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Original poster

COLA Islington

36 replies

Reeewwwww · 02/03/2021 11:34

I'd love to hear your experience (or what you heard through the grapevine) of the City of London Academy Islington.

Anything helps really, as we have an offer, but didn't get the chance to visit the school due to the pandemic.

Thank you so much in advance!

OP posts:
Original poster
Reeewwwww · 04/03/2021 14:03

Thank you, deathbyprocrastination. That is very good to know.

Was this chaos that could affect the children or chaos in dealing with consultants / contractors / suppliers?

And do you know if the children are happy there?

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deathbyprocrastination · 04/03/2021 13:59

I have no personal experience at COLA-I though some of my DC's primary school class mates have gone on there.

Full disclosure though, I did have some dealings with the school in a work context a few years ago and was really disappointed with how it was run - just seemed utterly chaotic. Things might have changed dramatically since then but I didn't consider it for my DC.

Original poster
Reeewwwww · 04/03/2021 09:40

The article you posted mentions disproportionately high exclusions in 2019 from colai and that an enquiry was going to be held into this.

The great new is that the enquiry might have been successful and it looks like the authorities have now formed a what looks like a solid plan to make Islington safer for us all.

Maybe there's hope for a better future?

An outstanding school and a 5-year plan to improve youth opportunities bodes well for this school.

www.islington.gov.uk/~/media/sharepoint-lists/Public%20Records/Communitysafetyandemergencies/Information/Adviceandguidance/20202021/20201130YouthSafetyStrategy

I'd really appreciate it if you could put me in touch with parents who has commented that this is still the same school as the old Islington Green, please DM me if this would be possible.

And of course anyone else with feedback on all this, please comment here. I wanna hear it all.

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Original poster
Reeewwwww · 03/03/2021 23:10

thank you Terentia.

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Terentia · 03/03/2021 22:42

You’re too far from Holland Park and Fortismere too!

It seems to me that London middle-class parents will turn up to any state primary with an Outstanding Ofsted. However, for secondary, they start to worry about peer groups and sometimes (though not at the schools I’ve mentioned) gang activity. So there are Outstanding secondary schools with little or no middle-class kids.

The secondary COLAi replaced was often called “the notorious Islington Green.” One local parent once told me “it’s still the same school.” Currently 45 per cent of pupils there qualify for free school meals (it’s 30 per cent at Central Foundation). I know parents who live nearby who didn’t even look at it. Here's a fairly recent article:

www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/education/national-education-union-calls-for-investigation-into-584-rise-in-3837860

Original poster
Reeewwwww · 03/03/2021 22:05

Oh yes, true. Mary Magdalene was on our list too, but I missed the aptitude test date and we're too far away to get in on catchment. So strange Mary Magdalene got a 'Good" rating, not 'outstanding'.

Our DC is currently at a prep school and we haven't managed to secure an indie place, that's why we're onto our state option now.

We could go and pay for a private 'back-up' school (for example Northbridge House), but that may not be worth the expense for us, especially since there are plenty of outstanding state schools around.

We could stay at our prep school and see what happens.

Interesting to hear this about CF. I wouldn't have thought!

Why do you think do local middle class parents not choose Colai?

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Terentia · 03/03/2021 21:47

Local middle-class children do go to Central Foundation and—obviously not relevant if you have a boy—Elizabeth Garrett Anderson. There’s also a new COLA academy in Shoreditch Park but I don’t know much about it.

Or kids try for a good state school that is farther away. For instance, St Mary Magdalene is Islington’s most oversubscribed secondary and offers around 20 places to kids who do well on a language aptitude test.

Some kids try for the grammars in North London (Latymer and Queen Elizabeth Boys) but competition is fierce for these places.

Failing that parents choose independent schools or move house.

Are you going independent?

Original poster
Reeewwwww · 03/03/2021 20:58

I have to say COLAi was our fist state choice. Our second one was Central Foundation. I also put Holland Park and Fortismere. (I know we were way out for those!)

Can you tell me please where all the local middle class kids go to school? If they don't have a place at an independent school.

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Terentia · 03/03/2021 20:25

I just wondered what your other local options would be, as there will surely be some movement on waiting lists.

Original poster
Reeewwwww · 03/03/2021 20:00

Thank you I appreciate your reply, Terentia! That's what I figured.

We live at the edge of Bloomsbury and I'm honestly curious to hear why this matters as places have been allocated?

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Terentia · 02/03/2021 16:56

I have no personal experience but live locally.

COLAi replaced the old Islington Green school and has an Ofsted outstanding and good results. However, it seems to have no middle-class presence from what I can see.

Whereabouts are you roughly?

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