Enfield Heights Academy

Enfield Heights Academy 1–3 Pitfield Way, Enfield Highway, Enfield EN3 5BY

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is an outstanding school

 The headteacher’s excellent leadership and management have significantly transformed the school since the previous inspection into a high performing, oversubscribed place of learning.  Each pupil’s progress and personal development is taken very seriously by all staff and overseen in a highly meticulous manner by the headteacher.  The consistently high-quality teaching supports all pupils to make rapid and sustained progress.  Children settle very quickly into Reception class. They are well prepared for starting key stage 1.  The school’s safeguarding arrangements are led and managed extremely well by the safeguarding manager.  Pupils enjoy their learning and are exceptionally well behaved and polite.  Attendance has improved and is in line with the national average.  The governing body is ambitious for the school’s future. The new chair of the governing body has gone the extra mile to establish good links with

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This is an outstanding school

parents.  The governing body challenges school leaders effectively about many aspects of the school’s performance but has not yet done so with sufficient rigour in relation to the analysis of pupils’ outcomes.  The academies trust has introduced a range of policies and procedures which hold the school leaders, including the governing body, to account effectively.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 The governing body should become more inquisitive and rigorous regarding the progress of different groups of pupils in order to be able to challenge senior and middle leaders more effectively.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 The headteacher’s exemplary leadership has created an impressive team spirit and camaraderie among all those who work in the school. One teacher who completed the staff questionnaire wrote, ‘I look forward to coming in to teach and inspire the children every day.’  The headteacher’s drive and determination has ensured that the school’s rapid and sustained improvement can be seen in all aspects of its work.  Other leaders and middle managers work tirelessly to ensure that all pupils make the most progress they can. This is done through the highly effective use of a commercial scheme which helps staff set challenging targets and provides information about the rates of progress pupils have made in all subjects.  Each pupil has a regular amount of dedicated, individual time with their teacher called ‘assertive mentoring’. During this time, a pupil’s targets, the progress they have made and the expectations of what needs to be

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

done next to improve their learning are discussed with them. In the very best examples of this, pupils are choosing targets to stretch themselves.  The highly effective team of the headteacher and assistant headteacher is exceedingly visible and accessible to the school community every day. Relationships with parents are a real strength of the school. Parents told the inspector that they see the deputy headteacher and/or the headteacher every morning. The exceptionally positive view held by parents who met with the inspector is reflected by those who responded to Parent View (Ofsted’s online questionnaire) and the school’s own parental questionnaires.  The school’s curriculum is well planned across all areas of learning. Middle leaders ensure that there are detailed activities to match a range of themes within different subjects such as ‘thankfulness’ in religious education and ‘introducing magnetism’ in science. The curriculum is enhanced with school trips to places of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

interest such as Stonehenge and an Ancient Egyptian workshop. Pupils are introduced to different faiths and beliefs on a regular basis.  Leaders and managers have implemented a system of planning and tracking of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Linked to the school’s highly effective promotion of equality of opportunity, pupils and staff work together in an ethos of tolerance, harmony and respect.  Pupil premium funding is used extremely effectively to deploy teachers and teaching assistants to support pupils in the daily ‘matched level’ groups for reading, phonics, writing and mathematics. As a result, pupils’ progress has accelerated rapidly over the current academic year and pupils are now working at higher than average levels of attainment.  To enhance the curriculum, the funding for physical education has been used to extremely good effect in providing additional resources and instructors for sports education. Pupils have benefited from specialist

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

instructors on a regular basis.  The governance of the school The governing body responded well to the governance review which was carried out following the previous inspection. A local governing body has been in existence within the trust since September 2015. Its work is overseen by a governance manager who was appointed by the trust to work with all of the local governing bodies within the group. There was a smooth transition from the rapid improvement board (RIB) which was established following the previous inspection. The governing body is ambitious for the school and has high expectations. The governing body has established highly positive relationships with parents through regular meetings and informal contact and at events such as special assemblies and social gatherings. The formation of a parent teacher association has been instigated by one of the parent governors. The governing body ensures that funding is spent appropriately to enhance pupils’ education.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

The governing body works well with the academies trust to ensure that resources and funding are deployed to maximum effect and challenges the headteacher effectively with regard to resource management. The governing body receives accurate reports from the headteacher on the progress of pupils, but does not challenge senior leaders robustly in checking whether the progress is enough. This accountability is currently carried out across the trust.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The trust appointed a safeguarding manager who works with all the academies in the group. Her excellent leadership and management of the school’s safeguarding procedures are in line with current government guidance and ensure that all practicable steps are taken to keep children safe. The manager’s creative and innovative approach to safeguarding training has included organising a session to develop staff and governors’ awareness of female genital mutilation. A survivor of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

female genital mutilation was invited speak to them. The inspector heard from staff how this had left a lasting impression on many of them. There are well advanced plans for a similar type of event regarding the ‘Prevent’ duty in the near future.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

 Senior leaders have ensured that since the previous inspection there has been a rapid improvement in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. All the teachers and teaching assistants have been trained to a very high and consistent standard. They have very high expectations of how pupils should behave and respond to their learning.  Assessment is a strength. The exemplary practice in the school is disseminated across the trust and other schools nationally. Schools visit the school to learn how to implement the work seen regarding tracking pupils’ progress and setting challenging targets.  Teachers ask questions in subtle and skilful ways to find out whether pupils have understood instructions. Pupils are confident to make mistakes and learn from them without worrying about feeling embarrassed.  Lessons are extremely well planned and resourced. Pupils’ work is checked regularly to make sure they are

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

not struggling or finding the work too easy.  Pupils receive useful and effective feedback from teachers in line with the school’s marking policy. Pupils are clear about the next steps in their learning and what steps to take to achieve higher levels.  There are hardly any instances of low-level disturbances during lessons. Teachers have a wide repertoire of strategies to maintain pupils’ focus on learning.  Pupils are regularly set challenging, interesting and helpful homework activities which supplement the work they do during lessons.  Teaching assistants are able to either work alongside teachers or lead lessons. During the inspection, the inspector observed teaching assistants providing highly effective support to pupils practising their phonics.  Teachers and other staff who are new to the school and the profession are provided with a variety of training and support which can be both wide ranging or bespoke to individual needs. There are many

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

opportunities to receive information, guidance and advice from senior colleagues within the school, including middle managers who work in both schools that the headteacher leads.  Senior leaders regularly visit lessons both formally and informally. Staff are provided with helpful and rigorous feedback to improve practice and inform performance management and the governing body. Where appropriate, senior leaders have not shirked from taking formal action to dismiss staff who do not improve after support and training. Governors have been supportive in these cases.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. The school works well with other agencies and the academies within the trust to make sure that all pupils are safe and cared for.  A set of ‘virtues’ is referred to regularly in assemblies and at the main entrance each day. They encourage pupils to be reflective in a manner far more mature than their age would suggest. Regular features include ‘courtesy’, ‘kindness’ and ‘resilience’.  Pupils’ attendance at after-school clubs is oversubscribed. The assistant headteacher monitors and regularly changes the content of the clubs to ensure that pupils are able to attend a club which suits their interests and enthusiasm.  Weekly circle time is used to develop pupils’ awareness of the school’s ‘5+5’ system (five ‘values’ and five ‘rules’). Pupils told the inspector that bullying is rare and they feel very safe and happy. They are confident

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Personal development and welfare

to approach any member of staff if they are troubled.  Pupils are involved in how the school runs through the pupil council. Members of the council told the inspector that they hold ‘important meetings’ and ‘help people who are lonely’.  The school promotes fundamental British values effectively. During the inspection, the school celebrated the Queen’s 90th birthday. Pupils were able to tell the inspector about their understanding of Parliament and who the Prime Minister is.  The school’s e-safety policy provides staff and parents with clear information about how to ensure that pupils can stay safe when using the internet and mobile phones.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils are friendly and courteous to visitors and each other. Relationships between adults and pupils are extremely positive.  Attendance for all pupils has risen continuously since the previous inspection and apart from some recent bouts of serious illness for a significant number of pupils, the average attendance rates are in line with those seen nationally. Pupils are keen to come to school. Almost all have excellent punctuality. The few families where there are persistent absences are rigorously followed up by the school’s office staff and referred to the educational welfare officer employed by the trust.  The school has not had cause to record any incidents of bullying of any type. Pupils demonstrate safe behaviour and understand how to be safe on local roads and to avoid strangers.

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Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

 Since her appointment in September 2014, the headteacher has moved swiftly to embed accurate and effective assessment systems that are used by all staff to ensure that pupils’ progress increases rapidly. The published 2015 assessment information regarding pupils’ attainment in phonics, reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 1 demonstrated that her approach has paid dividends. The results were significantly higher than the national average.  The rates of progress of pupils who are disadvantaged have continued to accelerate since September 2015. There are hardly any discernible gaps between this group of pupils and their peers.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability make equally good progress. This is as a result of prompt and accurate assessment of pupils’ needs in conjunction with strong partnership work with other specialists and agencies where appropriate.

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Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

 The small number of pupils with statements of special educational needs or disability are extremely well supported. The leadership and management of the assistant headteacher, who is also the special educational needs coordinator, ensures that support, guidance and training are provided for all staff in order to provide the most appropriate strategies for teaching, learning and assessment.  The most-able pupils are provided with challenging work which stretches them. In a mathematics lesson observed during the inspection, the teacher made demands on the most-able pupils in a class of Year 2 and Year 3 pupils to demonstrate different written strategies for multiplying and dividing double digit numbers. One pupil described to the inspector how he could ‘see’ that there would be remainders from some numbers before he had used division to confirm his estimation.  Children in the Reception class progress well in all areas of their development. Children are encouraged to

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Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

work together to solve problems and find out about the world around them. In one particular outdoor session, a small group of children was excited to see a snail eating leaves, while they were perplexed as to why another snail would not ‘come out of its shell’ for them.  Children in the early years are well prepared for learning in Year 1 through a variety of challenging activities including the ‘matched level’ groups where they can be taught alongside older pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3. These groups are based on accurate and rigorously moderated assessment information which is constantly being monitored by senior and middle leaders. Pupils are always in a group that will make sure they make the most progress.  Parents who responded to Parent View and spoke to the inspector were in agreement that they felt their children made very good progress.

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Early years provision is outstanding

 The youngest children are able to hit the ground running when they begin their school life at Enfield Heights. The school ensures that the transition from the various pre-school groups is smooth. By the time they leave Reception children are ready to start Year 1.  Early years provision is exceptionally well led by the early years senior leader. The Reception class is an integral part of the school. Children make outstanding progress from lower than expected starting points. The areas for good learning development are well planned. Children’s responses and progress are exceptionally well recorded both electronically and in ‘memory books’ which are regularly shared with parents.  Lessons are well planned, with a range of exciting, practical activities that challenge children to practise a range of skills. The outdoor learning environment is well used throughout the day. Adults skilfully intervene

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Early years provision is outstanding

where they are required and are able to note useful comments which inform the assessments to inform the future planning of areas for development.  Children get on very well together and their behaviour is excellent.  Staff know the children very well as individuals. Information that teachers have used to assess children’s learning is regularly externally moderated by the local authority and other early years practitioners in the groups of schools that form the Cuckoo Hall Academies Trust (CHAT). Senior leaders also staff them to account during the regular pupil progress meetings where each child’s learning information is scrutinised.  Parents are involved in a range of informative and interesting activities that help them to see how well their children are achieving. Activities such as learning weeks, informal and formal meetings and parental consultations are organised regularly and are very well attended.

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School details

Unique reference number 138381 Local authority Enfield Inspection number 10009163

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Free school Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 100 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Alan Beavis Headteacher Emma Breckenridge Telephone number 020 8805 9811 Website www.enfieldheightsacademy.org.uk Email address eha@chat-edu.org.uk Date of previous inspection 27–28 March 2014

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Information about this school

 Enfield Heights Academy is part of the Cuckoo Hall Academies Trust (CHAT). It opened in September 2012 as part of a different trust. The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The school has been part of CHAT since September 2014.  The headteacher leads and manages another school within the trust.  Each academic year, another year group is added to the school roll. There are currently pupils in Reception through to Year 3.  Pupils come from a range of cultural heritages: the largest groups are from Black Caribbean and White British backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is higher than the national average. Most of the pupils are bilingual learners. Only a few are at the earliest stages of learning to speak English.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium, which is additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are looked after by the local

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Information about this school

authority and children of service families, is above average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is below average. The proportion who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is above average.  The school runs a breakfast club that is open from 8am every day and an after-school club that is open until 6pm.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed learning in all classes. All were joint observations with the headteacher or the interim consultant executive headteacher.  The inspector analysed a range of school information including: the school’s website; self-evaluation documentation; governors’ minutes and reports; the school trust documentation, monitoring and evaluation records; and assessment information relating to pupils’ progress and attainment.  The inspector scrutinised the school’s policies and other documentation relating to pupils’ safety.  Pupils’ work in a range of subjects was analysed.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour before and after school and in between lessons.  Meetings were held with senior and middle leaders, teaching staff, the interim chief executive of the academies trust and four governors.  Parental responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) were analysed. Informal discussions were

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Information about this inspection

held with seven parents. Four staff questionnaires were also scrutinised.  The inspector listened to a sample of pupils read during lessons.

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Inspection team

John Seal, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which academies to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about academies in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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Inspection team

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), academies, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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