Greig City Academy Review 2026: A distinctive curriculum with strong progress and standout enrichment

A mainstream, mixed secondary with sixth form in Hornsey, Greig City Academy’s identity is defined less by branding and more by what students actually do. Alongside a broad Key Stage 3 offer, there are deliberate specialist pathways, including options to specialise in Mandarin and STEM, with enrichment that extends beyond the usual trips and clubs. Official review evidence also highlights a strong personal development programme, with examples ranging from bee-keeping (including harvesting and selling honey) to national-level dance competition and sailing activity.

Academically, the story is nuanced. GCSE outcomes sit around the middle of England schools on FindMySchool’s rankings, yet progress measures are materially stronger, suggesting students tend to move forward well from their starting points. Sixth form outcomes, by contrast, sit lower on FindMySchool’s A-level ranking, so families looking at post-16 should probe subject choice, teaching approaches, and support for independent study, especially for students aiming for highly competitive courses.

Leadership is stable. The principal is listed as Mr Paul Sutton on the government’s Get Information About Schools service; he is also recorded as a director of the trust at Companies House with an appointment date of 26 November 2004, which provides a verifiable anchor for how long he has been connected to the organisation’s governance.

The most credible window into the day-to-day experience is the way the academy frames and delivers personal development. Formal review evidence describes the personal development programme as “inspirational” in substance, with a “rich selection of clubs” that can take pupils to high levels, including national dance competitions and sailing regattas. The examples matter because they imply structured adult expertise and sustained participation, not occasional one-off activities. Bee-keeping is another unusually concrete indicator: pupils build a beehive, care for bees, then harvest and sell honey, which blends practical craft, teamwork, responsibility, and enterprise.

There is also a clear emphasis on finding a “passion” and building expertise, a phrasing that aligns with how the curriculum is described, including the option to specialise in particular strands. For some students, that can be motivating because it creates a sense of direction earlier than many comprehensive settings. For others, particularly those still exploring, the key question is how flexible the pathways are, and how effectively the academy supports students who change their minds.

The faith character is Church of England and the academy sits in the Diocese of London. Faith schools vary widely in how this shows up in daily life. Here, the available evidence supports an ethos that coexists with a broad intake rather than replacing it, but families who want clarity should look closely at worship expectations, chaplaincy, and how religious education is timetabled and taught.

Greig City Academy is a state-funded school, so there are no tuition fees. What parents are really weighing is academic trajectory relative to entry profile, and how outcomes compare with local alternatives.

GCSEs (Key Stage 4)

FindMySchool’s GCSE ranking places Greig City Academy 2541st in England and 12th in Haringey for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This aligns with performance that is broadly in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

The headline indicator to watch is progress. A Progress 8 score of +0.47 is a strong signal that students, on average, make well-above-average progress from their starting points across eight subjects. That matters because it often correlates with effective teaching routines, consistent assessment, and timely intervention for gaps in learning, even when raw attainment levels are not at the very top.

Attainment is more mixed. Attainment 8 is 43.3, which is a useful anchor for the overall grade profile across the best eight GCSEs. The EBacc picture is deliberately different from many schools: 11.5% achieved grades 5 or above in the EBacc, and formal review evidence states that the proportion studying the EBacc combination is lower than the England average, with pupils guided into options that leaders believe best fit the individual. That approach can suit students for whom a tailored pathway is more realistic than a one-size-fits-all EBacc model, but it is a meaningful point to explore if your child is aiming for a strongly academic, language-and-humanities heavy GCSE profile.

A-levels (Sixth Form)

At A-level, FindMySchool’s ranking places the academy 2270th in England and 8th in Haringey (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), which sits below the England-wide middle band. Grade distribution in the most recent data shows 1.52% A*, 5.30% A, 20.45% B, and 27.27% A* to B. For context, the England average is 23.6% A* to A and 47.2% A* to B, so the overall grade profile is less top-heavy.

The practical implication is not that the sixth form lacks ambition; rather, outcomes suggest families should pay attention to the quality of academic coaching, study habits, and subject fit. It is also a reason to ask sharper questions at sixth form stage, such as: Which subjects have the strongest outcomes? How is independent study structured? What academic interventions exist for students at risk of underperforming?

The curriculum is described as balanced and wide, with Key Stage 3 including subjects such as design and technology, food technology, music and art. That breadth can be a genuine advantage in Years 7 to 9 because it delays narrow decisions and gives students time to discover strengths beyond the core.

Where the academy becomes more distinctive is the possibility to specialise, including pathways involving Mandarin and STEM. The available evidence links specialism to real-world opportunities, such as a visit to China to practise language skills. A specialism model can work well when it is more than a label, for example when it brings additional time, expert teaching, competitions, or partnerships. In practical terms, parents should ask how specialism is timetabled, who teaches it, and what changes for students who opt in.

Teaching quality is described as generally strong in subject knowledge, with structured sequencing of knowledge in most subjects. A cited example is history, where pupils build knowledge of empire from Year 7 towards GCSE and Key Stage 5. That points to deliberate curriculum planning rather than disconnected units. Teachers are also described as usually explaining new content clearly and checking understanding.

The most important improvement point is consistency. Evidence indicates that, in a few instances including sixth form, some pupils do not fully master key knowledge and skills, leading to struggle with demanding work; elsewhere, some complete work quickly and are not stretched swiftly enough. That combination is common in large comprehensives and tends to be addressed through stronger diagnostic assessment, tighter adaptation, and more consistent extension. For parents, it means asking what “stretch” looks like in practice for high prior attainers, and how misconceptions are caught early for those who need consolidation.

Where Students Go Next

Greig City Academy has a sixth form and published destination data for the 2023 to 2024 leavers cohort (90 students). 63% progressed to university, 2% to further education, 1% to apprenticeships, and 11% to employment. These figures help parents understand the overall pathway mix, but they do not specify which universities or courses.

Oxford and Cambridge outcomes in the same measurement period show 4 applications and 0 offers. The right way to interpret this is as a snapshot of a small group rather than a definitive statement about academic culture. For highly selective courses and universities, what tends to matter more is the strength of subject teaching, super-curricular support, and the sophistication of application coaching, especially in a sixth form where outcomes are more variable across subjects.

A practical approach for families is to treat destinations as a conversation starter: ask about the support for UCAS personal statements, predicted grades, internal assessment schedules, and how the sixth form builds independent study habits. Also ask about apprenticeships and technical routes, because the academy is required to provide access to information about technical education and apprenticeships for Years 8 to 13, which can be a meaningful strength for students whose best next step is not necessarily a traditional degree.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through the local authority. In the most recent admissions data provided, there were 559 applications for 190 offers, a ratio of 2.94 applications per place, and the route is marked as oversubscribed. That level of demand is meaningful but not extreme by London standards; it suggests many families list the academy, yet it is still important to treat preferences strategically and understand how Haringey’s criteria apply.

For September 2026 entry, Haringey’s published secondary admissions timeline states: applications open 01 September 2025, the deadline is 31 October 2025, and offers are released 02 March 2026.

Open events tend to cluster early in the autumn. Haringey’s published open events list for local secondary transfer includes Greig City Academy dates in late September and early to mid October, alongside morning “see the school in action” sessions. Because these dates can shift and some events require booking, families should treat the timing as a pattern, not a promise, and check the latest published schedule nearer the time.

Sixth form admissions are handled directly by schools in Haringey rather than via the secondary transfer process. That means external applicants should focus on minimum entry requirements, subject-specific criteria, and application dates published each year by the academy.

Tip for families: if you are shortlisting multiple Haringey options, use the FindMySchool Local Hub comparison tool to look at GCSE and sixth form indicators side by side, then use Saved Schools to track open events, application steps, and questions to ask at visits.

Safeguarding is confirmed as effective in the most recent formal review, which is a critical baseline in any school decision.

Beyond safeguarding, the evidence points to a school that thinks deliberately about student development and opportunity. Literacy and oracy are highlighted as priorities, including targeted support for pupils with English as an additional language and additional practice for those who struggle with fluency. That matters in an inner-London context with a linguistically diverse intake, because stronger vocabulary and reading fluency improve access across every subject.

The most explicit pressure points relate to attendance and behaviour trends in the system, not day-to-day chaos. Evidence notes that persistent absence has risen recently and that suspensions have also risen post-pandemic, with measures introduced but impact not yet fully visible at the time of review. This is not unusual nationally, but it is important because attendance is one of the strongest predictors of GCSE outcomes. For parents, the sensible question is how the academy now identifies early absence patterns, how it works with families, and what pastoral interventions exist before behaviour escalates to suspension.

The academy’s enrichment is not generic on paper; it is described with unusually specific examples. Bee-keeping is the clearest signal of a programme that teaches practical responsibility. Pupils build a beehive, care for bees, then harvest and sell honey. The educational implication is broader than the activity itself: it can develop long-term commitment, attention to process, and the ability to connect learning to enterprise and community.

Robotics is also referenced directly, alongside Debate Mate. These are useful indicators because they tend to require coaching, equipment, and regular practice, not just informal lunchtime attendance. Debate programmes, when well run, are a strong complement to literacy and oracy priorities; they improve structured argument, listening, and confidence, which then feed back into English, humanities, and interview preparation.

Sailing is the most distinctive strand mentioned, including competition at regattas on the south coast. This is an unusually ambitious activity for a state comprehensive, and it hints at external partnerships or trust support that expands what is possible for students. For families, the relevant question is access: who can take part, what is subsidised, and how the academy ensures opportunities are not limited to a narrow group.

Music is also described as popular, with participation highlighted as a strength rather than an afterthought. Taken together, the enrichment picture suggests the academy has multiple “pillars” that can anchor school life for different types of student, including those who thrive when learning is connected to real projects and public performance.

Greig City Academy is on High Street, Hornsey, and serves families across Haringey and beyond. Transport planning should focus on realistic morning travel times and contingency routes, since secondary travel patterns can shift with clubs, revision sessions, and sixth form schedules.

The academy’s published school day start and finish times, and any breakfast or after-school provision, are not reliably available in the official sources accessed for this review. Families should confirm current timings directly, especially if childcare logistics matter or if a student will rely on public transport at off-peak times after clubs.

For in-year movers, Haringey maintains a live vacancies update. As of 12 January 2026, Greig City Academy is listed as having “very few” places in several year groups, which is consistent with a school that runs close to capacity.

• Sixth form outcomes. A-level results sit lower than England averages in the available dataset, so post-16 families should probe subject-level outcomes, study expectations, and how independent learning is taught, not assumed.

• Attendance and suspensions trend. Persistent absence and suspensions are reported as rising post-pandemic, with improvement work under way. Ask how attendance is tracked, and what early interventions exist.

• EBacc pathway fit. The EBacc participation profile is described as lower than the England average, with students guided towards options believed to be in their interests. This can be positive for some learners, but families wanting a strongly academic, language-and-humanities heavy GCSE pathway should clarify what that looks like in practice.

• Competition for places. With roughly three applications per place in the latest admissions data, entry can still be competitive. Make sure your preference strategy is realistic across multiple choices.

Greig City Academy will suit families who want a comprehensive setting with a distinctive enrichment offer and evidence of strong progress from students’ starting points. The combination of specialist pathways, practical clubs like bee-keeping, and structured activities such as robotics, debate, and sailing is unusually specific for a state school, and it can be a good match for students who engage best when learning connects to projects and real opportunities.

The key trade-off is that outcomes are uneven across phases. GCSE progress is a clear strength, while sixth form performance indicators are weaker, so families considering post-16 should do more due diligence at subject level. Who it suits: students who benefit from broad opportunity, clear structure, and enrichment that extends beyond conventional clubs, and families prepared to ask detailed questions about post-16 teaching and support.