Lift Aylward, London

Ofsted's report card from its 9 December 2025 inspection grades Lift Aylward on 7 areas: 1 strong standard and 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Inclusion leaders and staff are highly skilled."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Many pupils face additional challenges, so, typically, most start at this school from low academic points."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders work closely with pupils, parents and carers and external agencies to support regular attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The new leadership team has made substantial improvements to the curriculum and to teaching."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "There have been several changes to school leadership since the last inspection."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Character development and values are at the heart of school life."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths and areas for development in the post-16 provision."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that highly effective teaching is embedded across all subjects and year groups so that all pupils consistently achieve excellent outcomes, developing detailed knowledge and skills".

The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.

In 2026, pupils at Lift Aylward averaged an Attainment 8 score of 37.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.5 in Enfield and 47 across England.

34% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 47% in Enfield and 47% in England.

That is down from 39.8 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.28: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 36, against 39 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 3 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and French.

For September 2026 entry, 140 families put Lift Aylward as their first choice and 282 named it as one of their preferences, for 190 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Lift Aylward are The Latymer School (0.7 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 80.9); Winchmore School (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.5); Edmonton County School (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.5); and St Anne's Catholic High School for Girls (1.1 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 55.3).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Lift Aylward.

Lift Aylward is one of 62 schools run by Lift Schools, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.7 in 2024/25.

26 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Lift Aylward (as of April 2026): 65% would recommend the school, 69% say their child is happy there and 29% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that pupils behave well (73%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (29%).

Of the 224 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 85% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 24% to a further education college and 2% into work.

Of the 94 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 56% went on to university or other higher education, 6% to apprenticeships and 19% into work. 7% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

48.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 62.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Black (34%), other ethnic groups (10%) and Asian (7%).

In 2026, 133 pupils (10%) received SEN support and 35 (2.6%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a moderate learning difficulty.

The nearest railway station is Silver Street Rail Station, about 1040 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Millfield Theatre, 150 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Lift Aylward stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 681 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Enfield (407), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Lift Aylward issued 50 suspensions, 3.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Lift Aylward are Wilbury Primary School (0.4 miles), Firs Farm Primary School (0.4 miles), Hazelbury Primary School (0.4 miles) and Oakthorpe Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.