School profile

Central Foundation Boys' School

Secondary · Voluntary aided school · London, EC2A 4SH

Outstanding

Map showing Central Foundation Boys' School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#456 of 3,312

Better than 86% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#667 of 2,536

Better than 73% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Central Foundation Boys' School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 11 Mar 2025

Area360 rating
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Sixth form provision
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeVoluntary aided school
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,152
GenderBoys
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Jamie Brownhill
Local authorityIslington
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 100458.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolIslingtonEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.55.5, better than England, better than Islington47.146.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.79%, better than England, better than Islington65.9%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.65.3%, better than England, better than Islington48%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.28.1%, better than England, better than Islington19.2%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths74.9%, better than England, better than Islington61.5%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4167--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolIslingtonEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.37.72, better than England, similar to Islington37.4635
Average A-level gradeB---
Average points, best three A-levels37.33, similar to England, better than Islington32.8535.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsB---
AAB or better13.6%, worse than England, similar to Islington13.5%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.2, better than England--
A-level progressAbove average, better than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study135--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census. School places come from the DfE capacity survey and do not include nursery, so unfilled places compare them with pupils outside nursery.

MeasureThis school
Pupils1,152
Girls85
Boys1,067
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.42%
First language not English27.8%
School places2024/251,263
Unfilled places8.8%
Sixth form places2024/25265
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.264
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.39
Average class size21.3

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
21.5%
African
16.4%
Other mixed
13.1%
Bangladeshi
12%
Other White
11.5%
Other ethnic group
9.3%
White and Black Caribbean
3%
Caribbean
3%
White and Asian
2.9%
Other Black
2.2%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher14.2
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.8
Teachers (FTE)81.2
Teaching assistants (FTE)8.89
Support staff (FTE)33.53
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2581.8
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2573.8
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/251
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/257

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.173
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.559
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.235
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.144
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)276

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolIslingtonEngland
Overall absence6.8%, better than England, better than Islington8.4%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.18.1%, better than England, better than Islington23.1%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.1.9%, better than England, better than Islington3.5%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate12.6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions5.7%
Permanent exclusion rate0.1%
Permanent exclusions1

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.93.3%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.90.8%
School sixth form52.1%
Further education37.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3.1%
Apprenticeship1.8%
Sixth form college1.2%
Employment0.6%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.77.3%
Higher education65.6%
Employment10.2%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.10.2%
Apprenticeship1.6%
Further education0%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Central Foundation Boys' School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miNot applicableThe LyceumOther independent school
Unrated
0.3 miPrimarySt Luke's CofE Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.3 miPrimarySt Monica's Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.4 miPrimarySt John the Baptist Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Outstanding
0.4 miPrimaryPrior Weston Primary School and Children's CentreCommunity school
Good
0.5 miPrimaryVirginia Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.5 miPrimaryCity of London Primary Academy, IslingtonFree schools
Outstanding
0.5 miNurseryColumbia Market Nursery SchoolLocal authority nursery school
Outstanding
0.6 miNot applicableCity of London School for GirlsOther independent school
Unrated
0.6 miPrimaryThomas Fairchild Community SchoolCommunity school
Good

Frequently asked questions about Central Foundation Boys' School

What is Central Foundation Boys' School's Ofsted rating?

Central Foundation Boys' School is rated Outstanding, last inspected on 11 Mar 2025. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Central Foundation Boys' School rank in England?

Central Foundation Boys' School ranks 456 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 86% of schools) and 667 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (better than 73% of schools).

What are Central Foundation Boys' School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 65.3% of pupils at Central Foundation Boys' School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 55.5 (England 46.2).

What are Central Foundation Boys' School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Central Foundation Boys' School was B-, and 13.6% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Central Foundation Boys' School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Central Foundation Boys' School made 173 offers from 559 applications (3.2 per offer), and 144 of 235 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Central Foundation Boys' School?

Central Foundation Boys' School has 1,152 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Central Foundation Boys' School?

Central Foundation Boys' School had 1,263 school places in 2024/25.

Does Central Foundation Boys' School have a sixth form?

Yes, Central Foundation Boys' School has a sixth form with 265 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Central Foundation Boys' School?

At Central Foundation Boys' School, the average class had 21.3 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 14.2 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Central Foundation Boys' School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Central Foundation Boys' School missed 6.8% of sessions (England 8%), and 18.1% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.