The Five Islands Academy
St Mary's, TR21 0NA · Isles of Scilly · all-through school
Check the area around this school
The only secondary school in Isles of Scilly we can score, so there is no local ranking. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 157 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 0.3/10 among them, against 6.6/10 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 | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 38.9 · 35 | 30% | 1.04 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 1.07 · 98 | 25% | 2.46 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 53.2 · 81 | 10% | 0.81 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
The Five Islands Academy overview
How it's doing
The school is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected in 2023. In 2024/25, 45.5% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 48.7, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +1.07 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did better than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 0.4 out of 10 among them, against 7.3 out of 10 nationally.
Getting in
The published school roll is 243 pupils against a stated capacity of 285. 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 in raising their attainment to match the national median? What specific opportunities exist for students to develop skills outside of core lessons?
What Ofsted said about The Five Islands Academy
Overview
The Five Islands Academy is an inclusive, all-through school serving pupils across the Isles of Scilly, offering a "remarkable range of cultural experiences" and fostering a "powerful sense of community." The report highlights a curriculum designed to build logical progression and prepare pupils for mainland education, supported by effective leadership and robust contingency plans for island-specific challenges.
Strengths
- The curriculum is well-designed, helping pupils gain essential knowledge and skills, with a strong emphasis on reading from Reception through to key stage 2.
- Pupils develop into "mature, well-prepared young people" through a positive culture that challenges intolerance and promotes acceptance of others.
- The school provides ambitious career pathways, supported by prestigious employers, helping pupils keep their options open for post-16 education.
- Staff effectively support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, providing individualised help and continuing phonics teaching as required.
- The trust assists in overcoming unique island challenges, such as weather disruptions, by providing remote learning resources via tablet devices.
Areas to improve
- Teaching is not consistently adapted for pupils with insecure basic literacy or numeracy skills, causing them to struggle with new content.
- The trust should ensure teachers identify pupils who require new content to be broken down further to address potential barriers to learning.
Safeguarding
The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 52.8 |
| 2024/25 | 48.7 |
| 2025/26 | 53.2 |
| 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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