A school where pupils "deepen their interests and widen their horizons" has had its Ofsted rating raised to 'good' - and its sixth form praised as 'outstanding'. 

City of London Academy Highgate Hill, in Holland Walk, Duncombe Road, Archway, was rated 'good' by the education watchdog after an inspection on May 15 and 16.

It received the second-highest 'good' rating for its quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management, and the top 'outstanding' score for its sixth form provision.

After a 'requires improvement' rating in January 2022, inspectors said the school had "worked hard" to make changes.

School leaders set "high expectations", the report notes, with visits to universities raising aspirations.

Inspectors said all pupils attend at least two 'enrichment' activities each week, including Latin, fencing, crochet and a variety of sports, meaning pupils "deepen their interests and widen their horizons".

Bullying was an area of concern in the 2022 report, with pupils saying teachers and heads' attempts to stop it did not always work, and bad behaviour in lessons disrupting learning.

In the latest report, inspectors wrote that there is now little disruption and parents and carers are becoming more confident in the way behaviour is managed.

However, although leaders take bullying seriously and deal with issues quickly and effectively, inspectors said parents sometimes feel underinformed about actions taken to address it.

Since the last report, the school has also reviewed its curriculum, making it "more ambitious" for all pupils, with "high numbers" now studying the English Baccalaureate subjects, including a modern foreign language, history and geography at GCSE.

Inspectors said leaders' actions "are having an impact" but improvements have not had time to be reflected in exam results.

All pupils study the same curriculum, but the report said that although there has been some training in supporting pupils with special needs, sometimes teaching is not adapted to meet their individual needs.

The report praised the sixth form, saying: "Students here are ambitious for themselves and, as a result, work hard and are very focused in their learning."

Inspectors said courses were tailored to students' preferences and "extremely high" aspirations, with "expert" teachers deepening pupils' understanding and preparing them well for exams.

Headteacher Prince Gennuh said: “We are pleased inspectors have noted the exceptionally high standards set at Highgate Hill school. 

“Our school stands apart in terms of depth of ambition and aspiration and what we believe our students can achieve. 

“We have very high ambitions for our own students. We are proud to give them an exceptional education.”