Salmons Brook School

Salmons Brook School is a special school for pupils with education, health and care plans, typically relating to social, emotional and mental health needs. This was its first routine section 5 inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is part of the EDACT multi-academy trust. Pupils describe the school as their safe place, parents are highly supportive, and relationships across the school are kind and considerate. Behaviour and attitudes are a particular strength, with pupils supporting each other and a strong collaborative ethos helping many pupils who had previously been excluded to re-engage positively with school. The school provides an ambitious and appropriately adapted curriculum that meets pupils’ diverse needs well. Pupils learn effectively, gaps in knowledge are identified and addressed quickly, and the sixth form curriculum is well suited to students’ needs and future goals. Personal development is carefully threaded through the curriculum, including careers education, life skills and wider experiences. Safeguarding is effective, leadership and trust support are appropriate, and staff feel well supported. Attendance is below national averages but is improving significantly year on year. The main areas for improvement are that curriculum aims are not yet securely embedded in a few areas. In particular, pupils’ love of reading and reading for pleasure are not consistently promoted, and opportunities for pupils to apply numeracy skills across the curriculum are not precisely sequenced or embedded. The school should make adaptations so these aspects of pupils’ learning are developed consistently well.

Strengths

• Pupils describe the school as their safe place and feel well supported.
• Pupils benefit from a wide range of extra opportunities, visits and clubs.
• Parents are very supportive and describe staff as phenomenal.
• The curriculum is ambitious, well designed and adapted to pupils’ diverse needs.
• Pupils’ individual needs and circumstances are understood and planned for sensitively.
• Pupils learn the curriculum well and gaps in knowledge are addressed quickly.
• Behaviour and attitudes are excellent, supported by very positive relationships.
• Bullying is not tolerated and pupils support each other to behave well.
• The sixth-form curriculum is well suited to students’ needs and future goals.
• Personal development and careers education prepare pupils well for next steps.
• Attendance is improving significantly year on year.
• Trustees and governors provide appropriate support and challenge.
• Staff receive effective professional development and feel well supported.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils’ love of reading and reading for pleasure are not yet consistently promoted across the school.
• Pupils are not sufficiently supported or inspired to read outside lessons to further their reading skills.
• Opportunities for pupils to apply numeracy skills across the curriculum are less precisely sequenced and embedded.
• Attendance remains lower than national averages, although it is improving significantly.

In 2024–25 pupils at Salmons Brook School attended 76.7% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 63.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

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, 55.6% of pupils at Salmons Brook School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). 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 Salmons Brook School had 6.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 40.8% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

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 Salmons Brook School had 66 pupils, 98.5% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: social, emotional and mental health.

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 special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Salmons Brook School received £41,927 and spent £37,780 for each of its 63 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £266,000 (£4,224 per pupil).

Across all 3 schools of Edact, income was £10,490 and spending £9,160 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

Salmons Brook School is part of Edact, which runs 3 schools. The nearest others:

• The Lea Valley Academy Enfield
• Edmonton County School London

What is Salmons Brook School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Salmons Brook School is Good, from an inspection in September 2025.

When was Salmons Brook School last inspected by Ofsted?

Salmons Brook School was last inspected in September 2025.

How many pupils does Salmons Brook School have?

Salmons Brook School has 66 pupils on roll.

What age range does Salmons Brook School cover?

Salmons Brook School for pupils aged 11 to 19.

Where is Salmons Brook School?

Salmons Brook School is at Bell Lane, Enfield, EN3 5PB.