Admissions: joining us in Year 7
City of London Academy Islington is a 11 – 19 mixed, comprehensive Academy sponsored by the City of London Corporation and City, University of London.
We are a centre of excellence and we provide high quality education for children from Islington and the surrounding areas. The educational vision for the academy is based on a culture of high expectations and achievement, within a caring community.
We expect high standards of behaviour and achievement from academy students, to ensure that all students have every opportunity to succeed, and indeed from parents through their support for their children. A high quality, wide-ranging curriculum is offered both within the school day and after school.
City of London Academy Islington has an agreed admission number of 165 pupils. Entrants must reach the age of 11 during the year 1st September – 31st August inclusive, immediately prior to entry to the academy.
How to apply
Applications to the academy must be made through the eAdmissions website. To apply, you must register first. Typically, applications should be made between the start of September and the end of October during the academic year before starting secondary school. For more information, please refer to our step-by-step admissions timeline, below.
Admissions timeline: a step-by-step guide
Register on eAdmissions website
To apply for a place at COLA Islington in year 7, you must register and apply through the eAdmissions website.
Attend our open evening or open morning
We hold an open evening and open morning during September and October each year for prospective Year 7 students and families.
Apply to join COLA Islington
You must apply to join COLA Islington by the end of October deadline to submit an in-time application. All applications must be made through the eAdmissions website.
Year 6 banding days
We band our students into one of four bands for a fair ability intake. All applicants will sit a non-verbal reasoning test in October or November.
Places are offered on National Offer Day in March
Offers of secondary school places will be made at the beginning of March for the following September. Places must be accepted or declined within a two-week period from the offer day.
School admissions appeal process
Selection of places for the City of London Academy Islington is carried out by the London Borough of Islington. The Academy will be informed by the London Borough of Islington why a child has not been offered a place. All parents are allowed to appeal.
Success in an appeal is not guaranteed; places are offered at the Academy under strict criteria.
Appeals for places in Year 7 in September 2025 must be returned to the Academy by no later than 4th April 2025.
The deadline for exceptional social/medical applications for Year 7 from September 2025 is 29th November 2024