Academy sponsor led · Islington

St Mary Magdalene Academy

4–19Ages
1,561Pupils
All-throughPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
Sixth formAges 16–18
134314URN

Liverpool Road, Islington, London, N7 8PG · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jul 2023 Previous framework

Outstanding

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

6.4per place

3.6 above Islington median (2.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Islington

1,087 applications for 171 places · 1st of 10 in Islington

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

58.4of 90

Islington 51.5 England 46.0

1st of 9 in Islington

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Outstanding · 3 July 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good
Quality of education	Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
Early years provision		Good
Sixth form provision	Outstanding

Inspection history

3 July 2023
Graded inspection: Outstanding
27 April 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Improving)

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

6.4applications per place, Year 7

3.6 above Islington median (2.8) 4.1 above England median (2.2)

1,087 applications · 171 places offered · 434 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 6.4; Islington median median 2.8
2025 6.3; Islington median median 2.8
2024 5.5; Islington median median 3.0
2023 5.7; Islington median median 2.9
2022 5.4; Islington median median 3.0
2021 5.7; Islington median median 3.0
2020 5.7; Islington median median 3.2
2019 5.3; Islington median median 3.0
2018 5.8; Islington median median 3.2
2017 5.3; Islington median median 3.1
2016 4.7; Islington median median 3.0
2015 4.7; Islington median median 2.8
2014 4.0; Islington median median 3.2

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

This school
Islington median

Reception entry, September 2026: 6.1 per place (183 applications for 30 places).

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

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	171	1,087	6.4	434	2.54
Sep 2025	165	1,046	6.3	415	2.52
Sep 2024	200	1,105	5.5	453	2.27
Sep 2023	199	1,143	5.7	471	2.37
Sep 2022	201	1,094	5.4	414	2.06
Sep 2021	203	1,153	5.7	389	1.92
Sep 2020	204	1,164	5.7	421	2.06
Sep 2019	207	1,099	5.3	370	1.79
Sep 2018	176	1,019	5.8	331	1.88
Sep 2017	187	992	5.3	348	1.86
Sep 2016	178	831	4.7	248	1.39
Sep 2015	153	720	4.7	211	1.38
Sep 2014	176	700	4.0	211	1.20

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

191 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)58.41st of 9 in Islington

Islington 51.5 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths68%1st of 9 in Islington

Islington 49% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths81%

Islington 72% England 66%

This school
Islington median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.30

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	191	58.4	68%	81%	–
2024/25	198	59.3	71%	82%	–
2023/24	198	56.6	66%	80%	+0.30
2022/23	180	54.9	62%	74%	+0.08

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

St Mary Magdalene AcademyThis school
This school

Outstanding2023

6.4applications per place 58.4Attainment 8
Highbury Fields School
0.8 km · Islington

Remains Outstanding2022

3.3applications per place 56.2Attainment 8
City of London Academy Highbury Grove
0.9 km · Islington

Good2022

2.4applications per place 44.0Attainment 8
City of London Academy Islington
1.5 km · Islington

Standards maintained2025

3.4applications per place 46.1Attainment 8
Lift Beacon High
1.6 km · Islington

Good2022

1.9applications per place
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School
1.6 km · Islington

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.8applications per place 55.0Attainment 8
The Camden School for Girls
1.7 km · Camden

Good2022

5.2applications per place 65.1Attainment 8
Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form
2.1 km · Hackney

Remains Good2022

3.1applications per place 52.2Attainment 8
Regent High School
2.2 km · Camden

Remains Good2023

2.0applications per place 44.3Attainment 8

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: All-through
URN · DfE number: 134314 · 206/6905
Trust: Hive Education Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 1,360 pupils · 1,561 on roll
Free school meals: 38.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 September 2007
Replaced: St Mary Magdalene CofE Primary School (URN 100445)
Address: Liverpool Road, Islington, London, N7 8PG
Local authority: Islington

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