Top 5 state secondary schools in North London: a family shortlist
Five state secondary choices in North London, with real school photographs, entry considerations and linked evidence to help you plan a worthwhile visit.
BY LONNOW EDITORIALUPDATED 26 SEPTEMBER 20264 MIN READ
Queen Elizabeth’s School school exterior · Matt BrownLONNOW / THE SHORTLIST
Five worth knowing.
A LONNOW editorial shortlist, not an official league table. We selected five options for their documented provision, dated Ofsted evidence and different local or admissions contexts. The numbers are a reading order, not quality scores. Grammar, faith and comprehensive routes are labelled where relevant. Every school is within Greater London.
01
Queen Elizabeth’s School school exterior · Matt Brown · CC BY 2.0Barnet · Barnet
Queen Elizabeth’s School Barnet
State grammar · 11–18 · boys
A selective boys’ grammar route
QE offers an academically selective state-school route for boys. A school announcement dated 21 September 2026 reports Exceptional judgements in all seven areas under the new Ofsted framework. That newer announcement is identified separately from the older report still shown on the Ofsted listing at our check.
Before you decide
Check entrance-test registration, score-based allocation and the council application together. A published academic record does not guarantee a place or establish that the school is the right fit for every child.
The school reports seven Exceptional judgements in its new 2026 Ofsted report. The Ofsted listing still showed the 2022 report when checked; the newer claim is attributed to the school.
02
The Henrietta Barnett School school exterior · Rcsprinter123 · CC BY 3.0Hampstead Garden Suburb · Barnet
The Henrietta Barnett School
State grammar · 11–18 · girls
A selective girls’ grammar option
HBS supplies a girls’ grammar-school route within Barnet. The May 2022 inspection recorded Good overall, with Outstanding behaviour and attitudes. Including the actual dated judgement helps families compare its selective academic model without replacing inspection evidence with reputation.
Before you decide
Use the determined admissions policy for the intended cohort, including testing and priority rules. Plan the daily journey to Hampstead Garden Suburb and retain realistic alternatives.
The Latymer School is the co-educational state grammar in Edmonton. Its April 2026 report records Strong standard in six areas and Expected standard for curriculum and teaching. Inspectors asked leaders to improve how consistently teaching checks understanding and deepens subject knowledge.
Before you decide
Check selective-test registration and the designated-area rules. This is not Latymer Upper, the independent school in Hammersmith. Ask how the school is responding to the 2026 teaching recommendations.
Achievement Strong standard · Attendance and behaviour Strong standard · Inclusion Strong standard · Leadership and governance Strong standard · Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard · Post 16 provision Strong standard · Curriculum and teaching Expected standard.
Fortismere broadens the north London selection beyond entrance-test grammar schools. Its April 2022 inspection recorded Good in every assessed area, including sixth-form provision. It offers families a co-educational comprehensive comparison in Muswell Hill rather than another academically selective eleven-plus route.
Before you decide
Read the admission priorities and recent allocation information for your year. Ask about subject choice, pastoral support and the transition from local primaries; sixth-form admission has separate requirements.
Good overall under the framework used at that inspection. Read the full report for individual judgements.
05
Science learning at Ashmole Academy · Ashmole AcademySouthgate · Barnet
Ashmole Academy
State · 11–18 · co-educational
A mixed secondary with a 2026 report
Ashmole’s March 2026 report records Strong standard across all seven evaluated areas. That provides a current basis for comparing its co-educational secondary and sixth-form provision with both comprehensive and grammar alternatives. Inspectors also identified wider pupil participation in clubs and societies as an area to develop further.
Before you decide
Read the entry-year policy and any supplementary routes carefully. Ask how the school helps less-confident pupils take part in its activities, as well as how it supports academic progress.
Achievement Strong standard · Attendance and behaviour Strong standard · Curriculum and teaching Strong standard · Inclusion Strong standard · Leadership and governance Strong standard · Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard · Post 16 provision Strong standard.
01 IN FOCUS
Where this region begins and ends
Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington.
Hampstead and Highgate sit alongside outer-north-London options. Compare the actual school-run journey, not just the borough.
These are our editorial navigation groups, not official education-authority boundaries. Apply using the relevant school and home-council arrangements.
02 IN FOCUS
Start with a realistic admissions route
Read the determined policy for the intended entry year and recent allocation information.
A nursery place, an address nearby or a high entrance-test score does not necessarily guarantee admission. Grammar tests, faith criteria, partial selection and sixth-form requirements are separate routes.
Completing a school assessment does not replace the home-council application.
03 IN FOCUS
Use the visit to test the fit
Ask who notices when a child is struggling, how additional learning needs are supported and what a normal week looks like.
Look at work, talk about homework and find out which clubs pupils can actually attend. Repeat the journey at school-run time.
Keep several realistic choices rather than treating any Top 5 as an offer list.
04 IN FOCUS
How the sources were used
Public sources were checked on 26 September 2026.
Ofsted reports are dated and use the framework in force at the time: older overall grades, 2024–25 area judgements and 2026 report cards are not interchangeable. Independent schools may be inspected by ISI rather than Ofsted, and no equivalent Ofsted grade is invented.
The Sunday Times Parent Power and The Good Schools Guide are separate publications. Only publicly documented Times recognition is cited; subscription-only tables and reviews were not accessed.
Create a decision file+
Compare entry, learning, cost and outcomes on the same basis.
01
Requirements
Use the current course or school admissions page.
02
Fit
Compare subject content and teaching, not only rank.
03
Budget
Model fees, housing, travel and visa costs where relevant.
04
Deadline
Track application, funding and acceptance dates separately.
