Central Foundation Girls' School
London, E3 2AE · Tower Hamlets · secondary school
Check the area around this school
4th of 17 secondary schools in Tower Hamlets we can score, 18 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 9.4/10 against 423 of them, against 8.1/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 84 | 35% | 2.96 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 57.5 · 78 | 30% | 2.34 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.5 · 84 | 25% | 2.10 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 53.0 · 80 | 10% | 0.80 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Central Foundation Girls' School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 54.0% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 54.3, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.5 in 2023/24, indicating better progress than pupils nationally starting from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (9.4 out of 10 against similar schools, 7.8 out of 10 against all schools). The January 2026 inspection used the new report-card framework, which grades areas separately without an overall grade.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join the Student Council or participate in sports including Mindset Football, MMA, Krav Maga, basketball, Development FC Football, Taekwondo, yoga, and karate.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,526 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,550. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to maintain progress scores above the national baseline? What specific support is available for students aiming to improve their English and maths attainment? How are the various sports clubs structured for different skill levels?
What Ofsted said about Central Foundation Girls' School
Overview
The inspection found that pupils’ progress through the curriculum is “excellent” and they “learn the intended knowledge and skills extremely well.” The school demonstrates a “strong standard” in achievement, attendance, behaviour, inclusion, leadership, and personal development, with an “expected standard” in curriculum teaching and post-16 provision.
Strengths
- Pupils, particularly disadvantaged students, “achieve extremely well” in national tests, with attainment “significantly above” national averages.
- Attendance is “excellent” and “significantly above national averages” due to high expectations and “forensic” data analysis by leaders.
- Behaviour is managed “extremely well,” creating a “calm and orderly environment” with very low suspensions and no permanent exclusions since 2012.
- Leaders have “robust systems” for identifying and supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
- Staff feel “very well supported” regarding workload and wellbeing, benefiting from a “high-quality programme of professional learning.”
Areas to improve
- Leaders should ensure their strategy for checking pupils’ understanding of new knowledge is “embedded consistently across all subjects and key stages.”
- Leaders should implement and monitor the remainder of their post-16 strategy so that achievement is “consistent across all subjects.”
Safeguarding
The safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing an “open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility” and concerns are “actively identified, acted upon and managed.”
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 55.0 |
| 2024/25 | 54.3 |
| 2025/26 | 53.0 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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