Best secondary schools in Hackney: A complete 2026 guide

Hackney has gone through one of the more dramatic school improvement stories in the country. Two decades ago the borough was often described as having some of the weakest secondary schools in London. Today it has a cluster of academies and comprehensives with strong reputations, drawing families from across north and east London.

This guide splits the borough's options into three groups: Private (independent), grammar, and state. The split matches the actual decision most parents make in Hackney, although the picture here is unusual since the borough has no state grammar schools and a very small independent sector.

What Hackney does have is a strong group of non-selective academies, several of which use fair banding tests to balance their intake across ability levels. This guide covers the schools most parents shortlist and how Hackney's admissions process actually works.

We have based this list on schools that have built strong reputations over the past decade, that have positive Ofsted track records, and that local Hackney parents consistently shortlist. We have included academies, community schools, and faith schools so that the list works whatever your preferences.

We have not invented Ofsted ratings, founding dates, or specific exam results. Where we describe a school's strengths we have used qualitative language. Always check the most recent Ofsted report and the Department for Education's compare-school-performance service before making a decision.

Hackney has very few independent secondary schools within its borders. Most local families who want a private route look across the borough boundary into Islington, the City, or further afield into north London. Independent admissions sit outside the pan-London process and run their own timelines, usually with assessments in autumn or early spring of Year 6.

Hackney has no state grammar schools. The borough is fully non-selective at Year 7. Families who want a selective state route generally consider grammars in neighbouring areas such as Redbridge or further afield in Essex and Kent, although distance is a major factor in any cross-borough application.

Within Hackney itself, several academies use fair banding tests as a substitute for selection. These do not pick the top scorers. Instead, the test groups applicants into ability bands and the school takes a balanced number from each band, producing a comprehensive intake by design.

Hackney's strength is its non-selective state sector. The borough now has a cluster of well-regarded academies, faith schools, and community schools that families across north and east London consider. These are the schools that come up most often in Hackney parent conversations.

Mossbourne in Lower Clapton is the original Mossbourne school and one of the best-known academies in the country. It has long had a strong Ofsted reputation and tends to deliver high GCSE and A Level results from a non-selective intake.

The school is known for a high-discipline ethos, a strong academic curriculum, and a sixth form that sends students to a wide range of competitive universities including Oxbridge. Admission uses fair banding tests to balance intake across ability levels.

Mossbourne Victoria Park, on the Hackney-Tower Hamlets border, is the second Mossbourne secondary. It shares the trust's high-expectations ethos and has built its own strong reputation since opening.

The school is known for strong results, a structured behaviour culture, and a clear academic focus. Admission also uses fair banding plus distance criteria.

City of London Academy Shoreditch Park is a relatively newer secondary based in Hoxton, sponsored by the City of London Corporation alongside its independent schools. It has built a positive reputation since opening.

The school is known for a strong academic focus, support from its sponsor, and an inclusive, mixed-intake community. Admission is non-selective and primarily based on distance.

The Excelsior Academy, formerly The Petchey Academy, is a co-educational secondary in the Shacklewell area near Dalston, with a focus on medical and biomedical careers as one of its specialisms. It has a positive Ofsted reputation and consistent results.

The school is known for a strong sciences curriculum, active pastoral support, and a sixth form with subject pathways linked to its medical specialism. Admission is non-selective and largely distance based.

Stoke Newington School is a large co-educational comprehensive in north Hackney with a long-standing local reputation. The sixth form is well regarded and attracts students from beyond the immediate catchment.

The school is known for a broad curriculum, strong creative arts, and a positive community feel that reflects the wider Stoke Newington area. Admission is non-selective and primarily by distance.

Skinners' Academy in the Woodberry Down area, near Manor House, is sponsored by the Skinners' Company, a livery company that supports several schools in London. It has built a positive reputation in recent years.

The school is known for steady improvement in results, a clear academic focus, and supportive pastoral structures. Admission is non-selective and based on a mix of distance and feeder primary criteria.

Yesodey Hatorah Senior Girls in Stamford Hill is a state faith school for girls serving the Orthodox Jewish community. It is one of the more distinctive secondary schools in London.

The school is known for strong academic results in a structured, faith-led environment. Admission is governed by the school's faith-based criteria and serves a defined community.

Hackney has a real spread of school cultures, from the high-structure Mossbourne model to the more relaxed feel of Stoke Newington. The right fit depends on your child's personality as much as on the headline results.

Think about ethos and pastoral care. A child who needs structure and clear expectations may thrive at Mossbourne but find a more open environment harder. A creative, self-directed child may do the opposite. Visit on a normal weekday if you can, and talk to current parents rather than relying only on the open day pitch.

Think about practicalities. Commute times across Hackney are usually short, but cycling and bus routes vary. SEND provision varies between schools, and sixth-form provision varies too, since not all Hackney secondaries have a sixth form on site.

Hackney is part of the pan-London admissions system. You apply through Hackney's online portal, listing up to six schools in order of preference. The deadline is 31 October in Year 6, for entry the following September. National offer day is 1 March.

Several Hackney schools use fair banding tests as part of their admissions criteria. These are non-selective in the sense that the school is not picking the top scorers. Instead, the test divides applicants into ability bands and the school takes a balanced number from each band. You will usually need to register for the banding test before the main application deadline, often in early autumn of Year 6.

If you are applying to faith schools, you will also need to complete the school's own supplementary information form, demonstrating eligibility under their faith criteria. If your child is not offered a preferred school, you can join waiting lists and have the right to appeal, although appeals at popular schools are difficult to win.