A North London secondary school where pupils are “calm and focused” in lessons has retained its ‘Outstanding’ status after an Ofsted inspection. The City of London Academy Islington has been praised for providing children with positive academic prospects after Year 11 and encouraging them to build leadership skills.
The mixed secondary school and adjoined sixth form college was inspected by the government body on April 1 and 2 last year. Inspectors praised the school for maintaining its high standards since the school was last judged to be ‘Outstanding’ in 2019.
Ofsted said the school sets high behavioural standards which creates a relationship of respect between pupils and teachers. Pupils also walk between lessons calmly and purposefully, and are ready to learn once the lesson starts.
Along with academic progress in lessons, the City of London Academy has ramped up its volunteering opportunities. Pupils in Year 8 take it in turns to be the school ‘concierge’, by helping visitors and supporting the school office for the day. Students in the sixth form help at a local school for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The report adds: “Teachers have strong subject knowledge. Normally, teachers present new information to pupils with clarity. Where necessary, staff model how to answer questions and build successfully on pupils’ prior knowledge.
“In the sixth form, in psychology for example, teachers use questions to probe students’ understanding and consolidate students’ knowledge. In many subjects, teachers check that pupils understand their learning and provide pupils with relevant and timely information on how to improve.”
Additionally, inspectors complimented efforts to help pupils who need help with improving their reading skills. At first these pupils read books matched to their current reading level, before being encouraged to read with an adult at home in order to catch and gain confidence.
Despite inspectors being impressed by the North London school, Ofsted said it needs to improve learning for pupils who have received repeated suspensions. Inspectors say pupils who miss valuable learning struggle to catch up with their peers, so the school should improve its support so fixed-term suspensions decrease.
Ofsted also said in some subjects pupils develop gaps in their knowledge which go unaddressed by teachers. Inspectors concluded the school should ensure these are noted routinely to stop pupils falling behind.
Lastly, pupils with SEND struggle to complete work in some lessons because the subject is not adapted for them and it’s too challenging. Inspectors said teaching and resources should adjusted to improve their knowledge of the curriculum.
Since September 2024 Ofsted no longer includes awards an overall effectiveness grade at state-funded schools. Instead, it grades each of the four sub areas which are; quality of education, behavior and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.
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