Enfield County School for Girls

Inspection of Enfield County School for Girls Holly Walk, Enfield EN2 6QG

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Inspection dates: 20 and 21 September 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 11 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection. 20 and 21 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils work hard and strive to meet the school’s high academic expectations. They appreciate that the curriculum is academically demanding in preparation for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are typically focused in class. They are safe in school too. Mostly, they enjoy school and are kind towards one another.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders organise a range of extra-curricular activities for pupils, such as debating, crochet, gardening and history. Sports clubs, including netball, are particularly popular. The school actively promotes pupils’ personal ambitions, for example through the school’s house system that is based on strong female role models.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school organises outings that support pupils’ subject learning, including visits to see theatre performances and to art galleries. Pupils who study history GCSE visit Ypres in Belgium to see significant sites from the First World War and deepen their understanding. Pupils are keen to take on leadership responsibilities. For example, students in the sixth form organised the whole-school sports day last year.

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better?

Leaders have designed a broad curriculum that prepares pupils to achieve strong academic outcomes. The proportion of pupils who study the English Baccalaureate combination of subjects is very high. Leaders also ensure that pupils have access to a broad range of creative subjects, such as art and photography, which capture pupils’ interest. For example, in a photography class in the sixth form, students explained keenly the project work that they had completed. Typically, including in the sixth form, the school’s curriculum thinking is strong. For example, the mathematics curriculum is carefully sequenced so that pupils build up their knowledge steadily.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject expertise. This helps them to deliver the curriculum as leaders intend. Staff enjoy working at this school and are well supported by leaders, who take account of their workload and well-being. Staff appreciate the professional development opportunities that leaders provide.

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better?

Generally, staff check that pupils understand what they have learned. Sometimes, when teaching does not check pupils’ grasp of key prior knowledge as routinely, some pupils’ understanding of the new skills and knowledge that are taught is not as secure.

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better?

Leaders have an accurate knowledge of the needs of the small number of pupils with SEND at the school. However, at times, teaching and resources are not 20 and 21 September 2023

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sufficiently adapted for pupils with SEND. This means that some pupils with SEND are not fully supported to understand what they need to learn and remember.

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Leaders continue to expand their support for pupils who are at the early stages of learning to read so that these pupils can access the curriculum. However, some of this support is new, and some pupils are not robustly supported to improve their fluency quickly.

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Pupils typically behave sensibly. Occasionally, a few pupils are less focused on their work and show attitudes that are less respectful towards their teachers. The school has not ensured that staff consistently follow the school’s behaviour policy to address this. At change-of-lesson times, pupils move purposefully between classes and listen to teachers. They socialise calmly during breaktime and lunchtime. When problems arise, a few pupils felt that staff do not listen to their concerns or resolve them effectively.

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Leaders have prioritised improving attendance rates for pupils, including those in the sixth form, since the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of these interventions, attendance rates are high and rising. Those responsible for governance carry out their duties effectively.

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Leaders arrange many extra-curricular activities for pupils. Pupils attend house sporting competitions and elect house captains. They raise money for wildlife charities, foodbanks and other charitable causes. Pupils also learn about healthy relationships and keeping themselves safe online. Guest speakers, including Members of Parliament and business representatives, come into the school to speak to pupils. Pupils also attend careers fairs throughout their time at the school. In the sixth form, students attend careers events, which include talks by professionals from television, film and finance.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, teaching does not routinely check that pupils understand and remember what they have been taught and identify where pupils have forgotten key knowledge and skills that they have been taught. This means that, on occasion, some pupils do not build their knowledge over time as securely as they could. The school should ensure that teaching regularly checks that pupils understand securely what they have learned before introducing new knowledge.  Sometimes, teaching and resources for pupils with SEND are not adapted well to help them to access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. This means that sometimes pupils with SEND are unable to understand the work that they 20 and 21 September 2023

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are given in class. Leaders should ensure that, across all subjects and phases, pupils with SEND are supported to learn and remember important knowledge.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 20 and 21 September 2023

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,078

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sixth form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 4 October 2012, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses one alternative provider.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.  The school is situated across two sites, approximately one mile apart. Pupils in Years 7 to 9 attend the lower school site at Rosemary Avenue, Enfield, Greater London EN2 0SP. Pupils in Years 10 to 13 attend the upper school site at Holly Walk, Enfield, Greater London EN2 6QG. Staff travel between both school sites during the school day in order to teach lessons.  A few students in the sixth form who wish to study subjects not offered by the school study these at Enfield Grammar School for Boys, located a short walk from the upper school. 20 and 21 September 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders. Inspectors met with leaders with responsibility for pupils with SEND, personal, social and health education, behaviour, early reading, pupils’ wider development and the sixth form.  Inspectors met with representatives from the governing body.  Inspectors met with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, science, physical education, art and history.  For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their

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Information about this inspection

learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered the respective responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for parents, staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Guy Forbat, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Costa Dyer Ofsted Inspector 20 and 21 September 2023

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regulates and inspects to 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), schools, 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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