Highlands School Review 2026: A Top-Performing Comprehensive Serving Enfield's West Side

When Highlands School opened its doors in September 2000, it arrived as England's first secondary school built entirely through the Private Finance Initiative, a feat of modern educational infrastructure. Located in Grange Park, this mixed comprehensive sits on landscaped grounds with playing fields, serving the west side of Enfield with remarkable success. The school has earned a reputation for quality rare in comprehensive education. Parents consistently rank it first or second choice among Enfield secondaries; over 1,300 applied for just 241 places in the most recent admissions cycle, a 5.7:1 oversubscription ratio. With 1,650 students across Years 7-13, including nearly 200 sixth formers joining from across north London annually, Highlands combines strong academic performance with a genuine commitment to enrichment beyond the classroom. The newest Ofsted inspection in November 2024 awarded Outstanding ratings across all five judging categories.

Highlands operates as a welcoming, purposefully diverse community. Students from across Enfield's varied demographics, 32% White British, 27% Other White, 14% Mixed heritage, and representation from African, Asian, and Caribbean backgrounds, create a genuinely multicultural environment. The school's values of determination, aspiration, respect and equality (DARE) are woven through daily life, not merely displayed on walls. Staff emphasise that the school's strength lies partly in celebrating difference rather than minimising it; diversity is positioned as an asset.

Behaviour and pastoral care are exemplary. The November 2024 Ofsted inspection noted that pupils "celebrate each other's differences" and that bullying and harmful behaviour are not tolerated. The pastoral team comprises 23 dedicated staff, 11 of whom work outside the classroom to provide continuity throughout the day. A school counsellor offers one-to-one support; a welfare officer provides medical care; a safeguarding manager coordinates external referrals. The school maintains an inclusive approach anchored by a deaf provision resource base on campus, demonstrating commitment to accessibility. Year teams work with heads of year, pastoral assistants, and a dedicated pastoral lead deputy. Communications between home and school are formal and frequent.

Headteacher Vincent McInerney has led since 2020, arriving with a track record from London independent education. The school building itself reflects its era; modern in execution but now approaching quarter-century status, facilities have been maintained thoughtfully. Students describe feeling part of something larger than themselves, supported by consistent structures and genuine care.

GCSE Performance

In 2024, the school achieved strong comprehensive results. The average Attainment 8 score stood at 54.8, considerably above the England average of 45.9 (FindMySchool data). The Progress 8 score of 0.42 indicates students make above-average progress from their starting points; most pupils enter with broadly average prior attainment and exit with results exceeding the typical student's trajectory.

Specific grade breakdown shows 17% achieving grades 9-8, and 30% gaining grades 5 or above in the English Baccalaureate (science, maths, English, humanities, languages). These figures place the school in the top 25% of schools in England, earning a top 25% of schools in England from FindMySchool analysis. Locally, Highlands ranks 8th among Enfield secondaries.

Sixth Form and A-Level Performance

The sixth form thrives, attracting external candidates alongside internal progression. In 2024, 62% of A-level grades achieved A*-B, well above the England average of 47%. The distribution shows 12% at A*, 21% at A, and 30% at B. These outcomes place the school 3rd in Enfield and 577th (FindMySchool ranking), positioning it firmly in the top 22% of sixth forms in England for attainment.

The sixth form benefits from broad subject choice and specialist teaching. Recent university destinations reflect the sixth form's academic standing: 69% of 2024 leavers progressed to university, with one student securing a Cambridge place and others entering Russell Group institutions. The school explicitly reports that sixth formers move to "outstanding universities and post-18 courses," suggesting consistent Russell Group representation, though exact breakdowns are not published.

The curriculum is broad and academically rigorous. Separate sciences are taught from Year 7 onwards, alongside languages. Modern languages are compulsory through Year 9, with options to specialise from Year 10. The school emphasises independent learning and higher-order thinking rather than rote recall.

Teaching is characterised by strong subject expertise. The Ofsted inspection noted that staff demonstrate "excellent subject knowledge" and use "enthusiasm" to inspire engagement. Lessons across the school employ varied teaching methods; pupils "respond well to expert and challenging teaching," according to inspection findings. The structure supports both acceleration for the most able and additional help for those requiring it. Setting in core subjects allows differentiation, though the school maintains mixed classes in humanities and some creative subjects to preserve social cohesion.

Careers guidance is systematic. The school hosts employer visits, including recent partnerships with pharmaceutical companies (Sanofi insight days for aspiring medical students) and regular careers fairs. Sixth formers participate in mock elections and meet employers spanning multiple sectors, preparing them consciously for life beyond school.

The leaver destinations data shows consistent progression to further education. In the 2024 cohort, 69% went to university, 10% directly to employment, 4% to apprenticeships, and 2% to further education colleges. This profile reflects the comprehensive's success in preparing students across academic and vocational pathways.

Sixth form destinations are notably strong. Beyond Oxbridge, students regularly secure places at elite universities. The school publishes limited destination detail on its website, but inspection reporting and leaver interviews suggest regular progression to institutions including Imperial College, UCL, Durham, Edinburgh, Bristol, and Warwick. The sixth form consistently sends students to medicine, engineering, sciences, and humanities programmes at selective institutions.

The school positions itself explicitly as non-selective; any student within the catchment can apply, and admissions are by distance. This philosophy shapes the whole-school approach. No streaming by ability in lower years means higher-attaining students share form groups with others, avoiding early tracking. The school reports consciously building an ethos where "excellent learning is underpinned by excellent behaviour," rather than separating academic excellence from conduct.

The school's extracurricular offer is ambitious and inclusive, reflecting the belief that enrichment is a right rather than a privilege.

Sports and Physical Engagement

Highlands has an excellent track record in traditional school sports. Girls' football is particularly strong, with established teams competing at inter-school level. This year, responding to student feedback, the school launched a rugby team and hired a dedicated basketball coach (from the Enfield Scorpions). Netball teams compete successfully; recent fixtures show Year 10 and 11 squads in inter-school competition.

The physical infrastructure is impressive. The school operates a four-court sports hall with sprung flooring and fully marked courts for badminton, netball, basketball, and five-a-side football. A dedicated dance studio serves the performing arts. The Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) comprises four netball courts and six tennis courts, floodlit for evening use. A recently refurbished 3G astroturf pitch accommodates five-a-side and 11-a-side football, as well as hockey. A grass cricket pitch supports summer fixtures. This range allows the school to offer volleyball, badminton, badminton, tennis, and gymnastics across the year.

After-school sports clubs rotate termly and operate most days. Year 7 and 8 students participate in a structured Wednesday afternoon programme (Ed-Extra) where all students across both year groups engage in enrichment activities, ensuring universal access rather than allowing extracurricular participation to cluster among the privileged.

Music and Performing Arts

The Arts Faculty comprises five departments: Art, Dance, Drama, Music, and Physical Education. Music is embedded throughout the curriculum and enrichment. Students learn instruments; the school actively encourages instrumental tuition, and ensemble participation is promoted from lower school upwards. The inclusion of "musical theatre" as a specific Ed-Extra club suggests formal dramatic-musical productions exist, likely including the annual Christmas drama showcases typical of schools of this type.

Dance is taught formally within PE and also as a distinct subject choice from GCSE. A dedicated dance studio supports both curricular and extracurricular work. Dance clubs operate, and students participate in inter-school competitions and festival performances.

Drama is a live presence. The school runs theatrical productions; recent newsletters reference the "Being Black in Britain" project involving student spoken-word performances, suggesting sophisticated devised work alongside scripted texts. The Drama department engages students from Year 7 through Year 13 in various productions annually.

STEM and Technology

Science Sparks is a structured STEM club running as part of Ed-Extra, introducing younger students to practical science. Coding is offered as an Ed-Extra club, reflecting the school's commitment to digital literacy. The school actively participates in British Science Week and encourages students to submit poster entries, suggesting a culture of scientific engagement beyond the classroom.

Medical and healthcare pathways are supported explicitly. The school arranged an insight day at Sanofi for 35 aspiring medical and healthcare students across Years 10-12, exposing them to pharmaceutical industry careers, from research and development through commercialisation and regulatory affairs.

Clubs and Societies

Beyond the permanent clubs, Highlands supports a rotating portfolio of activities. Judo, art, chess, coding, musical theatre, and science sparks rotate through the Ed-Extra programme. The school council provides student voice. Leadership opportunities abound through house captainships (the school operates a traditional house system), year group roles, and prefect appointments.

Whole-School Initiatives

The Duke of Edinburgh Award programme runs from Bronze through Gold level, with evidence of sustained engagement. Recent trip destinations include Zambia, Morocco (Madrid mentioned in some sources), Berlin, New York, and skiing expeditions, a level of international experience rare in state comprehensives. These trips are structured to develop resilience, independence, and cultural understanding.

A school Parent-Faculty Association (HPFA) organises fundraising, including annual quiz nights, demonstrating strong home-school partnership.

Highlands operates as a non-selective comprehensive. Admissions to Year 7 are coordinated through Enfield's local authority admissions process. In 2024, the school received 1,377 applications for 241 places, a heavily oversubscribed scenario. In 2024, the last distance offered was 0.904 miles, indicating that proximity to the school gates is the determining factor once siblings and looked-after children are prioritised. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place. This distance varies annually based on the distribution of applicants.

Entry to the sixth form is direct; students must meet sixth form entry criteria (typically GCSE grades 5-6 and subject-specific requirements in chosen A-levels). The sixth form accepts internal and external candidates. With nearly 200 Year 12 students annually, and roughly half joining from other schools, the sixth form functions almost as a mini-college, pulling talent from across north London.

The inclusive deaf provision resource base on campus is available to students with hearing impairment or deafness; placement requires coordination with the local authority's SEND team.

The school day runs 8:50am to 3:20pm. No boarding facilities exist; all students are day pupils. Wraparound care is not mentioned in published information; families should contact the school directly regarding breakfast or after-school provision beyond the structured Ed-Extra programme.

Transport is important context. The school sits in Grange Park, Winchmore Hill, on Worlds End Lane. Nearby London Underground stations include Enfield Town (on the London Overground) and Southgate (on the Piccadilly Line), both within walking distance or short bus journey. Enfield Local Authority provides transport to some students; others use public transport or are collected by parents.

Safeguarding is positioned as the number-one priority. The executive safeguarding team comprises designated leaders and deputy designated safeguarding leads across year groups, enabling swift identification and follow-up of concerns. Contact the school directly for enquiries. Staff are trained in recognising signs of abuse, wellbeing concerns, and mental health issues. A "Stay Safe Curriculum" is delivered by trained staff, teaching students about healthy relationships, consent, and keeping themselves safe.

A school counsellor offers one-to-one sessions. The welfare officer coordinates medical care and first aid. Mental health is monitored actively; the school recognises the emotional challenges facing teenagers and provides structured support rather than assuming resilience.

Family liaison and inclusion officers support looked-after children and vulnerable pupils, ensuring educational engagement and stability. Year-team structures provide consistent adult contact; pupils know their form tutors and year team staff by name.

In 2024, Oversubscription and distance: With a last distance offered of 0.904 miles, securing a place requires living very close to the school gates. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place. Families considering Highlands must verify their exact distance and understand that annual variation occurs based on applicant distribution. Those more than one mile away should consider alternatives as secondary options.

Comprehensive intake and setting: The school is genuinely comprehensive, accepting students across the ability range. While setting occurs in core subjects from Year 9 onwards, mixed-ability form groups persist in lower years. This benefits students through exposure to diversity but means the most able may not always have peers at their level in every lesson. The school's philosophy prioritises social cohesion over early ability segregation; families seeking streamed education should note this approach.

Sixth form selectivity: Sixth form entry requires meeting published subject prerequisites. Not all GCSE grades automatically qualify students to continue; grades 5-6 and subject-specific attainment are the bar. This is standard practice but means some students who complete GCSE at Highlands may not progress to sixth form and must seek alternative post-16 provision. The school's approach is rigorous rather than automatically accommodating all existing pupils.

Deaf provision base: While enriching school diversity, the resource base is for students with significant hearing needs. Families with deaf or hard-of-hearing children should discuss placements with the local authority SEND team and visit to understand the support structure.

Highlands School delivers first-rate comprehensive education within a stable, caring structure. The November 2024 Ofsted inspection awarded Outstanding across all categories, confirming what admissions demand already suggests: this is a school thriving both academically and pastorally. Results place it in the top 25% in England at GCSE and top 22% at A-level (FindMySchool rankings). Behaviour is exemplary, diversity is celebrated, and enrichment is treated as a right. The school is best suited to families within a 0.9-mile radius who want a comprehensive secondary with genuine academic ambition, strong pastoral systems, and breadth of opportunity. The main challenge is securing a place given severe oversubscription; families should live within the immediate catchment or use Highlands realistically as a third-choice option only.