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Original poster

City of London Academy - Highbury Grove Secondary school

32 replies

anyaroz · 20/06/2025 16:36

Hello everyone,
We’re currently deciding between two areas to rent in for the next year, and one of the properties we’re considering is quite close to City of London Academy Highbury Grove Secondary School. I’ve come across a few older threads about the school, but I’d really appreciate hearing from parents with more recent experience.
We’re relocating from the US this summer, and our son (11 years old) would be starting Year 7 this September, most likely through an in-year application. From what I can tell, there aren’t too many options for boys in the area—some schools are heavily oversubscribed, and others are just a bit too far.
I’d be very grateful for any insight into the academic standards, discipline, and overall social environment at Highbury Grove.
Any thoughts—positive or critical—would be extremely helpful as we try to make this decision.
Many thanks in advance!

OP posts:
zaxxon · 21/06/2025 22:09

What is the other area you're considering? Have you got a school in mind there?

Original poster
anyaroz · 21/06/2025 21:36

@Lornalovesarthur, thank you! We certainly have reservations - so I appreciate your comment. When you say "it does not have a great reputation locally", would you mind elaborating a bit?

OP posts:
Lornalovesarthur · 20/06/2025 23:03

Just to add - if a school is undersubscribed in Year 7, I would not send my kid there if I had a choice. Rent - even short term - right next door to the best oversubscribed school so you’re at the top of the wait list when a space inevitably comes up.

Lornalovesarthur · 20/06/2025 22:59

Sorry to say but I really wouldn’t if you have a choice! It’s not a disastrous option and has potential but it does not have a great reputation locally. Kids from small town America will be pretty shocked. I’ll be surprised if anyone says anything different.

clary · 20/06/2025 17:29

Ah that sounds like a good shout then. Anecdotally there are more spaces in year 7 in Sept in parts of the UK due to falling birth rate. OTOH there are said to be some DC needing to switch to state school bc of rising private school fees.

Hopefully someone will be along soon with more relevant info. But yes, 30 mins commute to school is nothing really. My dc had a very short walk but plenty of their classmates walked for 30 mins-plus or got a bus for 20 mins plus a 10-15 min walk; a school near us which is very popular would have involved a 25-min walk, 15-min bus ride and then 5-min walk for my DC if we had gone for it (and got a place).

Original poster
anyaroz · 20/06/2025 17:08

Thank You, @clary. Yes, I realize we’ll need to go through an in-year application. Highbury Grove is the closest option to one of the property we're considering and, from what I can tell, it doesn’t appear to be oversubscribed—hence my question.

I’ll admit our kids are a bit spoiled by small-town life in the US—we’re used to school buses that pick them up right outside the house. Spending more than 30 min to get to school seems excessive, but perhaps we need to re-evaluate our expectations. :)

OP posts:
clary · 20/06/2025 16:41

Hi @anyaroz sorry I don’t know the school or area (helpful!) but just to say if your ds is 11 now and you move in Sept this year, yes it will be an in-year application so you may have to take the school which has places - which may not be your first preference.

The good news is that there is a lot of movement in London and you can go on waiting lists for schools you prefer.

How far is too far btw? Secondary school pupils are expected to get themselves to school and in London, a journey of up to an hour is not unusual.