Central Foundation Girls' School
99%
Capacity
1,541
Pupils
2.2x
Demand
About Central Foundation Girls' School
Central Foundation Girls' School sits within Tower Hamlets, a borough with four outstanding-rated secondary schools among its 21 same-type institutions. The school ranks 6th in the local authority on Progress 8, placing it in the top quarter of schools nationally. Its closest outstanding neighbour is Stepney All Saints Church of England Secondary School, 1.6 kilometres away, while the top three peers in the borough by ranking score are Swanlea School, Bishop Challoner Catholic School, and Stepney All Saints itself. As a girls' state secondary with a sixth form, the school serves 1,541 pupils against a capacity of 1,550, and 46.8 per cent of students are eligible for free school meals. Headteacher Carla Prince leads a school that has held a Good Ofsted rating across both its 2016 graded inspection and its 2021 ungraded inspection, with leadership and management judged Outstanding in the most recent report.
Academically, the school performs well above the national average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.5 is significantly higher than the Tower Hamlets average of 0.09, and the banding is rated 'Well above average'. Within the Progress 8 breakdown, English stands out with a score of 0.85, while maths is more modest at 0.06. Attainment 8 sits at 55, and 79.8 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, compared with 59.2 per cent at grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 4.88, with 49.2 per cent of pupils entering the EBacc combination. At sixth form, 105 students took A-levels, achieving an average points per entry of 32.6, equivalent to a C+ grade, though the value-added score of -0.3 is rated 'Below average'. The best three A-levels averaged a C+ grade, and 6.3 per cent of entries were at AAB or higher.
The school is well equipped, with a theatre, swimming pool, gymnasium, science labs, ICT suite, art studios, tennis courts, astro turf, playing fields, a dining hall, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports offered include football, swimming, cross country, rowing, tennis, basketball, cricket, athletics, and gymnastics, while clubs range from science and eco club to drama, choir, book club, and art club. The school provides for a wide range of SEND needs, including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health, speech language and communication, hearing and visual impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. For the 2025/26 intake, the school was oversubscribed: 515 applications for 232 places, with 209 first-preference applications and 186 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.22. This is a school that suits families seeking strong academic progress in a diverse, well-resourced girls' environment with a clear sixth form pathway.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Girls |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Bow Road, London, Tower Hamlets, E3 2AE |
| Headteacher | Carla Prince |
| Local Authority | Tower Hamlets |
| Number of Pupils | 1,541 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 46.8% |
| School Capacity | 1,541 / 1,550 (99% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
4 Nov 2021Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (4 Nov 2021): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 1 Dec 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.50)
502nd of 3,141
Nationally
163rd of 487
In London
6th of 17
In Tower Hamlets
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
36.2
'22/23
34.8
'23/24
32.6
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2382%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 236 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)82%
- FE college12%
- Sixth form college2%
- Not sustained2%
- Employment1%
98% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2371%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 155 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
36%
Russell Group
36%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)71%
- Employment12%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Further education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology73
- Sociology56
- Biology36
- Mathematics27
- Economics26
- Chemistry25
- English Literature25
- Government and Politics25
- Law23
- Religious Studies19
- History15
- Geography14
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed232
515
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
209 families put this school as their 1st choice (41% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian83.6%
- Mixed4.2%
- White British1.6%
- White (other)1.2%
- Black0.7%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
34
Total schools
30
Oversubscribed
23
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Central Foundation Girls' School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Bow Road, London
Tower Hamlets, E3 2AE
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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