London, N5 2EQOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
City of London Academy Highbury Grove is a secondary school in Islington for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 69 schools in Islington. It ranks 6th of 8 secondary schools in Islington. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in April 2022.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 26 April 2022, report published 20 June 2022
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Sixth form provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 26 April 2022
Pupils feel happy and safe. They said that this was because behaviour in class and around the school has improved. Pupils look out for each other. They enjoy being part of a school community that is so diverse. Pupils appreciate the work the school does to support the local community, for example through the food bank. Pupils collaborate in year groups to raise money for a charity of their choice. Pupils said that teachers plan and deliver lessons that engage and challenge them. Sixth-form students said that teachers listen to their views. Teachers have high expectations of pupils' uniform, attitudes and work. Typically, the school is a calm environment in which pupils can learn without disruption. On occasions, pupils feel that teachers give out detentions for relatively minor issues. The school has clamped down on bullying. Pupils said that when they report incidents, these are dealt with swiftly and sensitively. This makes pupils more confident to raise any concerns. Leaders have developed a comprehensive programme of extra-curricular activities. These happen before and after school. These include sports as well as robotics and electronics.
What the school should improve
- Subject leaders plan the curriculum with high ambition for pupils with SEND. This ambition is not met in all lessons because some teachers do not make appropriate adaptations. This affects the progress of a small number of pupils with SEND. Leaders must ensure that their monitoring of classroom provision for pupils with SEND is more robust.
- Since the COVID-19 pandemic, significant numbers of pupils have found reading more challenging. While leaders provide additional help, this does not include face-to-face phonics instruction. Leaders must ensure that staff are trained to deliver phonics where needed. This will increase reading attainment and enable pupils to access the curriculum more readily.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
199 pupils in the year group
A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25
36 students
Average A level grade C, England average B-
Pupil numbers and mix
892 pupils on roll, with places for 1,200
Schools near City of London Academy Highbury Grove
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| The London Screen Academy | 0.2 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| Highbury Fields School | 0.3 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 57.4 |
| North Bridge House Senior Canonbury School | 0.4 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 67.5 |
| St Paul's Waldorf School | 0.5 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| St Mary Magdalene Academy | 0.5 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 59.3 |
School details
- School type
- Academy sponsor led
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- CITY OF LONDON ACADEMIES TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Ms Aimee Lyall
- Phone
- 02072888900
- Address
- 8 Highbury Grove, Islington, London, N5 2EQ
- Local authority
- Islington
- URN
- 144962
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.