Norton Hill Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. The headteacher provides the school with outstanding leadership.

He is supported well by senior colleagues. Students achieve well, including in the sixth form, because teaching is usually good and some is outstanding. Achievement fell in 2012, but the school is now on track to meet, or exceed, the good standards in previous years.

Students with special educational needs are supported well and make good progress. The achievement of those students known to be eligible for free school meals is in line with other students and is improving. Senior leaders and key subject leaders keep a close check on students' progress and swift actions are t...aken when necessary.

Students' behaviour is exemplary and there is an extremely positive climate for learning where students want to succeed and do well. Students' good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is central to the life of the school. The senior leadership team and the governing body have an accurate view of the school's strengths and priorities for improvement.

Senior leaders check the quality of teaching constantly and take effective actions if they judge it is not good enough. The sixth form is good. Through the federation and links with the local college, students are provided with a rich curriculum that meets their needs and aspirations well.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Teaching is not consistently strong enough to enable students to make outstanding progress. Not all subject leaders check the quality of teaching and its impact on students' progress carefully enough.

Information about this school

Norton Hill Academy is larger than the average-sized secondary school.

The proportions of students who need extra help (supported through school action, at school action plus and those with a statement of special educational needs) are all lower than average, but rising. The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding for looked after children, those eligible for free school meals and children whose parents are currently serving in the armed forces) is well below average, but rising. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress.

The headteacher joined the school in September 2012. The school converted to become an academy school in June 2010. When its predecessor school, Norton Hill School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be an outstanding school.

The academy has been federated with the neighbouring Somervale School, to form the Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership, since 2010. The two schools have the same headteacher,, the same governing body and share sixth form provision. The inspections of the two schools took place at the same time and were coordinated.