St Ignatius College

St Ignatius College is a Catholic voluntary-aided boys' school with a mixed sixth form and a specialist SEND resource base. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and under current arrangements it did not receive an overall effectiveness grade. Inspectors found exceptionally high expectations and a strongly cohesive culture: pupils are proud, courteous and behave exceptionally well, lessons are free from disruption, and the broad, ambitious curriculum is carefully sequenced and taught by subject experts. Across almost all areas the school is performing at an exceptionally high level. Pupils with SEND are accurately identified and thrive through personalised support, reading is prioritised with swift help for those who need it, and personal development is extensive through the 'magis' curriculum, careers work and a rich extra-curricular offer. Staff feel well supported, governance is knowledgeable and effective, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. The main area for improvement is the sixth form. Recent changes to the sixth-form curriculum are not yet fully embedded, and achievement in some subjects is not consistently as high as in the strongest subjects. Leaders should continue sharpening the taught curriculum, building on the best sixth-form practice so students achieve equally well across all subjects.

Strengths

• Pupils are exceptionally proud, courteous and warm ambassadors for the school.
• Behaviour is exemplary, with lessons free from disruption and high levels of respect.
• The curriculum is broad, highly ambitious and carefully sequenced to build knowledge cumulatively.
• Teachers are subject experts who explain clearly, check understanding and address misconceptions.
• Pupils with SEND are accurately identified and thrive through personalised support.
• Reading is prioritised, with effective support that helps pupils read with fluency and comprehension.
• Personal development is extensive through the 'magis' curriculum, meditation and wide extra-curricular activities.
• Careers guidance and sixth-form support prepare pupils well for education, employment or training.
• Staff feel well supported with workload and well-being.
• Governance provides highly effective challenge and support.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• Recent changes to the sixth-form curriculum are not fully embedded.
• Achievement in some sixth-form subjects is not consistently high.
• The sixth-form taught curriculum should be sharpened so students achieve equally well across subjects.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at St Ignatius College attended 93.7% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 18.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 12.7% of pupils at St Ignatius College were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 St Ignatius College had 17.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 21.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 9.8% of pupils at St Ignatius College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 5.3% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

The school has resourced provision with 9 pupils.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 St Ignatius College received £9,399 and spent £9,904 for each of its 973 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £120,000 (£123 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Enfield · Enfield local authority: places and applications

What is St Ignatius College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Ignatius College is Outstanding, from an inspection in April 2025.

When was St Ignatius College last inspected by Ofsted?

St Ignatius College was last inspected in April 2025.

How many pupils does St Ignatius College have?

St Ignatius College has 972 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Ignatius College cover?

St Ignatius College for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are St Ignatius College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 57.4, and 69% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is St Ignatius College?

St Ignatius College is at Turkey Street, Enfield, EN1 4NP.