St John's Upper Holloway CofE Primary School
92%
Capacity
212
Pupils
2.4x
Demand
About St John's Upper Holloway CofE Primary School
If you're a parent weighing up St John's Upper Holloway CofE Primary School, the numbers suggest it's a popular choice locally. In the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 54 applications for just 23 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.35. Eighteen of those applications were first-preference choices, and all 18 received offers, which indicates that families who put it top of their list were successful. The school has a nursery provision for children from age two, and its total capacity of 230 is currently not quite full, with 212 pupils on roll. Nearly half of pupils (49.2%) are eligible for free school meals, which is a significant proportion and reflects the diverse, inner-city community the school serves in Islington.
Academically, St John's performs well above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 80% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the Islington average of 68%. This places the school 11th out of 39 primaries in the borough, putting it in the top 25% nationally. Results in individual subjects were strong: 92% met the expected standard in maths, 84% in reading and 88% in writing. At the higher standard, 32% achieved it in maths and reading, and 16% in writing. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in 2022, confirmed it 'remains Good', with leadership and management also rated Good. Its previous graded inspection in 2012 gave the same overall rating.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a gymnasium, library, music rooms, playing fields and a chapel. Sports include cross country, football, dance, gymnastics and cricket, while clubs cover drama, choir, chess, film and gardening. SEND provision is well-documented, with support for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, physical disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder. For families considering alternatives, the nearest Outstanding-rated school is Yerbury Primary School, just 0.2 km away. St John's is a Church of England school, but its admissions data suggests it draws families from across the local area. It's best suited to parents who value strong academic outcomes in a diverse, inclusive setting and are comfortable with a school that is oversubscribed but still accessible for first-preference applicants.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 2 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Pemberton Gardens, London, Islington, N19 5RR |
| Headteacher | Nick Turpin |
| Local Authority | Islington |
| Number of Pupils | 212 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 49.2% |
| School Capacity | 212 / 230 (92% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
9 Jun 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (9 Jun 2022): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 28 Feb 2012. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (80%)
1433rd of 13,686
Nationally
349th of 1,592
In London
11th of 39
In Islington
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
80%
Expected Standard
8%
Higher Standard
'22/23
50%
'23/24
80%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
6Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
10Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed23
54
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
18 families put this school as their 1st choice (33% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
09:00 – 15:30
Breakfast club
08:00-08:45
After-school care
15:30-18:00
Source: stjohnsupperholloway.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
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
- Mixed21.2%
- White British20.3%
- White (other)15.6%
- Asian6.7%
- Black4.2%
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
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than half of schools in England.
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.
32
Total schools
26
Oversubscribed
21
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 St John's Upper Holloway CofE Primary School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Pemberton Gardens, London
Islington, N19 5RR
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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