The City Academy, Hackney

The City Academy, Hackney has been rated as good overall in its recent inspection, with particular strengths noted in sixth-form provision, which received an outstanding rating. This marks the school's first inspection since 2012 due to a long exemption period following its previous outstanding judgment. The school maintains a calm and purposeful learning environment underpinned by high expectations for student behavior and engagement. The curriculum is ambitious and broad, with commendable enrichment opportunities aiding in personal development and community involvement for all pupils.

Strengths

• Exceptional sixth-form provision with outstanding outcomes.
• Ambitious and well-structured curriculum supporting academic and personal development.
• Effective leadership promoting a safe and positive learning environment.
• Strong commitment to pupil enrichment through clubs and additional studies.
• High expectations of behavior contributing to low levels of disruption.

Areas for Improvement

• Support for pupils with SEND is not always closely tailored to individual needs.
• Reading support for weaker readers is not fully embedded or targeted effectively.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at The City Academy, Hackney attended 92.2% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 22.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 8.9% of pupils at The City Academy, Hackney were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 The City Academy, Hackney had 13.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 16.7% of pupils at The City Academy, Hackney were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 4.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 The City Academy, Hackney received £10,942 and spent £11,109 for each of its 1,154 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,617,000 (£1,401 per pupil).

Across all 11 schools of City of London Academies Trust, income was £10,807 and spending £10,846 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Hackney · Hackney local authority: places and applications

The City Academy, Hackney is part of City of London Academies Trust, which runs 12 schools. The nearest others:

• City of London Academy, Shoreditch Park London
• City of London Academy Highbury Grove London
• City of London Academy Islington London
• City of London Primary Academy, Islington London
• Redriff Primary, City of London Academy London
• City of London Academy, Highgate Hill London
• London Nautical, City of London Academy London
• Galleywall Primary, City of London Academy London
• City of London Academy (Southwark) London
• Plashet, City of London Academy London

What is The City Academy, Hackney's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The City Academy, Hackney is Good, from an inspection in June 2023.

When was The City Academy, Hackney last inspected by Ofsted?

The City Academy, Hackney was last inspected in June 2023.

How many pupils does The City Academy, Hackney have?

The City Academy, Hackney has 1,149 pupils on roll.

What age range does The City Academy, Hackney cover?

The City Academy, Hackney for pupils aged 11 to 19.

What are The City Academy, Hackney's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 53.2, and 62% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is The City Academy, Hackney?

The City Academy, Hackney is at Homerton Row, Hackney, London, E9 6EA.