Wren Academy Enfield Press Release Posted: 17/01/20
Wren Academy Enfield Press Release
September 2020 Opening Date Confirmed
The Wren Academies Trust is delighted that we have received confirmation that we will be opening Wren Academy Enfield in September 2020.
184 places will be provided for the first cohort of Year 7s who will be housed in temporary accommodation on the Chase Farm Hospital site. This development will ensure that there are now enough secondary places for all current Year 6 children in Enfield.
Once open, Wren Academy Enfield will grow a year at a time until it is full in 2026 with a sixth form offering a range of academic qualifications. Plans are currently being drawn up to construct state of the art buildings which will be situated opposite Chase Farm Hospital. The new build will facilitate a high quality education focused on providing the very best learning opportunities for Enfield students. Every effort will be made to work in partnership with Enfield Council and the Planning Department to provide the very best site and accommodation for generations of Enfield children.
Wren Academy’s Executive Principal, Gavin Smith who played a leading role in starting and then leading Wren Academy Finchley, said
“I am pleased that after much careful planning and hard work we will be opening this September. We are very excited about the prospect of starting another outstanding academy and look forward to working in partnership with Enfield families”
Kim Archer, Chair of Trustees said
“I am confident that Wren Academy Enfield will be a highly successful school which will build on the phenomenal achievements of Wren Academy Finchley whilst being suited to the needs of Enfield young people and their families.”
Every effort will be made to provide a strong start for the first pioneer students who will join the school with a focus on developing an engaging curriculum delivered through the best possible teaching and learning. All Wren students will make excellent progress which will prepare them for life beyond secondary education.
Notes for Editors/FAQs
What is a Free School?
Free Schools are new state funded academies set up in response to local demand for new schools. They are independent of the Local Authority and therefore funded directly by the Department for Education.
Who is opening the school?
The school will be run by the Wren Academies Trust which is the team that has created and grown the outstanding Wren Academy in Finchley, Barnet. See below for the latest outstanding Ofsted report:
Why is the Wren Academies Trust opening a new school in Enfield?
In 2015 Wren Academy was selected to open a new secondary school because of the exceptional success of Wren Academy, Finchley. The decision was made so that there would be capacity for the increasing numbers of secondary students in Enfield.
Wren Academy Finchley’s achievements have led to record numbers of applications this year with almost 1500 applications for 184 places. Enfield families are therefore no longer able to gain access to the secondary school. This has led to significant demand from parents for a Wren Academy in Enfield so that they will be able to access their school of choice. 525 applications have been received for Wren Academy Enfield.
A proven track record in starting and then building an outstanding school indicates that the Wren Academies Trust is more than capable of developing an excellent new school which will complement the existing educational provision in the borough.
Since opening in 2008 Wren Academy has received three Outstanding OFSTED reports with teaching and learning being described as ‘stunning’ and behaviour as ‘exemplary’. Impressive examination results quickly followed, which places the school well in the top 2% in the country.
The school also has a thriving sixth form which attracts many students from Enfield. In recent years the sixth form has achieved notable success in enabling a significant number of students to gain access to most competitive courses at Russell Group institutions with increasing numbers of students gaining places at Oxford and Cambridge.
Wren Academies Trust website - http://www.wrenacademy.org/
Who is Gavin Smith, Executive Principal?
Gavin was part of the original team that started Wren Academy Finchley working first as Vice Principal he was responsible for the curriculum, assessment, reporting and enrichment. Under his leadership the school has become one of the most successful in the country with students making exceptional progress. He is now determined that the new Wren Academy in Enfield will mirror the success of the Finchley school whilst providing a distinctive education for Enfield students.
Who is Kim Archer, Chair of the Wren Academy Multi Academy Trust?
Kim Archer was a founding governor of Wren Academy Finchley and has progressed to be Chair of Governors. Since taking on the role the sixth form has grown to become highly successful and the school has started a primary phase to become ‘all through’. Kim is a former senior civil servant with policy and large scale operational experience drawn from roles in the Departments of Health, Education and Work and Pensions. She is passionate about ensuring that every child gets the opportunity to be the best they can.
What will the school be like?
The school will be a comprehensive school with 184 in each year group. It will grow a year group at a time and will eventually have a sixth form. It will be a Church of England School with a strong Christian ethos that is inclusive to students of all faiths and none. Wren Academy Enfield will be a school where everybody matters and each individual is celebrated for all their gifts and talents. We want our students to be happy, confident and secure so they can make the best of all the opportunities provided including an extensive enrichment programme. The school will be a caring and disciplined environment where all students can flourish and achieve their full potential.
Who are the partners of Wren Academy?
London Diocesan Board for Schools (LDBS)
Wren Academy’s partner is the London Diocesan Board for Schools (LDBS) which has an outstanding record in opening successful new schools. By understanding the government’s system for opening new schools and engaging with local people, the LDBS ensures that local communities get the school they want and helps avoid the pitfalls which can affect some new schools in their first few years.
Berkhamsted Schools Group
The Berkhamsted Schools Group is a family of leading independent schools based in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Having been a founding sponsor of Wren Academy Berkhamsted School is well placed to oversee the creation of the second academy in Enfield. They will once again provide the expertise and experience of the independent sector to ensure a high quality education is provided in Enfield.
