Classpot

St Mary Magdalene Academy

Islington, N7 8PGSecondaryAges 4–19MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Outstanding
Jul 2023
Progress 8
+0.30
Above average
−20+2
Competition
2.5×
Oversubscribed
415 1st-choice / 165 places
Ranking
#835
of 3,141 nationally

About St Mary Magdalene Academy

If you're a parent in Islington, the sheer demand for St Mary Magdalene Academy tells you a lot. For 2025/26 entry, the school received 1,046 applications for just 165 places, an oversubscription ratio of 6.34 to one. Of those, 415 families put it as their first preference, and 159 first-preference offers were made. That kind of competition suggests a school that local parents trust and actively want. It's a Church of England all-through school (ages 4 to 19) with a mixed intake, and it's one of only five schools in the borough rated Outstanding by Ofsted. The most recent inspection, in 2023, gave it top marks across the board: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision all came back as Outstanding. The early years provision was rated Good. The headteacher is John Reardon, and the school is significantly over its stated capacity, with 1,554 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,360.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range4 to 19 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterChurch of England
AddressLiverpool Road, London, Islington, N7 8PG
HeadteacherJohn Reardon
Local AuthorityIslington
Number of Pupils1,554
Free School Meals (FSM)36.3%
School Capacity1,554 / 1,360 (114% full)
Sixth FormYes

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

3 Jul 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of Education
Outstanding
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Early Years Provision
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Outstanding

Source: Ofsted, 18 Sept 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

11
Science LabsSwimming PoolPlaying FieldsTennis CourtsGymnasiumAstro TurfSports HallMusic RoomsSixth Form CentreArt StudiosChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

11

Sports

SwimmingNetballCricketGymnasticsRowingCross Country

Clubs & Activities

Science ClubCodingFilm ClubChessDebate

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultySevere LearningOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St Mary Magdalene Academy

St Mary Magdalene Academy has been rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted. This means the school provides an exceptional quality of education, and pupils thrive both academically and personally.