City of London Academy, Highgate Hill

City of London Academy, Highgate Hill has shown significant improvement since its previous inspection, now rated as good overall with outstanding sixth-form provision. The school's leadership has established high expectations and a well-rounded curriculum that encourages broad subject engagement, alongside enrichment activities that align with students' interests. Pupils are reported to be safe, well-behaved, and generally enjoy their learning experience, with a supportive environment that prepares them for future educational pathways. However, challenges remain, particularly regarding the effective support for students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and communication with parents about bullying issues needs enhancement.

Strengths

• High expectations set by school leaders.
• Broad and ambitious curriculum for all pupils.
• Outstanding provision for sixth-form students.
• Effective enrichment activities enhancing pupil interests.
• Strong approach to safeguarding and pupil safety.
• Good behaviour and attitude management among pupils.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistencies in adapting teaching and resources for SEND pupils.
• Need for improved communication regarding bullying procedures for parents.

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 City of London Academy, Highgate Hill attended 92.7% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 17.8% 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, 16.8% of pupils at City of London Academy, Highgate Hill were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were 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 City of London Academy, Highgate Hill had 15.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 22.8% 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, 15.8% of pupils at City of London Academy, Highgate Hill were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.3% 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 City of London Academy, Highgate Hill received £11,937 and spent £11,556 for each of its 650 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £561,000 (£862 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.

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• Secondary Schools

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

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

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

What is City of London Academy, Highgate Hill's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for City of London Academy, Highgate Hill is Good, from an inspection in July 2024.

When was City of London Academy, Highgate Hill last inspected by Ofsted?

City of London Academy, Highgate Hill was last inspected in July 2024.

How many pupils does City of London Academy, Highgate Hill have?

City of London Academy, Highgate Hill has 641 pupils on roll.

What age range does City of London Academy, Highgate Hill cover?

City of London Academy, Highgate Hill for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are City of London Academy, Highgate Hill's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 45.5, and 47% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is City of London Academy, Highgate Hill?

City of London Academy, Highgate Hill is at Holland Walk, Duncombe Road, Archway, London, N19 3EU.