City of London Academy Highbury Grove is a mainstream secondary school in Islington, London, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. In January 2026, 141 of its 892 pupils (15.8%) were getting SEN support and 40 (4.5%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–18
- 892 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Islington.
15.8% get SEN support
141 of 892 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
4.5% have an EHC plan
40 of 892 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Higher than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health50
- Autism37
- Physical disability22
- Speech, language and communication21
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia13
- Moderate learning difficulty5
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Academy (sponsored)
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 892 (places for 1,200)
- Headteacher
- Ms Aimee Lyall
- Part of
- City of London Academies Trust
- Free school meals
- 58.9% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Islington
- School reference (URN)
- 144962
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Islington council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Good, April 2022
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in April 2022.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
8 Highbury Grove, Islington, London, N5 2EQ
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Samuel Rhodes MLD School Special school · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.1 miles
- The Courtyard Islington Special school · Ages 13–19 · Ofsted: Good 0.4 miles
- Laycock Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.5 miles
- Shoreditch Park Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Outstanding 1.1 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Highbury Fields School Secondary · Ages 11–18 · SEN support 17.9%, EHC plans 2% 0.3 miles
- Canonbury Primary School Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 18.6%, EHC plans 4.3% 0.3 miles
- Drayton Park Primary School Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 13.4%, EHC plans 6.9% 0.4 miles
All mainstream schools in Islington SEND schools in Islington
Questions about City of London Academy Highbury Grove
How many pupils at City of London Academy Highbury Grove have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 141 of the 892 pupils (15.8%) were getting SEN support and 40 (4.5%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at City of London Academy Highbury Grove?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (50 pupils), autism (37 pupils) and physical disabilities (22 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at City of London Academy Highbury Grove?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at City of London Academy Highbury Grove?
Through Islington council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to City of London Academy Highbury Grove?
You can ask for City of London Academy Highbury Grove to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does City of London Academy Highbury Grove have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Laycock Primary School, about 0.5 miles away.
Where is City of London Academy Highbury Grove?
8 Highbury Grove, Islington, London, N5 2EQ, in Islington.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.