A warm welcome from our Principal, Laurie Glees
At City of London Academy Islington we provide an exceptional level of pastoral care, academic rigour and enrichment for every student. We are a mixed, non-selective academy, with no religious affiliation, committed to providing excellence in education and opportunities for all.

Our students consistently achieve examination results at GCSE and A Level that are higher than the national attainment and progress averages as a result of excellent teaching and a culture of high aspirations. Many of our students progress to our sixth form and the majority later secure places at university, including prestigious Russell Group institutions.
In 2019, Ofsted awarded the academy an outstanding rating, noting that:
“the school has been transformed into an exciting environment where pupils and staff thrive. Outcomes are outstanding and pupils’ progress is exceptional. This is a school where ‘no child is left behind.”
We deliver an ambitious and creative curriculum designed to develop a love of learning and an intellectual curiosity amongst our students. In addition to the formal curriculum, we offer a wealth of enrichment opportunities designed to enhance our students’ educational experience and develop their cultural awareness and appreciation. We aim to ensure that our students graduate from the academy with excellent qualifications, but also with the life skills and wealth of experience to ensure their success in further education, training or a career path of their choosing.
As Principal of COLA Islington, I very much hope you take the opportunity to visit us and I look forward to welcoming you to the academy.
Mr L. Glees
Academy ethos, vision and aims
Our vision is to be an outstanding Academy, with a total commitment to improving the lives of the young people of Islington by serving the local community as a vibrant centre of learning, known for our academic excellence and our unrelenting determination for everyone to succeed.