Best secondary schools in Islington (2026)
Islington has 8 ranked secondary schools with published results. The top-ranked is St Mary Magdalene Academy, in the top 12% in England. The average Attainment 8 here in 2025 was 48.7, against 46.1 for England. 0 are in England's top 10%, and 1 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted. Islington has no grammar schools.
| Rank | School | Attainment 8 (2023–2025 average) | Attainment 8 2025 | Trend | Grade 5+ Eng & maths | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Top 12% in England |
St Mary Magdalene Academy Islington · Church of England |
56.9 | 59.3 | 71% | Outstanding | |
2 Top 14% in England |
Central Foundation Boys' School Islington · Boys |
55.9 | 55.2 | 69% | Not judged | |
3 Top 15% in England |
Highbury Fields School Islington · Girls |
55.3 | 57.4 | 62% | No rating | |
4 Top 21% in England |
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School Islington · Girls |
52.8 | 52.7 | 55% | Not judged | |
5 Bottom 45% in England |
City of London Academy Highbury Grove Islington |
44.5 | 45.4 | 45% | Good | |
6 Bottom 43% in England |
City of London Academy Islington Islington |
44.6 | 40.8 | 38% | No rating | |
7 Bottom 36% in England |
City of London Academy, Highgate Hill Islington |
42.7 | 40.3 | 33% | Good | |
8 Bottom 27% in England |
Arts and Media School Islington Islington |
41.0 | 38.3 | 28% | Good |
Other towns in Greater London
- Barking and Dagenham
- Barnet
- Bexley
- Brent
- Bromley
- Camden
- City of Westminster
- Croydon
- Ealing
- Enfield
- Greenwich
- Hackney
- Hammersmith and Fulham
- Haringey
- Harrow
- Havering
- Hillingdon
- Hounslow
- Kensington and Chelsea
- Kingston upon Thames
- Lambeth
- Lewisham
- Merton
- Newham
- Redbridge
- Richmond upon Thames
- Southwark
- Sutton
- Tower Hamlets
- Waltham Forest
Also see
Questions
What is the best secondary school in Islington?
On exam results over the last three years, St Mary Magdalene Academy is the top-ranked secondary school in Islington, in the top 12% of schools in England.
How are the schools ranked?
By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.