Best Secondary Schools in Islington 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 9 schools across Islington. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Islington has 9 open secondary schools. Of the 9 with a published Ofsted inspection, 4 (44%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 100% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, Highbury Fields School currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Islington follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

9
Total schools
4
Outstanding (historic grade)
44%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
67.3%
Avg KS2 SATs
45.7
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 Highbury Fields School
Secondary
 Outstanding 82 View school
🥈 St Aloysius' College
Secondary
 Good 80 View school
🥉 City of London Academy Islington
Secondary
 Outstanding 61 View school
4. City of London Academy Highbury Grove
Secondary
 Good 59 View school
5. Central Foundation Boys' School
Secondary
 Outstanding 56 View school
6. Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School
Secondary
 Outstanding 53 View school
7. City of London Academy, Highgate Hill
Secondary
 Good 53 View school
8. Arts and Media School Islington
Secondary
 Good 50 View school
9. LIFT Beacon High
Secondary
 Good 50 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Islington

Best primary schools in IslingtonTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in IslingtonTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in IslingtonPrimary & secondary combined Primary schools in IslingtonReception–Year 6 only How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in HackneyCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in City of LondonCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in HaringeyCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in WestminsterCompare neighbouring authority

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Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many secondary schools are there in Islington?
There are 9 open secondary schools in Islington (closed schools are excluded). 4 of the 9 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated secondary schools in Islington?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Islington is Highbury Fields School. The full ranked table above lists the top 9 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Islington?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Islington?
Primary and secondary applications in Islington are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Islington council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.