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Voluntary aided school · Tower Hamlets

Central Foundation Girls' School

  • 11–19Ages
  • 1,526Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • GirlsPupils
  • Sixth formAges 16–18
  • 100975URN

Bow Road, London, E3 2AE · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jan 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
2.1per place
0.2 below Tower Hamlets median (2.3)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Tower Hamlets

445 applications for 214 places · 12th of 15 in Tower Hamlets
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
53.0of 90
4th of 17 in Tower Hamlets
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 6 January 2026Published 28 May 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
AchievementStrong standard
Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionExpected standard
Leadership and governanceStrong standard
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 6 January 2026
    Report card · 5 Strong standard, 2 Expected standard
  2. 4 November 2021
    Ungraded inspection: School remains Good

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
2.1applications per place, Year 7
0.2 below Tower Hamlets median (2.3) close to England median (2.2)

445 applications · 214 places offered · 170 named it first

  1. 2026 2.1; Tower Hamlets median median 2.3
  2. 2025 2.2; Tower Hamlets median median 2.7
  3. 2024 2.4; Tower Hamlets median median 2.7
  4. 2023 2.6; Tower Hamlets median median 2.6
  5. 2022 2.4; Tower Hamlets median median 2.4
  6. 2021 2.6; Tower Hamlets median median 2.6
  7. 2020 2.7; Tower Hamlets median median 2.8
  8. 2019 2.9; Tower Hamlets median median 2.8
  9. 2018 2.5; Tower Hamlets median median 3.0
  10. 2017 2.6; Tower Hamlets median median 3.2
  11. 2016 2.7; Tower Hamlets median median 3.3
  12. 2015 2.5; Tower Hamlets median median 3.6
  13. 2014 2.8; Tower Hamlets median median 3.3
More applications per place than the Tower Hamlets median in 1 of 13 years.
  • This school
  • Tower Hamlets median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, 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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20262144452.11700.79
Sep 20252325152.22090.90
Sep 20242325642.42100.91
Sep 20232285832.62311.01
Sep 20222365742.42411.02
Sep 20212386172.62641.11
Sep 20202386352.72310.97
Sep 20192376932.92731.15
Sep 20182395942.51940.81
Sep 20172376062.62160.91
Sep 20162396462.72411.01
Sep 20152406102.51920.80
Sep 20142396622.82000.84

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

233 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)53.04th of 17 in Tower Hamlets
Grade 5 or above in English and maths58%5th of 17 in Tower Hamlets
Grade 4 or above in English and maths80%
  • This school
  • Tower Hamlets median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.50
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)23353.058%80%–
2024/2523754.354%75%–
2023/2423855.059%80%+0.50
2022/2323954.663%82%+0.67

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

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

  • 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
Voluntary aided school
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
100975 · 211/4507
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,550 pupils · 1,526 on roll
Free school meals
45.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address
Bow Road, London, E3 2AE
Local authority
Tower Hamlets

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources