This paper examines whether the so-called ‘London effect’, in which London’s schools improved rapidly and outperformed the rest of England on key performance measures between 2003 and 2013, has persisted through the high levels of change that have continued to characterise the school system in England since 2013.

The paper explores the transformational shift in educational outcomes in London between 2003 and 2013. London’s schools have improved rapidly over the past decade, with primary and secondary schools now out-performing the rest of the country, at Key Stages 2 and 4, respectively. Improvements in many London boroughs have been staggering.