Forty Hill CofE Primary School

Forty Hill CofE Primary School

Address: Forty Hill, Enfield, EN2 9EY Unique reference number (URN): 102028

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Typically, pupils achieve above national averages in the end of key stage 2 tests in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities also progress and achieve well. Overall, pupils are ready for their next steps and are well prepared for secondary school. They develop the basic knowledge and skills that they need, especially in mathematics and reading. High numbers of pupils reach the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check.

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Achievement Expected standard

Across the curriculum, pupils largely produce high-quality work. However, at times, the depth of their knowledge can vary across subjects. Pupils’ understanding and skills across subjects are not consistently of the same high standard as they are in English and mathematics. For example, sometimes, pupils' written work does not match the high quality seen in their English lessons.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Attendance is above the national average, including for disadvantaged pupils. Pupils want to attend school and enjoy being at school. They have a keen sense of belonging. Leaders work well with parents and carers to improve attendance. The school has clear processes in place to reduce any barriers that hinder pupils from attending regularly and on time. The school provides a warm and inviting community that families want to be a part of.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils are polite and courteous. They approach adults with confidence and speak respectfully. During breaktimes, pupils generally play well together. At times, some pupils need gentle reminders when their play becomes overly energetic. In lessons, pupils are keen to do well and take their learning seriously. However, there are times when they do not respond to instructions as quickly as leaders expect. This is because leaders have recently revised their approaches to managing behaviour. Staff training to ensure expectations are clear and applied in the same way across the school is ongoing. More serious incidents are managed swiftly and with considered care. Bullying is not tolerated. Where needed, pupils who require additional help with their behaviour receive appropriate support to manage their emotions.

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Early years Expected standard

Children are given successful foundations to build on in the early years. They learn in an inviting and purposeful environment. Activities are often imaginatively designed, enabling children to learn, explore and play effectively during their time in the early years.

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Early years Expected standard

Children learn to build their concentration skills well, including, for instance, through short, taught sessions. The teaching of early reading, writing and mathematics is prioritised, with thoughtful links made with children's interests and engaging texts. As children move into the Reception Year, they are taught phonics and learn letter sounds effectively. This helps them to prepare to read fluently. Children quickly acquire a love of stories. They build their language and vocabulary well through high-quality interactions with staff.

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Needs attention

The curriculum is well planned to enable children to progress. Staff think carefully about the intended learning in the activities they set up, both indoors and in the outdoor provision. These are often creatively linked with learning about the wider world.

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Needs attention

Staff work alongside families to ensure that children are nurtured and well supported. Children follow established routines and develop their confidence. Staff support them in understanding their emotions and being kind to one another. Children are suitably well prepared for their next steps into Year 1.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils follow a coherent and broad personal, social and health education curriculum. All pupils receive age-appropriate relationships and sex education. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including online. They build a secure understanding of different beliefs and cultures through talks, visits and events provided by the school. Teachers encourage pupils to debate moral and ethical issues. This helps their understanding of right and wrong. Consequently, pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils have considerable knowledge about fundamental British values and the values of the school. They are encouraged to make a difference to their community. For example, they take part in charity work and hold various leadership roles. These include on the school council and as house captains and eco leaders. Many pupils enjoy the competitions and enrichment opportunities provided by the school, including the school’s own garden club and vegetable patch, along with various performance opportunities. Disadvantaged pupils are encouraged to take part in clubs and trips. They are given support where necessary. However, the school’s analysis of which pupils take up and benefit from different opportunities is not as sharp as it could be.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils are thoughtfully prepared for transition to their next steps, including their move from early years to Year 1 and from Year 6 into secondary school. The school considers carefully how to support pupils to build their independence. For example, the school uses events known as ‘college afternoons’ to provide pupils with a taste of life at secondary school. These events are well developed and received positively by pupils. The school has also built close relationships with local secondary schools to further support pupils get off to a smooth start in their next steps in education.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The quality of teaching is variable across the curriculum. Leaders know this is the case. They have introduced further professional development so that teaching is more effective across subjects, but this is in the early stages. Sometimes, teaching does not routinely revisit previously taught content to support pupils to recall knowledge and make connections across their learning. Adaptations and other inclusive teaching strategies are not used consistently across year groups to a high standard. Consequently, teaching is not sufficiently focused on supporting some pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to build a depth of knowledge and make progress across all curriculum areas.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Pupils follow a broad curriculum. It builds on the foundations set in the early years. The curriculum is enriched with well-planned educational visits and other experiences, including, for example, thoughtful use of the school's outdoor provision. The curriculum is largely well designed and sequenced and teachers have the subject expertise that they need. However, at times, the intended knowledge that teachers want pupils to learn and remember is not clear.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Teaching is most effective in reading and mathematics. In mathematics, pupils' learning builds securely. Teachers ensure that pupils have time to practise and apply what they have learned. The phonics programme is taught well. Pupils who need additional help with reading receive support. Sometimes, this can vary in quality, but overall, pupils learn to read with fluency. Leaders are developing an improved focus on writing. This is delivered most successfully in English lessons. In other subjects, expectations for pupils' writing vary.

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Inclusion Needs attention

While the school has systems in place to identify pupils’ needs, these are not fully embedded or robust enough. This means that some pupils' additional needs are not identified quickly. Leaders are gradually introducing a new step-by-step approach to help staff to understand pupils’ barriers to learning and provide suitable support. While staff have accessed some relevant professional learning, they are still developing the confidence and expertise needed to use the school's approach consistently. As a result, although pupils who need extra help do receive support, the quality remains uneven.

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Inclusion Needs attention

All pupils are given the opportunity to contribute to the life of the school and community. Pupils are supported to access enrichment opportunities such as trips or learning a musical instrument. However, the strategy for spending additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is not informed by evidence and not commonly understood by staff.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders are committed to supporting pupils and their aspirations. They have identified where the school's work needs further refinement, including the development of approaches to oversee and check that inclusive practices promote pupils' progress effectively.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Pupils known to social care are very well supported. Here, leaders work effectively with other agencies when required and put in place well-considered support. This helps to build positive relationships with families.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leadership of the school has changed significantly. There has been a high turnover of staff in the last year, including at leadership level. Leaders know that the recent changes in staffing have resulted in a lack of consistency in teaching practice. They have, in a short space of time, identified the strengths of the school and what needs to improve. Leaders are acting to make the changes needed, drawing on support from a nearby federation of schools. They have put clear plans in place to bring about improvements and have begun to implement these, but it is too early to see the impact. Leaders, including governors, have a thorough understanding of the school's context. Governors fulfil their statutory duties effectively, for example in relation to overseeing the school's safeguarding systems. They recognise the need to strengthen their work to quality assure the new initiatives that are being put in place and to understand their impact.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Approaches to overseeing the quality of the school's work in all areas are still becoming established. Leaders at all levels are working on embedding a consistent approach to supporting sustained improvement.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

A new sense of community is being built. Staff's professional development has been prioritised and the programme for this has begun. Staff and governors have full confidence in the leadership of the school. Staff workload and wellbeing are well considered. Parents and carers are supportive of the school. They have positive relationships with staff and know that pastoral care is at the heart of what the school provides.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

This is a caring and community-focused school that is ambitious for its pupils. Pupils enjoy and appreciate the school's extensive grounds, including the woodland area and outdoor stage. These are very well used by pupils of all ages. For example, the school has well- established traditions of community events, such as chess tournaments and festivals. These have continued, despite staffing changes in recent times that have had an impact on this small school.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils follow a broad curriculum, but at present, inconsistencies in teaching mean that pupils are not learning as well as they could do across subjects. Typically, pupils achieve above national averages in their end of key stage 2 tests in reading and mathematics. This includes pupils who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, in other subjects, the curriculum is not delivered as effectively, and pupils do not build their knowledge as securely and deeply as they could. The needs of some pupils with SEND are not identified as quickly as they should be, which delays them getting the support that they need.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are kept safe in school. They know that there are members of staff that they can speak to if they have worries or need additional help. Instances of bullying are rare. Pupils are confident that staff will respond swiftly to any concerns that might arise. Pupils want to attend school and are happy here.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school provides a varied offering of enrichment activities. Workshops, talks and musical performances ensure that pupils gain valuable life experiences and information. Pupils also take part in dance festivals, work with the local football club and learn to cook with vegetables grown on the school grounds. Opportunities in sport and the arts are particular highlights of the school's wider development offer. Leaders and staff give great thought to helping pupils develop their talents and preparing them for later life.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the school’s new approach to inclusion is embedded so that pupils’ needs are identified quickly and met well. Leaders should ensure that the school's pupil premium strategy is informed by evidence and well understood and followed by staff, so that additional funding has a positive impact on the achievement of disadvantaged pupils. Leaders should ensure that reasonable adjustments and adaptations to the curriculum and how it is taught are implemented routinely to support pupils' learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers use effective teaching strategies across subjects to help pupils to recall and remember their previous learning. Leaders and governors should work together to ensure that they strategically implement and quality assure the new processes and systems they are rolling out so that they have maximum impact on pupils' progress and experiences.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Ruth Moore.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the executive headteacher, senior leaders and subject leaders during the inspection. They held meetings with members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

This school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. The last section 48 inspection took place in December 2025.

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About this inspection

The school uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The school has undergone a significant change since the last inspection, with a new executive headteacher appointed in January 2026 and a new head of school appointed to take up post in April 2026.

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Team inspectors:

Tom Hart, Ofsted Inspector Sabrina Edwards, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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national average

2023/24 (final) 43% 46% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2023/24 (final) 57% 62% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2023/24 (final) 57% 58% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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gap

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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