St Mary Magdalene Academy
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St Mary Magdalene Academy is a sponsored academy in London for boys and girls aged 4 to 19. It has 1,561 pupils, 201 more than it has places for. About 38 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 91 out of 100. That puts it well above schools like it, ahead of 88% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was outstanding, back in 2023.
Liverpool Road, Islington, London, N7 8PG020 7697 0123smmacademy.orgMr John Reardon headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 3 July 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Outstanding overall.
Earlier inspections (1)
| Date | Type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 27 April 2022 | Ungraded | School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next |
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
198 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.
All GCSE measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 | Islington | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 198 | 198 | 180 | 173 | 164 | 160 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 59.3 | 56.6 | 54.9 | 58.8 | 53.4 | 52.3 | 48.7 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | +0.30 | +0.08 | +0.43 | +0.43 | +0.37 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 71% | 66% | 62% | 64% | 60% | 60% | 50% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 82% | 80% | 74% | 81% | 79% | 79% | 68% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 5.55 | 5.29 | 5.03 | 5.48 | 4.92 | 4.80 | 4.42 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 58% | 55% | 51% | 57% | 46% | 53% | 50% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | 48.0 | 46.6 | 38.5 | 48.6 | 47.1 | 47.9 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | 65.5 | 62.0 | 63.7 | 65.3 | 59.9 | 58.7 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | 31.3 | 26.0 | 35.7 | 22.3 | 22.2 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers | – | 73.7 | 71.1 | 76.9 | 64.6 | 62.2 | – | – |
Subjects
Results came out for 20 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.
Strongest subjects
Subjects that did worse than the England average: Drama (29% here, 60% across England).
The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.
Every subject against England, 2025
| Subject | Entries | Grades 9 to 7 | Grades 9 to 5 | Grades 9 to 4 | England 9 to 5 | Rank in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 197 | 48% | 76% | 86% | 53% | 274 of 3,211 |
| English Language | 197 | 48% | 74% | 83% | 54% | 334 of 3,210 |
| English Literature | 193 | 41% | 78% | 85% | 58% | 333 of 3,202 |
| Geography | 133 | 38% | 70% | 79% | 51% | 434 of 3,116 |
| Combined Science | 107 | 9% | 50% | 71% | 36% | 593 of 3,084 |
| History | 92 | 51% | 84% | 86% | 52% | 195 of 3,126 |
| Biology | 87 | 64% | 94% | 98% | 82% | 817 of 2,570 |
| Physics | 85 | 69% | 98% | 100% | 82% | 548 of 2,546 |
| Chemistry | 85 | 68% | 95% | 100% | 81% | 791 of 2,537 |
| Social Studies | 70 | 40% | 73% | 79% | 54% | 163 of 1,043 |
| Spanish | 62 | 34% | 71% | 84% | 54% | 433 of 1,941 |
| Design & Technology | 37 | 51% | 87% | 92% | 50% | 110 of 1,478 |
| Other Modern Languages | 36 | 64% | 67% | 67% | 49% | 208 of 454 |
| Art and Design | 30 | 23% | 70% | 83% | 58% | 868 of 2,818 |
| German | 24 | 63% | 92% | 100% | 63% | 69 of 571 |
| French | 23 | 83% | 100% | 100% | 60% | 20 of 1,974 |
| Religious Studies | 22 | 36% | 64% | 86% | 60% | 846 of 1,825 |
| Music | 21 | 57% | 86% | 91% | 61% | 101 of 395 |
| Drama | 21 | 5% | 29% | 62% | 60% | 774 of 844 |
| Physical Education | 9 | 44% | 100% | 100% | 56% | – |
In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
30 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Islington | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 30 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 30 | 30 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 77% | 93% | 76% | 77% | 73% | 70% | 67% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 30% | 43% | 28% | 19% | 17% | 3% | 13% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 108.0 | 111.0 | 107.0 | 105.0 | 106.0 | 103.0 | 106.8 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 107.0 | 113.0 | 108.0 | 109.0 | 105.0 | 104.0 | 105.8 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 110.0 | 114.0 | 110.0 | 111.0 | 107.0 | 107.0 | 106.7 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 80% | 93% | 79% | 81% | 77% | 73% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 77% | 97% | 90% | 90% | 90% | 77% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 77% | 97% | 97% | 90% | 90% | 77% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +2.2 | +1.1 | +1.1 | -0.8 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +3.8 | +4.0 | +1.1 | +0.4 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 67% | 90% | 60% | 86% | 67% | 65% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 87% | 95% | 84% | 71% | 78% | 77% | – | – |
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.
A level and sixth-form results, 2025
155 students finished sixth-form courses.
All sixth-form measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students | 155 | 176 | 146 | 128 | 206 | 185 |
| Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry | 38.87 | 39.96 | 36.80 | 39.08 | 36.21 | 30.11 |
| Average A level grade | B | B | B- | B | B- | C |
| Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS | 38.32 | 39.54 | 35.77 | 38.13 | 35.26 | 28.21 |
| AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects | 22% | 28% | 28% | 24% | 15% | 6% |
| A level progressA level value added | -0.10 | +0.06 | – | – | +0.10 | -0.28 |
| Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed | 97% | 94% | 91% | 85% | 74% | 87% |
A level subjects
18 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.
Strongest A levels
Every A level subject against England, 2025
A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.
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. 3 of the 7 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 GCSE, 2025
At the end of primary school, 2025
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
Open to all. There is no entrance test. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.
About 142 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have grown by 7% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.
The last child to get a place lived 300 m away in 2026, 300 m away in 2026, 510 m away in 2025. 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. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child living 300 m from the school. Living closer than that didn't guarantee a place, but living much further away meant missing out that year.
| Entry | How far the last child lived | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Primary | 300 m | LA |
| 2026 Secondary | 300 m | LA |
| 2025 Primary | 510 m | LA |
| 2025 Secondary | 510 m | LA |
| 2024 Primary | 850 m | LA |
| 2024 Secondary | 850 m | LA |
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 510 m of the school costs
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.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 30.3 pupils (England 26.2); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 29.7 (England 28.2).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (113), emotional and mental health (76), Specific learning difficulty (57), Other difficulty or disability (37), language and communications needs (28), Physical disability (13).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 1,561 | 1,554 | 1,554 | 1,536 | 1,459 | 1,399 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 35% | 33% | 31% | 32% | 32% | 30% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 18% | 19% | 22% | 23% | 24% | 26% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 17% | 15% | 13% | 13% | 13% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 4% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 6.9% | 7.3% | 8.3% | 8.3% | 5.3% | 5.6% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 4.6% | 5.2% | 5.9% | 6.1% | 4.2% | 4.1% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 2.3% | 2.1% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 1.1% | 1.4% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 17.3% | 20.5% | 25.0% | 23.6% | 14.7% | 13.6% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 4.4 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 5.5 | 3.1 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – |
What pupils do next
After GCSEs
Where the 180 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 90%, compared with 97% for everyone else.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 95% | 94% | 95% | 95% |
| Education | 92% | 89% | 92% | 93% |
| Apprenticeship | 2% | 2% | 1% | 1% |
| Work | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| Not in education, work or training | 3% | 5% | 2% | 4% |
After sixth form
Where the 141 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 83%, compared with 80% for everyone else.
Where the ones heading for university went
Among students from low-income families, 86% went on to degree-level study or training and 37% to a top-third university.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 82% | 78% | 79% | – |
| Education | 62% | 63% | 67% | – |
| Apprenticeship | 1% | 3% | 2% | 1% |
| Work | 19% | 12% | 10% | – |
| Not in education, work or training | 9% | 9% | 9% | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
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
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 secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New River College Secondary | Pupil referral unit | 120 m | 26 | Good 2024 | – | Compare |
| The Courtyard Islington | Free school | 230 m | 76 | Good 2023 | – | Compare |
| Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 420 m | 434 | Good 2022 | 38 | Compare |
| Laycock Primary School | Council | 480 m | 217 | Good 2024 | 18 | Compare |
| London Metropolitan University | Higher education institutions | 500 m | – | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| Drayton Park Primary School | Council | 550 m | 277 | Not inspected | 90 | Compare |
| Canonbury Primary School | Council | 700 m | 441 | Good 2022 | 87 | Compare |
| Thornhill Primary School | Council | 720 m | 446 | Good 2022 | 89 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares St Mary Magdalene Academy with the 49 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 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 49 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than St Mary Magdalene Academy, 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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twyford Church of England High School | Academy | 7.7 miles | 1,682 | Outstanding 2023 | 98 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 91 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 91% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 87 to 93. 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 at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 20% | above | +0.19 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 198 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old) | well above | +0.33 | Ofsted grade, 3.2 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | above | +0.09 | DfE progress measure; 198 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | above | +0.10 | results and attendance rising year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | above | +0.07 | 2024/25; 1,239 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | well above | +0.15 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 198 pupils |
| What pupils do next | 5% | above | +0.03 | 180 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | 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 St Mary Magdalene Academy a good school?
Yes, going by the figures. St Mary Magdalene Academy scores 91 out of 100. That is well above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 88% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 87 to 93, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is St Mary Magdalene Academy's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated St Mary Magdalene Academy outstanding at its last full inspection on 3 July 2023.
How good are St Mary Magdalene Academy's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 71% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 59.3, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished about half a grade ahead of children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How good are St Mary Magdalene Academy's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 77% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 30% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does St Mary Magdalene Academy have?
1,561 pupils aged 4 to 19 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,360 places, so it is 115% full.
Is St Mary Magdalene Academy oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?
Yes. For September 2026 the last place went to a child living 300 m away. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils and other priority groups come before distance, so the cut-off moves every year.
What is attendance like at St Mary Magdalene Academy?
Pupils were in school 93.1% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 17% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at St Mary Magdalene Academy?
The average class had 21.5 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 6% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does St Mary Magdalene Academy have a sixth form?
Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was B. 18 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Liverpool Road, Islington, London, N7 8PG
- Telephone
- 020 7697 0123
- Website
- www.smmacademy.org
- Headteacher
- Mr John Reardon
- Type of school
- Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
- Phase
- All-through school, ages 4-19, with sixth form
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England, Diocese of London
- Multi-academy trust
- Hive Education Trust (1 schools)
- Local authority
- Islington
- Ward
- Laycock
- Constituency
- Islington South and Finsbury
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 September 2007 (new provision)
- URN
- 134314 · LAESTAB 2066905 · UKPRN 10024207
- Formerly
- St Mary Magdalene CofE Primary School
Recent changes
- New KS4 results for 2024/25
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- GCSE results: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25 final.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- A level subjects: DfE A level and other 16 to 18 results, subject entries and grades, 2024/25.
- Admissions outcomes: Islington council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2024, 2025, 2026.
- House prices: HM Land Registry price paid data, December 2023 to December 2025, placed by postcode.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.