Enfield Heights Academy Review 2026: High-attaining Enfield primary with strong reading culture

Enfield Heights Academy is a one-form entry primary in Enfield Highway, serving pupils from Reception to Year 6. It opened in September 2012 and sits within the North Star Community Trust.

Academic outcomes are a clear strength. In the most recent published Key Stage 2 dataset, 86.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the England average of 62%.

For families considering Reception in September 2026, admissions are coordinated by the London Borough of Enfield, with the standard application window opening on 01 September 2025 and closing on 15 January 2026, and offer day on 16 April 2026.

There is a strongly articulated values-led culture here, with respect, kindness, resilience and bravery used as everyday behavioural reference points. Pupils are described as polite, friendly and respectful, and the wider culture is framed around belonging and strong relationships between home and school.

Leadership has had a clear recent handover, which matters to many parents. Jade-Simone Bacon moved into the senior “Head of School” role in September 2019, after the school’s growth prompted a more dedicated day-to-day academic lead. The current headteacher, Justyna Powrie, took up post in September 2022, following a transition period during which she worked alongside Mrs Bacon.

A distinctive thread is the school’s emphasis on reading routines and family participation. The trust-wide “Read Aloud” message is prominent, with a simple expectation of short daily reading at home, and reading spaces and matched books are positioned as an important part of how early reading is secured.

On the published primary measures, outcomes are well above typical levels. In the most recent dataset provided for this review, 86.67% reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That compares with an England average of 62%, a gap large enough to be meaningful for most families choosing between local options.

At higher attainment, the picture remains strong. 38.67% achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and maths, compared with an England average of 8%. This suggests the school is supporting a sizeable group of pupils beyond the expected threshold, not simply pushing borderline pupils over the line.

The scaled scores reinforce that. Reading is 110, mathematics is 108, and grammar, punctuation and spelling is 111, all comfortably above the England midpoint of 100 for these measures.

Rankings in this review are based on FindMySchool’s proprietary calculations from official data. Enfield Heights Academy is ranked 657th in England and 5th in Enfield for primary outcomes, placing it well above England average (top 10%).

The curriculum is described as carefully sequenced, with clear knowledge and skill expectations at each stage, including in the early years. Teaching strength is linked to staff subject knowledge and training support through the trust, and early reading is treated as a foundation priority rather than a bolt-on intervention.

What this means in practice is a consistent phonics approach, suitable book matching for early readers, and rapid support for pupils who fall behind. The intent is to reduce the “long tail” of weaker reading that can otherwise limit progress across the wider curriculum by Key Stage 2.

The main improvement focus flagged through formal evaluation is about making learning stick over time, specifically ensuring teaching routinely helps pupils remember key knowledge in the long term, and tightening consistency across all areas of early years learning. For parents, that is less about headline attainment and more about the day-to-day craft of curriculum delivery, including retrieval, recap and cumulative practice.

As a Reception to Year 6 school, the next step is transition to secondary in the London Borough of Enfield. The school’s own enrichment framing explicitly references preparation for transition to secondary as a key element of “what comes next”, alongside confidence and independence-building opportunities.

Families should still plan early for Year 6 secondary applications, because Enfield operates coordinated admissions, and preferences can be affected by distance, sibling criteria, and the relative popularity of local schools. A practical approach is to map likely secondary options and travel routes by late Year 5, then revisit during Year 6 once open events and published criteria for each destination school are available.

Reception entry is the key pinch point. The school is oversubscribed on the published demand data for Reception admissions, with 82 applications for 30 offers (2.73 applications per place). This tends to translate into distance-based competition once higher-priority categories have been allocated.

Distance evidence matters, but it is always a moving target. In 2024, the last distance offered was 0.399 miles. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place.

For September 2026 entry, the school sets out the coordinated application timeline clearly: applications open on 01 September 2025, close on 15 January 2026, and offers are issued on 16 April 2026. Families considering this route should use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check their precise home-to-school distance against the last distance offered, then treat it as guidance rather than a promise.

Open events are also part of the admissions pattern. The school has published Reception open day sessions across October, November, December and early January for the 2026 entry cycle. Some of those dates fall earlier than the current date, so parents should treat the listed months as the typical pattern and check the school’s latest update for the next available tour.

A calm, purposeful tone and consistent adult support are key pastoral signals. The school’s broader approach blends values language with practical systems, including parent workshops on online safety and learning support at home.

The safeguarding position is clear. The latest Ofsted inspection (December 2023) judged the school Good and confirmed safeguarding arrangements as effective.

There is also evidence of explicit work on emotional literacy and self-regulation, including Zones of Regulation and the use of Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) approaches referenced within the school’s enrichment model. The parent implication is that wellbeing is treated as a skill set to develop, not only something to respond to when difficulties arise.

The school’s enrichment language is unusually specific for a primary, which helps parents understand what “extra opportunities” actually look like. Examples named by the school include bikeability, Active Feet Active Mind coaching, debating competitions and singing festivals.

Clubs are also described using concrete examples rather than generic lists. References include Arts and crafts, Lego, Drama, Newspaper, Puzzle, Journalism, and school leadership roles such as School Council and ECO warriors. The practical benefit is twofold: pupils can find an interest-based “hook” to school life, and parents have a clearer picture of how confidence and speaking skills are developed outside lessons.

A final differentiator is the school’s “Academy PLUS” framing, which is used as a label for wider enrichment such as theatre trips, sports coaching, leadership opportunities and subject masterclasses. For families comparing local schools, named structures like this can be useful, because they suggest the school has a deliberate system for organising enrichment rather than relying on ad hoc staff goodwill.

The school day is clearly set out. Reception runs 8:45am to 3:10pm, and Years 1 to 6 run 8:45am to 3:15pm, with the morning register at 8:55am.

Breakfast club and after-school care are both available (Reception to Year 6), but online information does not set out precise hours or pricing. Families who need wraparound care should ask the school directly for current timings, availability, and any charges, especially if care is needed for several days per week.

• Competition for places. Reception is oversubscribed, with 82 applications for 30 offers in the published dataset. If you are not close by, you should identify back-up options early.

• Distance is only a guide. In 2024, the last distance offered was 0.399 miles. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place.

• Curriculum consistency work. External evaluation identifies the need to strengthen how well pupils remember key knowledge over time, and to ensure early years learning builds evenly across all areas. That is not unusual for a school with high attainment, but it is worth exploring during a tour if you want reassurance about long-term learning habits.

• Wraparound detail is not fully published. Breakfast club and after-school care exist, but parents may need to do a little extra work to confirm the practicalities for their working pattern.

Enfield Heights Academy is a high-attaining Enfield primary with a strong reading-led approach and a clear values culture. Results are comfortably above England averages, and the enrichment model provides enough specifics for parents to understand what sits beyond lessons.

Best suited to families who want a structured, academically ambitious primary experience and are prepared for competitive admissions. The key challenge is securing a place, so shortlisting should be done with realistic distance planning and a clear back-up plan.