Summercourt Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. The executive principal, headteacher and governors are ambitious for the academy and its role in leading the development of other academies in the trust's group of small schools. To this end, they pursue excellence in all aspects of the academy's work.

To sustain improvements, the senior leaders have developed successfully the skills of middle leaders in monitoring, evaluating and extending the quality of teaching, learning and pupils' personal development. As a result, all staff are highly motivated and have high expectations of what the pupils can achieve. The extremely positive relationships at all levels in the academy contribute to p...upils' impeccable behaviour and their love of learning.

The academy's arrangements for keeping pupils safe are exemplary. An exceptionally well planned and inspiring learning environment ensures that children in the early years make rapid progress from their starting points. Pupils, including the most able, disadvantaged pupils and those who are disabled or who have special educational needs, continue to make strong progress across subjects throughout the academy.

The teaching of phonics (the sounds letters make) in Key Stage 1 and of grammar, punctuation and spelling throughout the school are particularly effective and equip pupils very well for the next stage in their education. By the end of Key Stage 2, a high proportion of current pupils are achieving the top levels in mathematics and writing. Fewer pupils are achieving the top levels in reading, although the proportion is still high compared to pupils nationally.

This is because pupils are not using their targets to deepen their understanding of more challenging texts.

Information about this school

Summercourt Academy converted to become an academy school on 1 November 2013. When its predecessor school, Summercourt Community Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.

The academy is part of the Aspire Academy Trust. The trust currently consists of 12 primary schools, all of which are in Cornwall. Summercourt Academy is one of four small schools within the trust that work together as a group.

The group of small schools has an executive principal who supports the headteachers and heads of school of each of the four schools. The executive principal covered for the headteacher's maternity leave in the autumn and spring terms of the current academic year. The academy does not use any alternative provision for pupils' education.

Children in the early years are taught full-time in the Reception class. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for support from the pupil premium is below average. The pupil premium is additional government funding provided for the pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.

The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is below average and very few of these pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who are disabled or who have special educational needs is above average. The academy meets the government's floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.