Community school · Islington

Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre

0–11Ages
515Pupils
PrimaryPhase
100397URN

Blackstock Road, Finsbury Park, London, N4 2DR · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Nov 2024 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

4.9per place

2.1 above Islington median (2.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Islington

292 applications for 60 places · 3rd of 37 in Islington

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

78%met the expected standard

Islington 68% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 19 November 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education	Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
Early years provision	Outstanding

Inspection history

19 November 2024
Graded inspection, no overall grade
9 March 2023
Ungraded inspection: School remains Outstanding (Concerns)

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

4.9applications per place, Reception

2.1 above Islington median (2.8) 2.7 above England median (2.2)

292 applications · 60 places offered · 75 named it first

2026 4.9; Islington median median 2.8
2025 4.5; Islington median median 2.6
2024 5.4; Islington median median 2.9
2023 5.4; Islington median median 2.7
2022 5.1; Islington median median 2.9
2021 5.6; Islington median median 2.7
2020 5.8; Islington median median 3.0
2019 5.3; Islington median median 2.9
2018 4.7; Islington median median 3.4
2017 4.0; Islington median median 3.4
2016 3.6; Islington median median 3.3
2015 3.6; Islington median median 3.5
2014 3.3; Islington median median 3.4

More applications per place than the Islington median in 12 of 13 years.

This school
Islington median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	60	292	4.9	75	1.25
Sep 2025	60	269	4.5	82	1.37
Sep 2024	60	323	5.4	78	1.30
Sep 2023	60	325	5.4	71	1.18
Sep 2022	60	308	5.1	74	1.23
Sep 2021	59	330	5.6	90	1.53
Sep 2020	59	341	5.8	81	1.37
Sep 2019	58	309	5.3	97	1.67
Sep 2018	60	279	4.7	62	1.03
Sep 2017	60	237	4.0	56	0.93
Sep 2016	60	216	3.6	38	0.63
Sep 2015	60	216	3.6	47	0.78
Sep 2014	58	193	3.3	29	0.50

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 93% · Writing 80% · Maths 87% → all three 78% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard78%12th of 38 in Islington

Islington 68% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard93%

Islington 81% England 78%

Higher standard68%

Islington 34% England 33%

Average scaled score 111 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard80%

Islington 77% England 75%

Greater depth13%

Islington 18% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard87%

Islington 79% England 77%

Higher standard55%

Islington 29% England 24%

Average scaled score 110 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Islington median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	78%	13%	111	110
2023/24	80%	10%	111	109
2022/23	80%	12%	109	110

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Ambler Primary School and Children's CentreThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2024

4.9applications per place 78%met the SATs standard
Gillespie Primary School
0.3 km · Islington

Outstanding2023

7.9applications per place 89%met the SATs standard
Parkwood Primary School
0.3 km · Hackney

Remains Good2024

3.0applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
St John's Highbury Vale CofE Primary School
0.5 km · Islington

Good2023

4.8applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
St Joan of Arc RC Primary School
0.7 km · Islington

Remains Good2024

3.0applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Pooles Park Primary School
0.8 km · Islington

Special measures Inadequate2022

2.0applications per place
Stroud Green Primary School
0.8 km · Haringey

Remains Good2022

3.1applications per place 81%met the SATs standard
Pakeman Primary School
0.9 km · Islington

2026

1.9applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Christ The King Catholic Primary School
1.0 km · Islington

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.2applications per place 39%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 100397 · 206/2015
Capacity: 508 pupils · 515 on roll
Free school meals: 30.5% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Blackstock Road, Finsbury Park, London, N4 2DR
Local authority: Islington

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources