» The School
 » Our Aims and Objectives
 » Pastoral Organisation
 » Form Groups
 » The Curriculum - Years Seven to Nine
 » The Curriculum - Years Ten to Eleven
 » Public Examinations
 » Higher and Further Education
 » Careers Education and Guidance
 » Sport
 » Societies, Clubs and Activities
 » Further Information on the Curriculum and other aspects of School Life
 » Learning Support
 » Student Behaviour and Discipline
 » School Uniform
 » Home School Contact

Enfield County School is a blend of solid Edwardian and post-war buildings. The Lower School in Rosemary Avenue houses Years Seven, Eight and Nine; at fourteen students transfer to the Upper School in Holly Walk, about a mile away in the centre of the old town of Enfield. Each September six forms of entry join the school - a total of 186 students.
There is specialist accommodation on both sites comprising nine Science Laboratories, five Art rooms, four Food Technology rooms, three Textile rooms, four Workshops (Craft, Design and Technology), four Computer rooms, two Gymnasia, two large playing fields together with netball and tennis courts and two Libraries where students can access CD Rom. Students in the Upper School have a fully equipped Gym, Dance/Drama and Music suite, and a Careers Resources Room.

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 Our Aims and Objectives

The overall aim of the school is to provide an environment and an educational programme which enables all students to have an equal opportunity to fulfill their potential in terms of their own progress and in the service of others. In co-operation with parents, the school wishes to prepare all students for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life and to enable them to grow towards greater self-awareness, self-confidence and self-empowerment.

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At Primary School students are taught a number of subjects by one teacher, whom they get to know very well. Secondary Schools are much bigger and each subject is taught by a different teacher. The pastoral organisation is there to ensure that individual students are supported in a way which enables them to develop their potential.

Each year's intake is in the care of a Year Co-ordinator who works in co-operation with a team of Form Tutors. The Year Co-ordinator's work is concerned with administration and discipline, but just as important is the task of helping students through the difficulties of five years of growing up; getting to know the personality and potential (academic or otherwise) of each student, and being available to her and to her parents to discuss any issues about school or home which might affect the development of that potential.

We are convinced that this work is worthwhile, as an unhappy student cannot do her best. A year Co-ordinator's concerns may range from minor irritations or anxiety about work or relationships to a major family disaster when a student may need all the support the School can give her.

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Each form is named after a letter taken from the name of the School. The Enfield Forms are N, F and L; the County Forms are C, T and Y.

Form Tutors have a special responsibility to foster good relations within the form group and to ensure that students are happy within their forms. The timetable contains periods assigned to Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE) and is intended to help students become more aware of themselves and others. PSHE also deals with study techniques, and the world of work, and helps them both to fulfill their learning potential and to maximise their contributions to form and school. Careers Education and Guidance begins in Year Seven when it is part of PSHE.

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In the first three years students will take the following subjects:

How the Teaching is Organised

In Years Seven and Eight students are generally taught in their form groups. In Year Nine English is taught in four balanced groups across each half year. Science is taught in nine balanced groups across the year and there is setting in Mathematics. Parents will be informed of changes in divisions. Students who have a learning need are given additional help either on an individual basis or in the classroom. Students with a Statement of Special Educational Need will be as fully integrated into the mainstream curriculum as far as the demands of their Statement will allow.

Health Education, including sex education, is dealt with at intervals during the five years of compulsory secondary schooling. It appears in PSHE at the Lower School, in the Extension Programme at the Upper School, and directly or indirectly in other subjects.

In line with the 1988 Education Reform Act, Religious Education is a compulsory part of the curriculum throughout the school. Parents may withdraw their daughters from these lessons if there are religious reasons for doing so. A letter should be sent to the Year Co-ordinator outlining the reasons for the requested withdrawal.

Homework is set on a regular basis throughout the school. It may consist of written work, reading, learning and pieces of research. Parents are asked to encourage their daughter to do her homework conscientiously and to inspect and sign her school planner regularly. If there are any problems, her Year Co-ordinator will be glad to help.

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Currently, in Years Ten and Eleven all students take the following subjects; legislation may affect the subjects studied.

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All students at Enfield County School follow G.C.S.E. courses and are entered for G.C.S.E. examinations at the end of Year Eleven, though students may on occasions be entered earlier (in a foreign language of which they are native speakers, for instance). A very small percentage of students negotiate to have some of their G.C.S.E. courses externally accredited with a Certificate of Achievement.

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Of the 80 or so students in Year thirteen at Enfield County, approximately 60% go to Universities and Colleges of Higher and Further Education. The remainder enter employment and further training. Careers education and guidance is available to all Post-16 students.

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An essential feature of the School is the staff's interest in encouraging all the students to make informed responsible decisions about their futures. We seek to encourage self-confidence, self-awareness and knowledge of opportunities in the world of work in Further and Higher Education, and to promote the principles of equal opportunities for all. Supported by a well-stocked Careers Resources Room at the Upper School and by information available in the main library at the Lower School, students are encouraged to acquire as much careers information as possible and to discuss their ideas with staff and with careers officers who visit the school regularly. Many activities (in lessons and extra-curricular) help the student to gain the knowledge, attitudes and skills they need for successful working lives.

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Work within the P.E. Department is designed to support, contribute to and complement the aims of the school.

Through sport we aim to provide an enjoyable, satisfying and balanced programme with opportunities for all students to develop physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively. Our curriculum offers a wide range of experience to meet the needs of individual students and encourage active involvement by all as performers, observers and officials.

In Years Seven, Eight and Nine students are time-tabled for one double lesson (1 hr 10 mins) per week throughout the year. Years Seven and Eight also have an additional double lesson for half the year. The following activities are offered during curriculum time: Netball, Hockey, Games for Understanding, Football, Volleyball, Orienteering, Rounders, Gymnastics, Dance, Tennis, Athletics and Cross-Country.

Extra-curricular clubs are offered at lunch times and after school, and include: Netball, Hockey, Football, Basketball, Fitness and Athletics.

Inter-form competitions are run in the following activities: Netball, Hockey, Dance, Cross-Country and Athletics.

At Borough level there is the opportunity to represent the School in Netball, Hockey, Cross-Country and Athletics.

In Years Ten and Eleven one double lesson per week is allocated to P.E. on the timetable. Activities covered during curriculum time include: Netball Umpiring, Volleyball, Badminton, Tennis, Softball, Trampolining, Table Tennis, Aerobics and use of Fitness machines.

The following extra-curricular activities are offered: Netball, Hockey, Football, Volleyball, Badminton , Dance and Fitness.

Inter-form competitions for Upper School students include: Netball , Dance, and Athletics.

At Borough level students can represent the school at Netball, Hockey, Cross-Country and Athletics.

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Leisure activities have never been more important than they are today, both for citizens who may in the future bear heavy responsibilities and for those who are likely to have more leisure time than either their parents or grandparents. We hope that students who come to Enfield County will view education as more than just a means to obtain qualifications for a career, and will take the opportunity to join in one or more of the following activities held during the lunch hour or after school:

Students are also given the opportunity to participate in theatre, sporting visits, concerts, skiing trips and visits abroad.

All students are positively encouraged to work for the wide variety of charities supported by the School.

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The school publishes a series of "County Guides to ....." which cover several aspects of the school life. These are sent to parents at appropriate times. For more information on each of the above guides, click the County Guides link on the main menu.

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Enfield County aims to enable every student to gain the maximum benefit from the educational opportunities available. When students join us we use information from primary schools, together with diagnostic tests, to identify able students and those who may need support. The full Special Needs policy is available, on request, from the school. The Year Co-ordinator and the Learning Support Co-ordinator are also available to answer parental queries and address concerns.

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We believe that an excellent record of attendance, good behaviour and discipline are essential to successful teaching and learning. Such qualities are therefore recognised and rewarded to reinforce the importance of a positive attitude, good work, and service to both school and community. Our Rules and Code of Conduct aim to encourage respect for others and the school environment, and to promote firm action against bullying and racial harassment: a message which is echoed in our daily assemblies and across the curriculum.

For our policy to be effective, parents need to co-operate with us in matters of discipline and reinforce our efforts at home. Parents can help by ensuring that their daughters arrive at school on time, are dressed in correct school uniform and have the necessary books and equipment for the day's lessons.

Most students accept our standards and it is a pleasure for us to know them, work with them, and see them gaining in confidence as they grow up. However, we do have clear and accepted strategies with which to deal with breaches of rules and policies - normally detentions. Should detentions be longer than ten minutes, students are given twenty-four hours' written notice in order that they may inform their parents of their later arrival home. Other strategies used include interviewing parents and students, negotiating a school contract, formal warnings and withdrawal from class.

In order to protect the well-being of the majority, we make it clear from the outset that certain offences will not be tolerated under any circumstances: these are the bullying of another student, racial harassment, and abusive and threatening behaviour. For any of these things a student may be excluded; we are happy to say that this rarely happens.

Copies of the School Rules, Equal Opportunities Policy and Code of Conduct are posted in every classroom.

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The school kilt is available from Lyons, but other items of uniform may be purchased at many local shops.

Parents should note that a blazer is compulsory, and that the outdoor uniform coat must be plain black.

Years Twelve and Thirteen do not wear school uniform but a reasonable standard of dress is required. This is outlined in an agreed 'Dress Code'.

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Preliminary Contact

Parents who are considering sending their daughter to Enfield County will have the opportunity to view the Lower School in the Autumn prior to the September in which their child begins Secondary School. The details of the time and date are in the Local Education Authority booklet "Secondary Schools in Enfield" which is given to the parents of all children in their last year of Primary School. On this occasion the Head Teacher and members of staff will be available to talk to parents and answer questions.

Later Contact

Because we believe that staff and students need the informed support of parents, we make contact each term in one or more of the following ways:

• Letters containing information or requests are sent home from time to time.

• A school profile and progress profile will be sent home for Years Seven to Ten. Year Eleven will receive a Record of Achievement. Individual assessments may be sent home at any time. Years Twelve and Thirteen receive an updated Record of Achievement in addition to progress profiles during their course.

• Parents are invited for consultation meetings* once a year at which they can discuss their daughter's progress with the staff who teach her.

• Special parents' evenings are held from time to time e.g. for Careers consultation, school journeys, Year Eleven future choices afternoon, educational matters.

• News letters about school events or individual year groups are sent to parents regularly.

We also hope to see parents from time to time at school events. The main ones are as follows:

Social Evening for New Parents (October/November).
Musical Evenings.
Upper and Lower School Productions.
Christmas Carol Concert.
Year 9 Certificate Award Ceremony (July).
Upper School Speech Day and Prize Giving (late November).
Lower School Inter-Form sports.

*Parents may request the services of a translator at these meetings.

Expressing Concerns

Parents should contact their daughter's Year Co-ordinator about any matter of concern, or any point of information. They will also take necessary action upon requests for early departures (e.g. for dental and medical appointments). The Deputy Head and Head Mistress are also available. Parents are advised to telephone the school - Upper School 020 8363 3030 or Lower School 020 8363 9934 - to make an appointment. If a matter is of extreme urgency, parents may come to school and contact a senior member of staff.

Should you remain dissatisfied with any aspect of school life after this, you will be invited to write to the Head Teacher, and she will endeavour to assist you.

Formal Complaints Procedure

If the school has been unable to deal with a situation to your satisfaction, you will then be advised to contact the Governing Body who will set up a panel to investigate your complaint. Should the Governors' decision be unsatisfactory to you, you may then take your case to the Local Education Authority.

A Guide to Expressing Concerns is available from the school.

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