Enfield has joined an elite group of local authorities where every school in the borough is rated good or outstanding by Ofsted.
Following the recent inspection of St James’ Church of England Primary School (EN3)—now rated as at least good in all areas—every single state school in the borough is officially recognised by Ofsted as providing a high-quality education.
All Enfield schools have been judged good or better across the four key Ofsted categories: Quality of Education, Behaviour and Attitudes, Personal Development, and Leadership and Management. It is understood that this places Enfield among just eight local authorities nationwide where every state school in a local authority meets this benchmark. This rare achievement underlines Enfield’s status as a borough where children and young people can grow and thrive.
Cllr Abdul Abdullahi, Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “Every child and young person in Enfield attends a school rated at least good in key areas. This is a proud and historic moment for Enfield. This is an exceptional achievement, one that speaks volumes about the dedication of our school leaders, teachers, governors, Council officers, support staff and families. I would like to thank them all for their tireless work to give every child the best possible start in life. Our partnership approach is making a real difference, and this milestone shows what we can achieve together.”
A spokesperson from St James’ School said: “We are so proud of what we have achieved together. Our children are outstanding young people, and our staff are committed and dedicated to providing an excellent quality of education.
"We are particularly proud to share that we received an Outstanding grade for personal development, due to our exceptionally strong emphasis on our children’s personal development. Over the last three years we have relentlessly focused on raising the standard of education for our young people, whilst also focusing significantly on development of our vision, values, culture, character as well as the experience of school life through the ‘St James’ Way’, which supports children in their development.”
The achievement reflects years of strong collaboration between schools and all the Council’s education services, including the Improvement Service, Governance and the Behaviour Support Services. For example, since the Covid-19 pandemic, Enfield has pioneered informed and measurable approaches across all schools, helping to secure the second lowest rate of permanent exclusions in London and the fourth lowest nationally. Enfield’s schools have also been recognised for effective support for disadvantaged pupils. The borough continues to share best practice across London, supporting innovation and inclusion in education.