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Highlands School[1]

Secondary · ages 11–18

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Headline results

Attainment 8
A8 55 54.9 2025/26[2]
A-level average grade
AL B- B- 2024/25[3]

Results

GCSE (key stage 4)

Attainment 8
54.9 2025/26[2]
Grade 5+ in English & maths
64.4% 2025/26[2]
Grade 7+ in English & maths
20.5% 2025/26[2]
Progress 8
+0.42 2023/24[4]
Progress 8, 2025/26
Not calculated[5]
Progress 8, 2024/25
Not calculated[5]
Earlier years
Year Attainment 8 Grade 5+ in English & maths Grade 7+ in English & maths Progress 8
2024/25 55.6[6] 64.7%[6]
2023/24 54.8[4] 61.6%[4] +0.42[4]
2022/23 54[7] 58%[7] +0.52[7]
2021/22 53.2[8] 64%[8] +0.25[8]

A level (16–18)

A-level average grade
B- 2024/25[3]
AAB or better, at least two in facilitating subjects
10.2% 2024/25[3]
All results, 2020/21
Not published (exams cancelled, COVID-19)[9]
All results, 2019/20
Not published (exams cancelled, COVID-19)[9]
Earlier years
Year A-level average grade AAB or better, at least two in facilitating subjects
2023/24 B[10] 20.9%[10]
2022/23 B-[11] 14.7%[11]
2021/22 B[12] 17.8%[12]
2018/19 C[13] 8%[13]

Destinations after GCSEs

Sustained education, apprenticeship or employment
96% 2022/23[14]
School sixth form
66% 2022/23[14]
Sixth-form college
3% 2022/23[14]
Further education college
24% 2022/23[14]
Apprenticeship
2% 2022/23[14]
Employment
0% 2022/23[14]
Earlier leavers
Left in Sustained education, apprenticeship or employment School sixth form Sixth-form college Further education college Apprenticeship Employment
2021/22 97%[15] 63%[15] 5%[15] 27%[15] 1%[15] 1%[15]
2020/21 98%[16] 72%[16] 3%[16] 20%[16] 1%[16] 0%[16]
2019/20 97%[17] 69%[17] 6%[17] 21%[17] 1%[17]
2018/19 96%[18] 67%[18] 4%[18] 24%[18] 1%[18]

Destinations after 16–18 study

Sustained education, apprenticeship or employment
87% 2022/23[19]
UK higher education
70% 2022/23[19]
Education
73% 2022/23[19]
Apprenticeship
4% 2022/23[19]
Employment
10% 2022/23[19]
Earlier leavers
Left in Sustained education, apprenticeship or employment UK higher education Education Apprenticeship Employment
2021/22 93%[20] 74%[20] 77%[20] 2%[20] 14%[20]
2020/21 92%[21] 78%[21] 83%[21] 0%[21] 9%[21]
2019/20 86%[22] 62%[22] 73%[22] 3%[22] 10%[22]
2018/19 91%[23] 63%[23] 73%[23] 8%[23] 9%[23]

Higher education after 16–18 study

Progressed to higher education
84% 2021/22[24]
Top third of most selective universities
34% 2021/22[24]
Russell Group universities
16% 2019/20[25]
Oxford or Cambridge
1% 2019/20[25]
Earlier leavers
Left in Progressed to higher education Top third of most selective universities Russell Group universities Oxford or Cambridge
2020/21 89%[26] 30%[26]
2019/20 81%[25] 22%[25] 16%[25] 1%[25]
2018/19 79%[27] 22%[27] 16%[27] 0%[27]
2017/18 71%[28] 15%[28] 14%[28] 0%[28]

Shares of the pupils who left in the year shown. Russell Group and Oxford or Cambridge figures were published for leavers up to 2019/20 only.

Ofsted

Latest inspection
5 Nov 2024[29]
Type
S5 Inspection[29]
Report published
2 Dec 2024[29]
Personal development
Outstanding[29]
Quality of education
Outstanding[29]
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding[29]
Safeguarding is effective?
Yes[29]
Sixth form provision (where applicable)
Outstanding[29]
Effectiveness of leadership and management
Outstanding[29]

Competition to get in

Applications and offers, Year 7

Applications per place
6.2 Entry Sept 2026[30]
Applications (any preference)
1509 Entry Sept 2026[30]
First preferences
445 Entry Sept 2026[30]
Places offered
243 Entry Sept 2026[30]
First preferences per place
1.8 Entry Sept 2026[30]
Earlier years
Entry Applications First preferences Places offered Per place First preferences per place
Entry Sept 2025 1377[30] 365[30] 241[30] 5.7[30] 1.5[30]
Entry Sept 2024 1490[30] 339[30] 242[30] 6.2[30] 1.4[30]
Entry Sept 2023 1517[30] 323[30] 244[30] 6.2[30] 1.3[30]
Entry Sept 2022 1516[30] 350[30] 240[30] 6.3[30] 1.5[30]

Furthest distance offered (Distance)

By entry year
EntryFurthest distance
Entry Sept 2023 0.851 miles[31]

Character & practicalities

Type
Community school[1]
Ages
11–18[1]
Boys / girls
Mixed[1]
Admissions
Non-selective[1]
Sixth form
Yes[1]
Boarding
No boarders[1]
Capacity
1589[1]
Local authority
Enfield[1]
Website
http://www.highlands.enfield.sch.uk/[1]
District
Enfield[32]
Postcode
N21 1QQ[1]
URN
132256[1]

School details as recorded in Get Information About Schools on 14 Oct 2026.

Pupils

Number on roll
1650 2024/25[33]
English as an additional language
13.9% 2024/25[33]
SEN support
10.5% 2024/25[33]
EHC plan
4.2% 2024/25[33]
Free school meals in the last 6 years
17.7% 2024/25[33]

Pupils' ethnicity 2025/26

White
61.1%[34]
Mixed
13.9%[34]
Asian
7%[34]
Black
8.7%[34]
Any other ethnic group
5%[34]
Unclassified
4.3%[34]

The school census's major ethnic groups as shares of the school's pupils, summed by us from the published counts. For information only: never used to rank, filter or colour schools.

In the inspectors' and the school's words

Academic
Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve highly, including in national examinations.[35]
Warmth
As one pupil said, representing the views of many, ‘There is no divide here. We all get on together.’ Pupils are exceptionally ‘proud to be part of Highlands’.[35]
Pastoral care
Pupils who need additional support to manage their behaviour receive the help they need.[35]
Behaviour
Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary.[35]
Enrichment
Pupils readily participate in the vast range of activities on offer.[35]
Independence
The school’s vision of developing confident, autonomous individuals is fully realised.[35]
Structure
The school’s high expectations for behaviour are well understood and consistently applied.[35]
Diversity
They thrive in this diverse and inclusive school, exemplifying the ‘DARE’ values of determination, aspiration, respect and equality.[35]

Sources

  1. Department for Education: Get Information About Schools: all establishments. Period 2026-10-14, published 2026-10-14. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  2. Department for Education: Performance tables schools data (explore education statistics). Period 2025/26, provisional, published 2026-10-15. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  3. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS5 (16-18) final. Period 2024/25, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  4. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 final. Period 2023/24, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  5. Department for Education: Key stage 4 performance 2024/25: data guidance. Period 2024/25. Archived copy; original. Licence: OGL-3.0.
    Quote
    It is not possible to calculate Progress 8 for academic years 2024/25 and 2025/26 due to gaps in the baseline caused by COVID-19 disruption.
  6. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 final. Period 2024/25, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  7. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 final. Period 2022/23, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  8. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 final. Period 2021/22, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  9. Department for Education: A level and other 16 to 18 results 2020/21. Period 2020/21. Archived copy; original. Licence: OGL-3.0.
    Quote
    Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the summer exam series was cancelled in both 2020 and 2021, and alternative processes were set up to award grades.
  10. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS5 (16-18) final. Period 2023/24, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  11. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS5 (16-18) final. Period 2022/23, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  12. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS5 (16-18) final. Period 2021/22, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  13. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS5 (16-18) final. Period 2018/19, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  14. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 destinations. Period 2022/23, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  15. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 destinations. Period 2021/22, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  16. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 destinations. Period 2020/21, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  17. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 destinations. Period 2019/20, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  18. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: KS4 destinations. Period 2018/19, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  19. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 destinations. Period 2022/23, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  20. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 destinations. Period 2021/22, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  21. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 destinations. Period 2020/21, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  22. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 destinations. Period 2019/20, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  23. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 destinations. Period 2018/19, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  24. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 progression to higher education. Period 2021/22, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  25. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 progression to higher education. Period 2019/20, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  26. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 progression to higher education. Period 2020/21, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  27. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 progression to higher education. Period 2018/19, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  28. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: 16-18 progression to higher education. Period 2017/18, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  29. Ofsted: State-funded schools inspections and outcomes. Period 2024/25. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  30. Department for Education: Primary and secondary school applications and offers: school level. Period Entry Sept 2026, final, published 2026-06-29. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  31. enfield.gov.uk: enfield.gov.uk — Transfer to secondary 2023 and allocation information Education (PDF). Period 2026-10-14. Licence: OGL-3.0.
    Quote
    Furthest distance offered - 0.851miles (p. 3)
  32. Office for National Statistics: Parish to Ward to Local Authority District (May 2026) Lookup in EW. Period 2026-05-01. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  33. Department for Education: Compare School Performance download: School census. Period 2024/25, final. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  34. Department for Education: Schools, pupils and their characteristics: school level underlying data. Period 2025/26, published 2026-06-04. Publication page. Data file. Licence: OGL-3.0.
  35. files.ofsted.gov.uk: files.ofsted.gov.uk document. Period 2026-10-14. Licence: OGL-3.0.
    Quotes (9)
    As one pupil said, representing the views of many, 'There is no divide here. We all get on together.' (p. 2)
    Pupils are exceptionally 'proud to be part of Highlands' (p. 2)
    Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve highly, including in national examinations (p. 2)
    Pupils who need additional support to manage their behaviour receive the help they need (p. 2)
    Pupils' behaviour is exemplary (p. 2)
    They thrive in this diverse and inclusive school, exemplifying the 'DARE' values of determination, aspiration, respect and equality (p. 2)
    The school's high expectations for behaviour are well understood and consistently applied (p. 3)
    Pupils readily participate in the vast range of activities on offer (p. 2)
    The school's vision of developing confident, autonomous individuals is fully realised (p. 3)