As a parent, you need to have assurances that your child is going to a reputable school. Highbury, Islington and Camden all have a variety of high-performing schools and if you are thinking of moving to these areas, you’ll want to ensure you make a good choice. Here’s our guide to the best schools in Highbury, Islington and Camden.
As of 2018, 93% of all schools in the borough were rated as good or outstanding in their most recent Ofsted inspections. In addition, over a quarter of these were rated as outstanding.
This is also higher than the average in London and England, with 96% of Islington’s primary’s, nurseries and special schools rated as good or outstanding.
For parents of children aged between 5 and 10, you will be looking for a high-performing primary school within your catchment area.
Notable primary schools in Highbury and Islington include St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Ambler Primary School and Children’s Centre, St John’s Highbury Vale C Of E Primary School, William Tyndale Primary School and Hugh Myddelton Primary School.
These are a mixture of state run primary’s and academies, with pupils at the top three schools below achieving an expected standard of over 90% during Key Stage 2.
| School category | Admission rules | N. of pupils admitting | Distance allowed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Tyndale | Academy | Own authority | 60 | 0.157 miles |
| Hugh Myddelton | State | Council | 60 | 0.256 miles |
| Ambler | State | Council | 60 | 0.262 miles |
| St John’s C Of E | State | Council | 30 | 0.190 miles |
| St Joseph’s | State | Council | 60 | 0.524 miles |
For parents of older children who are attending secondary school, it’s important to pick an environment that will allow them to flourish and achieve the best possible GCSE grades.
The top ranked schools in Highbury and Islington are North Bridge House Senior Canonbury, Highbury Fields School and Central Foundation Boys’ School. These are closely followed by other institutions such as City of London Academy Islington and St Mary Magdalene Academy.
Based on the most recent data available, 91-95% pupils who left the schools below at Key Stage 4 in 2016, either went on to further education or secured employment.
| School category | Admission rules | N. of pupils admitting | Distance allowed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Foundation | State | Council | 180 | 0.945 miles |
| North Bridge House | Private | Own authority | – | – |
| City of London | Academy | Own authority | 165 | 0.918 miles |
| Highbury Fields | State | Council | 140 | 0.856 miles |
| St Mary Magdalene | Academy | Own authority | 180 | 0.367 miles |
Based on the last round of Ofsted reports, 96% of schools in Camden are rated as either good or outstanding.
That figure currently stands 10% above the national average, and Camden is home to twice as many outstanding primary schools (40%) than the rest of England. 60% of special schools are also rated as outstanding, which is 22% above the national average.
In 2017, 100% of all primary schools in Camden were rated as good or outstanding, which placed schools in the borough in the top 3 overall in the whole country.
The main schools to apply to include the likes of Hampstead Parochial Church of England Primary School, Primrose Hill School, St Dominic’s Catholic Primary School, Holy Trinity and Saint Silas C Of E Primary School, Christ Church Primary School, Hampstead and Torriano Primary School.
These are all state run schools with pupils achieving between 80-100% of the expected standard during their Key Stage 2 development.
| School category | Admission rules | N. of pupils admitting | Distance allowed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hampstead Parochial | State | Council | 30 | N/A |
| St Dominic’s | State | Council | 45 | N/A |
| Holy Trinity and Saint Silas | State | Council | 30 | N/A |
| Christ Church | State | Council | 30 | N/A |
| Torriano | State | Council | 58 | N/A |
| Primrose Hill | State | Council | 60 | N/A |
Anyone considering moving to Camden that is a parent of a teenager or a child about to leave primary school will be on the lookout for good quality secondary schools.
There are a number of secondary schools that are rated either good or outstanding, as per the last Ofsted report.
The most notable schools to apply to in the area are Camden School for Girls, La Sainte Union Catholic Secondary School and Parliament Hill School.
Based on the most recent data available, 93-96% of pupils who left the schools below at Key Stage 4 in 2016, either went on to further education or secured employment.
| School category | Admission rules | N. of pupils admitting | Distance allowed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camden School | State | Council | 116 | N/A |
| La Sainte Union | State | Council | 180 | N/A |
| Parliament Hill | State | Council | 180 | N/A |
The school admission requirements vary from school to school with some based around catchment areas and others on an entrance exam. For schools who base their admissions on distance, your child will be given first choice if you live within their priority area. However, it is worth noting that this does not mean they are guaranteed a place.
To find out general admissions information visit either the Islington Council or Camden Council website.
For specific admission rules visit the school’s website directly.
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