Heron Hall Academy

Heron Hall Academy continues to perform effectively, maintaining the positive standards established in its previous inspection. The school is recognized for its inclusive community that embraces diversity and supports students, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Pupils feel safe and are encouraged to contribute positively to their community, reflecting the school's values. The curriculum is designed to build knowledge progressively, resulting in good student achievements in national examinations, and the behaviour management systems are largely effective, creating a conducive learning environment. However, there are areas for improvement, particularly in the consistent application of behaviour policies in certain contexts and in some subject areas where the curriculum and teaching strategies require further development.

Strengths

• Highly inclusive community valuing diversity
• Effective support for pupils with SEND
• Pupils achieve well in national examinations
• Well-planned curriculum that develops knowledge over time
• Variety of additional activities enhancing learning
• Strong subject knowledge among teachers
• Positive staff morale and professional development opportunities

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent reinforcement of behaviour policy during transitions
• Some subjects lack comprehensive curriculum design leading to gaps in knowledge

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 Heron Hall Academy attended 92.1% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 25.0% 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, 7.7% of pupils at Heron Hall Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were 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 Heron Hall Academy had 17.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 23.7% 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, 19.9% of pupils at Heron Hall Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 7.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 2024–25 Heron Hall Academy received £9,604 and spent £9,594 for each of its 1,242 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £1,723,000 (-£1,387 per pupil).

Across all 4 schools of North Star Community Trust Ltd, income was £8,731 and spending £8,873 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

Heron Hall Academy is part of North Star Community Trust Ltd, which runs 4 schools. The nearest others:

• Kingfisher Hall Primary Academy Enfield
• Woodpecker Hall Primary Academy London
• Enfield Heights Academy Enfield

What is Heron Hall Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Heron Hall Academy is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Heron Hall Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Heron Hall Academy was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Heron Hall Academy have?

Heron Hall Academy has 1,161 pupils on roll.

What age range does Heron Hall Academy cover?

Heron Hall Academy for pupils aged 11 to 19.

What are Heron Hall Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 42.7, and 39% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Heron Hall Academy?

Heron Hall Academy is at Queensway, Ponders End, Enfield, Middlesex, EN3 4SA.