School Chooser

Grafton Primary School

Primary · ages 2-11MixedCouncil435 pupilsNurseryLondonIslington
School Chooser Score
66
Above
similar schools
Likely range 46 to 81, so it could be “in line”
Out of 100. Better than 72% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, November 2023
Reached the expected level at 1170%England 63%
Attendance94.1%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families45%Far more than most schools
Places87 spare435 pupils, 522 places
Pupils per teacher19.6School workforce census

Grafton Primary School is a council school in London for boys and girls aged 2 to 11. It has 435 pupils and room for 522. About 45 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 66 out of 100. That puts it above schools like it, ahead of 72% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Eburne Road, Holloway, London, N7 6AR020 7272 3284graftonschool.co.ukMr Andrew Turnock headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 1 November 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Outstanding
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Outstanding
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Outstanding
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

60 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1170%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level8%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score106.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score106.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 84%84%20172018: 84%84%20182019: 82%82%20192023: 73%73%20232024: 70%70%20242025: 70%70%2025
Since 2017: -14%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017IslingtonEngland
Pupils tested605652565058
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths70%70%73%82%84%84%67%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths8%18%12%30%32%21%13%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score106.0108.0107.0107.0109.0108.0106.8105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score106.0107.0105.0107.0108.0108.0105.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score110.0111.0111.0113.0112.0110.0106.7105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard88%79%83%86%88%88%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard75%75%79%89%90%93%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)82%82%87%88%90%91%
Reading progressReading progress score+1.4+1.7+1.1+0.6
Maths progressMaths progress score+0.8+1.2+1.2+1.1
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged62%61%68%78%86%80%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged81%79%79%86%80%91%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 2 of the 4 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
62%81%
Gap 19 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
71%69%
Gap 2 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
77%70%
Gap 7 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
3%8%
Gap 5 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Nearly full410 pupils for 420 places, 2024/25
98% full

Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

The last child to get a place lived 840 m away in 2025, 0.9 miles away in 2024. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils, faith and other priority groups are placed first. After that, the closer you live, the better your chances. Type in your postcode to see how far away you are.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026.

EntryHow far the last child livedSource
2026 PrimaryLA
2025 Primary840 mLA
2024 Primary0.9 milesLA

The distances are the council's own, usually measured in a straight line from home to the school gate. If the distance is getting shorter each year, the school is getting harder to get into. See which councils we have this data for.

What a home within 0.7 miles of the school costs

Typical sale price within 0.7 miles of the school£580,000half sold for £435k to £771k
Homes sold1,048December 2023 to December 2025, Land Registry
Compared with the district-13%a typical home in the district sells for £669,772

Every home sold within that distance of the school (the typical cut-off over the last three years), of any type, from HM Land Registry records. If homes here cost more than the district average, that is the price people pay to live close enough to get in.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll435Census January 2026
Places52283% full
Pupils from low-income families44%45% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English64%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support20%86 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan5%21 pupils with a plan
Average class size22.217 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils6%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)49%£297,600 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls232 / 203
White British pupils9%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (48), emotional and mental health (23), Autistic spectrum disorder (20), Specific learning difficulty (7), Moderate learning difficulty (5), Other difficulty or disability (3).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll435461436421450458
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals44%43%43%42%37%36%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language64%60%56%53%52%54%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support26%28%38%37%33%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans4%3%4%3%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.1%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school18.0%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.9%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence5.9%5.8%6.7%5.8%3.5%4.1%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.0%3.6%4.1%3.5%2.3%3.6%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.9%2.2%2.6%2.3%1.2%0.5%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence18.0%16.0%19.7%17.1%7.9%5.8%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.70.20.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers21.6full-time equivalent, 25 people
Pupils per teacher19.6Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers96%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants17.4full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£57,696
Teachers who left in the year27%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher3.62024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£8,573England £7,738. Total £3.8m
Income per pupil£8,988England £7,697. Total £4.0m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,175England £3,480
Money in reserve9%A healthy amount put by: £340k, £764 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out+£185kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£8,573spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m3,10912 months to June 2026, mostly anti-social behaviour
Local crime rate307 per 1,000 people238% higher than the England average
Typical house price£665,000Islington
Nearest bus stop80 mSeven Sisters Road / Nags Head, 24 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Pakeman Primary SchoolCouncil360 m338Report card 202630Compare
St Mark's CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England600 m231Not inspected72Compare
Pooles Park Primary SchoolAcademy800 m184Inadequate 20220Compare
Yerbury Primary SchoolCouncil820 m453Outstanding 202397Compare
Christ The King Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic860 m240No overall grade 202512Compare
Tufnell Park Primary SchoolCouncil890 m453Good 202282Compare
Duncombe Primary SchoolCouncil920 m378Good 202381Compare
St John's Upper Holloway CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England0.6 miles206Good 202254Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Grafton Primary School with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats72%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 66 is 16 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 50 · highest 97100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Grafton Primary School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Brook House Primary SchoolFree school4.0 miles408Outstanding 202390Compare
Marion Richardson Primary SchoolCouncil4.4 miles465Outstanding 202477Compare
Allen Edwards Primary SchoolCouncil6.0 miles387Good 202475Compare
Keir Hardie Primary SchoolCouncil6.7 miles437Outstanding 202496Compare
Alma Primary SchoolAcademy6.9 miles442Good 202372Compare
Kingfisher Hall Primary AcademyFree school7.2 miles440No overall grade 202580Compare
Eastfield Primary SchoolAcademy8.1 miles417Good 202284Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 66 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 66% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 46 to 81. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%in line
+0.08
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 60 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 2.9 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.12
DfE progress measure; 60 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.06
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.06
2024/25; 377 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%above
+0.10
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 60 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Grafton Primary School a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. Grafton Primary School scores 66 out of 100. That is above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 72% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 46 to 81, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Grafton Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Grafton Primary School good at its last full inspection on 1 November 2023.

How good are Grafton Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 70% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 8% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Grafton Primary School have?

435 pupils aged 2 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 522 places, so it is 83% full.

Is Grafton Primary School oversubscribed?

Often. Fewer than one place in twenty was empty in 2024/25, so popular year groups fill up.

What is attendance like at Grafton Primary School?

Pupils were in school 94.1% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 18% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Grafton Primary School?

The average class had 22.2 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 6% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Eburne Road, Holloway, London, N7 6AR
Telephone
020 7272 3284
Website
www.graftonschool.co.uk
Headteacher
Mr Andrew Turnock
Type of school
Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 2-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Islington
Ward
Tollington
Constituency
Islington North
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
100406 · LAESTAB 2062261 · UKPRN 10070047

Where these figures come from